Totalisation v. Bookmakers.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 117, 16 November 1896, Page 2

Totalisation v. Bookmakers.

o Probably to most readers the proceedings afc a racing conference are of the dry-.as-dusfc ord<jr, bufc now and again some point of real live interest will crop up. This was the case last night. A deputation of " bookies" waited on the conference to plead for permission to ply their vocation on the racecourses. As was to have been anticipated, tbe request was refused, and in fche course of the discussion ifc was pointed out that the speculative public secure far greater advantages by tbe medium of the totalisator than was the case under the old system of straight-out betting. By way of illustration, the secretary to the conference had analysed the Cup race that was run on Monday. In that event there were 17 starters and there were 6519 totalisator investors. Lady Zetland won the race and the dividend paid was £9 2s. Now, supposing that some other horse had won, what would the dividend have beeu, taking the investments as they were actually re corded ? The secretary figures it out as under, and it will be seen at a glance that many of the " odds" were such as no " bookie" could very well afford to lay :—

£s. a. Enroclydon 2 19 0 Epaulet 7 8 0 Lady Zetland 9 2 0 Culverin 12 19 0 Fabulist 14 1 6 The Possible 16 6 0 Voltigeur 19 16 <|; Captive 23 17 0 Defiance 28 5 0 Ngatuere 81 11 0 Quiltiri 33 14 0 Lotion 37 15 0 Bellicent 40 5 0 Mahaki 50 2 6 The Sbrew 64 3 0 Black and Red 73 13 0 [ Casket 82 16 0 — Christcburch Star. .