Has anyone hear anything on Laurel's handle?

[Habersham000]

With the 10% takeout is their pools bigger? Has anyone been betting there because of the takeout who usually doesn't?

[phystech]

I went through the charts online and if I added the numbers correctly, I think they only did about $900k on Opening Day. How that relates to a typical Aug meetopening day, I don't have a clue. I do know they were off the turf because of heavy rains the night before so that hurt 'em quite a bit.

I didn't run Saturday's numbers but I believe I came up with about $1.4m for Sunday.

I'm pretty sure they do around $2m+ for a typical fall meet weekend.

I went to opening day and didn't make a bet. Spent too much time talking with friends I hadn't seen in a while. Plus, it was 2 for 1 drafts......

[ateamstupid]

I just think that while the Ellis and Laurel takeout slices are great and should be supported, it's a bad idea to put them up against Saratoga and Del Mar and expect to get overwhelming increases in handle. It's just very tough to bet ELP and LRL instead of SAR and DMR, especially if you're at one of those tracks every day like many are.

I think if Laurel keeps the low takeout through the winter, that's when you'll see major results, because it's much easier to take handle from the AQU inner than from SAR.

[Scav]

Exactly, it is too bad that Ellis closes before Saratoga/Del Mar because my guess it that ALOT of that pick four money would migrate there because of the takeout, or at least people would give it a try.

It will be interesting to see if Laurel does it in the winter, because I for one would play it over Aqueduct, I would play almost anything over Aqueduct in the winter.

[NTamm1215]

Laurel and Ellis would be handling a lot more if they were available via Youbet. I know that people keep bringing this up and it may be getting old to some of you, but with the amount of account holders Youbet has in the country, your handle will suffer when they no longer take your signal.

NT

[mes5107]

I'll be printing up tomorrow's Laurel card today so that I can give it the once over tonight. 3:30 (EST) post times are a great idea. I'll play tomorrow after work for sure, and only because of the 10% takeout.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Scav

It will be interesting to see if Laurel does it in the winter, because I for one would play it over Aqueduct, I would play almost anything over Aqueduct in the winter.

Tampa Bro. Tampa......at the top of the Bay.....were the Geritol meets the turf....full fields....plenty of your Chicago connections.....$$$$....no need to even glance at the Big A inner.....mix in a little Gulfstream....finish your day with SA/Hwood....what more does a playa need?

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Tampa Bro. Tampa......at the top of the Bay.....were the Geritol meets the turf....full fields....plenty of your Chicago connections.....$$$$....no need to even glance at the Big A inner.....mix in a little Gulfstream....finish your day with SA/Hwood....what more does a playa need?

I'll wager on Tampa turf, but the dirt racing there is garbage, absolute garbage. The good riders all ride the turf but very few ride the dirt.

I am going to be focused on this up and coming Oak Tree meeting, I want to be ready for a full Santa Anita meeting in the winter.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Scav

I'll wager on Tampa turf, but the dirt racing there is garbage, absolute garbage. The good riders all ride the turf but very few ride the dirt.

I am going to be focused on this up and coming Oak Tree meeting, I want to be ready for a full Santa Anita meeting in the winter.

I forgot the best of the best....Richard Grunder....now what more does a playa need?

[golfer]

The simulcast parlor in Jacksonville wasn't offering the Laurel card on Saturday. I didn't get any details, but I assume it was because of the lowered takeout. I wonder if any other simulcast venues are not taking the signal.
I was quite dissapointed, especially considering a horse I've been chasing for about a year, Lycurgus, finally won and paid nearly $13

[Dunbar]

I doubt that the Laurel takeout reduction will have much impact. The fact that the 4% takeout at Ellis has only generated pools in the $30-40K range is a downright embarrassment. It shows that most bettors don't give a damn about takeout. They find a reason to bet over $16,000,000 a day into 15-35% takeout pools around the country, but cannot be attracted to a 4% takeout.

I have single-handedly accounted for something like 0.5% of ALL the Ellis Pick-4 pools. That's not to toot my horn but to point out how ridiculously low the level of support around the country has been. I hate betting maidens and I'd never bet a Pick-4 in my life previously. But it was obvious to me that if this 4% bet was strongly supported, it could affect takeout for years to come. I was willing to toss some money at it as an investiment in the future. Apparently not many bettors felt the same way.

The difference between Laurel's 10-11% takeout and NY's 15% WPS takeout is important, but is small compared to the difference between Ellis' 4% Pick-4 and Saratoga's 25% Pick-4. Payoffs at Ellis are 28% higher than they would be with Saratoga's 25% takeout. That extra 28% return didn't seem to be of much interest to most bettors.

--Dunbar

[infield_line]

P3's... but have yet to get any of that lower takeout back...lol

I would probably not play LRL if it were not for wanting to support lower take, and because I hate Youbet and that's the only way I can play SAR, so I go elsewhere unless I just can't help it.

If I'm going slumming, DEL is my kind of place. Since I can only pay DMR turf with any hope of success, that's where my play mostly has gone.

I/L