The Average Racecourse Bettor.

Franklin Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 139, 3 December 1934, Page 2

The Average Racecourse Bettor.

TOTALISATOR SYSTEMS. SUPPORT FOR WIN-AND-PLACE. VIEWS IN CHRISTCHURCH. The Average Bel tor likes win-and-place betting. This was the impression a Christchurch reporter gathered by tiie simple process ol' accosting racegoers and putting the question to them. The majority preferred win-and-place to straight out, though some did not seem to think that even win- j and-place betting was perfect in its working-out. A Sun reporter intercepted passengers about to board the racecoursebound trams and asked for frank indications of the opinions of investors on betting systems. Said the first man: Win-and-place betting sounds all right, but you get no decent “divvies” except, on rank outsiders. The “divvies” have been coming down and down. You put up 10sr and get Us back for a place. You get/ horses backed down so heavily that if there was a bit more money on them you would be losing money for a win. This seemed to be a vote for straight-out betting, but the second racegoer approached evened the score, and gave the same reasons for supporting win-and-place betting as a first man had given for declaring for straight-out betting. The second man said: I prefer win-and-place. Under the straight-out-system the ‘divvies” were getting‘ so small that it was not worth the risk. You got so little back that you had to strike half-a-dozen winners to show a decent profit. Under win-and-place you get quite decent ‘divvies,” even for a place. Even thirds are worth hacking.

j After that the visitors to the races that (lay seemed to be win-and-place enthusiasts. I ‘Better for Working Man.” j The next approached said: Win-and-place is better for the working man. He can still have his bet with a chance of winning something, and he knows that by putting it on the place machine he can cut his losses. Under straight-out betting you have to put all your eggs in one basket and' you risk more than you can afford. A man used to put his money on a horse and the only satisfaction he could get was that it might run first and return a decent price. Now he can put some on the win machine and some on the place machine, and his chances of getting something back are reasonable. Another bettor: Win-and-place is here to stay. The bettors like it. The opposition to it is that the bookies don’t like it. It makes a lot more work for them and their staffs, and they get caught with some big pay-, outs when a horse wins, j Another expert: Win-and-place is all right for the small man, like me. He can put something on both ways. He has his little, flutter, and stands a ! fair chance of getting something back if he is any picker. Win-and-place is no good if you are going to back favourites, but then no system is much ' good for that. I A man escorting a woman friend: The women don’t seem to like it. They are silver bettors, and when they make up a ticket with half-crowns’ they seem to want to win handsomely or lose handsomely. They put their money up for place, and when Ihe horse gets a place they don’t like it because the horse that wins pays a bigger price. | A Bad-iuck Story. | A young man, looking as though ‘of the professions”: Win-and-place is better if yo.u have courage—the courage to back your fancy straight out. : It pays a bigger ‘divvy” then tuan under straight-out betting. The only ! other thing that can be said for win-' arid-place is that if you back the third horse you get a ‘divvy.” But the horse you back under win-and-place always conies fourth, and the one you back under straight out always comes third; so you are no further ahead, anyway.

A young woman: 1 don’t seem to lus|so much under win-and-place. 1 work it out that you can put your money on the place machine and have three chances instead of two the other way. Of course, I’m not a gambler. 1 never have more than haif-a-crown on a horse. A man with a heard: Look at the trots yesterday. A bigger crowd than

last year, yet less money through the machine. Win-and-place betting suits the ordinary person who doesn’t want to make a fortune by backing horses. It’s all right for people who .just like to have a mild flutter, without wanting to lose too much and without wanting to win very much either. liven at that, you still get decent ‘divvies” for first.

Another elderly man with him: I didn’t like the idea at first, but we old fellows don’t take to the new ideas, I guess. It seems to work out all right. As my friend says, you have only to look at the figures on the trots to see which system the public is prepared to spend on.