[DonGuido]

SCORING RULES FOR POINTS and ROI CONTESTS
(Modified - March 31, 2009, w/o permission by Donald A. Jones) (Modified - December 26, 2013, w/o permission by Donald A. Jones) (Modified w/o permission by Donald A. Jones December 12, 2014)

Weekly Points Awards:
In the Points scores, everyone gets 1 point just for showing up. In the ROI, points are awarded as far out as 4th place AS LONG AS the ROI is in the black. No points for break-evens or minuses. Points are awarded out to 4th place in the Points and ROI contests. In both contests ,the winner in receives 10 points, second place gets 8 points, third gets 5, and fourth gets 4 points. On Triple Crown days, all points you receive for that day are doubled. Bonus points are not doubled.

Bonus Points:
In addition to the points you can get in the Points and ROI Contests, there are bonus points. If you Sweep the Points and ROI (win them both on the same card) you receive a bonus of 20 points. Back-to-back Points or ROI wins receive a bonus of 20 points. A Points or ROI three-peat receives a bonus of 30 points. A Four-Peat or more in the Points or ROI Contests receives a 30 point bonus. At the end of each month, the handicapper that totals the most ROI winnings for that month will receive a 10 point bonus added to their Points and ROI totals.

At the end of the year to be named the Regular Season ROI Contest Handicapper of the Year you must have played the ROI Contest a minimum of 26 weeks total . . . not in a row but 26 weeks out of the handicap year.

Why do we do this? Mostly to participate in friendly competition and to become better handicappers . . . while offering a slight sense of accomplishment and recognition for the “fun” of it.

Our handicapping year runs from the second Saturday after the Breeders' Cup to the next year's Breeders' Cup Day. Two regular season awards of recognition are offered.
1- At the end of the handicapping year, including points won on Breeders Cup Day, the “Regular Season Handicapper of the Year” will be crowned based on the total points accumulated throughout the year for the points and ROI contests.
2- We will also name the “Top ROI Handicapper of the Year”, determined by the player that has bank rolled the most positive cash throughout the year. If there is no one who can account for a year- long positive ROI, then this award will not be offered.

And last but not least -
Our Final and most Revered Year End Trophy

On Breeder’s Cup Day, in honor of our late friend, Glen Gallivan ("Glenners"), we hold a "Contest-Within-A-Contest". The Top 10 players, as determined by points accumulated throughout the year, as of the weekend before the Breeders' Cup make up the players for "The Gallivan Memorial Handicapping Contest" or "The Gallivan Cup".

The Top 10 players play the same Breeders' Cup card as everyone else. Whichever player has the highest finish on Breeders' Cup Day “takes home” the "The Glen Gallivan Memorial Trophy". For our handicappers, this is the highest prize of the year and equivalent to winning the Breeders Cup Classic.

For those of us who knew Glenners, it is a fitting way to honor his memory and reward the top prize of the year in his name.
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© 2008 by Carol J. Sherman. All Rights Reserved.

SPECIFIC POINTS CONTEST RULES:
(Modified - March 31, 2009 w/o permission by Donald A. Jones)

NOTE: Please note that there is only one set of picks allowed per player. Playing under multiple names with multiple picks is prohibited. One set of picks per player; no playing under multiple names. Thanks.

CONTEST RULES:
Post all picks for the designated card in the threads noted on the forum. There will be a Points Picks thread and ROI Thread. All picks must be posted before the official start (post time) of the card's first race. Changes can be made in each thread up to until that time. Picks or changes for points or wagers for ROI made after the official post time will result in disqualification of the handicapper’s picks for either points or ROI, whichever is affected, for that day’s contest. The Moderator or Admin of the site will have the authority to make this determination. It is each player’s responsibility and duty in fairness to abide by this rule.
Choose 3 horses in the order you think they will finish, plus two alternates to be used only if one of your 3 picks scratches. The preferred way of posting your picks for each race is: 5-6-1-3-4. This indicates #5 wins, #6 places, #1 shows and #3 and #4 are your alternates in that order. If one of your horses scratches, all others will move up in order and your first alternate will move into the show spot. If you pick a horse that is part of an entry, you get the entry. If you pick a horse from the MUTUEL FIELD, please use the entry number. No matter which horse is your pick, you get the field. For all other picks, use PROGRAM NUMBERS. Do not use Post Position numbers. You can usually get program numbers from equibase.com, drf.com or from the track’s website.

Due to rainy weather conditions it may be determined that the turf races are run on the main track, then you are allowed two sets of picks, one set for the races as they are scheduled on the turf and one set to be used only if the races come off the turf. (This is for scheduled turf races only! Post your "off- turf" picks in parenthesis along-side your first Turf picks. An example: 4-6-1-12-9 (off turf 9-10-5-1-3).

The winner of the previous week's contest chooses the track to be played next. EXCEPTION: There are some days that are "automatic plays", and the prior week's winner doesn't get to pick the track; we automatically go to these: Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and The Breeders' Cup. The winner of these contests picks the track for the next week.

Note on entries:

Picking one horse of an entry (or field) gets you all. For example, if there are two entries of three and two horses, respectively, and the result is:

1B, 2 2B, 1C 1B, 5, 3, 4

then the exacta is 1-2 and the trifecta is 1-2-5. DO NOT SPLIT AN ENTRY!! For example, you cannot pick 1A-2-1-2-5. Entries must be kept together! In the example, what you would enter for your pick in a situation like this is 1-2-5-3-4.
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Note on Dead Heats:

A dead heat will be treated exactly as it is at the track. For example, if two horses dead heat for the place spot, the order of finish would look like this:

Win: 3
Place: 5, 7

Players will be given the highest number of points possible for their combinations in a dead heat situation.
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Note on Fields with Less Than 5 horses:
If any race has less than 5 betting interests, it will not be scored as part of the points contest, but will still be used for the ROI contest. When submitting your picks for such a race, please include the Race Number and 'x-x-x-x-x' instead of your numerical picks.

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Scoring System for Points Handicapping Contest:
===Trifectas===
Straight.....A-B-C.....35 points
Boxed, winner on top....A-C-B....30 points
Boxed, top two reversed....B-A-C....25 points
Boxed, other. B-C-A or C-A-B or C-B-A...20 points

===Exactas===
Straight...A-B-x....25 points
Boxed, top two reversed...B-A-x....17 points
Boxed, top pick over third.... A-C-x...15 points
Boxed, other...B-C-x or C-A-x or C-B-x....7 points

===Two in the money, no Exacta===
Winner on top + 3rd....A-x-B or A-x-C....12 points
1st and 3rd without winner on top...B-x-(A or C) or C-x-(A or B.)...5 points
2nd and 3rd...x-(A or B or C)-(A or B or C)....5 points

===One in the Money===
Winner on top....10 points
Winner picked 2nd or 3rd..B-x-x or C-x-x...3 points
2nd picked anywhere..x-(A or B or C)-x...2 points
3rd picked anywhere. x-x-(A or B or C)...1 point
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© 2008 by Carol J. Sherman. All Rights Reserved.