Del Mar adds head-to-head wager

[Alan07]

In hopes of increasing betting handle, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will add a head-to-head wager with a 10 percent takeout on each Saturday's feature race, it was announced on Thursday.

The new bet, which has the approval of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, will be joined by the Pick Five, which has a 14 percent takeout.

The track also said it will run only 7 races the final three Fridays of the meet, and 9 race cards on almost all weekend cards, including closing day and Labor Day.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/articl...f13610eed.html

[randallscott35]

Guess the pool totals. I say 40k

[Calzone Lord]

Head-to-head wagering is stupid if the match-up is pre-selected and 10% is too high of a takeout for it.

A betting platform will hopefully come when players can make their own head-to-head props in a betting exchange style platform - and also bet on stuff like offical fractions, offical final time, offical margin of victories and obviously there needs to be in-race betting that takes place right up until the 1/8th pole. Also - there should be exchange style bet props for stuff like photo finishes, jockey standings, trainer standings, and a variety of custom head-to-head props.

So many races are completely won and lost in the first two to three furlongs. I don't doubt a time will come when more money is bet on a race during its running than bet before its running.

A custom prop section would be sweet. If I want 100/1 odds that I can name the pace setter after a half mile on the entire card accroding to the results charts - let me put it there and see if I can find any takers. If I want Switch (+3 lengths at even money) versus Zenyatta in a head-to-head - maybe I can find a taker.

[Alan07]

http://www.dmtc.com/racinginfo/pr/in...ixcarryoverond

[randallscott35]

With all their 4 horse fields it is just about head to head wagering already out there.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I don't doubt a time will come when more money is bet on a race during its running than bet before its running.

You don't?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by miraja2

You don't?

I know I would MUCH rather bet a race 2 furlongs in than beforehand.

Assuming the conditons are the same for betting pre-race and betting in-race - I would say about 90% or more of my win action would come in-race - especially after the first one or two furlongs are complete.

Who the hell wants to bet a race before the start - and watch their jockey opt to go with some sh!t-brained tactic - when they can just wait a furlong or two and see how the break unfolds and how the riders are riding the race.

[Calzone Lord]

By the way - a lot of nice oppertunities to "middle" horses would occur.

For instance - anyone with a set of pace figures knew that Zenyatta was going to get smoked in the first two furlongs of the BC Classic - and Smith was going to have to start riding her to try and stay close right away.

You could have bet against and given 2/1 or 5/2 BEFORE the race - and two furlongs into the race - you could have backed her at 8/1 odds from what I've heard.

Think about it - that's a pretty nice middle - giving away 2/1 and getting 8/1 on the same horse because you knew something the general public didn't forsee.