Fives have been wild of late at the Meadowlands Racetrack, as some of the biggest payouts have come in a pair of low-minimum bets at the mile oval.

The 10-cent Pentafecta, which requires one to correctly select the first five finishers in a given race, replaced the 20-cent-based 'jackpot' version, and has returned great dividends to players, as has the 20-cent Pick-5. Both wagers now give bettors two chances every night to make a score.

Last weekend’s (Oct. 2-3) Pentafectas left winning players with big smiles. On Friday, the race five return was $736 before race 13 saw bettors walk away with $507, despite the race being won by the 8-5 favourite.

Saturday’s fifth race came back a whopping $2,799 before the 13th capped the weekend with a payoff of $991. The average payout for the wager with the low 15 per cent takeout was $1,258 for a minuscule 10-cent investment.

Friday’s Early 20-cent Pick-5 (races one through five) brought the weekend’s biggest payoff, as one sharp handicapper raked the pool, cashing in for $35,516. The odds of the horses during the sequence were 5-2, 11-1, 11-1, 3-1 and 7-1. Given how wide tickets can be 'spread' with the low 20-cent minimum, that was a handsome payoff to be sure. The second Pick-5 is offered every night on races nine through 13.

“Value is so important in the racing industry,” said Big M COO/GM Jason Settlemoir. “And you need liquidity in the pools to help create that value. The Saturday Pentafecta paid out at odds of almost 28,000-1. The Friday Pick-5 paid out at more than 177,000-1. That’s incredible value, and at the Meadowlands or any other racetrack, fair value will always draw horseplayers.”

The drivers in the GSY (Gural Settlemoir Yarock) Series may not include names that are as famous as those that sit at or near the top of the 'Big M' standings, but that did not stop the public from betting those races with vigour.

The first race Friday night saw a total handle of $231,871, good for the highest pool of the night at the track as well as the entire country, before $177,887 was pushed through the windows in the third race, meaning that the members of the driving club saw over $400,000 in action on their races.

At the end of the weekend, total handle on the 26 Meadowlands dashes was just short of $5 million.

“The Meadowlands low 15 per cent takeouts and competitive mile-track racing,” said Settlemoir, “create pools that tantalize players around the world with something that most other tracks cannot offer.”

PROLIFIC PILOTS: With most of the Big M’s top drivers out of town at Lexington’s Red Mile, a pair of reinsmen who do good work elsewhere had a great time on their trip to East Rutherford.

Pocono Downs regular Simon Allard led the way last weekend with five victories, while Victor Kirby, who drives on the Delaware circuit, scored four times, all on Friday night.

RED MILE FINALE: Racing at Lexington, Kentucky’s famed Red Mile concludes this weekend, with three cards of top-flight stakes action to be contested Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a 1 p.m. post time.

The Big M’s own Dave Brower will handle post-race interviews and will partner up with the sport’s popular jack-of-all-trades and leader of the #senditin army, Gabe Prewitt, for analysis of the races. Prewitt also serves as track announcer. For everything Red Mile, check out Prewitt on Twitter at @gabe_prewitt.

FREE STUFF: For free past performances of Meadowlands races, go to playmeadowlands.com, where one can access races nine through 13 for both Friday and Saturday’s program. Those races include the 20-cent Late Pick-5, 50-cent Late Pick-4 and 10-cent Late Pentafecta, not to mention the Late Daily Double.

TWEET THE TEAM: Stay in touch on Twitter with the Big M’s Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1). Check in everyday for Meadowlands news and updates at those handles, as well as @TheMeadowlands and #playbigm.

CHECK OUT THE PICKS: For those who need to get a leg up on the action, go to playmeadowlands.com to see track oddsmaker and analyst Brower’s selections and commentary. Click on this link to check out Friday’s card: http://playmeadowlands.com/RaceReviews.aspx?racedt=10/9/2020

Additionally, track announcer Warkentin’s blog is available on the site and offers his picks and analysis.

On race nights, access picks and plays from the Big M TV team at #playbigm or at @TheMeadowlands.

CHECK OUT THE SHOW: As always look for the 'Racing from The Meadowlands' live in-house simulcast show every Friday and Saturday night. It begins at 6:42 p.m. First race is at 7:15 p.m.

If you want to watch all the action at home, go to rtn.tv to catch every race live.

CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE: For those who want to spend a night at the races, please go to playmeadowlands.com before you head out and look for updates with regard to whether or not fans will be permitted to attend.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)