| Greyhound racing is popular the world over with at | | | | race betting: each player or team is given a number |
| least 300 dog racing tracks in operation, including those | | | | and wagers are taken on where the players will finish. |
| in the United States, most countries in South America, | | | | In addition to the standard win, place and show betting |
| Ireland, England, France, Italy and China. The greyhound | | | | there is exotic wagering. There are two daily doubles |
| dog racing handle in the United States today exceeds | | | | on the 3rd and 4th events and the l0th and 11th. There |
| $800 million per year. Greyhound racing is permitted in | | | | is quiniela and perfect''a wagering on each match. |
| nine states, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, | | | | To win the quiniela the bettor must select the players |
| Arizona, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon and | | | | of the teams that finish first and second in a given |
| South Dakota. Florida, with its 17 dog tracks, leads all | | | | game. Either team may win, the other must finish |
| other states in race attendance and betting handle. | | | | second. Perfecta wagering is actually a quiniela in |
| The Derby Lane dog track in St. Petersburg, Florida, | | | | which the bettor must select the exact order of finish |
| rates as the oldest in America, having been in | | | | for the first two places. Payoffs can be high in the |
| operation since early 1925. | | | | perfectas-a $1,314.60 perfecta was hit at Dania, |
| Since the introduction of the mechanical rabbit, | | | | Florida''s finest jai alai palace. $100 payoffs on the |
| greyhound racing has become big business and as a | | | | perfecta are common. |
| result greyhound breeding has become an important | | | | The Big Q was introduced several years back and |
| industry in this country. Prices range from about $500 | | | | was an instant success. The trick is to wager $2 |
| for unknown puppies to $25,000 or more for top | | | | before the start of the first game on two teams you |
| racers. | | | | think will finish first and second. If they win you |
| All major greyhound tracks operating in the United | | | | exchange your winning ticket at no additional cost for |
| States use the pari-mutuel betting system. At most | | | | your choice of the win and place finishers in game |
| tracks there are 12 races a night, featuring daily | | | | two. If you''re a winner you can collect as much as |
| doubles, exactas, quinielas, superfectas or Big E''s. (For | | | | $4,168.20 or as little as $171.80--those are the biggest |
| explanations of these wagers, see page 39.) In addition | | | | and smallest Big Q payoffs at Dania, Florida, last |
| to these, several Latin American countries use an | | | | season. |
| imitation of Puerto Rico''s 5-6 pool in which a bettor or | | | | One final note. Bet the favorite to show. Forget about |
| bettors picking 6 winners from the fourth through ninth | | | | the win, place, daily double, quiniela, pedecta and Big Q |
| races divide 75% of the pool, the remainder being | | | | bets. I don''t say this advice will win money, but it will cut |
| distributed to those picking 4 or 5 winners. | | | | down your losses. |
| SCARNE''S ADVICE ON BETTING THE DOGS | | | | BETTING ON ELECTIONS |
| If you are one of the many thousands who go to the | | | | My survey shows that approximately $200 million is |
| track to bet the dogs for fun, remember that you must | | | | wagered annually with bookies on the outcome of |
| pay for the privilege. If you want to keep the price | | | | national, state and local elections. The biggest single |
| down to what you can afford, here is a good system: | | | | wager on record placed with a bookie was made by |
| Before leaving home, decide how much you want to | | | | a racetrack owner when he took $1.2 million to $1 |
| spend (bet), add the track admission price, the price of | | | | million that Richard Nixon would beat John F. Kennedy |
| a program, allowance for refreshments and price of | | | | for the Presidency of the United States. This huge |
| transportation. Take this amount with you and no more, | | | | wager was placed with a dozen of the nation''s big |
| so that if you lose you won''t be tempted to recoup | | | | time sports offices. |
| your losses and lose more than you planned. Then bet | | | | The bookies'' price line in election betting is usually 6 to |
| the favorite to show. Forget about win and place bets. | | | | 5 Pick ''em. From then on the money wagered with the |
| I don''t say this advice will win you money, but it will cut | | | | bookie has the price line jumping up and down. |
| down your losses. Always remember that when you | | | | Most bookies act as their own price makers in election |
| pick a winner, you''re lucky; it isn''t good handicapping. | | | | betting, so it''s most unusual for several bookies in the |
| Don''t forget that "you can beat a race, but not the | | | | same area to have different price lines. They usually |
| races." | | | | operate on a two-point spread as in the 40¢ line |
| BETTING ON JAI ALAI, THE WORLD''S FASTEST | | | | in baseball. In a Pick ''em contest, the bettor must lay |
| GAME | | | | the bookie odds of 6 to 5 no matter which candidate |
| Jai alai, regarded as the fastest online games in the | | | | he puts his money on. |
| world, originated in Spain from a form of handball | | | | When one candidate is so pronounced a favorite that |
| played by the Basques more than 200 years ago. In | | | | his election is almost certain, the bookies use a vote |
| Spain it is known as pelota vasca. Jai alai was first | | | | differential in order to stimulate business. For example, |
| imported to this hemisphere by way of Cuba in 1900; | | | | a bookie in my home town of Fairview, New Jersey, |
| today it is played in Spain, France, Italy, China, the | | | | will make Candidate Battaglia a 2,000-vote favorite |
| Philippines, Mexico, Cuba and other Latin American | | | | over Candidate Reme for Mayor. The bookie will |
| countries. In 1935, Florida legalized jai alai with a | | | | accept odds of 6 to 5 on either candidate, but |
| pari¬mutuel betting system. Jai alai was recently | | | | Battaglia must win by at least 2,001 votes for his |
| introduced at the M.G.M. Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, | | | | supporters to collect. A 2,000-vote majority by |
| Nevada. | | | | Battaglia is not considered a tie, and the bookie |
| Jai alai is played with a basket hand covering (cesta) | | | | pockets all. Reme supporters win their bets if Battaglia |
| and a hard¬ened goatskin covered virgin rubber | | | | wins by a 1,999-vote majority or less or if Reme is |
| ball (pelota) in an enclosed auditorium (fronton). The | | | | elected or ties. The bookie has an 8%% advantage |
| object of the free kid games is to throw the ball with | | | | riding for him. |
| such speed and spin that it rebounds into fair territory | | | | When you bet against a bookmaker in elections, you |
| so that the opposition is unable to catch it either in the | | | | can win provided you have an edge in information that |
| air or on the first bounce, or to return it to the back | | | | will overcome the bookie''s percentage. If you are |
| wall. | | | | aware, and the bookie isn''t, that a political leader who |
| The game can be played either single or doubles. The | | | | formerly supported Battaglia is going to switch his |
| skill of the online games lies in placing the ball out of | | | | backing to Reme at the last minute and carry enough |
| reach of the opposition, or imparting an incredible | | | | votes with him to cut Battaglia''s expected 2,000-vote |
| amount of spin on the ball so that the opposition | | | | majority down to 1,000, you have a solid bet that could |
| cannot return it. Balls travel at speeds up to 150 miles | | | | beat the bookmaker. |
| per hour, making the game all action as the players | | | | Because the vote differential in state and national |
| must catch and throw without stopping the motion of | | | | elections often runs into hundreds of thousands the |
| their arms. | | | | bookmakers have no bed of roses when they accept |
| Betting in Florida at jai alai is the same as pari-mutuel | | | | action on political elections. |