28 years old and quitting betting horses

[Cubbymac26]

After betting horses for 14 years I finally had my fill of getting the short end of the stick betting horses ... There's nothing I like more then going to the track Saturday nites or any day for that matter...here are some of the reasons...

- getting little if any incentive by casinos tracks or otb for wagering your hard earned money at there establishment such as overcharging for programs admissions seats

- catching nice exactas and getting robbed on the payoffs..
-missing hot horses on the board during pick 4 sequences

- here's what got me on this rant.. Where I bet horses 3 days a week and put about 3000 through the windows for the week they got the nerve to charge me $20 for the same seat I sit in every Saturday nite because of the breeders cup.. Now the director sees me there every time I'm there why would u charge everyday patrons that are your bread and butter an outragous fee that could possibly make him not go and cost the race book at least 4000 in action for that day over $20

All u ever hear is racetracks say we need the younger crowd to get into horse racing and then all they do is try to rip you off the moment a younger person gives racing a shot it's total bs

I don't want people reading this thread thinking I'm just on a losing steak and ranting it's not that I hit that pk4 at Belmont last Saturday with summer bird... I got lucky I had an all in the gio ponti race( undercover brag) haha but this is just principle where I have to make a stand at some point

I have no problems opening a twin spires account and betting from home with there incentive programs....

What do people think am I over reacting or do I have a point...

One last point the place sells programs individually for $1 a piece they have no multi race books for harness Andover charge for the drf

[Imriledup]

You were betting illegally at 14? :lol:


If you're betting 1,000 a day and only doing this 3 days a week, that means you're very good. If you are very good, you need to bet 5 days a week and find a way to get a rebate and bet at home.

Don't worry about what racetracks say, you're not in the business of making sure racing survives, you're in the business to make sure YOU survive.

Stop betting pick 4s and you won't have to miss the hot horse on the board.

I feel that 28 is still very young, i was very good when i was your age, but now i'm much better.

Take some time off, clear your head, enjoy your life, get a girlfriend or another hobby and get out of racing for a bit. Racing is not going anywhere (fingers crossed) and it will be waiting with open arms for you when you get back.

[InsideThePylons-MW]

- here's what got me on this rant.. Where I bet horses 3 days a week and put about 3000 through the windows for the week they got the nerve to charge me $20 for the same seat I sit in every Saturday nite because of the breeders cup.. Now the director sees me there every time I'm there why would u charge everyday patrons that are your bread and butter an outragous fee that could possibly make him not go and cost the race book at least 4000 in action for that day over $20


What do people think am I over reacting or do I have a point...

You are not over reacting.

If any other business treats their customers like horseshiit, they would expect to lose them. Racing thinks they are immune to this rule of business.

[InsideThePylons-MW]

You were betting illegally at 14? :lol:

I made my first bet at the window when I was 13.

I always made my own bets at the window from 15 on. I only had one problem when I was a couple months away from 18. A new security guard nailed me, took me downstairs, the head of security told the new guy to leave me alone and that was that.

[fmolf]

there is no other game where you can get the hours of fun ... and challenge your mind,plus get out in the fresh air.You could try poker but then you leave a lot of things to chance unless you are playing in big games with other good players then you also need to be very good.In no other game can you bet as little as 10 12 dollars and get a large score.Sure they treat us like shit ...that is from years of having a monopoly on the gambling game.I am 51 years old and i see signs of change ever so slow that it is.I like to see the horses i bet on and i also will make the ocasional tote play so i stay away from multirace wagers with the exception being an occasional dd.good luck take some time off and hopefully come back with renewed interest.

[appistappis]

I am 54 and started betting the horses when I was 17.....if i had quit at 28, I would have missed 26 years of "the time of my life".

[Cubbymac26]

Hahahaha I love the responses...

