Pool manipulation is pretty hard to do, unless your at a small track.

At a track like The Meadowlands, WEG or the Chicago circuit, it would cost a bunch of money in an attempt to create a false favorite.

More than most professional bettors would be willing to invest in a horse they didint want to bet. At a small track on the other hand, $50 or $100 will do a lot to change the way the tote board looks.

The "theory" used to be that "smart money" was bet early. Im not so sure I believe that anymore. If I'm at the track or OTB and betting a race, I watch the tote board from about 4 minutes out. If the horse im interested in doesent drop every flash, I will think twice about my wager.


Another thing to think about is that often money from simulcast pools is added to the tracks pool after the bell rings

All systems are destined to failure...nothing works 100% of the time so risk takes its toll on anything that is designed.

Pools today are contributed from many sources (not like the old times). You have money from the track by the people in attendance who wager on their live racing product. You have money coming in from all their off track locations. Add the money from simulcast outlets which can be other tracks and their otbs.

This mixture of funds adds to the pot but most tracks have small pools none the less. Many times at these smaller tracks a person who desires to get the public on a false favorite will bet as the windows open something like $500 to win on a horse with little chance of winning.

He waits until about post time and goes to his favorite teller to have the ticket cancelled and get a refund of his $500. I have seen more than a few times but tracks today have programs installed which alerts the mutuel manager about these things and the mutuel teller will be called in. Plus they have video camera set up everywhere you make a bet these days. All they need is the time when that ticket was cancelled and view the tape of that window and they got you and the teller.

In the old days the tellers had to eat their mistakes (pay for the ticket themselves if they could not sell it) as there were no methods of cancelling the tickets. Today, the computerizaed machines are open about 8 seconds after the start of the race so that the tellers can cancel their mistakes

lots of great info that i took the time to write

what do you guys think about it?

Thank you for the info.

Can the Tellers use that 8 seconds to punch a ticket on their speed horse after they see it has taken the lead as expected.