OTB behaviour

[brockguy]

as a foreigner to the OTB scene, i found it very strange last year entering one for the first time. Everyone is generally friendly and easy to talk to and there is no end to tips from whatever the next race is on. I didn't mind the atmosphere, it was a bit like bookies back home. However, one thing was very very strange to me. the majority of players when the race started shouted for their number i.e. "come on 4! keep up there 4". I had never seen anything like it. I am used to either cheering the jockey or the horse, never ever the number. To me its seems like these guys wouldnt care what they were betting on as long as they could cheer a number.. Even when a top horse was racing (I remember there when Ashado destroyed the field by round 8L), it was still the same story of cheering the number rather than horse name or jockey. I know its a small point but as a fan of horses first and then handicapping i see it as somewhat odd!!

[31lengths]

Very interesting. I've noticed that if it's a horse that I know well I'll say the name. If I am betting on a horse that I just 'capped and don't know well...I've caught myself calling the horse "baby" or "Brother".

Actually I noticed this about myself a couple of weeks ago.

Interesting topic.

If I ever bet on a dog race I will always cheered for "Rusty" regardless of the names of the dogs. He was my pet when when I was a kid and it will make me feel good and better still confuse the people around me.

I never bet on a dog races though so as kent says, that's not my point.

They don't ask me the horses name when I place the bet. In fact they frown on it. So it isn't like I'm encouraged to memorize the name of the 16,000 claimer I think is the least worst in the field.

I think people that cheer at an OTB are showing signs of desperation anyway. Why are they so excited that their 3/5 shot is on the lead in the backstretch? My theory is that winners are quiet.

I'll quietly whisper to my friend's "what's that jackass think he's doing moving so soon?" but otherwise I'm like a teenage couple with the parents in the next room. So far as everyone around knows I'm still doing homework.

I totally here where you are coming from. I play at Great Lakes Downs, which is a OTB 99% of the time with a horse track attached and the same thing happens. I think it has to do with how many races these guys play a day. I would say a majority do not sit out a single race at whatever 1, 2, 3, or more tracks they are playing that day. That being said these guys don't even have enough time to look at the program.

Alternate theory: I know a ton of guys who just play the same numbers every day. Hence, they don't know the horse or the jockey just their numbers.

[randallscott35]

The track can be a very depressing place with guys who are just there to throw their money away.

[ArlJim78]

I'm fascinated by the habits and behavior at the OTB.
What I have noticed is that when calling for the number guys will often say this, as in "come on with this eight". I think the numbers are preferred just because there are so many races at so many tracks, the names are secondary.

At the OTB where I go it is also rather common for guys to call for the jockey,
"let's go Johnny", " get him up Victor", etc.

I think it depends on the crowd. At GLD, you have one of the least informed crowds in the country. Some very nice people, but nobody has a clue. For instance, I talked to a guy the other day who is there every day betting very big money and he tells me he hasn't had a winning day in 3 months. You should accidently have one winning day.

[whorstman]

Originally Posted by chromer

If I ever bet on a dog race I will always cheered for "Rusty" regardless of the names of the dogs. He was my pet when when I was a kid and it will make me feel good and better still confuse the people around me.

I never bet on a dog races though so as kent says, that's not my point.

They don't ask me the horses name when I place the bet. In fact they frown on it. So it isn't like I'm encouraged to memorize the name of the 16,000 claimer I think is the least worst in the field.

I think people that cheer at an OTB are showing signs of desperation anyway. Why are they so excited that their 3/5 shot is on the lead in the backstretch? My theory is that winners are quiet.

I'll quietly whisper to my friend's "what's that jackass think he's doing moving so soon?" but otherwise I'm like a teenage couple with the parents in the next room. So far as everyone around knows I'm still doing homework.

That's awesome, I went to the dog track once a few years bak. Every time they ran, I cheered "GO BUSTER!". That was my boy when I was a kid.

[jpops757]

There is this guy at LS simo pavilion that always is yelling come on "baby boy". Baby Boy runs every race.. I mostly yell for the jockey to make the horse go faster or make a better move. Nearly all of my urging comes in the form of using the jockeys name. Another funny result is confusing the 9 and 5 and also confusing the7 8 and 1 because of the closeness in colors.

Originally Posted by brockguy

as a foreigner to the OTB scene, i found it very strange last year entering one for the first time. Everyone is generally friendly and easy to talk to and there is no end to tips from whatever the next race is on. I didn't mind the atmosphere, it was a bit like bookies back home. However, one thing was very very strange to me. the majority of players when the race started shouted for their number i.e. "come on 4! keep up there 4". I had never seen anything like it. I am used to either cheering the jockey or the horse, never ever the number. To me its seems like these guys wouldnt care what they were betting on as long as they could cheer a number.. Even when a top horse was racing (I remember there when Ashado destroyed the field by round 8L), it was still the same story of cheering the number rather than horse name or jockey. I know its a small point but as a fan of horses first and then handicapping i see it as somewhat odd!!

They bet so many races they have no idea what a horses name is. All they know is they got the 4 on top of a superfecta or as a part of a pik bet. Most of these guys have no idea who they have under the "four". Its a lottery for them. This behavior also makes it clear to me that people want you to know who they bet for. Which I also find curious. Kind of like if the 4 wins, one is supposed to honor their prowess. So I take the back non smoking section, and listen to all the finger clicking, "git up there 4, git up, git up, git up" from afar, where it is quiet. At large facilities one can generally find conditions to meet ones individual preferences.