Remember the episode of the Flintstones where Fred loses his mind about betting ? – Me too. He and Barney go to the Water Buffalo lodge to drink cactus coolers, shoot pool, and head to the track. You’ll never see this stuff in kids cartoons now, but you’ll see crap that will make you think about turning the channel. – I’m not saying this is the cure to what ails our times, but maybe we ought to take a little closer look before taking the moral high road. Even though it was a cartoon, it reflected real life situations. One could have the choice to take part or not, or maybe it was Wilma and Betty who put the smack-down on the boys. Either way, we are adults and from what I understand there are no children allowed in casinos, or anyone under the age of 18 years is not allowed to make a bet on the ponies. – Anyway, fast forward to 12:39 and enjoy:

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Gambling has been around for quite awhile, and whether it was casting lots or the sports lottery, or the Irish sweepstakes. It’s your call, and there can be no better form of entertainment. – I was reading that Gulfstream Park is expanding its wagering menu according to the Blood Horse.com. – There is always something for everyone, and if you look hard enough you’ll, find your favorite type of wager that fits your bankroll and expertise. If you’ve read any of my wagering philosophy, you’ll know I’m all about making it fun for the players. Just because you have a few wagers that could be targeted to new fans and players looking for the jackpot payoff does not mean it has to have a takeout rate that is tough to swallow.

If you’re a new player and would like to wager at a minimal investment. How about the “Mutuel Fun” wager ? – This is targeted for the newbie player who enjoys coming out for the bands, cheap brew, and hanging out with friends. Now this is not to say hard-core players would not be interested, but we’ll never know if it doesn’t get off the ground. – Here are the ground rules. – The track seeds the pool with $500 on a Friday night card. For every 21 year old player who would like to take part and buy a “share” in the “Mutuel Fun wager.” – The cost is $10, and you’ll be required to show an I.D. – You will then receive two free drink tickets and a free tailored tip sheet. – We’ll say that 150 players buy a share, and the races will be selected by the track handicapper. – It will be on races 5-8 from the 10 race card, and the wagers will be posted on the infield screen, TV slates for in-house, and announced on the floor. – We’ll start off with a $250 place wager, and with $2,000 in the pool we’ll have a shot at winning a few bucks as a group. People enjoy winning as a group, and there is no better way to get the place jumping as your (7-2) shot comes rolling down the lane and pays $3.60 to place. – That is only $450 bucks that goes right into the next race, and the energy grows from there. – What to do if the wager goes belly up ? – No problem, just send an email blast from the sign in sheet for a 50% off ticket for the next week as a bounce back offer. – Sounds like we got fans involved and making return trips ! – The best part is when we announce you may cash your “Mutuel Fun Wagers” at the windows for a whopping $150 per share. You had a great time, won a few bucks, and didn’t have to step out of the beer line or miss your favorite songs.

For savvy players and fans of basketball. How about taking a shot at the last four races of the night in a wager called the “Triple-Double.” – You make a wager that must correctly select the last three rolling daily doubles. If there is no winner, no problem. The entire amount carries over to the next racing day. – The best part about the wager, there will be a 5% takeout. – This means more money goes back to the players, and even if you’re not a fan of the bet you have to love the reduced takeout. – Make the bet a $1 minimum, and watch and see if it takes off. – It won’t surpass the $4 million dollar pick-six, but it allows you to experiment with lower takeouts to gauge player interest, and hopefully get a carryover for a day or two.

Now for the lottery shot wager. – Everyone buys a lottery ticket a time or two per year. Try this. – Have a 10-cent minimum wager that allows you to play “Q-10.” – Now that’s assuming there are ten races, and if not it becomes the “Q-9.” – You have to make the wager prior to the first race, and have to correctly select the quinella in every race to have a winning ticket. – I know, its going to be tough. The pools will be slow at first, but if no player correctly selects the “Q-10.” – The entire amount carries over to the next day. Let this happen four or five days in a row, and see if the Daily Racing Form will be talking about the big pools. – Make it a 10% takeout and even more players are starting to watch the pools.

I love to read about tracks, OTB’s, ADW’s and other places of gaming that embrace the new. The “new” is creating wagers to engage the public. – If we serve up the same wagering menu day-in-day-out, players will grow stale to the ideas of innovative wagers that have a benefit for all players. Kudos to the ovals that attempt to reach from the depth of the past and welcome the player of today. – The plethora of casino wagering that has been found in many areas of the states show us that people love to be engaged by having an edge at winning. If you look closely, there is no magic or cheating to gain that edge. Just allowing players to take part with a lesser takeout may be the starting point, and adding a new element of placing a wager may make the experience more intriguing. Racing is far from over, but the declines should have us on high alert that changes must be made.

gahttp://www.toon.is/flintstones-1×08-at-the-races-video_0e527ab1c.htmlmes of chance to entertain Greek troops during the Trojan War. He was also thought to be the inventor of the dice.