How many races a day?

[limit2]

From all the workouts I have reviewed in my 44 years I have noticed the winning systems average no more than 5 plays a day. Most of the time even less. So this is what led me to the path of looking to reduce the population of playable races to a few. Thus I use a broad brush for removal first and afterwards an artist tool.

[Overlay]

I don't start out with any preconceived limit. I let each race tell its own story as far as playability and value, but I tend to favor a larger universe of potentially or actually playable races rather than a smaller one. If you're handicapping based on probabilities in which you have confidence, a greater volume of play gives those probabilities more of a chance to assert themselves, while also reducing the impact of isolated anomalies.

[Robert Goren]

A positive expected value bet can pop up in any type of race anywhere. but you should have some idea of where the kind of bets you like to make pop up. Many people don't look at races with 6 or fewer horses. I don't spend much time on turf races and even less on ungraded stakes races at major tracks. A friend of mine looks at near full or full field claiming races at middle level tracks like Hawthorne only. He is looking for a dropper at 10/1 and that is where he finds them.

[raybo]

From all the workouts I have reviewed in my 44 years I have noticed the winning systems average no more than 5 plays a day. Most of the time even less. So this is what led me to the path of looking to reduce the population of playable races to a few. Thus I use a broad brush for removal first and afterwards an artist tool.

How many tracks are under review per day? If you're only looking at 3 or 4 tracks per day, then maybe 0 to 2 races per track, or 0 to 8 plays. However, if you have the ability to look at an unlimited number of tracks, via a computer program that sifts through all tracks running per day, then the number of playable races increases significantly, depending of course on the criteria you are using to cull the races.

[ReplayRandall]

Derby Day is an exceptional value play banquet. Trainers across the country know this is the day, no matter where the track, to show off their stable with some fat priced winners. Specifically looking at horse for course, horse for distance, combined with win prices 6-1 and up. Class A and B tracks only..........

[glengarry]

Derby Day is an exceptional value play banquet. Trainers across the country know this is the day, no matter where the track, to show off their stable with some fat priced winners. Specifically looking at horse for course, horse for distance, combined with win prices 6-1 and up. Class A and B tracks only..........

If you consistently have losing years, the answer is less races than you are betting now. The logic is simple, as whatever means you use to both handicap and manage money isn't working. Bet less races, bet the same amount as always, improve your bottom line. Look at it this way: If you are a baseball player and strike out a lot on bad pitches, taking more pitches would be a nice start.

If you refuse to brush up on your skill set, then try betting more on races that you have greater insight on. There will be types of races, or single race scenarios, that you are better at than others. Focus on those. Assuming you have a finite bankroll, then betting less races and focusing more on a race that fits into your skill set better allows you to bet more on those races.

As for how many races to bet as a general rule, that's an individual thing. I have a friend that goes through 3 or 4 tracks a day and bets every race at all of them until he runs out of money for the day. Then he goes to the cash machine. He enjoys the game far more than any person I know. I would never tell him to bet less races. Why take a way a man's pleasure? Rules are only for those that want to change their bottom line. That's only one aspect of the game.

[glengarry]

Derby Day is an exceptional value play banquet. Trainers across the country know this is the day, no matter where the track, to show off their stable with some fat priced winners. Specifically looking at horse for course, horse for distance, combined with win prices 6-1 and up. Class A and B tracks only..........

Didn't mean to hit the quote button on my previous response. Like RR, I like special days like Derby Day and the BC. Value all over the place. Don't need to cash a lot to have a big day. Plus, I prefer watching stakes quality horses.

[ReplayRandall]

It's all good GG. Trainers on Derby Day don't experiment with different distances and surfaces with their current conditioned horses. They're entered in optimum spots to win, usually at the most favored distance and/or track. Don't let the previous running lines throw you off. The worse those lines look the better the pay-off. Tons of recreational players money in the pools makes it an "overlay feast" all day long.......$$

[Stillriledup]

From all the workouts I have reviewed in my 44 years I have noticed the winning systems average no more than 5 plays a day. Most of the time even less. So this is what led me to the path of looking to reduce the population of playable races to a few. Thus I use a broad brush for removal first and afterwards an artist tool.

I've found that the only playable races are races where you absolutely LOVE something. I do much better with my Loves than my likes.

I agree that its better to have 5 plays per day or less, any more than that i think a player is stretching it.

[ultracapper]

Play your plays. They come when they come. There is no schedule. 2 today, none next week, 4 the next Thursday. They come when they come.

[cashmachine]

This is a no-brainer if you use computer program, because you just have predefined criteria and bet all the races that meet those criteria, and only them. From my experience I know that number of races varies significantly from day to day (I have predefined criteria), one day I bet only 2 horses out of 10 races, other day I can make 12 bets on 10 races. In other words, composition of races is not uniform from day to day. I think it is counterproductive to stop betting for a day only because you reached your "limit" for the day; who knows maybe someday all the races are "good" for you and you can win them all. After all, there are runs of good luck also.

I would suggest you to try to come up with very precise criteria when you make a bet and when not, evaluate those criteria on the past races, select best criteria that you can and then never deviate from your plan.

[luisbe]

Go race by race, some days I don't bet more than 1 race and others (MNR I played 5 of 5 -pic- tonight) many.

[glengarry]

Go race by race, some days I don't bet more than 1 race and others (MNR I played 5 of 5 -pic- tonight) many.

Very good capping. If you played around a little in p4's, you could have hit the p4 for $23,000. Would have needed to push the "all button in r.4. Finding a bunch of playable races at the "Mountain" is something I couldn't do. Cashing in 4 of them is not easy.

[limit2]

Boy do I ever love the spread of your $117 for the wagering at Mountaineer. Perfect. The Win results would have carried you to a profit. Great.

[Robert Goren]

I really don't think that if you are a losing player that you will magically become a winning player by betting less races with the same methods you are using. You may lose less because you cut the volume some. What will probably happen is that you will cut the number of races you play at a track or on a circuit, but you increase the number of tracks or circuits you play. This almost never works. If you are a losing player, you should be looking at your methods. I am a believer in find methods for certain types of races, not for trying to find races that fit your methods. IMO for it is worth.

[Seabiscuit@AR]

If you've got a winning system or method you simply play all the races selected by the system/method

If the system throws up 20 bets a day then you bet 20 races a day

Limiting your bets per day won't get you closer to being a winning player. It might keep the losses for a losing system in check and will see you playing the losing system for longer as it will take you longer to learn the truth (i.e. that your system is a losing one)

[limit2]

The Psyche has to play a role here. If too many consecutive losses in a day occur it can break the player's spirit. Losing 4 in a row can offer, "I'll try again on another day." A renewed spirit emerges. I prefer losing 12 races over 3 days than 12 in 1.

[limit2]

The advice of " Never deviate from your plan is solid". As D. Mitchell, in his book, " Commonsense Betting", points out, "Plan your work; Work your plan". The plan should include: Knowing when to quit (sustaining daily profitability), Not exceeding daily wagering limits (4% of total capital), Portfolio percentage wagering (so much $$$$ for straight and exotic wagers) and summaries to match expected with actual results over desired durations ( 6 days, 12 days, 1 month, etc.).

[Some_One]

Why is the psyche involved? In a way, the result of the race/bet does not matter. You have to focus on making the +EV decisions, and just let variance run it's course. The only way I can see psyche getting involved is if your methods are subjective and to that I would say you're already in trouble. I've not heard, but wouldn't believe , of anyone that is a successful investor/blackjack player/sports bettor/forex-stock investor/etc who can make decisions on a whim and be profitable long term, you have to have a systematic approach. By having a systematic approach, it takes emotions out of the game, you'll have a proven method, and just apply it whenever it pops up, whether it's once a day or 20 times a day.

[luisbe]

Very good capping. If you played around a little in p4's, you could have hit the p4 for $23,000. Would have needed to push the "all button in r.4. Finding a bunch of playable races at the "Mountain" is something I couldn't do. Cashing in 4 of them is not easy.

Isn't it weird? I didn't play any race at MNR tonight even though I'm watching it. I can be very patient if I'm undecided.
Well, I still don't know; Maybe I can give it a shot to #3 in the 9th at 18-1.

[limit2]

The systematic approach involves setting the rules and applying them. Two races played at Mountaineer were both proved positive R2 and R4 at $32.20 and $48.40 by the approach I use. I believe psyche is involved after a series of losers in a short duration. Others may not believe that. So be it.

[Some_One]

How did you have the 48 dollar horse? I thought your rule was 50% premium therefore since we was 12-1 on the ML, you would need 18-1 to trigger the bet and he only got there after the gates opened because of the last second money on the fav.

[limit2]

There are instances where at a nearing post time play, i.e. 1 MTP or beyond when the odds shown are not precisely as desired like a 12:1 @ 18:1 ob. OK...we want 2 selections and we look at the possibilities.....we know from past experience that the plungers are going to crush the favorite odds and in so doing drive the other odds upward........the biggest get bigger first.....thus 12:1's go first. Other ways: look at the progress of the odds and the fading odds of the other contenders.

[goatchaser]

As long as i'm not chasing my money....I can play all day