Living in New York on Long Island, if I want to make a bet I have a few options. I can bet at Nassau Otb which is very close to my house or I can bet at the NYRA, again not very far from my house. I have accounts at both places and each one offers phone and internet betting. I won’t even get into the internet betting format at NYRA right now that is a for another day. However, what I will get into today is the fact that no matter what track you are betting at you can be sure that one of those two betting outlets are not accepting the bets that the track itself takes.

For example at Turf Paradise starting with this meeting that began back on October 1st, they introduced a pick five wager that had a 50 cent increment. Well if you are at Turf Paradise you can bet it for 50 cents, if you are at Nassau Otb you can bet it for 50 cents but if you wanted to put the bet through the NYRA you can’t. I found that out a few weeks ago when I wanted to play the pick five at Turf Paradise because it had a small carryover and realized that no only could you not play the pick five in a 50 cent increment but it had to be played for $2. So now my $80 play for 50 cents becomes a $320 play for $2. Not something I was looking to bet at Turf Paradise. I had a feeling that they wouldn’t take a 50 cent increment but to not even take it for a $1 was just ridiculous.

I didn’t leave any money in my Nassau Otb account and wasn’t going to leave the track to do so. Quite frankly why should I? If Turf Paradise accepts the bet for 50 cents then every simulcast outlet should do the same. I wrote an email to one of the higher ups and NYRA, someone I have been dealing with over the last year. When I wrote my first email ove a year ago about the problem with the TV signal in the house I was surprised to see I received a response back within 20 minutes. The problem was over the years I had enough of trying to get things done at NYRA but I knew this gentleman and his reputation as a customer friendly executive so I gave it a chance. He answered me quickly because he didn’t want me to think he was ignoring me and he gave me an answer that I could accept.

When I had more questions concerning certain things at the NYRA he was always very accomadating. Of course when this problem came up I sent him another email and he told me they would look into it and hopefully it should be up and running for 50 cent wagers fairly soon. I haven’t been to Aqueduct since it opened on Friday so I guess I will see when I get there if they will change it. Another part of that email concerned the 50 cent bets that Churchill Downs accepts. The NYRA took them during Breeders’ Cup but nothing was in place to continue you that on regular days as of right now. Hopefully they will be able to get that policy changed because it is a big help to horse players. Not only can you get more combinations for less money but it the ridiculous reporting and withholding laws that are in place this can help you in that respect also.

With the slots ready to come into Aqueduct by the beginning of the Summer there is much excitement around these parts regarding the future of New York racing. However, simple things like having the correct betting increments for all the tracks that simulcast regardless of the track is very important. I don’t want to keep money in multiple betting accounts just so I can place a bet at the right increment. It isn’t right and it will certainly take away from handle at that betting venue. This past summer Monmouth had a 50 cent pick five as they had the last few years. The pools were much larger this year with the less racing days and bigger fields and the NYRA would not accept the bet for 50 cents. I sent an email a few months back and the following week the 50 cent increment was in play at NYRA. I want to think my email had something to do with it. I have been betting the great game of horse racing for almost 30 years, I was introduced to the game at a young age and loved to look at the racing form. I have a good feel for what the gambler wants even though he might not know it. If those that bet at NYRA exclusively might not even know what these betting increments are. Hopefully, this problem can be taken care of and I believe it will especially with my pipeline to NYRA quick responses to my inquiries.