Balmoral Park (12/9/11)
Contact: Tom Kelley
(708) 672-1414
BALMORAL PARK HANDLE TRENDING UP
TWO $20,000 GUARANTEED POOLS ON SATURDAY
By Michael Antoniades, Balmoral Park Racing Analyst
On the heels of a very strong November, Balmoral Park rolls into the holiday season showing strong gains in handle compared to 2010. The combination of large fields, guaranteed pools, low takeout and monster payoffs has made the Balmoral Park signal extremely attractive.
There was no stronger barometer than the average wagered per race. Balmoral Park showed double digit gains in November versus the same days in 2010.
| Race Day |
Average handle per race 2011 |
Average handle per race 2010 |
Gain in 2011 per race |
| Saturday |
$ 98,645 |
$ 82,581 |
$ 16,064 |
| Sunday |
93,004 |
78,931 |
14,073 |
| Wednesday |
68,489 |
64,801 |
3,688 |
On the gambling side, Balmoral started a Sunday $10,000 guaranteed Pick 5 on November13. The average pool has been $26,516 and the average 50 cent payoff is a mind boggling $13,637.34. The Pick Four has a guaranteed pool every night ranging from $15,000 on Wednesdays , $20,000 on Saturdays and $25,000 on Sundays. Through November 30, the average pool was $28,033 on 92 guaranteed Pick 4 pools.
On Saturday December 10, Balmoral will offer two $20,000 guaranteed pools. The Pick 5 has a carryover of $4,285 and starts on race 2. The Pick 5 has a 50 cent minimum bet. The Pick 4 is on the Final Four races , starting on race 10. The Pick 4 has a 15% takeout and a one dollar minimum.
I would personally like to thank the USTA and Track Master for their extraordinary help in the Strategic Wagering Initiative. They are a big part in not only the guaranteed pools but interest in the other pools as well. The numbers don’t lie. Chris Schick, the chairman of the USTA Strategic Wagering Initiative, said it all. “Low takeout, guaranteed pools and competitive full fields made the fans respond in a big way. That’s obvious. We are very pleased with the results.” So are we.
Free program pages, expert selections and the complete December schedule for the Strategic Wagering program can be found at the USTA’s handicapping page.
For the latest news and information regarding USTA Strategic Wagering, “like” our page on Facebook and follow USTA Strategic Wagering on Twitter.
My selections and harness racing news are available at oddsonracing.com.
For more information visit www.balmoralpark.com or call (708) 672-1414.
About Balmoral Park: Located in Crete, IL just 12 miles south of 80/94; Balmoral Park has been one of the nation's premier horse racing facilities since 1926. Balmoral Park features live racing every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking is always free.
