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BetPTC, "Racing's Best Kept Secret." Serving the racing communities since 2007 with other $300 million handled safely and securely. Wager on top events such as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Travers Stakes and Breeders' Cup! BetPTC offers Thoroughbred, Harness and Greyhound racing.

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About BetPTC

BetPTC, "Racing's Best Kept Secret." Serving the racing communities since 2007 with other $300 million handled safely and securely. Wager on top events such as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Travers Stakes and Breeders' Cup! BetPTC offers Thoroughbred, Harness and Greyhound racing.

May at BetPTC.com, Racing’s Best Kept Secret

Take Advantage this Month, May 2021

10% Exactas & Doubles on Northfield Park (H)

10% on UK Thoroughbred Exotics!**

Now through May 31, 2021 – New to BetPTC?  Join with promo code “BLOG” and claim your $200 new member bonus.

* Players on a special agent schedule may not be eligible for the monthly rewards promo.  Check your schedule under “My Rates.”   ** excluding some rates on Ascot due to contractual reasons.

 

PointsBet Announces Acquisition of “Racing’s Best Kept Secret” BetPTC.com

Strategic combination represents momentous step for PointsBet into United States horseracing

DENVERMay 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — PointsBet USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PointsBet Holdings Ltd., today announced the premier global online gaming and racing operator has agreed in principle to acquire Premier Turf Club, LLC, an Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) company licensed by the Oregon Racing Commission.  The agreement is set to initia­lly position PointsBet within the U.S. online horseracing market as the company continues its rapid expansion across the country.

“PointsBet is very pleased to join forces with Premier Turf Club,” noted PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken. “The combination of Premier Turf Club’s excellence in the space with PointsBet’s mature market Australian racing expertise favorably positions us as we prepare to enter the U.S. horseracing market.  Today’s noteworthy acquisition complements our in-house approach while growing our premier product suite, and we are excited to welcome Premier Turf Club to the PointsBet team.”

PointsBet purchases BetPTC

Premier Turf Club, known as “Racing’s Best Kept Secret,” has been in business over 13 years and operates the website BetPTC.com.  The company is overseen by General Manager Todd Bowker, a long-time industry executive, who will become Vice President of Racing for PointsBet USA.  Bowker previously served as General Manager of AmericaTab Ltd, where he led the start-up of the company and oversaw the operational management of what grew to become the fourth largest Advance Deposit Wagering company licensed in Oregon. Premier Turf Club’s highly experienced staff will also be joining the PointsBet team.

“As Premier Turf Club was exploring options for how we might enter the sports betting market, we realized early on that we wanted to partner with a highly regarded and experienced operator,” said Todd Bowker, Premier Turf Club’s General Manager. “PointsBet’s history in racing in Australia made them an ideal choice, and we are excited to join their team. We look forward to be able to offer sports wagering to our customers in jurisdictions where legal, and to expose PointsBet’s customers to the excitement of betting on racing.”

Premier Turf Club’s extensive industry expertise and relationships, customer-focused operations, and excellent reputation will be of immediate value to PointsBet as the company looks to continue its proven track record of entering new markets with premium products while accelerating client value and growth in the United States.

For the operators able to execute on the opportunity, horseracing has a unique role to play alongside sports betting entertainment and content in the United States.  The horseracing industry in the U.S. generates over $12 billion in handle annually, with only half wagered through ADW products legally available in 38 states.  PointsBet aims to be at the center of innovation and growth in U.S. horseracing, and the addition of ADW adds to PointsBet’s growing proprietary wagering product set which already includes a fixed odds sportsbook, PointsBetting, and online casino.

About PointsBet
PointsBet is one of the fastest growing sportsbooks in the country and is rapidly expanding its U.S. footprint, currently bringing its best-in-class proprietary technology, modernized and premium brand mentality, expert trading practices, and proven growth marketing strategies to the burgeoning sports betting markets of ColoradoIllinoisIndianaIowaMichigan, and New Jersey. Originally founded in Australia, PointsBet is a cutting-edge online gaming operator that prides itself on having the quickest and most user-friendly app (iOS and Android) while also providing the best content and experience for sports bettors. PointsBet is the only U.S. sportsbook to offer PointsBetting – a unique and innovative way to bet – and has also introduced a slew of well-received, bettor-first initiatives. PointsBet offers the most markets on all four major U.S. sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) and PointsBetting in the world. For more information, visit www.PointsBet.com.

About Premier Turf Club
Premier Turf Club, LLC is a U.S. based pari-mutuel account wagering provider regulated in the state of Oregon by the Oregon Racing Commission. Staff includes horse owners, bettors and industry professionals that have been involved in advance deposit wagering and simulcasting since their inceptions. PTC has developed a business model that benefits the players, the horsemen and the race tracks, while offering an extensive racing menu where customers can wager on over 200 Thoroughbred, Harness and Greyhound race tracks.

