Once again, Western Regional Off-Track Betting has announced that it will be sending one person to the National Harness Handicapping Championship to be held at the Meadowlands Racetrack on April 24.

This year, 26 OTB branches will host qualifying contests which will take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The first contest is set for Saturday, March 6 with the last qualifier on Wednesday March 31. There is no charge to participate.

Batavia Downs will host the finals on April 11. The winner of that contest will represent OTB in the NHHC.

“Once again it will be March Madness at Western OTB with all our branch qualifiers being held in one month,” said Martin Biniasz, OTB Director of Marketing. “We have had an excellent response to these free contests and are pleased to offer them to our valued customers again.”

Like last year there will be two types of contests, one that offers a noon registration and one that offers a 5:30 p.m. sign up. In both contests all entry forms must be submitted by 6:40 p.m.

Unlike last year, all contests will be conducted on Races 1-5 and Buffalo Raceway and 1-5 at the Meadowlands.

The branch contests will be played exactly as they have been in the past with points being awarded on how a patron’s selections perform. Patrons are also required to select one 'Best Bet' per track, for which they will receive double points.

The contests which offer a noon registration will pay $25 to the winner. The contests with a later start time will pay $100 to the winner if he or she is present when the final scores are posted. If not the winner will take home $25. In both contests one of every six patrons which participate will qualify for the Batavia finals.

Patrons can play in as many contest as they like but can only qualify once for the finals.

The Batavia Downs winner will receive two nights' hotel accommodations in New Jersey, $500 in spending money and entry into the NHHC.

The top 10 finishers in the Batavia contest will receive prizes.

A complete list of OTB qualifying locations and starting times are online at www.westernotb.com and are posted in all Western OTB branches.

(Western OTB)