OTB behaviour

#1 06-11-2006, 10:20 PM

I totally here where you are coming from. I play at Great Lakes Downs, which is a OTB 99% of the time with a horse track attached and the same thing happens. I think it has to do with how many races these guys play a day. I would say a majority do not sit out a single race at whatever 1, 2, 3, or more tracks they are playing that day. That being said these guys don't even have enough time to look at the program.

Alternate theory: I know a ton of guys who just play the same numbers every day. Hence, they don't know the horse or the jockey just their numbers.

randallscott35 · #2 06-11-2006, 10:23 PM

The track can be a very depressing place with guys who are just there to throw their money away.

ArlJim78 · #3 06-11-2006, 10:31 PM

I'm fascinated by the habits and behavior at the OTB.
What I have noticed is that when calling for the number guys will often say this, as in "come on with this eight". I think the numbers are preferred just because there are so many races at so many tracks, the names are secondary.

At the OTB where I go it is also rather common for guys to call for the jockey,
"let's go Johnny", " get him up Victor", etc.

#4 06-11-2006, 10:36 PM

I think it depends on the crowd. At GLD, you have one of the least informed crowds in the country. Some very nice people, but nobody has a clue. For instance, I talked to a guy the other day who is there every day betting very big money and he tells me he hasn't had a winning day in 3 months. You should accidently have one winning day.

#5 06-11-2006, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seconditis

I think it depends on the crowd. At GLD, you have one of the least informed crowds in the country. Some very nice people, but nobody has a clue. For instance, I talked to a guy the other day who is there every day betting very big money and he tells me he hasn't had a winning day in 3 months. You should accidently have one winning day.

This could be a very important source. Ask him who he does not like for each race.
Actually I must say, I find the whole atmosphere interesting, but a little unsettling. Most of the people around me are clearly regulars, as evertime I am there, they are also, so I am a fringe friend. Occasionally I get asked what I am writing down after a race. I reply I got to watch that one again, I need to see what happened. The general reply is why? the race is over. That makes me feel I am at the track simulcast facility for the wrong reason.

Suffolk Shippers · #6 06-11-2006, 10:56 PM

Last summer I decided it was okay to indoctrinate the girlfriend into racing, so I took her up to Saratoga for a weekend. I didn't mind spending a while explaining how to bet and stuff like that. "We" played the early pick 4 that day to start and "we" were live to a single in the final leg. So, I explained that we HAD TO HAVE THE 7 win, otherwise, the first three wins were useless to us.

Well, we sat there as the race ran and she was like a fog horn wailing away for the 7 to come on home. "COME ON 7, COME ON!!!!!!! 7!!! COME ON!!!" She was so loud, and I just was looking at her and missing the finish. The 7 got up to collar the leader and we won.

I was like, "you are so loud" and she said she was just excited to win the money. Well, so was I, but the moral is, the guys screaming for the number are much like the girlfriend when it comes to the racing game. Pretty clueless. Those guys probably sit there and bet numbers all day and piss away their paychecks.

PeteMugg · #7 06-11-2006, 11:06 PM

I think it's interesting how many will spot the horse that's making up ground at the top of the stretch. Next thing ya know, everyone in the place is cheering for that one. And they all act like they had the winner, but no one is cashing or buy beer for their buds. Sorry bunch of losers is what they all are.

ArlJim78 · #8 06-11-2006, 11:22 PM

LOL, there are so many funny ones. What about the guy that switches horses that he is calling for? When they're on the backstretch and turn it's "come on 5, stay up there 5". Then when the five gets passed by the 4 the same guy is suddenly now calling, " allright 4 / 5".

skippy3481 · #9 06-12-2006, 07:52 AM

No no, the absolute best is the guy who rolls up his track program(no not the drf, that costs like 2 bucks more) and absolutely beats himself with it trying to get his horse to hang on. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and this middle-aged man was destroying himself trying to get his 2-1 shot to stay up. Horse was obviously dead set the a stupid pace and down the stretch the jockey did everything but shove the whip up the horse and he was still backpedaling. Guy beats his leg until his horse crosses the line in 5th and looks over to me and says man if they could get this horse in a 5.5 furlong race, no one would be able to catch him. Just not much you can say to that.