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.

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.

[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.

Originally Posted by seconditis

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.

This could be a very important source. Ask him who he does not like for each race.
Actually I must say, I find the whole atmosphere interesting, but a little unsettling. Most of the people around me are clearly regulars, as evertime I am there, they are also, so I am a fringe friend. Occasionally I get asked what I am writing down after a race. I reply I got to watch that one again, I need to see what happened. The general reply is why? the race is over. That makes me feel I am at the track simulcast facility for the wrong reason.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Last summer I decided it was okay to indoctrinate the girlfriend into racing, so I took her up to Saratoga for a weekend. I didn't mind spending a while explaining how to bet and stuff like that. "We" played the early pick 4 that day to start and "we" were live to a single in the final leg. So, I explained that we HAD TO HAVE THE 7 win, otherwise, the first three wins were useless to us.

Well, we sat there as the race ran and she was like a fog horn wailing away for the 7 to come on home. "COME ON 7, COME ON!!!!!!! 7!!! COME ON!!!" She was so loud, and I just was looking at her and missing the finish. The 7 got up to collar the leader and we won.

I was like, "you are so loud" and she said she was just excited to win the money. Well, so was I, but the moral is, the guys screaming for the number are much like the girlfriend when it comes to the racing game. Pretty clueless. Those guys probably sit there and bet numbers all day and piss away their paychecks.

[PeteMugg]

I think it's interesting how many will spot the horse that's making up ground at the top of the stretch. Next thing ya know, everyone in the place is cheering for that one. And they all act like they had the winner, but no one is cashing or buy beer for their buds. Sorry bunch of losers is what they all are.

[ArlJim78]

LOL, there are so many funny ones. What about the guy that switches horses that he is calling for? When they're on the backstretch and turn it's "come on 5, stay up there 5". Then when the five gets passed by the 4 the same guy is suddenly now calling, " allright 4 / 5".

[skippy3481]

No no, the absolute best is the guy who rolls up his track program(no not the drf, that costs like 2 bucks more) and absolutely beats himself with it trying to get his horse to hang on. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and this middle-aged man was destroying himself trying to get his 2-1 shot to stay up. Horse was obviously dead set the a stupid pace and down the stretch the jockey did everything but shove the whip up the horse and he was still backpedaling. Guy beats his leg until his horse crosses the line in 5th and looks over to me and says man if they could get this horse in a 5.5 furlong race, no one would be able to catch him. Just not much you can say to that.

[miraja2]

I like the idea of some guy who bet on somebody like My Gallant or Sham at the '73 Belmont screaming "COME ON....CATCH THAT 2 HORSE!!"

Like most people here I don't cheer for my bets, and I never cheer for a number. I will however occasionally cheer for specific horses that I really like.
So basically if I bet on a $10,000 claimer I'm sitting there quietly. If I bet on one of my all time favorites (Sunday Silence, Megahertz etc) in a big race, I cheer them on by name.

Oh, and at the 2003 Belmont I was standing pretty close to the starting gate and I yelled "YOU SUCK EMPIRE MAKER" right at they were loading him. Didn't seem to do much good.

[GPK]

My girlfriend saw me for the first time watching a horse race. We were at my place on Sat. for The Manhattan...lol.

When they made the turn for home, I jumped off the bed, screaming at the top of my lungs at English Channel....hitting my hips...snapping my fingers...2 feet from the tv....

When the race was over, she literally had this look on her face...It was all I could do to keep from laughing my ass off. I think I scared the poor woman. I am taking her to Colonial Downs this Saturday for opening weekend. She is actually excited...lol

[31lengths]

Originally Posted by GPK

My girlfriend saw me for the first time watching a horse race. We were at my place on Sat. for The Manhattan...lol.

When they made the turn for home, I jumped off the bed, screaming at the top of my lungs at English Channel....hitting my hips...snapping my fingers...2 feet from the tv....

When the race was over, she literally had this look on her face...It was all I could do to keep from laughing my ass off. I think I scared the poor woman. I am taking her to Colonial Downs this Saturday for opening weekend. She is actually excited...lol

LOLOLOL !!!! Too funny.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by 31lengths

LOLOLOL !!!! Too funny.

She was speechless for about 10 minutes...I swear I wish I could have taken a picture of her face. At least now she knows im passionate about horse racing

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

steak and lobster and drinks 200 bucks. roses for the loved one 45 Bucks seeing the REAL GPK..............PRICELESS//LOL...

[Gander]

Ahhh, how many relationships down the drain because of betting on horse racing. Lost track after about 7.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

steak and lobster and drinks 200 bucks. roses for the loved one 45 Bucks seeing the REAL GPK..............PRICELESS//LOL...

Some things money cant buy....lol

Im not like that with every race, on when EC is racing.