I think I may not have states correctly the thrill of horse racingat it's best buried any form of gambling

I work in a casino and see first hand how gamblers get rewarded for there play... I don't want to stop betting horses just want a new place to bet horses

I play cards and I win very often but every time I play cards I'm in a 400 hole and I am battling up hill hahaha

I used to treat racing as a job... Go to qualifiers watch replays chart and everything but sinse I moved to ct there's no live racing around

It's not that I go off and bet 10 different tracks I like Yonkers and balmoral and a little northfield

On a positive note racing is doing some great things... 50 cent pick 4s and tris
Whoever came up with that idea is a genious

As for the girlfriend she finds it funny cuz she plays cards and aroud 11:30 when the racing is over and I go down to the poker room I tell all the bad beat stories or winning stories and people look at me like I'm a degenerate gambler cuz I bet horses hahahaha

She even gives me money sometimes to go partners on a pick or whatever.. I guess I can't complain guys prob wish they had a girl that had no prob with them gambling

[lamboguy]

good points, but remember this, horseracing is the only major league sport where the fan actually participates at the game.

its true horseracing is shooting itself in the foot, and more than likely things in the game are going to get alot worse before it gets better. but when it does get better you will be on the groundfloor.

i have been in this game before you were born. i have put out champions in this game, even though when they crossed the wire i was not the owner, i did get alot of satisfaction from seeing that a small nothing guy like myself was able to compete at this sport in the highest levels. keep up the hope because i promise you things will get better.

[WinterTriangle]

She even gives me money sometimes to go partners on a pick or whatever

Sounds like a keeper. :ThmbUp:

[Horseplayersbet.com]

My theory on why people quit betting, short term or long term, is very simple. They are losing too much money too quickly.
Whether the excuse is a bad stewards call, the polytrack, not being treated like a Vegas customer, losing too many photos, too many bad rides, etc., it boils down to the price of the game is way too high.

Not saying that no matter the takeout, there still won't be those who quit or temporarily quit, but there will be less so called quitters, and it would happen less often.

I've taken quite a few breaks, but never when I was winning or breaking even.

[rwwupl]

My theory on why people quit betting, short term or long term, is very simple. They are losing too much money too quickly.
Whether the excuse is a bad stewards call, the polytrack, not being treated like a Vegas customer, losing too many photos, too many bad rides, etc., it boils down to the price of the game is way too high.

Not saying that no matter the takeout, there still won't be those who quit or temporarily quit, but there will be less so called quitters, and it would happen less often.

I've taken quite a few breaks, but never when I was winning or breaking even.


High Take out =Not enough winners

Lower take out =More winners are sent home

More winners = Fan base grows, Handle grows

Horse racing =Grows in popularity,more smiles :)


:cool: :ThmbUp: rwwupl

[JimG]

Are you quitting or just moving from the track/otb to playing from home?

[CincyHorseplayer]

I abandoned Turfway Park for the exact same reasons.I was there everyday for 2 months and 3 days a week in the other 2 months during their winter meet for 5 years and was treated like absolute shit for it.Not only would they not let me get my same seat on Spiral Day,they wouldn't even let me reserve and pay for it.Last year I couldn't even sit there at all,even though I offered them $20 a trip.They told me there was nothing they could do.I said "You run this place right?" and they were stupefied.

Do what you said Cubby.Bet from home.Far more satisfying experience.

[Cubbymac26]

I abandoned Turfway Park for the exact same reasons.I was there everyday for 2 months and 3 days a week in the other 2 months during their winter meet for 5 years and was treated like absolute shit for it.Not only would they not let me get my same seat on Spiral Day,they wouldn't even let me reserve and pay for it.Last year I couldn't even sit there at all,even though I offered them $20 a trip.They told me there was nothing they could do.I said "You run this place right?" and they were stupefied.

Do what you said Cubby.Bet from home.Far more satisfying experience.

Yeah that's brutal not getting your same seat on big days....

I remember like 2months ago I'm live going into the last race of a pick4 and just as the race is going the guy comes over and shuts the tv off and says come back tmrw???? What's that!!!

[Greyfox]

-about 3000 through the windows for the week they got the nerve to charge me $20 for the same seat I sit in every Saturday nite because of the breeders cup..

