A PROBLEM FOR BACKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 23

A PROBLEM FOR BACKERS

Students of betting systems will have room for thought after studying figures I relating to results of Perth trotting for'j the season recently Closed. A, total of 352 trotting races were run in the metropolitan area of Perth during the 1937----38 season. Favouritism in several races, was disputed by more than one horse, which brought the total to 376 favourites. A remarkable average is disclosed for this number with 123 firsts, 67 seconds, and 38 thirds, making a total of 228 favourites finishing in a place. For a win the proportion is nearly one in three, while backers selecting a placed horse scored two dividends in approximately every three bets. Despite this consistent effort on the part of Perth favourites, backers would lose. By investing £1 straight out on the I favourite in each event they would have laid out £376 in twelve months to receive £352 10s, thus showing a [loss of £22 10s on the season's transactions. Place bettors would have fared better, but would still have lost I with a return of £375 12s for £376 wagered, or a deficiency of 8s ;