TURF GAMBLING

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1929, Page 8

TURF GAMBLING

SOAIE STK.IKINH FKH KKS

UK 10 OF Til 10 KOOK AI A KlO K

SYDNEY, April 11

The hold which lielting on horse racing lias on the people ol New Xca.iiicl and Australia has been under review here. On account ol the different conditions in lioth countries iiothing like a comparison is possible, ml the figures that have boon published are of great intorst nevertheless, i lie lutalisator investments nt tlie ~,1.r. autumn meeting of four days, which has just concluded, amounted to *JK.i.SMO. A leading .Sydney hookmaker, who is a recognised turf autliorcy. estimated thaL. outside the totalisator. £2.Ul.o.(Kib) changed hands in wagers.

Tota lisa tor hotting is not very pnpumr with the racing public of Australia. Che regular natrons of the sport, invest with the bookmakers, and it is impossible to gunge accurately the -mioiiiit of money which changed bands luring a big meeting at Randwiek, but the £2,000,05:0 already mentioned may be regarded as a moderate estimate. On such important races as- the Hon •aster Handicap and the Sydney C'ip it is estimated that about £2ol).Odd changed hands over each race.

In the saddling paddock at Handwick there are 1 11 bookmakers, aim the majority of them make books on the principal handicaps of between £3OO and £7OO. Three and lour of the largest operators work on £Boo° hooks, and a Ivont half a dozen ineurliabilities of about- £3OOO each. The next thirty bookmakers have an aggregate of about £l-700 each, leaving apnroximatelv £IOO,OOO between the remninder of the bookmakers in the saddling paddock, the 1-1 1 bookmaker--In the St. f.oger Reserve and the 130 bookmakers on the Flat. On the less important races the size of tlm bookie decreased, and in arriving at ai

•slimate for the four, days, (onsidera cion must also be given to the laci t mit invaribly the nrst two days o. .-ie lug nxture attract the larges: j'owds. 'j'lie money that changes hands oi the first two days is considerably acre than half the grand tota! of tin meeting.

i/urmg the year .15)27-28 the totalise- • ir.s in New South Wales put through -2,330,20!). Of that amount £J. -i 1 7,lg was invested at Aictrapolitan regis.creel meetings, and £041,387 at tin .iiregisiered pony meetings, investments in the country amounted to j24i,l!U. In New South Wales the otalisator always mis the strong open i])[:o.siti.jU of the bookniaker. In New ..calami, it is pointed out, the totalisa„,.r provides the only legal iacilitics

mi* wagering on a racecourse, and the annual investments in 15)28 exceeded £7.000.000. The exact figures, acovding to the Year 13 .ok were £7.03!,-

.7 invested on 2723 races on 3154 lays, and for stakes amounting to -0bi,780. This total of investments in New Zealand was exceeded in 15)2-1. 55)27, and 1-36, and in the latter year -;ic amount put through the machine * £8.003.382.

If the tctalisafor figures in New ...outh Wales aproaehed anything like those reached in the Dominion many a uiiajl racing cluli would have an easier mind a.s far as its finances go. Still, tlie bookmaker in Australia. is in an unassailable position. ’! he public wants r.m, and lie is bound to stay.