Grand Slam

[FlintAtTheFetlock]

This seems to be the most elusive wager for me. I must be 0–30 to be generous. How is that possible? I have grown in recent years to be a moderately decent handicapper. The problem is I am undisciplined, but I digress. To the point I’ve tried several different strategies; favorite, favorite, favorite, longshot; longshot, longshot, longshot, favorite. Sleeper, sleeper, sleeper, favorite. You get the point. Is it time to move along and stop chasing this pig? How do others approach this bet? I thought it would be a good way to conserve money and hang through a series of races if I liked something in the last. Not exactly going as planned.

PS: As I post this I am alive after 2 races at Saratoga in GS. Could this be the day? Maybe it takes making a post to change my luck :D

[thaskalos]

This seems to be the most elusive wager for me. I must be 0–30 to be generous. How is that possible? I have grown in recent years to be a moderately decent handicapper. The problem is I am undisciplined, but I digress. To the point I’ve tried several different strategies; favorite, favorite, favorite, longshot; longshot, longshot, longshot, favorite. Sleeper, sleeper, sleeper, favorite. You get the point. Is it time to move along and stop chasing this pig? How do others approach this bet? I thought it would be a good way to conserve money and hang through a series of races if I liked something in the last. Not exactly going as planned.

PS: As I post this I am alive after 2 races at Saratoga in GS. Could this be the day? Maybe it takes making a post to change my luck :D
0-30 is perfectly understandable for a "moderately decent handicapper". In this game...moderately decent handicappers walk around with holes in their shoes. :)

[FlintAtTheFetlock]

I'm chuckling now 0-31. Checking my soles as well :)

[Lemon Drop Husker]

I don't think payouts on Grand Slams exist. Only Grand Slam I've ever had was at 3 am at the local Dennys.

It is like the ever elusive Unicorn that cannot be captured.

Never heard of anybody ever hitting this wager. Purely a myth. :)

[letswastemoney]

I thought you meant the sire Grand Slam at first.

[Matt Bryan]

I thought you meant the sire Grand Slam at first.

Me too.

[Bennie]

I hit one once when I used to play softball ball.:)
I would probably try these once in a while but are they not only available through certain hubs?

[Hoofless_Wonder]

Saratoga is one of the few meets this wager makes a little sense. Otherwise the breakage of three horses in the first three legs makes for at least 27 payouts, and that's some serious breakage.

I don't play it often, but when I do I don't like a heavy chalk or two to hit the board in at least two of the legs, or not win the final leg. It's tough to find those conditions, but at the Spa even a couple of 4-1 shots hitting the board can have you ahead of the crowd, as that's a tough track to pick'em.

Also, an occasional $2 to $5 action straight wager can be fun, if you like a price in the final leg. I can't spend serious money on it though.

[davew]

S-S-S-W sequence

I go shallow first 3 (1 or 2 max) and spread final (4 max) for winner
-my shallows are legitimate favorites and probably have a show 65%+ on those

If you can tell which races are chaos and all show horses will have decent price, you would have an advantage


I usually pass bet because of a short field race or final race too tough to decide winner

[Rutgers]

I have always like the Grand Slam wager. Overall I feel it is a good bet.

My one complaint with the wager is the takeout level is way too high for the wager’s complexity.

Assuming 8 horse fields, there are 4,096 possible combinations in the Grand Slam, which is the same amount as a regular Pick 4, but with the Grand Slam there are 27 winning combinations instead of just one.

That means there is 1 winning combination for every 151.70 combinations. In comparison, a trifecta wager on an 8 horse field has 336 combinations per winning combination. It has less than half the number of combinations per winning tickets than the trifecta yet is charge the same takeout rate. (I chose the trifecta wager for comparison because that has the fewest possible combinations of all the NYRA wagers that have the 24% takeout rate)

Ideally, I would like to see NYRA take ownership of and pride in the wager and lower the takeout to 15% (the lowest amount allowed by the PML), since it is basically a NYRA creation and exclusive wager. But at the very least I would like to see the takeout lowered to something closer to 18.5% taken on DD and exacta. In my opinion, at the current takeout, most players do not have a realistic chance at overcoming the takeout.

But for playing the wager, like most exotic wagers, it is more of how well you structure your ticket versus how well you select your horses.

Towards that end, a number of years ago Trackmaster.com had a template showing a multi-ticket approach to playing a regular Pick 4. The ticket structure can be used for the Grand Slam as well. Using it won’t automatically make you a winning player, but it is a good starting point. For successful play you need to adjust your ticket based on that day’s sequence.

