The extraordinary has now become commonplace at The Meadowlands, as once again, Saturday night business last week at The Big M was over the top, leaving no reason to believe that the string of super Saturdays won’t continue this weekend, when racing is conducted on the usual Friday-Saturday (Feb. 16-17) schedule with a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m.

“The Big M has been lighting it up in a big way lately,” said Jason Settlemoir, Meadowlands Racetrack's Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “The last three Saturday nights of racing have seen the cumulative handle exceed $10 million [USD].”

In fact, the total was quite close to $11 million USD.

On Jan. 27, $3,779,096 USD – the 2024 Big M high – was pushed through the windows, before $3,631,898 USD and $3,456,865 USD, was wagered on Feb. 3 and 10, respectively. Over the last three Saturday programs, a total of $10,867,859 USD has been pushed through the windows, good for an average of $3,622,619 USD per card.

“The popularity of the Big M signal has certainly exceeded expectations in recent weeks,” said Settlemoir. “The sport’s flagship track is known for its large competitive fields and extraordinary wagering opportunities.

“The Meadowlands will offer two carryovers Friday to kick off another exciting weekend of racing. Carryovers attract a lot of attention here and these popular wagers have additional player friendly features.”

To begin with, the popular puzzles offer a low takeout of 15 per cent with a low minimum of 20 cents that allow small players to swim in the same pool as the powerhouse punters. In addition, these carryovers lead – in many cases – to a pool that offers what is described by the track's officials as a “negative takeout,” meaning that players with winning tickets will actually get more money back than what was pushed through the windows that night.

The 20-cent Pick-8 failed to yield a winning ticket for a sixth straight card last Saturday, upping the carryover to $13,550 for this Friday. In addition, the 20-cent Pick-6 also went unhit and that carryover stands at $4,641. The Pick-8 is offered on races four through 11 while the Pick-6 spans races eight through 13. Big M fans are reminded that past performances for every race for every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.

The people that came out to The Meadowlands last Sunday, Feb. 11 got their money’s worth as the FanDuel Sportsbook hosted viewing of one of the greatest professional football championship games of all-time. The most-watched program in the history of television had viewership in excess of 123 million people and those viewers were treated to a thrilling 25-22 overtime win by the Kansas City Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers.

“With the NFL season now concluded, gamblers will explore other options," said Settlemoir. "With the biggest pools in Standardbred racing, The Meadowlands is working hard to become one of those wagering options.”

Join The Meadowlands’ TV team of Jessica Otten and Dave Little this weekend as they will be on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set with The Big M’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pre-game show. The broadcast will start at 5:45 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday with track announcer Ken Warkentin going over some of the track’s promotions before he gives out the scratches and driver changes on the program.

On Saturday, Feb. 17, one of the most popular Big M events is back, as cooks and tasters alike will be on hand for the 2024 Winter Chili Cook-Off. The contest will take place Trackside (on the ground floor) from 5-9 p.m., so if you think you make the best chili, enter the contest and show the judges what you’ve got. Not a cook? Free samples will be given for the People's Choice vote following the 7 p.m. turn-in. The Cook-Off will take place in the Food Court and outdoor East Apron area. For complete information and to enter, visit playmeadowlands.com.

Fight night fans are invited to the track for a UFC 298 Watch Party on Saturday, Feb. 17. The fight-night-ready Gallery, featuring numerous TVs, a variety of seating and a full-service bar, is where attendees can catch the action. The main event pits featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski against surging contender Ilia Topuria. UFC 298, with four preliminary bouts before the main event, gets underway at 10 p.m.

(With files from The Meadowlands)