Jim Videtic of Cleveland, Ohio captured the $43,652.70 grand prize in the 2018 World Harness Handicapping Championship presented by DerbyWars.com on Saturday, April 28 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
He also won an additional $3,676.40 via his second contest entry. Videtic walked away with a total of $47,329.10.
Videtic finished the tournament with a $2,254.50 bankroll to top the field of 117 players from across North America who competed for $81,940 in prize money. Videtic won his two seats via derbywars.com qualifiers. This was the largest prize pool ever offered for the WHHC.
Jason Settlemoir, COO & GM of the Meadowlands Racetrack, presents 2018 World Harness Handicapping Championship presented by DerbyWars.com winner Jim Videtic with his prize cheque (Image courtesy Meadowlands Racetrack)
The WHHC contest format required contestants to bet 10 races: seven Meadowlands races of their choice, plus one mandatory race each from Buffalo, Vernon and the Meadowlands racetracks. Bets had to meet a $30 minimum, $100 maximum per race. Contestants could only bet one horse per race and wagers could either be win, place, show or a combination of the three.
Videtic cashed on five of his ten bets and took an early lead with a $952.50 score coming in the mandatory Vernon Race 7 with $30 to Win on #1 (Jimi Wind Ricks). He cashed in the Meadowlands’ sixth race for $940 with a $100 Win wager on #3 (Santiago Style) and again in the mandatory seventh race at the Meadowlands for $450 with $100 to Win on #1 (Highalator). Videtic’s final cash of the night was in the Meadowlands’ ninth race earning him $116 with a $40 to Win bet on the #1 (This Is The Plan). After a losing $100 bet in the last race at the Meadowlands, he finished with a final bankroll of $2,254.50, taking home the $43,652.70 prize.
Derbywars.com sponsored the 2018 World Harness Handicapping Championship and held weekly online qualifiers throughout 2018. In addition to derbywars.com and the Meadowlands, the following partner outlets sent players to compete in the 2018 WHHC: USTA, Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Standardbred Canada, and TVG/Betfair.
A list of the top ten finishers appears below.
First – Last – Bankroll – Prize $
Jim Videtic - $2,254.50 - $43,652.70
Jeff Billings - $1,871.00 - $11,547.90
Thomas DeSimone - $1,597.00 - $7,616.70
Scott Warren - $1,350.00 - $5,773.00
Jim Videtic - $1,241.00 - $3,767.40
Sam Agigian - $1,056.00 - $1,916.46
Lee Stuckey - $1,031.00 - $1,916.46
Michael Rusovick - $913.00 - $1,916.46
Peter Kleinhans - $884.50 - $1,916.46
Dustin Carlson - $748.00 - $1,916.46
(Meadowlands Racetrack)