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I ■ 1 - [ - : » - i t i - s Totalisator Betting in Britain . , In 1956 Highest Since 1949 Special to Daily Racitig Form LONDON, England, May 11 "Reuters. — Totalisator betting in Britain in .1956 I reached the highest peak since 1949. This j was stated today in the annual report of j the Race Horse Betting Control Board which controls all tote betting on the Brit- . ish race courses under Jockey Club and Na- tional Hunt rules. The turnover in 1956 amounted to 1,770,300 — an increase of; S4. 955, 700 over 1955. "These figures," the report said, would I have been substantially increased had it t . not been for the Suez crisis and the ensu- ■ ing petrol shortage." During the latter part t of November and throughout December ■ there was a sharp and consistent drop in i turnover amounting to 13 per cent was noted without taking into account the loss incurred through the abandonment of popular fixtures on Boxing Day due to weather conditions. The board maintained the amount for distribution at ,568,000. Of this 62,400 had been paid into the race course fund j and other amounts/allotted for such purposes _ as meeting the cost of the photo f in-j ish camera, assistance of small hunt meetings . and reduction of charges for horses traveling to race meetings. During 1956 a total of 79,183 was ex-i ■ . pended out of the race course fund under : j ; ■ . : j ; approved schemes for improvement of tracks and increasing prize money.
