JACKPOT IN SYDNEY

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32072, 21 August 1969, Page 4

JACKPOT IN SYDNEY

; Reintroduction Likely ’ (N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) SYDNEY. The reintroduction of jackpot totalisators in Sydney will be considered. The Sydney Turf Club’s secretary (Mr R. B. Boul* ter) has announced that the club has set up a special subcommittee to consider the matter. The move has come as the result of the success and popularity of the scheme overseas. If it is adopted it will run at the Rosehill and Canterbury tracks. The committee is to examine the procedures adopted when the jackpot totalisator betting was run before in Australia. The jackpot had a sensational impact on Sydney racing when introduced more than 10 years agp. It lasted from December, 1957, until June, 1958, when the A.J.C, and S.T.C. jointly decided to discontinue it. Race attendances were boosted by the jackpot. Similar to New Zealand, Britain, and South Africa, units of investment of the jackpot totalisator were 50 cents, 81, 82, and 810. Punters bad to pick five winners on a given programme. Legislation was passed by the State Government on October 24, 1957, to provide for a jackpot totalisator. The first meeting was conducted by the A.J.C. at Randwick on December 21, 1057.

Six months later the A.J.C. and S.T.C. decided to wind up

jackpot betting in Sydney. The last meeting was held at Warwick Farm on June 28, 1958. The secretaries of the A.J.C. and the S.T.C. in a joint state-

ment said: “After a careful review of the jackpot totalisator the committees have decided that the desired objective* have not been achieved. Accordingly it has been decided; subject to the .concurrence of the Treasury, to discontinue jackpot betting after June 28?* Jackpot betting, in principle, offered the opportunity of a lot for a little for the small punter.

For a 50 cent outlay a punter had a chance to land jackpot pools that reached almost 8200,000.

Unfortunately, big punters, some of them bookmakers, spoiled the jackpot by outlaying heavily in the first double. A punter confident he could pick the winner of each of the races in five selections needed to invest $1562.50.