SOURCE: PointsBet

Cash Is King is Back. Win a Berth into the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge!

Sign up form below.  Rules updated 5/5/2021.

Cash is King XIII contest at BetPTC.com

Now featuring a coveted BCBC Berth!

Win a Full Berth into the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) at Del Mar or a satellite location (player choice), a $10,000 value, plus $750 travel stipend.

Three spots into the Tampa Bay Downs NHC Qualifier in January, 2022 (dates subject to change).  Via three Leaderboard stages, BetPTC will be awarding spots into the popular Tampa Bay Downs High Roller contest in early 2022 (see further details below).  That event awards cash prizes and seats into the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).

 

Play for Over $20,000 in Cash & Prizes

A Limited Number of Players will compete in this year’s Finals!  This is one of the best opportunities of the year, and one of the most affordable, to win into the prestigious BCBC.

Become the 8th Annual BetPTC Handicapper of the Year.  Recent winners include Frank M. (2020, 2019) and John F. (2018, 2017).

NEW IN 2021: We’ve made it a little harder to win into the Cash Is King Finals this year.  In the past week, all you had to do was win one week and you were in.  No more.  In addition, we’ve implemented a rule to discourage show betting.  All the details regarding the new Leaderboard scoring and how to win into the Finals are listed below.  We’re looking forward to the best and most fun Cash Is King tournament ever!  

 Join BetPTC.com today, claim your sign-up bonus with promo code CIK, and get your account set up for our Cash is King XIII event which is offering a full $10,000 entry into the lucrative Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) in November 2021.

“As a real-money tournament the weekly Cash Is King tournament is the perfect practice grounds for the high-end bankroll contests,” stated Richard Nilsen, tournament director and 17x NHC qualifier. “In addition to competing for the huge grand prize, you keep your winnings each week and play without incurring any high contest takeout.”

 

Cash is King XIII – The Best Real Money Contest exclusively at BetPTC.com

Please read the rules carefully.  Any questions should be directed to rich.nilsen @ betptc.com

The BetPTC real-money tournament is back.  Cash is King XIII runs from Saturday, May 8 until early October, with a championship finals October 9-10, 2021.   Jump in and play at any time!  For only a one-time $75 entry fee you can play all year long!

This is a real-money contest so, in addition to any prizes, you keep whatever you win.  But that’s not all.  In a tournament environment where takeouts can go as high as 30% or even more, this is the best value in the country!

Why Cash is King? First of all, it’s fun and challenging. Plus, our contest at BetPTC.com takes away the inequities of traditional handicapping tournaments and lets you play how you want, on the tracks you want, with a very small, minimum amount of wagering.

Unlike many other tournaments, it doesn’t matter if you’re a big bettor or a small bettor. Everyone has an equal chance to win the prizes in the one-of-a-kind Cash Is King contest at BetPTC.com.  If you are wagering on the horses on the weekends, you should be participating!

 

To qualify for contest scoring each Saturday, you must wager a minimum of $200 in contest wagering. Play your favorite tracks and make your favorite wagers, all using a bankroll that fits your budget. There are no mandatory tracks and no specific bets required. The contest is scored on your return on investment (ROI), not on how much you wager.

 

WHY PLAY THIS CONTEST?

There’s no doubt … traditional handicapping tournaments aren’t for everyone. If the contest is filled with mandatory races at tracks you don’t normally play, it slants the playing field toward others in the contest who play those circuits.

Many of the real-money, big bankroll tournaments require large minimum wagering thresholds or entry fees that price most players out.  In addition, they often encourage players to go “all-in” which many players simply do not have the disposition to do.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  You can parlay a top finish in BetPTC’s Cash Is King XIII into a major score on Breeders’ Cup day!  It doesn’t get any better than that.

 

RULES & PRIZES

Earn Leaderboard points to qualify to compete in the October 9-10 Finals of Cash Is King XIII.  We anticipate a small group of players competing in the Finals where a full berth to the BREEDERS’ CUP BETTING CHALLENGE (BCBC) will be given away plus thousands in other cash prizes!

 

How is scoring calculated?

This is an R.O.I. (Return on Investment) based contest that utilizes your regular wagering during the course of the day.  Prizes are based on ROI on the players’ accounts. ROI is calculated by dividing wagering returns by the amount wagered. BetPTC rewards are not included in the calculation. For example, a player makes $2,000 in contest-designated wagers on a Saturday and his or her return is $3,000.  The calculation for that Saturday is as follows: $3000/$2000 -1 = 50% ROI.

