Railbird 2004–2019

Betting Archive

Playing the Market

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a new venture: “I’ve decided to start a new hedge fund. However, this hedge fund won’t invest in stocks or bonds, or any type of business. It’s going to be a fund that only places bets. A gambling hedge fund.
“It won’t be me figuring out what bets to place, or what games to play. This is a fund. I will find the best and the brightest, with a confirmable track record and hire them.
“It’s an idea whose time has come.” (BlogMaverick.com)
More: “Cuban to gamble on fund that could target racing” (Thoroughbred Times)

Posted in Betting on December 3, 2004

Windfall

The 2003 Breeders’ Cup was a very lucky day for South Dakota resident Graham Stone, who, with his business partner Will Dixon, held the sole winning Pick 6 ticket. “The Stones were renting their house and now they own one about a minute away. They bought an SUV. Took the first family vacation in 17 years. He hasn’t repaired any jewelry in six months and is thinking about what else might be out there for him. Amazing what you can do with $8.” (New York Daily News)

Posted in Betting on October 27, 2004

An $8 Return on a $20 Bet

That’s the best Keeneland’s new Mutuel Fun wager did over the weekend. (Courier Journal)

Posted in Betting on October 12, 2004

Catskill OTB Failed to Comply With Law

A Daily Racing Form inquiry into the 2002 Breeder’s Cup Pick 6 scandal “shows that Catskill routinely and consistently evaded state law by failing to send many statutorily required documents to the [New York State Racing and Wagering] board.” The situation isn’t much better now: “Even today, the relationship between Catskill and the board is hardly based on the letter of the law,” reports Matt Hegarty in this lengthy investigative article in the DRF.

Posted in Betting on August 15, 2004

Watching Yet Another …

Favorite win at Suffolk on Saturday had me wondering: Do favorites win more races at the East Boston track than the oft-cited 30% average? It wasn’t the first afternoon I thought I perceived a high percentage of favored horses win. A quick check of last week’s results does show an above average number of races won by favorites (WBF):

For comparison, Belmont during the same period:

This is a small sample size. Too small, really, to draw any significant conclusions from, but the results suggest a bettor might have to work a bit harder to find wagers with value at a small track such as Suffolk.

Posted in Betting on June 27, 2004