Boo hoo. I hear the world's smallest violin playing.
You're a regular sure, but paying $ 20 bucks on Breeders Cup Day for a guy who puts thousands through the window should be chicken feed.
Your name isn't on that seat.
There's probably a few hundred guys who are in the same boat as you.
But they probably don't believe that they own the seat.
Pay up. $ 20 bucks on one special day every few years is no reason to quit racing. In fact its a bargain.
I'm unsympathetic to your plight.

[Tom]

I see the actual race track as secondary to horse racing. Who needs them?
Not me. I go occasionally, but I never consider a trip to the track a real day of handicapping. I chalk it up as entertainment.

Tracks suck, bottom line.

[toetoe]

I'm unsympathetic to your plight.

That makes one of us.

[Java Gold@TFT]

I was at Saratoga for the Woodward and had two clubhouse seats that I used for the day. Around the 5th race i invited my brother in law to sit with me for the race. No one had shown up to claim the 4 seats next to us. He isn't a racing person but I thought it would be nice to have him see at least one race live. The "attendents" pulled him out of the seat becasue he didn't have a ticket. The people around us all said to just let the guy watch the race since no one was using the seat and it was only one race. They still made him leave anyway. One stinking race? Maybe he will enjoy going more and come back? Others told the usher to let him stay since the horses were already loading into the gate and nobody was using the seats? Yet it's more important to have a sticker on your shirt for one race than help develop more fans. Bad call in my book.

[thespaah]

I was at Saratoga for the Woodward and had two clubhouse seats that I used for the day. Around the 5th race i invited my brother in law to sit with me for the race. No one had shown up to claim the 4 seats next to us. He isn't a racing person but I thought it would be nice to have him see at least one race live. The "attendents" pulled him out of the seat becasue he didn't have a ticket. The people around us all said to just let the guy watch the race since no one was using the seat and it was only one race. They still made him leave anyway. One stinking race? Maybe he will enjoy going more and come back? Others told the usher to let him stay since the horses were already loading into the gate and nobody was using the seats? Yet it's more important to have a sticker on your shirt for one race than help develop more fans. Bad call in my book.
That's really out of character for Saratoga.
I have been going there for over thirty years and have never met a "white hat" that was in the leat bit "un" customer friendly.
These people work the same sections every day. For the most part they know who is showing up to use their seats and who is not.
I am suprised your friend was yanked from the seat.
But you may have been dealing with a "boyscout" or one who was playing the rules by the book. It happens.

[Greyfox]

I was at Saratoga for the Woodward and had two clubhouse seats that I used for the day. Around the 5th race i invited my brother in law to sit with me for the race. No one had shown up to claim the 4 seats next to us. He isn't a racing person but I thought it would be nice to have him see at least one race live. The "attendents" pulled him out of the seat becasue he didn't have a ticket. .

Good hired help is hard to get.
The "security" help at race tracks are interesting.
They are under orders. They follow them.
Give an employee a uniform and by golly he/she will do his or her thing.
So for the first time, or possibly not, in their lives are given "Power."
Some even carry radios, and are saying " RA 5 to RA 1, we have
a cell of intruders...come in. Roger"
Static comes back.
"RA 1 to RA 5.... follow procedure 17....Roger...."
and on it goes.
I've seen that. I've heard that. It's comical. But they are serious.
The ushers or guards do their job, or at least as they are told.
Dang. They do exactly what they are told.
Unfortunately, they do exactly what they've been told.
Don't blame them. They've followed orders to a T.
Having done that, that's reward in itself.
After all anyone employed at any job wants to feel "as if" they've been of value. You can't blame them on that.
Afterwards, they probably high five themselves for their sleuthing out imposters. There is nothing wrong with that either.
But they've just done their job.
Individually, each one employee would probably use discretion in the situation described above.
When more than one shows up, company policy kicks in.
Maybe track "training" should be looked at here?

[Run Nicholas Run]

you should regret the day you started 14 years ago.

[Cubbymac26]

you should regret the day you started 14 years ago.

Hahahahahahahaha.... Ur telling me