HOW TO BET — THE ABC’S OF PARIMUTUEL WAGERING
When you make a Yonkers Raceway wager—whether it’s on
a live or simulcast race — you are betting against everyone
who is making the same type of wager in the same race,
whether they are on-track patrons or participating in the
wagering process from simulcast sites across North
America.
The racetrack simply deducts a percentage from each dollar
wagered for payment of purses, expenses and state taxes.
After this deduction (which varies depending on the type of
wager and the jurisdiction where the live/simulcast track is
located), approximately 80 percent of all wagers are returned
to the bettors. Unlike casino gambling, where you are betting
against the house, wagering on horse racing is a “parimutuel
venture.”
Pierre Oller introduced “parier mutuel” — meaning “mutual
stake” or “betting among ourselves” — in his native France
in 1865. As this form of wagering was adopted in England it
became known as “Paris mutuals,” and soon thereafter,
“parimutuels.”
Pari-mutuel odds reflect how much is wagered on each
horse or combination relative to the size of the mutuel pool.
You have to be 18 years of age or older to wager on horse
racing in New York State.
CASHING WINNING MUTUEL TICKETS
Winning pari-mutuel tickets from all races conducted in 2011
have to be cashed on or before March 31, 2012. They may
be cashed any time the Raceway is open for either live
and/or simulcast racing. Tickets purchased from Yonkers
Raceway may only be cashed here. You cannot cash winning tickets purchased from Yonkers Raceway at any OTB or
other simulcast venue.
The physical address of Yonkers Raceway is 810 Central
Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704
For winnings that exceed 300-1 odds — more than $600 —
the Internal Revenue Service requires that a W2G Tax Form is
completed. This form requires two proofs of identity:
1, Copy of drivers license or state-issued photo ID; and
2, Copy of social security card or a card that establishes
your identity and includes your social security number. All
winnings subject to reporting and/or withholding as
described in IRS form W2G will be administered in accordance with applicable IRS code. Designated IRS windows
are #'s 403 and 423 (4th floor) and #101 (track apron).
It is advised that you keep copies for your records.
TYPES OF WAGERS
Win: You win if your horse finishes first.
Place: You win if your horse finishes either first or second.
Show: You win if your horse finishes either first, second or
third.
The odds commonly displayed on the Tote Board and on television monitors throughout the track are the “win” odds.
Here are the minimum payoffs on $2 win wagers:
Win Odds
Minimum Payoff
Win Odds Minimum Payoff
1-1
$4.00
6-1
$14.00
2-1
$6.00
8-1
$18.00
5-2
$7.00
10-1
$22.00
3-1
$8.00
12-1
$26.00
7-2
$9.00
15-1
$32.00
4-1
$10.00
20-1
$42.00
9-2
$11.00
50-1
$102.00
5-1
$12.00
The easiest bet to win is a show bet. If your selection finishes third or better, you win. The Pick 4, requiring the bettor to
select four consecutive winners in as many races, or the
Superfecta, requiring the bettor to select the correct 1-2-3-4
order of finish in a given race, are the most difficult. The
higher the risk, the greater the payoff.
TWO-HORSE WAGERS
SELF-BETTING MACHINES
Daily Double: Selecting the winners of two designated (consecutive) races.
Exacta: Selecting the two horses to finish first and second in
exact order.
Quinella: Selecting the two horses to finish first and second
in either order (not offered for Yonkers Raceway live races).
Daily Double wagers must be placed before the running of
the first of the two races. The daily double is generally
offered on the evening’s first two and last two races.
For your convenience, SAMs (Screen Activated Machines)
are located throughout the track. SAMs accept cash, winning
pari-mutuel tickets or betting vouchers, which can be purchased at any mutuel window throughout the track; the bettor can place his or her wager on the touch-screen terminal.
THREE-HORSE WAGERS
Pick 3: Selecting the winners of three designated races run
in succession.
Wagers must be placed before the running of the first of the
three races. In the event there is no winner, the pool is divided
among those tickets which have the most correct winners.
If no one selects all three winners, consolation payoffs
shall be awarded for selecting any two out of three. In the
event of a scratch prior to the running of the first leg, tickets shall be eligible for exchange or cancellation.
Otherwise, the post-time favorite shall be your designated
horse. Any scratch after the first leg shall then have the
post-fame favorite as the designated horse.
