THE TOTALISATOR IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 24

THE TOTALISATOR IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

The Australasioni says:—“lf it were not for the totalisator the Onkaparinga meeting would be a bad one for the public to look back upon. For outsiders Onkaparinga is a veritable paradise, and the ‘talent’ almost invariably lose, but instead of the money being divided among the bookmakers the whole of the capital speculated upon the course goes back—less working expenses—to the public. The people who bet in large amounts may lose, but their money does not go to the ring. It is split up among lucky backers of outsiders. Mr Albert Miller, as oppo-nent-in-chief of the totalistor, would say that a dividend of £44 6s should not go to a horse like Waterloo’ If there was no totalisator such a horse would nob be backed at all, and all the money at stake on the race would revert to the ring. From a large owner’s point of view this is ail very well, but the public are entitled to some consideration, and that consideration they always get when the course betting is done through the totalisator. For my own part I think it a pity that a fine stake of £BOO should be divided up between such horses as Waterloo, Repetition,. and Strike, but bad horses will win occasionally, and when they do the money bet upon the race might; as well be divided among the few lucky backers of the dinner as go into the pockets of the ring ? And as far as Onkaparinga is concerned the reputable bookmakers get their harvest out of the ante post betting done on the Hurdle Race and Steeplechase. If there were a few more such meetings in the year the South Australian bookmaker would be able to laugh at the absurd law which debars them from attempting to bet on the course."