Can you really make money in this game ?

[Gander]

Something to remember is the amount of money you lose is more important than the amount of money you win. If you play this game there will be days where you finish down and you need to 1) Accept this for certainty that you will have crummy days and 2) Avoid chasing money that you lose. I do it all the time, I'll be down a few hundred and play a race I normally wouldnt play just to try and get even for the day. Thats how you get yourself in trouble, take it from somebody with more experience on the subject than most on here.

If you cant take the losses and going home feeling like a worthless loser, than stop playing this game and get another vice.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by Gander

Something to remember is the amount of money you lose is more important than the amount of money you win. If you play this game there will be days where you finish down and you need to 1) Accept this for certainty that you will have crummy days and 2) Avoid chasing money that you lose. I do it all the time, I'll be down a few hundred and play a race I normally wouldnt play just to try and get even for the day. Thats how you get yourself in trouble, take it from somebody with more experience on the subject than most on here.

If you cant take the losses and going home feeling like a worthless loser, than stop playing this game and get another vice.

Well said, Tim. That's the best advice that's come along.
Just a little story...
At Finger Lakes there were two retired gentlemen. I saw them just sit and watch. They paid attention.
I only saw them go to the window about three times. I don't know how much they bet, but I do know they cashed each time.
The key word is "patience".
Never bet "stupid".
Watch and wait.
It's very hard for me to do also, but if one wants to make money rather than
"entertainment", their approach might be the best way.
Just my two pennies.
DTS

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by POINTGIVEN1985

I really dont think that you can. Its such a hard game to win money on, i go for a day at stimucast and handicap 3-4 tracks all day catch a couple big hits and at the end of the day still finish down. Its so hard to win over the long run betting horses...i feel the only way i win is if i spot play 1 maybe to races a day, bet them and thats it. I find it so hard to go to otb with my buddies and bet for a whole day and finish up.

I'm no expert, but I try my best to limit my plays.. For me, betting on dozens of races at several different tracks is usually a recipe for disaster. So, I focus on the few races I really want to bet. If I really can't help it and want to play other races, I'll use a 'smaller' fund set aside for that, otherwise the bulk of my 'investments' will be for the main race(s) I want to bet.

[cakes44]

Here's an idea. Go to the track with no $ except for your bank card. Get as drunk as you possibly can so the next day you can't remember how many times you actually hit the ATM. No matter how much you bring home, it seems reasonable the next morning.

However, this only works if you purposely don't pay attention to bank statements and/or your wife doesn't know what's going on either.

<snip> i go for a day at stimucast and handicap 3-4 tracks all day<snip>

bet one track ( two at most ), follow trainers, jockeys, patterns, and play the horizontal wagers.

[2MinsToPost]

in my humble opinion the key is to focus your attention and betting dollar on no more then 2 meets. with time, patience and some smart money management skills you should find yourself having a good time. betting strategy is CRUCIAL. exotic bets, etc etc. For me, I roll with betting to win and place, pick 3's and the occasional pick 4.

[AeWingnut]

I play for the action. I have accepted that. I win this week next week I lose
a total wash

then I lose , lose, lose... time to take a break

I only get down on myself when I save money and it ends up costing me thousands.

Seems like the only time I make money is when I go through all the races. Bet the 10 or 20 I like and go home.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by POINTGIVEN1985

I really dont think that you can. Its such a hard game to win money on, i go for a day at stimucast and handicap 3-4 tracks all day catch a couple big hits and at the end of the day still finish down. Its so hard to win over the long run betting horses...i feel the only way i win is if i spot play 1 maybe to races a day, bet them and thats it. I find it so hard to go to otb with my buddies and bet for a whole day and finish up.

Here are 5 more pieces of advice:

1. Keep accurate records of your results.
2. Before betting on a horse, estimate it's chance of winning the race and compare your estimate to the late tote odds. The best way to do that, IMO, is to make a line for all the horses in the race. (and, in case it's not obvious, DON'T bet if the tote odds don't justify it.)
3. Bet very small until you have good evidence that you can win in the long run.
4. Bet less on longshots than you do on favs.
5. Keep accurate records of your results.

