Gambling & Horse Racing

[bigmack]

Curious to know how folk entered the game and what sustains them.

Personally, I play but don't 'jones' from gambling. I always loved the game as I grew up near AP. When I play now I have less 'love of game' and play without a buzz of gambling but rather to make money. I rarely go bonkers when I win and never get down when I lose.

I would imagine few 'stone cold gamblers' entered the game as their exodus would be swift.

This game never has a shortage of puzzles to put together and I suspect that might very well may be the draw to some. No shortage of bright people playing. From what I can tell many would be better served in other pursuits. Long hours, confounding game.

[thaskalos]

I became attracted to this game because of the "detective work" it seemed to require.

Racing Form in hand, I envisioned myself as a modern day Sherlock Holmes...tracking the clues of some fascinating cases.

As the years have gone by...I curiously find that I am much more addicted to the handicapping aspect of it, than to the actual wagering part.

I could never have the same excitement for the game...if I bet on the picks of another...regardless of how profitable they were.

[eastie]

When Riva Ridge won the derby, I was off and running at age 10 :). Father, happy. mother, mortified. If you have a pocket ful of money, or are tapioca looking to get started, the possibilities are endless, and you never know what you might see, or how much you might win. every day is a new adventure. Going to Suffolk on Marathon Day and hearing Jim Hannon say, as they hit the far turn the first time, "They've got a loooooooooooooooonggggg way to go. Stuff like that which gets embedded in your memory. It just keeps you going back.

[bigmack]

As the years have gone by...I curiously find that I am much more addicted to the handicapping aspect of it, than to the actual wagering part.
From what I've been able to gather many fall in that camp. While handicapping can be entertaining, the real test is in one being able to be profitable. That's a challenge that moves to the next level and separates most.

Far too few players are honest in their pursuit of the game.

[thaskalos]

From what I've been able to gather many fall in that camp. While handicapping can be entertaining, the real test is in one being able to be profitable. That's a challenge that moves to the next level and separates most.

Far too few players are honest in their pursuit of the game.I don't think I made myself clear...

I am a pretty large bettor, and I play 6 days a week...have done so for years. What I meant by my comment was that I find the handicapping part of the game to be much more interesting than the betting part...which I consider rather routine.

I, like you, have learned to be very unemotional about short term results.

I wager on about 15 races a day...and I "keep score" by the week.

[Robert Goren]

Most horse players gamble on other things. Horses are just their preferred game. If there was no horse racing they would find something else to gamble on. There is lot of self deception among younger horse players who like to think of themselves as investors. They aren't kidding anyone but themselves.

[Track Collector]

I entered the game about 25 years ago when a friend invited me to the races.

My situation is a bit like bigmack and thaskalos. I was attracted by the data and the "puzzle" nature of the game. I also play daily with the goal of being profitable. When on racing trips and/or visits to a local OTB, I do engage in "action" bets which I also hope to be profitable, but the selection methodology is less structured. Under most typical days I do not engage in "action" bets, but stick to a structured methodology of selections and wager types and amounts.

I do consider my daily activity as investing, as the methodology is VERY structured, and like "investments", I try to diversify by wagering on multiple tracks, as well as wagers with different risk/reward levels (WPS/Exacta/Trifecta/etc.).

While I enjoy traditional poker (i.e. other than texas holdem), I seldom seek alternate forms of gambling.

The possibility that one can be profitable at a very difficult game is what continues to hold my attraction to horseracing.

[Grits]

Most horse players gamble on other things. Horses are just their preferred game. If there was no horse racing they would find something else to gamble on. There is lot of self deception among younger horse players who like to think of themselves as investors. They aren't kidding anyone but themselves.

Not all horse players, Bobby. Don't gamble on football, or any other sports. Have no desire to learn to play poker. And wouldn't be caught dead pressing buttons to get bells and whistles to go off on a slot machine. Don't do lottery either.

Love horseracing, handicapping and wagering. Don't live, or plan to retire on any of it. Not one to entertain the thought of doing so--older and wiser that way.

[RaceBookJoe]

I became attracted to this game because of the "detective work" it seemed to require.

Racing Form in hand, I envisioned myself as a modern day Sherlock Holmes...tracking the clues of some fascinating cases.

As the years have gone by...I curiously find that I am much more addicted to the handicapping aspect of it, than to the actual wagering part.

I could never have the same excitement for the game...if I bet on the picks of another...regardless of how profitable they were.

