Emphasis on Pick 5s is hurting handle

Brett Sturman wrote the normal piece mentioning decline in handle over recent years. What he failed to mention is why this is happening. What he doesn’t consider in his article is the long-term impact that Pick 5s are having on handle. Let’s take a look at the average bettor at a racetrack. He goes to the track with $50 in his pocket. He wins a few and loses a few during the day. By the end of the day, he has wagered around $100. He either wins or loses $20. This bettor will definitely bet almost every week. Now we come to the last 10 years. All we hear about is the quest to make a killing on the Pick 5 at any track. Forget about placing a $10 wager on a horse to win. ‘Bet $48 on the early Pick 5,’ the announcers say. Too many people have lost their wad after the first five races. Can the average guy sustain such a loss? Or does he get disgusted and never return. Does a few people hitting a Pick 5 lead to a higher handle in the long run? I think not. Churn only happens when a good number of bettors are cashing tickets.

Al Gatto / Roselle Park, NJ