BETTING SYSTEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23108, 6 February 1937, Page 7

BETTING SYSTEMS

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—Mr J. M. Samson wants to know why I neglected to make mention of the place betting at the recent Wellington meeting. I am quite prepared to admit that where there are large fields and where large amounts are invested on each race there may be something to be said for place betting. In all. £188,825 went through the machines at the Wellington meeting. But even the Wellington system is different from the "Samson system." Mr Samson's system provides for a 75-25 per cent, division on the win machine and also 4 for place betting. The Wellington Racing Club has but one dividend for the win machine. If the " Samson " system provided for that it might not be so bad. Let us take an eight-horse race under the " Samson system," and we have three place dividends and two win dividends, or five dividends in all. In a field of over four we have the ridiculous position that the win machine pays 75-25 per cent, on the first and second horses, and in the same field—in this case, less than eight but more than four—we have the place machine paying 50-50 per cent, for first and second horses. In other words, we have two place-bet-ting systems in the one race but an unequal apportionment of the dividends. Why the committee of the Forbury Park Trotting Club ever committed itself to such a so-called system is beyond me. It might be timely for the Forbury Park Club to rename one of its races. Might I suggest as an appropriate name, the "Punters' Handicap r ' ?—I am, etc., Small Punter.