The only thing i can say is that in addition to everything you wrote, my dad loved handicapping and i wanted to learn what it was all about. I love to handicap, whether a bet is placed or not. I always feel like a detective seachng for the right clues to the mystery. Some people do crossword puzzles, some play sudoku...i handicap. I would handicap ( age 6 ) before i went to school, sometimes at school...took some time off and about 10 yrs ago got back into it heavy again. Riva Ridge was the horse that got me hooked, and Secretariat was the horse that made me addicted !!!! rbj

[Bruddah]

I finished High School in the Little Rock Ar. area and heard of Hot Springs (gambling) and Horse Racing all thru my teen years. When I turned 18, I drove to Hot Springs and Oaklawn to spend the day with $14 in my pocket. The first race I bet on, I won. I thought the odds were 52-1 and soon found out they were 5-2. I assumed the blinking light between the 5 and 2 was to tell you it was a good bet. (I chased that angle for awhile. lol :D )

I had an older friend who taught me the basics of reading the form. I was soon making winning bets and having winning days at the track. It's been a profitable hobby for me since 1992. Again, I had an older friend show me a few secrets. Until '92, I was attempting to bet every race, when simulcasting was new and getting it's start. He showed me how to be selective and be a winner. I will always be greatful to him. By the way, he was the largest "Bookie" in the Kansas City Mo. area and knew horse and dog racing better than anyone I have met before or since. He was a shady underworld guy but took a liking to me.

[thaskalos]

I also won the very first bet I ever made. It was at Sportsman's Park, IL...and the horse was a stretch runner named King Gone...must have been 1981.

Sportsman's was a 5/8s track then...which required the horses to pass the grandstands 2 times, and as they passed the first time...King Gone was about 10 lengths behind THE SECONG TO THE LAST HORSE - and about 20 lengths behind overall. I can still remember how dejected I was...

Amazingly...he won the race by about 2 lengths, at 7-2 odds...and I have been addicted to the game ever since.

[jballscalls]

i'm more of a action junkie than interested in the puzzle, so thats why i stay out of the otb's, i'd be broke in 45 minutes.

in our OTB we sell far fewer programs and forms than we have customers. i'd say 30 to 40% of the players just look at the odds and make bets accordingly.

[chickenhead]

I have memories of going to the track for as far back as I can remember, all the guys in my family have always been racetrackers. I used to run around picking up tickets while they bet, and then check them against the winners my dad would record in his program at night. Found something like a $30 exacta winner ...free money just waiting to be scooped up made a big impression on an 8 yr old.

Given up on any serious play, just don't have the time or drive to stay above the fold for what was not a meaningful return, even in the best of times.

[bigmack]

Most horse players gamble on other things. Horses are just their preferred game. If there was no horse racing they would find something else to gamble on. There is lot of self deception among younger horse players who like to think of themselves as investors. They aren't kidding anyone but themselves.
I don't know about that. I would say that of those who gamble, horse players would be one lot that doesn't cross into other forms of gambling as much as others.
Given up on any serious play, just don't have the time or drive to stay above the fold for what was not a meaningful return, even in the best of times.
Same here, Chicaboom. Playing seriously takes a serious amount of time.

[Grits]

WOW, Chickie, age 8 is pretty darn young.

Glad you got off that early career path . . . . stooper!:lol:

[Mike_412]

I got into the game at 18. Worked with a guy that always talked about playing superfectas at the Meadowlands. I didn't pay it much attention. One night a buddy and I went out trying to get into some bars with quite possibly the world's worst fake ids. After being rejected at about 4 different places, I suggested to my friend to let's go and check out the Meadowlands and see what it's all about. There were only 2 races left, but it was all over for me. The bug bit me in a big way.

I always loved numbers and definitely enjoyed the gambling aspect of the game. As time went on, I fell in love with the sport as a whole, from both a gambling and horse perspective.

The best thing about it is that at the time I had no idea my Dad was a horseplayer many years ago. He had gotten away from it for a good 20 years with having a family and traveling a lot for work. My interest in the game brought him back into it and we started going to the track on weekends a couple of times a month. The running joke at the time from my Mom was that I was the bad influence. Occasional Father/Son weekends at the track going on 13 years now. Bad/good influence at this point probably depends on whether we crush or get crushed. Regardless, it truly is the greatest game.

[bigmack]

free money just waiting to be scooped up made a big impression on an 8 yr old.
The Old Man played in the NFL and took you to the track? Some guys have all the luck.

Cue Rod Stewart.

One night a buddy and I went out trying to get into some bars with quite possibly the world's worst fake ids.
http://media.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/342756/80714578.jpg

[Aerocraft67]

No back-when-I-was-a-young-lad tale here. About a year ago at the hardly formative age of 40, I was exploring the channels on our recently souped-up TV service and came across TVG and HRTV for the first time. Simply seeing the races and commentary available regularly on TV sparked my interest. It subsequently occurred to me that my adopted home state of Maryland has a thoroughbred racing heritage (about which I was theretofore only dimly aware). So not only could I wager on races securely and legally via ADW, but also visit the local track right and proper (at least for now). The more I looked into it, the more I intrigued I got, and I've been pursing the pastime with vigor ever since.

Horse racing appeals on several levels. Obscure, old-timey, roguish charm, face-value racing excitement, both quantitative and qualitative performance analysis, risk/probability assessment, and wagering strategy. Hard to say what I like most, but I've been keen on the wagering dimension lately. The smart and eccentric commentary on this board is a big plus, too. Even the industry dynamic is interesting, albeit macabre.