Yeah, I repeated one of them. If you want to win, it's very important to know exactly how you are doing overall. It's not enough to say "I win some days and lose some days, but I end up ahead. I think."

--Dunbar

[cal828]

Originally Posted by POINTGIVEN1985

I really dont think that you can. Its such a hard game to win money on, i go for a day at stimucast and handicap 3-4 tracks all day catch a couple big hits and at the end of the day still finish down. Its so hard to win over the long run betting horses...i feel the only way i win is if i spot play 1 maybe to races a day, bet them and thats it. I find it so hard to go to otb with my buddies and bet for a whole day and finish up.

I think you got your answer to the question. Take note of how many emphatic "h*ll yes" and "dam* right" responses you got. Most people don't seem to want to answer the question directly. They seem to want to explain how it's done, but they are not saying that they're doing it. You got a lot of "I think you can, if you do this......" answers. OK. Here's my answer.
NO, YOU CAN'T. Now armed with this gem of wisdom, I'm sure you won't be caught anywhere near a racetrack. Right? Me too. Horseplayers, not only are they a bunch of degenerate gamblers, but delusional as well. My apologies to anyone offended. Just joking really. Hope there are people out there that are making a lot of money!!!

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by cal828

I think you got your answer to the question. Take note of how many emphatic "h*ll yes" and "dam* right" responses you got. Most people don't seem to want to answer the question directly. They seem to want to explain how it's done, but they are not saying that they're doing it. You got a lot of "I think you can, if you do this......" answers. OK. Here's my answer.
NO, YOU CAN'T. Now armed with this gem of wisdom, I'm sure you won't be caught anywhere near a racetrack. Right? Me too. Horseplayers, not only are they a bunch of degenerate gamblers, but delusional as well. My apologies to anyone offended. Just joking really. Hope there are people out there that are making a lot of money!!!

This plays on individual sensabilities and how one determines the context in which the question was raised.

Can you win? and Do you win more than you lose? may be taken to mean the same things but are completely different questions in there own right.

The beauty of horseracing is that if you structure you bets smartly and utilize a modicum of dicipline you don't have to be correct the majority of the time (like in sports betting) to be ahead. In fact, if you're right 10 - 20% of the time you are usually ahead. I take issue with your assessment that " Horseplayers, not only are they a bunch of degenerate gamblers, but delusional as well." as an uninformed sterotype of something you may have myopically witnessed, and don't require or need your apology as I'm not the least offended by trolls like you.
For the record, I've had the handicapping gods shine on me this year and have emassed over 15K in winnings since January, and have wagered barely 800 bucks. Do the math. I've been *right* about 15% of the time.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by cal828

I think you got your answer to the question. Take note of how many emphatic "h*ll yes" and "dam* right" responses you got. Most people don't seem to want to answer the question directly. They seem to want to explain how it's done, but they are not saying that they're doing it. You got a lot of "I think you can, if you do this......" answers. OK. Here's my answer.
NO, YOU CAN'T. Now armed with this gem of wisdom, I'm sure you won't be caught anywhere near a racetrack. Right? Me too. Horseplayers, not only are they a bunch of degenerate gamblers, but delusional as well. My apologies to anyone offended. Just joking really. Hope there are people out there that are making a lot of money!!!

So, it's OK to insult people on the board as long as you are " just joking "?

Frankly, I didn't notice any " hell yes " or " damn right " responses to the initial post and many of the responses did offer different posters' insights.

And just so you, and anyone else as confused as you, are clear....YES YOU CAN. However, winning takes a lot of discipline and hard work. As for some more in depth responses from me as to how one might go about accomplishing this I will refer you as well to the book " Six Secrets... " that was suggested earlier in the thread.