BETTING AT RACES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20219, 2 April 1929, Page 8

BETTING AT RACES.

SEASON SHOV/S DECREASE.

LARGE DROP AT ELLERSLIE.

THREE MEETINGS COMPARED. A substantial 4 decrease in totalisator investments is revealed in the figures for the first three meetings held by tho Auckland Racing Club this racing season. The total amount of betting at Ellerslie for tho spring, summer and autumn meetings is £561,892, compared with £680,167 10s for the three corresponding meetings during 1927-28, a decline of £118,275 10s. Investments for the first three meetings at Ellerslie in 1926-27 were £622,271 10s. The autumn meeting for the current racing season, which concluded yesterday, shows a total decrease of £20,433 10s over the corresponding two days' racing of 1928. This autumn totalisator receipts amounted to £151,511 10s, as a.gainst £171,945 last Easter. There has been a consistent falling-off in betting this season at various club meetings and Ellerslie has proved no exception. At this season's spring meeting totalisator receipts at Ellerslie amounted to £91,332, a decrease of £22,403 over the corresponding meeting of the previous season. Race-goers invested £319,048 10s on the machine at; Ellerslie over last Christmas and New Year and this represented a decline of £75,439 compared with the previous year. Betting during 1927-28 was largely increased over the previous year because of the reintroduction of eight races on the programme, so .that comparisons with 1926-27 did not reveal the true position. Better comparison can be made between this season and last, owing to the equal number of races being run. The following table shows the amounts invested on the totalisator at Ellerslie during the spring, summer and autumn meetings of this season and the sums placed on the machine at corresponding meetings during the two preceding seasons:— 1928-29. 1927-28. :i926-27. Spring .. £91.33-;! £113,735 £95,970* Summer .. 319,04?!$ 394.4871 356,425* Autumn .. 151,5111 171,945 169,875* Totals £561,89:2 £680,167* £622,271* The club has been favoured with fine weather for most of its racing this season and there have been large attendances at all gatherings. This would apparently tend to swell the volume of betting, so that the total investments would be expected to be greater than they have proved to be. The substantial falling-off seems to indicate that, although money is generally stated to be more plentiful than it was two years, or even a year, ago, people are still inclined to be cautious in their expenditure on the racecourse.