I love casinos but stopped going 3 years ago. Getting older and don’t want to spend like I used to.
Are these horse racing places fun?
Can you gamble just a few bucks?
Or do folks here just watch? Which is cool.
Just wondering...
I live 8 miles from Finger Lakes Ractrack and Casino. I’ve lived here for 15 years, never set foot in the place.
Went to Las Vegas on business and went to the Bellagio for dinner. Didn’t spend a dime on any of the games.
I don’t gamble....ever.
It can be fun on a nice day. Wager $2 on each race.
Well the 2 horses I picked had a photo finish, meaning they would have to examine the photo to determine which horse won & which one came in second.
Let's just say I would have won like 5 thousand, for a 2.00 bet, had the photo gone my way. 8>)
My girlfriend leaned over and hit me, LOL. Like I was gonna share it with her!!!
All of the above.
I think they're fun if you play the game. That is, if you get the Past Performances (histories and information for each horse in each race) and try to figure out who is going to win. For me, betting is just a way to keep score. My total bets on any given day are less than 10% of what I make in an hour. The people who make the winning bets divide the money bet by the losers minus 15 to 20% that the track takes for purses and other expenses. So you're really playing against the other people who bet, not the track. You can bet as little as a dollar (or even less on some "exotic" bets) or nothing at all. Once you get into it, there are almost infinite things to discuss with friends and even strangers.
You should be aware that the racing folks try to promote "important" races and race days, but every race is a puzzle to me so I enjoy the "unimportant" races just as much as the "important" ones. Usually admission, a seat, and parking will cost $10 or less. At Belmont on Saturday these cost me $120. Food can be a ripoff too on big days. A Coors Lite can was $11 at Belmont on Saturday.
You can also play at home for free. The past performances are available on line for a nominal fee. (The one I use cost a dollar a day per track.) You have to deposit money in an account. Then you can bet and watch on your computer just as if you were at the track. Some racetracks are beautiful and I like the whole racetrack atmosphere which is why I don't just play the game at my kitchen table.
ML/NJ
I love the races. I do go to the track occasionally. Yes, it’s fun.
Small wagers — the minimum is $2. As my wife says, it gives you a rooting interest.
Tip — After reading the form charts in the program, go down to the paddock and watch the horses. The form chart will tell you how the horse has done, which is useful information, but watching them gives you a better idea of how the horse looks today. Now. Which is when this race is being run.
Just make sure you get to the parimutuel window before post time so you can put down your $2.
I’d just watch a few races (hang around some “horse people”) before betting. Get a feel for it. The first race I ever put money on was the fourth race of the day. He was a 17-1 shot and he won for me.
Belmont is a beautiful racetrack as is Churchill downs. Great to visit though I don’t gamble.
They are so much fun. At least Santa Anita is. I love going. It’s beautiful and there is great lowbrow food and great good food for more $. They love my kids there too, the horses are gorgeous, and you can bet small amounts all day and have fun.
If nobody bets, they wouldn’t have any races.