In some ways, horse racing is like following any sport, but in other ways, the analysis and wagering make it much more engaging. It incorporates sophisticated techniques on the one hand, yet it's a complete anachronism on the other. But for me, it's definitely captivating, even without early indoctrination and a lifetime familiarity.

I like to throw dice as much as the next guy, but only for the occasional romp at the casino every few years. Legal and convenient sports betting is not a practical option, but I might pursue it if it was. Although I've since lost interest in poker (ironically, as it became wildly popular), I've enjoyed the game, although as much as a social event as a wagering endeavor. Lottery is pretty distinct from game wagers; nothing wrong with buying a cheap daydream from time to time I guess, but not something I do. Despite the difficult obstacles to success, the principle of parimutuel wagering makes betting thoroughbreds infinitely more engaging than lottery and casino games.

As a new player, it seems I'm a very small segment of the population. That's a shame, although I understand there are many reasons why.

[tzipi]

The Old Man played in the NFL and took you to the track? Some guys have all the luck.

Cue Rod Stewart.


http://media.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/342756/80714578.jpg

:D . Good name. Good movie.

"McLovin, what kind of name is that! One name? Who are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer? Who are you? Seal?" :D Good stuff.

[bigmack]

Horse racing appeals on several levels. Obscure, old-timey, roguish charm, face-value racing excitement, both quantitative and qualitative performance analysis, risk/probability assessment, and wagering strategy. Hard to say what I like most, but I've been keen on the wagering dimension lately. The smart and eccentric commentary on this board is a big plus, too. Even the industry dynamic is interesting, albeit macabre.
Interesting take, particularly from a recent constituent.

Might I ax what you use to handicap - paper or software?

[Aerocraft67]

Interesting take, particularly from a recent constituent.

Might I ax what you use to handicap - paper or software?

I just use BRIS PPs that come free with Twinspires. Would be nice to at least export that data into a spreadsheet to sort and make simple calculations, but can't find anything native to the Mac (even Excel-based stuff), and I haven't gotten around to setting up the parallel Windows software to accommodate what's out there. The fancier software is beyond my budget for now.

[bane]

When I was a toddler my Dad trained off the farm in East Texas and ran in LA, mainly LAD's meet. My mother owned one of the few english tack shops in East Texas and let's jsut say it was in my blood. Even when I was 5 and my dad moved away from it (even though we had 88's Texas Champion Older Mare) my love laid dormaint until for some reason in high school it showed itself again. I went to bed with stories of Secretariat, Black Gold, Seabiscuit (way before the movie came out) and John Henry.

Everytime I go anywhere I always stop at the track, even if it's not running. If I make a road trip and we have time I stop by the track.

Still want to visit as many tracks as I can just to say I did it.

[bigmack]

I just use BRIS PPs that come free with Twinspires. Would be nice to at least export that data into a spreadsheet to sort and make simple calculations, but can't find anything native to the Mac (even Excel-based stuff), and I haven't gotten around to setting up the parallel Windows software to accommodate what's out there. The fancier software is beyond my budget for now.
What kind of calc's you lookin' to make and how did you learn of their existence?

[Aerocraft67]

What kind of calc's you lookin' to make and how did you learn of their existence?

Nothing fancy, really; no sense compounding errors inherent in the figures. Just being able to sort, rank, and highlight the different figures would be helpful. The Ultimate Race Summary does most of this, but would be nice to have a little more flexibility.

[PaceAdvantage]

Someone dragged me to the old Roosevelt Raceway while I was young and impressionable.

What sustains me is the drive to develop and maintain a consistent method of extracting profits...

[David-LV]

Someone dragged me to the old Roosevelt Raceway while I was young and impressionable.

What sustains me is the drive to develop and maintain a consistent method of extracting profits...

Same with me, I worked on the American Stock Exchange as a wire clerk for Bache and Co. out of high school in 1957.
There was a clerk that I became friendly with that worked for Purcell, Graham,
One night in early Sept. 1957 Big Philly ask me to go to Roosevelt Raceway with him.
My first bet was on a horse called Black Andy who won.
It has been all downhill since, I left a lot of cash at Roosevelt And Yonkers between 1957 and 1972. I am still trying to find the holy grail.

__________
David-LV

[Pell Mell]

Started out running errands for bookies, like picking up the scratch sheet, getting coffee, etc. back around 1948. Then went to running the numbers and then started sitting.

Was always around gamblers and horse players. Got to know some old time really good handicappers and been at it ever since.

[bigmack]

Started out running errands for bookies, like picking up the scratch sheet, getting coffee, etc. back around 1948. Then went to running the numbers and then started sitting.
Smokes, asbestos, and running errands for bookies in '48. That's rich.

Write a book. I'd read it. :ThmbUp: