If you like to play multi-race wagers, and you don't like to spend a lot of bankroll on big, costly tickets, you'll be happy with the changes that Gulfstream Park announced to their wagering menu today. The complete details appear in the press release at the bottom of this post, but the short and sweet version is lower minimums on the Pick Six (from $2 to $0.10), a 20% takeout on the Pick 4 (still a $1 minimum now $0.50 minimum), and a $0.50 Pick Five that will feature a 15% takeout.
The $0.10 Pick Six is an interesting addition to the menu as the payout of the pool will be slightly different than most Pick Sixes. If a single person hits the wager, the entire pool is paid out to the winner. If multiple people hit the wager, 60% of the pool is paid out and 40% is carried over to the next card. This setup is similar to Beulah Park's Fortune Six wager with the exception that the Fortune Six is a $0.25 minimum while the Gulfstream version will cost just a dime.
A couple of things I like about this: first, it gives players that want to dabble in the Pick Six a chance to play it, even if you're unlikely to hit a "life changing" score as you can with a traditional bet. Additionally, since it's just a dime to play, you can certainly play for increased increments. Second, strategy-wise, this is a different wager than a traditional Pick Six, since the bigger payouts will only happen for a player that can take down the entire pool. Finally, it's rare for a "big track" to offer a wager of this sort, which gives a player a chance to get involved in this type of bet and do so while playing something other than $5k maiden claimers. That's not a slight against those type of races, I play them quite often, but it's nice to have the opportunity to play a wager like this where you could have a Grade 1 race as part of the sequence.
I'm curious to see how the Pick Five and the Pick Six interplay in terms of pools. The Pick Five will cost, at minimum, five times more than the Pick Six, but the takeout is a nice 15%. There is no mention of a carryover for the Pick Five which probably means that it will pay the entire pool every day, regardless of the number of correct tickets.
The official Gulfstream Park press release appears below:
HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino announced today a wagering menu for its 2011 thoroughbred meet beginning Jan. 5 that includes:
• A 50 cent Pick-5 with a record low 15 percent takeout.
• Low takeout rates on Bet-3 and 50 cent Pick-4 wagers of only 20 percent.
• An early and late 50 cent Pick-4.
• A 10 cent Pick-6.
• Rolling Daily Doubles, Superfecta's and Bet-3's.
Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta and Trifecta wagers will be a $1 minimum wager.
"We're optimistic and excited about the new wagers we're introducing and the fact Gulfstream will be offering many of the lowest takeouts in the country," said Steve Calabro, President and GM of Gulfstream Park. "We think the Pick-5, Pick-4's and 10 cent Pick-6 creates more opportunities for our fans. "This is just part of our commitment to our customers. Those attending Gulfstream this year will also notice nearly a 50 percent increase in our self-service betting terminals."
Gulfstream will start each day with a 12:55 p.m., first race post time. The early Pick-4 will begin with the second race while the late Pick-4 will be on the last four races. The Pick-5 will be on the day's last five races and the Pick-6 on the day's last six. The Pick-5, Pick-4 and Pick-6 wagers will be accepted only at self-service terminals.
The 10 cent Pick-6 will be awarded to one unique ticket. On days there are multiple winners, 60 percent of the pool will be shared equally while 40 percent goes back into the jackpot. Click here to see the wagering and takeouts.
Gulfstream will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the $1 million Florida Derby April 3 with a record 33 graded stakes races and more than $30 million in overall purses.
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a multi-use entertainment facility and the premier destination of its kind in South Florida. Recognized for its world-class thoroughbred racing, Gulfstream Park is also home to more than 850 slot machines, high-stakes, no-limit poker, and the finest restaurants and shops at The Village at Gulfstream Park. Gulfstream's world-championship, 2011 thoroughbred meet will run from Jan. 5 through April 24. For further information contact David.Joseph@gulfstreampark.com, or call 954.457.6451.
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