Handicapping

Follow the links to the left to get the information you need to do your own handicapping.

Rules for going to the window from the guy standing behind you.

I am one of those people that waits till the last minute to go to the window to make my bet. I get closed out more often than I want to. For the vast majority of the time it is my own fault. I willingly accept responsibility for this. However, many times I could have gotten my bet in if it weren't for certain individuals that can't follow some certain etiquette when it comes to going to the windows. With any hope these rules will be posted at every betting establishment. Following these rules will help me get to the window quicker and stop people from yelling at you.

1 Decide what line you are going to stand in.

Have you ever walked up to the teller behind someone not sure which line is moving fastest? They do that little shuffle to the left and right. They are looking back and forth, stepping out and then back in front of you. Pick a line. There is no problem with deciding to change lines but for goodness sakes PICK ONE!

2 Make your decision before you get to the window.

Too many times I see folks step up to the teller, open the program and start handicapping the race. This is not the time to do this. You may have 15 minutes left before your race goes off but there are others behind you that don't have that kind of time. Along with this rule goes this...

2a Don't handicap off of the odds board when you get to the window.

I don't know why so many people do this. There is going to be at least one more flash after the race starts If you can't figure out the board action before you get to the window then stay off the line.

3 Know the language of the machine.

Try to call them out in a way that is easiest for the mutual clerk to follow. This will help you, the clerk, and everyone behind you. Take a few minutes to talk to a clerk that isn't busy. They will appreciate the effort taken to make their job easier. (Note: Great ice breaker for picking up a date)

4 Write it down and call it out.

There are many wagering formats for many tracks to choose from. It is not uncommon to have 6-8 sets of numbers to bet on. Don't assume that you are going to remember all of your combinations. Write them down. Not only does this speed up the process but it also helps with the accuracy.

5 Know how much to pay the teller.

Why are so many people shocked when the teller says how much wager is? How is it that the same person who makes their own par times and analyzes speed figures can't figure out how much a 3 horse box costs?

6 Have your money in your hand.

This is mostly a woman problem. I am ready to accept all of the criticism of being chauvinistic concerning this but I must stick with what I have observed repeatedly at every track. She calls out the bet, asks how much it is, then opens up her purse.

" $19? Okay, here's five, ten, eleven, twelve... I don't want to break up my twenties... thirteen, oh, here's another five. How much more do I owe you? Wait I have some change down here. No, I need this for tolls on the parkway. Darn it, I have nothing smaller than a ten..."

There are no prizes given out to people who have exact change. If you need to clean out your loose change, do it the next time you're in Wal-Mart.

7 Cashing a ticket is not a crime but...

You really should cash your tickets when there are no lines but it's okay if you don't want to wait for your money. The only problem is when the clerk asks if you want to make a wager before handing you your winnings. There are only 2 ways to answer this question. One way is "Yes" and you start calling out your numbers. The other answer is "No thank you." Take your money and leave. "Uhh.. gee... umm... hmm..." are never answers. We see the look on the clerks face when you do this and none of us are happy about it.

Please understand this one thing, I know that there are many horse race gamblers that need more time to put their bet together. If you are one of those that need every second up to the final bell, learn how to use the automatic tellers or get one of those hand held units. You will have all of your freedoms and most importantly you'll stay out of my line.

Sign My Guestbook View My Guestbook