Four Ways to Make More Money at the Races

If it sounds like a pitch from Better Call Saul, relax it’s not. – No fast gimmicks, magic mojo or secret handshake required. This is about you and what you’re doing when making a bet. Some feel they have it all together, and right about now you can stop reading. There’s no pitch, just a checklist on what’s going on with your betting patterns. – A long time race tracker asked me a question the other day as I was walking into work. – “Hey, who do you like today ? ” Simple question that has anything but an easy answer. It’s not quantum math and doesn’t involve going to night school. Just a little restraint, patience and focus. – Who do you like today ?

 

1. – I never pick up my racing data without learning something new everyday

My Dad used to tell me the defintion of insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting a new result. Well, that is about as close as it gets to nailing it on the head. – Try something new as we are heading toward the second jewel in the Triple Crown. – Look at whatever data you choose and decide if you have enough information, the right type of information, and does it serve your needs. Before you tell me that it has numbers and running lines, that is not the question.  -Does your program, pp’s or data allow you to filter out the pretenders from the contenders ? Does it alert you to the little things that may elude you in handicapping ? – And most importantly does it give you an overview of the race and how it takes shape ?

 

2. – Time to go on a racing diet

Just like the doc tells us when we weigh in at the office, it’s time to cut back. – You don’t need to have ten tracks to follow. There is no way you can keep up with ten tracks and know all about the bias, the top riders and trainers, and who targets the oval. – By cutting back this allows you to focus on a few tracks. I would use no more than three. From the 3 tracks, you’ll need to cut out the races which drain your bankroll. – Don’t like maidens ? No turf races ? No condition claimers for you ? – No problem. If you have 30 races to examine, cut back to ten races to potentially play. – From the ten races you select make 5-6 your best bets and go from there. Trust me, the “tap dancing” method doesn’t work. You win $30 on a race and give back $42 the next you didn’t even like. – Stop the madness and cut back a bit. – You’ll thank yourself later.

 

3. – A  ladder will help you climb to greater heights

No worries about climbing a 40 foot ladder. – This is about making your bets count. If you make a $5 win bet, make a $10 place wager. I know, it sounds steep. By cutting back on the number of races you play you’ll be able to play within your means. Simply double your wager in the place end. If you are a show player make sure the runner is 10-1 or higher and has at least 7-8 horses in the race before you apply the ladder technique. – If you’re a $2 player it is $2 win and $4 to place; $10 to win, $20 to place. – Remember, you are cutting back on your total number of races and you’ll have the bankroll to cover your day. – Now as you grasp the idea we’ll allow for a small bet or two off the chart. – Diets don’t work and if you keep yourself on too strict of a program you’ll lose interest. – If you are up 20% on your bankroll for the day, have two races chosen ahead of time you would like to make a small wager. Think of it like having a “cheat item” on your diet and you’ll have a little more action. These two races will be your two smallest bets of the day. If you have a built in reward you’ll find yourself having a complete day at the races. – The ladder bet will allow you to cover your wallet. How many times have you bet $10 to win and nothing to place on the runner who pays $4.80 to place ? If you used the ladder it would have been $10 to win and $20 to place. That runner who ran second now has you up $18 on the race and ready to move forward with a profit.

 

4. – Cut out the distractions

Leave the beer in the bar, the entourage outside, and get ready to focus. You can meet the boys for a brew later. Who knows ? You may even pick up the tab. – Over the many years I’ve worked in racing I’ve watched many try and bring it all together while wagering. It may work every now and then, but it is a losing propostion in the long run. – The commercials and billboards where you see well-dressed pretty people jumping and cheering is a mirage. – The hard truth it’s all about winning unless you’re out for a day with Aunt Sadie. In that case, just enjoy your day and write off your loss as the price of entertainment. But if you want to win, you’ll need to cut out white noise static that absorbs your ability to focus. – Trust me, this has been the iceberg that sinks very good gamblers.