With the help of the USTA Strategic Wagering program, Balmoral Park will offer guaranteed Pick 4 pools every weekend in the month of April
. The one-mile oval will guarantee $15,000 every Saturday night and up the ante to $25,000 on Sundays. The Pick 4 will encompass the final four races.
Since the takeout on the Pick 4 was lowered to 15 per cent after the 2009 season, the Balmoral Pick 4 has showed extraordinary gains in a down market. Players across North America have responded to the 40 per cent takeout reduction in large numbers, making the Balmoral Pick 4 a must play with multi-race bettors.
During the 2009 season, the Pick 4 average pool was $8,827. The 2010 season brought the debut of the 15 per cent takeout on the Pick 4. The wager proved increasingly popular with the takeout reduction and when the year end results were in, over $2,000,000 was wagered on the Pick 4 in 2010. Statistics showed that the average pool rose to $14,211 with the lower takeout in 2010, an increase of more than 61 per cent.
The momentum has continued into the 2011 season. Over 37 nights of racing, players have wagered $590,380 on the Balmoral Pick 4, a nightly average of $15,956. When compared with the pools in 2009 with the old takeout, the Balmoral Pick 4 pool average has increased over 80 per cent in 15 months.
Balmoral Park races Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday with a first post of 7:10 (Central). The Pick 4 is offered on the final four races of the evening. The Balmoral Pick 4 has a 15 per cent takeout and a minimum wager of one dollar.
Racing's only 10-cent High 5 is offered on the final race of the night.
The Balmoral Pick 5 starts on Race 2. The carryover for Saturday is $5,841. The track estimates a Saturday pool of $20,000. The Pick 5 minimum bet is 50 cents.
Balmoral Park offers 50 cent trifecta and 10 cent superfecta wagering.
(Balmoral)