 

Contest Eligibility & Requirements

Customers who agree to these rules and wish to participate must complete the following two steps:

1) Register for the contest by completing the required registration form which allows for $75 to be deducted from your wagering account.  The Registration Form can be found here.  Funds will be manually deducted from your BetPTC account and could take up to 48 hours.  Please be sure to retain enough funds in your account for the withdrawal. 

Register here:

Security Code:
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Please enter the security code:

Submit your registration

 

2) Wager $200 or more on any of the Saturdays during the contest dates (May 8 – October 2, 2021), using a BetPTC.com wagering account in good standing.  Wagers can only be made online through the regular BetPTC wagering interface that allows for wagers to be designated as “contest bets.”

 

Employees and vendors of BetPTC.com and their immediate families are not eligible.

At any time new players can join the contest by paying the entry fee and participating in the qualifying weekly feeders.

 

How to Play

Wagers can be only be made online through the contest platform at BetPTC.com.  Players must check the box that indicates that they want the wager(s) included in their contest bets for the day.

Contestants can verify that a wager was properly designated as a contest bet by clicking on ‘Account Activity’ or by the ‘c’ indicator under the ‘Sent Bets’ tab.  It is the players’ responsibility to make sure that the wagers they want included in the contest are designated appropriately.

Wagers can be made on any type of bet that BetPTC accepts for all tracks.

Wagers can be made on any tracks of the player’s choice on any of the Saturdays during the contest date range. To qualify for contest play on a given Saturday, registered members must wager a minimum of $200 in contest bets during the course of the day. There is no maximum limit to how much can be wagered.

Wagers for each Saturday begin with the racing day on Saturday late morning.  Wagers made late on Friday night past Midnight ET will NOT count towards Saturday’s scoring. And wagers made on Saturday racing that occur AFTER Midnight ET will count towards Saturday’s scoring.

Weekly Prizes and the Championship Prizes are based on ROI on the players’ accounts.

Weekly and Annual Leaderboards will be displayed via a link on the homepage at www.betptc.com

 

Contest Dates:

Every Saturday, May 8 – October 2, 2021.

 

How to Play & Win

Every Saturday that you participate, meet the minimum contest wagering requirement and finish with an ROI between 0.35 and 1.99 you receive 1 point in the Leaderboard contest.  An ROI of 2.00 or greater will earn you 3 points in the Leaderboard contest.  If you are the weekly 1st place finisher based on ROI, you will receive 5 points in the Leaderboard contest.

Players who participate will earn zero, 1, 3 or 5 points towards the Leaderboard scoring.  The maximum weekly points is 5.

Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie for weekly top ROI, the tie will go to the player who wagered the most money on that Saturday.  If the tie is still unbroken, then both players will earn the maximum of 5 Leaderboard points.

 

Leaderboard Stages

The player with the most Leaderboard points at the end of each tournament stage (see schedule below) will win the grand prize for that segment of the Cash Is King contest.  All players who earn a specific number of Leaderboard points will win their way into the Cash Is King Finals (see details below).

 

Leaderboard contest Prize Stages:

May 8 – June 19, 2021:  Player with the most points will win a free entry into the Tampa Bay Downs High Rollers Contest, plus $500 in travel money (deposited into their BetPTC account).  Total value of $1,500.  If that event is cancelled or the winning player is unable to attend, $1,500 will be deposited into the leader’s BetPTC wagering account.

Players who earn 7 points or more during this stage will win their way into the Cash Is King XIII Finals to compete for a 2021 BCBC spot and cash prizes.

 

June 26 – August 7, 2021: Player with the most points will win a free entry into the Tampa Bay Downs High Rollers Contest, plus $500 in travel money (deposited into their BetPTC account).  Total value of $1,500.  If that event is cancelled or the winning player is unable to attend, $1,500 will be deposited into the leader’s BetPTC wagering account.

Players who earn 7 points or more during this stage will win their way into the Cash Is King XIII Finals to compete for a 2021 BCBC spot and cash prizes.

 

August 14 – October 2, 2021: Player with the most points will win a free entry into the Tampa Bay Downs High Rollers Contest, plus $500 in travel money (deposited into their BetPTC account).  Total value of $1,500.  If that event is cancelled or the winning player is unable to attend, $1,500 will be deposited into the leader’s BetPTC wagering account.

Players who earn 8 points or more during this stage will win their way into the Cash Is King XIII Finals to compete for a 2021 BCBC spot and cash prizes.

 

Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie for the 1st place Leaderboard prize, the tie will go to the player with the most 1st place weekly finishes during that stage of the tournament.  If still tied, the players will share the cash prize accordingly.

