Betting in England, Daily Racing Form, 1906-09-14

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- BETTING IN ENGLAND. "OnJ all English racetracks," . said Benny Falk In New York recently, "there arc three classes of bookmakers, and as a result three classes of bettors. Ranking first is TattersalPs, which is an exclusive; organization where the King and nobility bet, as well as the plungers of the English turf. The betting in Tattexsalls is all done on the credit system.: No money whatever is passed. All those who patronize the Tattersall ring" are known. If a stinger, for instance, a rich American, should come along and want-to bet big money, be must fist establish his credit to the satisfaction of .tbjiiCTattersftll bookmakers; either f by , being vouched toil by a .financially responsir- Handeioir?Avio4K oc by depositing a certain amount Of hipuey before lie begins, .operations. For instance, av newcomer will .deposit ,000 or ,000 and then be can make liis Vets. But mostly all the betting is done on the credit system and the sense, of honor is so keen in England that there arc few cases.of welchug either ou the part of the bookmaker oAlhc bettor. Talk about big niouey being bet, our tracks are not In It with Newmarket and some of the-dttier big tracks on the other siue There is, for instance, the firm of Topping and Spiudler, which . is tlie plggest bookiug concern in the Tattersall ring. Their mail, orders eycry day are almost equal to the bets that are placed at any of the tracks ground New York. And maybe some of the money, ishjt pretty- soft. I recall one instance clearly. There jSvasfsomc future betting on a race, in which the Rothschilds had an entry. Topping and Spiudler received a commission, of 0,000 fjcpni: e.ItojlbUdatobe. bet at the prevailing price of; 3 to 1. And what do you think the horse went to the post at? Just 5 to 1. It will not take long to figure how Topplug and Spiudler could have laid that bet off and made a nice cican-up ho matter which way the race went. "While I was in England I got acquainted with several of the Tatersall members and I learned a great deal about their future betting. I recall one horse which was entered for the Lincoln Handicap, a race which was three years away. I asked the bookmaker what price was being laid against the horse. " Thirty-three to one, he replied without cracking a smile. " What, I gasped. Thirty-three to one aud the race three years way? " Thats right,, the bookmaker replied. " Do you know what -i; the priceagalnst that horse would be in America, with thc race three years away, said I. Atvleast 500 to 1. How would the bookmaker be-abjc to pay off? asked the English bookniaker, "? "I told him that the mey could probably be laid off in time it the Jiorselooked dangerous. "He then told me that C6fto 1 was the top price against any horse in the. future,: books. I learned, however, something; which:.may-.tiartlally explain this. Certain horses are prepared" tor -years for certain big events. They arc uot raced In between. I also learned that they -are away: behind this country in keeping track-of the" horses and their work. "There is a lot of free rmasonry in the Tattersall ring. I remember one .case. A certain bookmaker in his future book operations; had" laid 4 to 1 against a certain horse that went to the post an almost even money favorite. He had overplayed himself, having accepted more than he could take care of at 4 to 1. And what do you suppose happened? His brother bookmakers, took enough of the horse at 4 to 1 to make it easfor him. Fancy a similar situation ia America. Let -ussuppose that one of the booking gentry in this country had received a lot of money on a horse atjto 1 and the horse went to Uie post an even money favorite, and he went to some of the other ; fellows about him and asked them to lay 4 to 1. : :They would think he was crazy. Youre in iiow,you sucker, and stay in, would be about the burden of their remarks." s ;


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800