State calls Bloomy bluff, gloms OTB; Takeout up 1%

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

I would have agreed with you if not for the Ellis Park experiment of last summer. A 4% Pick 4 takeout attracted just an extra $25-50K/day of action across an entire country of horse bettors. Woo Hoo. I have to assume that either (1) most bettors could not care less about takeout, or (2) [I'm still trying to think of another good explanation].

The explanations I've heard just don't cut it. "it would have been different if a 1st rate track had done it." Yeah, maybe, but it still should have been a pretty powerful incentive to bet Ellis. And did the handle at NYRA tracks jump significantly while they had the 14% WPS takeout? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm guessing "no".

I don't think people who would shun a 4% takeout in favor of a 25% takeout on the same kind of bet really do "understand takeout".

--Dunbar

That was a nearly 4-fold increase on average versus the previous years' pick 4 handle... I'd say that's progress!!!

Up against Saratoga/Del Mar, Ellis (while a very bettable product) is a tough sell.