The Lowest Thoroughbred Pick 4 Takeout: Fort Erie

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Starting Sunday, they are dropping the takeout to 14% on the Pick 4.

“We are testing the waters in terms of takeout reduction,” said FELRC’s Chief Operating Officer Rick Cowan. “Management will assess the results on a regular basis.”

If it is successful, there will probably be more drops. And yes, there is plenty of room on some of their wagers for improvement.

This could really be a test. Therefore, not a bone.

[cj]

Starting Sunday, they are dropping the takeout to 14% on the Pick 4.

“We are testing the waters in terms of takeout reduction,” said FELRC’s Chief Operating Officer Rick Cowan. “Management will assess the results on a regular basis.”

If it is successful, there will probably be more drops. And yes, there is plenty of room on some of their wagers for improvement.

This could really be a test. Therefore, not a bone.

I guess it is better than nothing, but I'd rather see some drops in the win pool.

[toetoe]

Starting Sunday, they are dropping the takeout to 14% on the Pick 4.

“We are testing the waters in terms of takeout reduction,” said FELRC’s Chief Operating Officer Rick Cowan. “Management will assess the results on a regular basis.”

If it is successful, there will probably be more drops. And yes, there is plenty of room on some of their wagers for improvement.

This could really be a test. Therefore, not a bone.



Any idea what the average pool is ?

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Any idea what the average pool is ?
On Sundays not that great. Monday and Tuesdays the early P4 does around 4k and the late P4 does around 8-12K if memory serves correct.
You can check it out on Equibase as they allow you to check archives for free.

[Seabiscuit@AR]

Lowering takeouts is definitely the way to go. The problem is it will take time for it to work. And by time I mean a few years. In the same way that high takeouts erode the pool over a few years not overnight. Track managements probably won't give the test long enough

Rebates have proven a failure in the long term as far as growing the pools. In the first few years of rebates the pools went up but in the long run it looks like they are more a negative than a positive as the non rebated portion of the pool cops a higher effective takeout and slowly drains away

[appistappis]

maybe me yelling at the management "lower the takeout" every time I see one of them has paid off...I think they are trying but don't get it. They do nothing for the real horseplayer but try hard to attract the casual fan.

case in point....they build the new otb on the slot side and its nice and has access to the track.....after the first week they close the access to the track because they are building "the tiki bar". So now we cannot get outside to see the live racing but in a few weeks I guess they will have a bar out there.

[toussaud]

i'm pretty sure portland meadows is lower

[lamboguy]

I guess it is better than nothing, but I'd rather see some drops in the win pool.that's for sure!

of course california went up with the takeout in the gimmicks and you got boycott's.

[Horseplayersbet.com]

i'm pretty sure portland meadows is lower
I forgot about that one. They are 14% too.

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Pick 4 pools were up 57% from the corresponding date last year. Total handle was up 7%.
It is possible that some of the reason for improvement was the dark day at Belmont yesterday.
I haven't seen much in the media about this takeout drop. Except for a mention in the DRF that erroneously has the takeout dropping from only 16% (it dropped from 26.2%)

[comet52]

Will anyone ever lower the wps takeout? I couldn't play a p4 or p5 if my life depended on it.

At least they got rid of the screaming announcer guy up there. They went from him to the guy who used to do Northlands, who is like a 180 degree turn in style.

[Figaro]

bump

Last year Fort Erie introduced 20 cent Pick 3 in July 2011, does anyone know if they'll continue with this for 2012?