Ticket 1 - S // ABC // AB // AB
Ticket 2 - S // AB // C // AB
Ticket 3 - S // AB // AB // C
Ticket 4 - S // D // A // A
Ticket 5 - S // A // D // A
Ticket 6 - S // A // A // D
Ticket 7 - S // C // C // A
Ticket 8 - S // C // A // C
Ticket 9 - S // A // C // C

Where S is a single. ( I would probably not single in the last leg) and A, B, C, & D are your 4 contenders in the other legs with A being your most likely winner of your contenders down to D your least likely winner of your contenders

At $1 per combination, your cost is $26. It will also give you a chance to hit on multiple combinations.

[FlintAtTheFetlock]

I have always like the Grand Slam wager. Overall I feel it is a good bet.

My one complaint with the wager is the takeout level is way too high for the wager’s complexity.

Assuming 8 horse fields, there are 4,096 possible combinations in the Grand Slam, which is the same amount as a regular Pick 4, but with the Grand Slam there are 27 winning combinations instead of just one.

That means there is 1 winning combination for every 151.70 combinations. In comparison, a trifecta wager on an 8 horse field has 336 combinations per winning combination. It has less than half the number of combinations per winning tickets than the trifecta yet is charge the same takeout rate. (I chose the trifecta wager for comparison because that has the fewest possible combinations of all the NYRA wagers that have the 24% takeout rate)

Ideally, I would like to see NYRA take ownership of and pride in the wager and lower the takeout to 15% (the lowest amount allowed by the PML), since it is basically a NYRA creation and exclusive wager. But at the very least I would like to see the takeout lowered to something closer to 18.5% taken on DD and exacta. In my opinion, at the current takeout, most players do not have a realistic chance at overcoming the takeout.

But for playing the wager, like most exotic wagers, it is more of how well you structure your ticket versus how well you select your horses.

Towards that end, a number of years ago Trackmaster.com had a template showing a multi-ticket approach to playing a regular Pick 4. The ticket structure can be used for the Grand Slam as well. Using it won’t automatically make you a winning player, but it is a good starting point. For successful play you need to adjust your ticket based on that day’s sequence.

Ticket 1 - S // ABC // AB // AB
Ticket 2 - S // AB // C // AB
Ticket 3 - S // AB // AB // C
Ticket 4 - S // D // A // A
Ticket 5 - S // A // D // A
Ticket 6 - S // A // A // D
Ticket 7 - S // C // C // A
Ticket 8 - S // C // A // C
Ticket 9 - S // A // C // C

Where S is a single. ( I would probably not single in the last leg) and A, B, C, & D are your 4 contenders in the other legs with A being your most likely winner of your contenders down to D your least likely winner of your contenders

At $1 per combination, your cost is $26. It will also give you a chance to hit on multiple combinations.


Some nice info here to chew on :ThmbUp: , thanks. I'm going to nail this pig I can tell. I'll play all those and when it hits I'll count my losses and savor the moment with a satisfied grin on my face. :D
pardon the bafoonery

[FlintAtTheFetlock]

I am now 0-34 with this wager. :blush: I give up trying to pick these. If anyone wants to throw me a $4 grand slam for Saratoga today I will play your picks. Maybe you will get me off the snide.

I'll play the first one that comes in and let you know how it goes.

[LAP_520]

I am now 0-34 with this wager. :blush: I give up trying to pick these. If anyone wants to throw me a $4 grand slam for Saratoga today I will play your picks. Maybe you will get me off the snide.

I'll play the first one that comes in and let you know how it goes.

This is what I come up with Wednesday Night for a
$1 Grand Slam Wheel ( Thursday 8/28/2014 )

Race 6 - using 2 and 4
Race 7 - using 5 and 8 and maybe 10
Race 8 - Singling the 4
Race 9 - 3,5,and 8


( 2 x 2 x 1 x 3 = $12)

or if 10 does not scratch....

(2 x 3 x 1 x 3 = $18)

[davew]

limiting your bets to $4 in GrandSlam is similar to limiting trifecta bets to $2

you have to expect long periods with no cashes

[jefftune]

My friend who I meet up with at Sar each year loves this bet. He plays single/single/single/all.

[FlintAtTheFetlock]

That was very close, (good effort) but it looks like leg 3 ran out. I got home late for the 7th and did not get it in, so academic exercise, but I hit the late pick 4 . Crazy, I've hit 2 pick 4's this week already, but have yet to cash a Grand Slam in my lifetime. I'll keep dicking around with this wager and do welcome the input. It is only a matter of time before I'll get my $20 return :) I limit to $4 as I consider this pure amusement not a genuine betting interest.

Thanks for the suggestions... The hunt goes on...

PS: The (fav, fav, fav, all) is not something I've tried. Next hot streak I'll give it a go.