Triple (or Trifecta): Selecting three horses to finish first,
second and third in exact order in an individual race.
Triples are usually offered in every Yonkers live race.
FOUR-HORSE WAGERS
Pick 4: Selecting the winners of four designated races run in
succession.
Wagers must be placed before the running of the first of the
four races. If no one selects all four winners, consolation
payoffs shall be awarded for selecting any three out of four.
In the event of a scratch prior to the running of the first leg,
tickets shall be eligible for exchange or cancellation.
Otherwise, the post-time favorite shall be your designated
horse. Any scratch after the first leg shall then have the postfame favorite as the designated horse.
Superfecta: Selecting four horses to finish first, second, third
and fourth in exact order in an individual race. For Yonkers
Raceway live races, please note that in the event there is no
winner, the pool is divided among those tickets which have
the correct first three finishers and any number for fourth. In
the event there is no ticket with the correct first three finishers and any number for fourth, the pool is divided among
those tickets which have the correct first two finishers and
any numbers for third and fourth. In the event there is no
ticket with the correct first two finishers and any numbers for
third and fourth, the pool is divided among those tickets
which have the correct first finisher and any numbers for
second, third and fourth.
The Superfecta is generally offered on five races nightly here,
depending on a minimum number of betting interests in that
particular race.
WAGERING WITH A MUTUEL TELLER
When you visit a mutuel window where tickets are sold and
cashed, simply provide the following information…
1. Name of track
2. Race number
3. Amount of wager
4. Type of wager
5. Program number(s)
Example: Yonkers Raceway, Race 5, $2., Win, Number 6. Be
sure to take (and examine) your mutuel ticket before leaving
the window. Remember to use the number and not the name
of the horse when placing your wager.
Also, remember that a horse’s wagering number is not
always his/her starting post position.
MINIMUM WAGER
The minimum wager for all bets is generally $1. However,
Yonkers Raceway offers a $.10 superfecta, provided it’s part
of at least a four-horse “box” ticket. A “box” is a multiplehorse wager which gives the bettors all possible combinations of the included numbers.
Obviously, the more horses included in a wager — thus creating more combinations — the more expensive the wager.
For example, a four-horse exacta box would cost $24 for a
base $2 wager (4 x 3 x $2) and a three-horse exacta box
would cost $12 for a base $2 wager (3 x 2 x $2). These
wagers are also available in $1 denominations, with a winning
ticket getting half of the base $2 payoff.
ADVANCE WAGERING
Advance wagering is available from the beginning of the
Raceway’s wagering day (usually around 12 noon) for any
live and/or simulcast race we are accepting wagers on that
particular day. Please be sure to state the correct track, race
number, type of wager, amount of wager and horse number(s) when making an advance wager.
MORNING-LINE ODDS
The morning-line odds are displayed in the official track program and serve as the opening line for wagering on all races.
The morning line is simply an educated opinion of how the
wagering public ultimately wagers on each horse. Remember
that the actual odds are set by the bettors.
CURRENT ODDS
The odds posted at the track--on television monitors and on
the tote board located in the infield--are a reflection of money
wagered on a given horse relative to the total win pool. The
odds change approximately every 30 seconds as new
money is wagered in the pool.
TOTE BOARD
The tote (short for “totalisator”) board provides the following information…
• Post time of the upcoming race, time of day and track
condition
• Current win odds for each horse/betting interest in the
upcoming race
• Rotating total money wagered on each horse in the win,
place and show pools
• Rotating daily double and exacta probables
• Fractional times and the final time of a race
• Official results and payoffs (based on $2 wager) of the
most recently concluded race
COUPLED ENTRY
A coupled entry in a race - more common in thoroughbred
racing than harness - is when two or more horses with either
a common owner and/or trainer are deemed an entry for
wagering purposes. Thus, the coupled entry is comprised of
two or more horses and regarded as a single betting interest.
PLEASE NOTE that rules — including take-out rates —
often differ between racing jurisdictions. Rules and explanations which appear here are subject to amendment and/or
change. For specific rules and regulations regarding New York
State Harness Racing, please refer to the New York State
Racing and Wagering Board website at www.racing.state.ny.us
HOLD ALL TICKETS UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THAT
PARTICULAR RACE HAVE BEEN DECLARED OFFICIAL.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATRONAGE AND
WISH YOU THE BEST OF RACING LUCK,
YONKERS RACEWAY MANAGEMENT
3
YON