A Default Betting Error at The Preakness - A Heart Breaker

[BettinBilly]

Apart from straight bets, I normally bet a $10 Box Trifecta on larger races like the Preakness.
And I hit the Trifecta at Pimilico. As you can see by a screen capture from my ADW account, I had the three in the money horses, in a box;



As you can also see, it went in NOT as a $10.00 bet, but as a $1.00 bet, and it went in NOT as a TRIFECTA box but as an EXACTA box. I changed one of the horses at the last minute before I placed the bet, and my ADW defaulted me to a $1.00 EXACTA Box rather than a $10.00 TRIFECTA Box, without me catching the change. Inexcusable, and a heart breaker for sure.

I was of course delighted when my horses came in on the Trifecta, until I checked my ADW and saw what had happened. I know, there is no excuse for not double checking everything before I clicked on the place wager button, but I am human. I could blame SWMBO for distracting me, I could place the blame on a wee dram of Bourbon. I could even try and place the blame on the temperature and humidity. The truth is, I made an error and it sucks.

I can guarantee you, I won't make this mistake again.

[Inner Dirt]

What was the damage dollar wise on the mistake?

[dilanesp]

As they used to say at the racetrack during live racing- "check your tickets". Applies just as much to online wagers.

[talcen]

had something related happen a few years ago, at a harness track machine tried to bet a $1 tri box with three horses, expecting to get a $6 ticket.

in my last minute haste, instead of $1, the machine unbeknownst to me wasn't properly calibrated and the touch screen lighted up the box beneath it, $50 box, ticket cost $300. I had already touched ''print'' before noticing the error. unfortunately I had inserted a large voucher that enabled it.


weeks later, I saw somebody at the same machine animatedly complaining to staff, and he was given his money back. never thought they would do it so it was too late for me to bring up my example, c'est la vie ...

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by talcen

had something related happen a few years ago, at a harness track machine tried to bet a $1 tri box with three horses, expecting to get a $6 ticket.

in my last minute haste, instead of $1, the machine unbeknownst to me wasn't properly calibrated and the touch screen lighted up the box beneath it, $50 box, ticket cost $300. I had already touched ''print'' before noticing the error. unfortunately I had inserted a large voucher that enabled it.


weeks later, I saw somebody at the same machine animatedly complaining to staff, and he was given his money back. never thought they would do it so it was too late for me to bring up my example, c'est la vie ...

Couldn't you cancel the ticket at the machine?

[talcen]

bet it just before wagering was shut off ...

[talcen]

had tried to cancel tickets at the machine previously, the feature was disabled, one had to run to the mutual window for that.

anyways those machines were eventually replaced and today a state of the art modern version are in use.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by talcen

had tried to cancel tickets at the machine previously, the feature was disabled, one had to run to the mutual window for that.

anyways those machines were eventually replaced and today a state of the art modern version are in use.

I haven't been to an OTB in a dozen years, but I do remember there was a limit on self canceling a ticket. I forgot what it was, I did have one that said I had to go to a teller window.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

I haven't been to an OTB in a dozen years, but I do remember there was a limit on self canceling a ticket. I forgot what it was, I did have one that said I had to go to a teller window.

California went years before they allowed cancelation at self service terminals. I think there was a fear of pool manipulation.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

California went years before they allowed cancelation at self service terminals. I think there was a fear of pool manipulation.

I agree, I do believe once they allowed self cancellation there was a limit. I don't remember the amount, but I was told to go to a teller when I tried self cancelling a win bet at Cal Expo harness when my horse did not look right when turning around to get behind the gate. It could have been 15-20 years ago, I got stuck with the ticket, horse broke stride at the head of the stretch. If I were to guess the ticket was probably $250-$500.

[BettinBilly]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

What was the damage dollar wise on the mistake?

It was fairly large, I.D.

The Trifecta paid $24.20
And keep in mind my wager would have been $10 not $1.00 so the error was compounded by a lower bet amount.

The Exacta paid $15.90
And I only bet a buck (in error).