How To Best Structure $.20 Pick 4 Tickets

[Race Promoter]

Woodbine is guaranteeing two Pick 4's on Sunday for $100k and $200k both of which should easily reach those quarantees. I like playing the Pick 4's since they are only a .20 minimum and have a low 15% takeout, but even though I have been cashing at approx. a 50% rate, I am not making a positive ROI. I have been simply boxing 3 or 4 horses in each leg and going with a single ticket. There has to be a better way. Is there a good source for Pick X ticket structuring?

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by Race Promoter

Woodbine is guaranteeing two Pick 4's on Sunday for $100k and $200k both of which should easily reach those quarantees. I like playing the Pick 4's since they are only a .20 minimum and have a low 15% takeout, but even though I have been cashing at approx. a 50% rate, I am not making a positive ROI. I have been simply boxing 3 or 4 horses in each leg and going with a single ticket. There has to be a better way. Is there a good source for Pick X ticket structuring?

Yes, read Steve Crist's book on betting exotics - it will pay for itself very quickly.

[Stillriledup]

A pick 4 ticket that goes 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 would cost 16 bucks and a ticket 5 x 5 x 4 x 1 would cost about the same.

I think you can get a great bang for your buck if you singled one race and went deep(ish) in the others.

Depending on your bankroll, you can do the 5 by 5 by 4 by 1 ticket and then single something in another race and do the same "Spread" in the other 3.

I'm more of a deep/deep/deep/tight guy as opposed to the type of ticket that goes only 3 or 4 deep in any particular leg. I hardly would ever bet a 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 ticket, i'm way more apt to do a 5 x 5 x 4 x 1 ticket or even a 10 x 8 x 1 x 1 ticket.