 

FINALS WEEKEND: October 9-10, 2021.

Please note that at times during the contest period, BetPTC may offer ‘contests within a contest.’  Players who wager a certain amount of money (TBD) will be eligible for additional prizes that week.  Contestants will be notified by email when these opportunities arise.

 

Grand Prizes for the Cash Is King XIII Championship Finals on October 9-10, 2021.

Grand Prize: Title of BetPTC.com Handicapper of the Year. A Trip to the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) at Del Mar* to compete for over $500,000 in cash prizes. $10,000 value. An additional $750 for travel money will be deposited into the winner’s BetPTC account. The full $10,000 entry includes tickets to the on-track event plus other perks provided by the tournament host.  Total value is $10,750.

Disclaimer: In the event that the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) is not held on-track, BetPTC.com will award that grand prize winner a total of $10,750 in cash in their BetPTC wagering account to do as these please.

2nd Place: $2,500 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

3rd Place:  $1,000 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

 4th Place: $500 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

5th Place: $500 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.
Wagering Rules for Finals

 

Cash Is King XIII Championship Finals on October 9-10, 2021.

Finalists must wager $250 or more in contest wagers over each day of the October 9-10, 2021 weekend to be eligible for any of the prizes.

 

 

Tiebreakers for Prizes:

If there is a tie for the weekly prize, the tie will go to the player who wagered the most money on that Saturday.  If that still does not break the tie, then the player who cashed on the most individual bets will win the tie.  If that still does not break the tie, both players will earn a spot into the Finals.

Ties for the October championship finals’ prizes will be broken based on the player who participated in the most contest Saturdays throughout the year. 

If this does not break the tie, the tie will be broken based on which player wagered the most amount of money over the course of the Finals’ weekend. If that still does not break the tie, a playoff date will be chosen for the two players to compete for the championship prize.

 

Disclaimers:

BetPTC may at times post information, commentary and/or selections of contest races when appropriate. BetPTC shall not be liable for any inaccurate, incomplete, or missing information that is posted. Such information is posted only to help players make their selections and any opinions or analysis posted by BetPTC regarding the outcome of the races should not be taken as a recommendation of which horses to select.

Each player agrees that BetPTC.com may use his or her name and picture for publicity if they are a prize winner without further compensation.

BetPTC reserves the right to change the contest schedule and rules without notice, or cancel the contest due to unforeseen events.

 

Tournament Director:

Rich Nilsen, Director of Player Services at BetPTC.com, rich.nilsen@betptc.com

January Cash Back Promo for Harness and Horse Racing Fans

Sunday’s Arc de Triomphe Horse-by-horse Analysis

We focus on the chances of each runner for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the feature race on 3 October.  Watch, wager and get instant rewards on the Arc with betptc.com

Persian King

Winner of the 2019 G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1600m), Persian King has established himself as one of the leading milers in Europe this season with multiple Group One victories, including the G1 Prix Moulin (1600m) at Longchamp and the G1 Prix d’Ispahan (1600m).  Although breeding on his dam side would suggest stamina should not be an issue, Persian King is stepping out to 2400m for the first time in his career and has to prove his staying ability.

Royal Julius 

An experienced campaigner, Royal Julius has competed across Europe with some success. Highlights from this season include a third in the G3 Grand Prix de Chantilly (2500m) and a second in the G2 Premio Federico Tesio (2000m) at San Siro (Italy). It will be his first attempt in Group One company since 2018.

Way To Paris 

Way To Paris comes to the ‘Arc’ after a career-best season, with a Group One and Group Two victories amongst other black type placings. The seven-year-old achieved a first Group One success in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud (2400m) in late June and was only beaten three lengths in the G2 Prix Foy (2000m) after a break.

Sovereign 

A long-priced winner of the G1 Irish Derby (2400m) during his Classic campaign, Sovereign has been lightly campaigned this season with only three runs. Following a third in the G3 Vintage Crop Stakes at the Curragh, he chased home Enable in the three-runner G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2400m). The Galileo colt may appreciate the return to 2400m after a disappointing run in the G1 Irish St Leger (2800m).

Japan 

Half-brother to Group winners Sir Isaac Newton and MogulJapan has been inconsistent throughout his career. Talented on his best day, the Galileo colt achieved a career best when winning the G1 International Stakes (2100m) at York in August 2019. He’s hit the frame twice this season but would need to bounce back from a disappointing run in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m).

Stradivarius 

Champion stayer Stradivarius drops back in trips to have a tilt at Europe’s richest race following another successful season over long distances. A three-time winner of the G1 Ascot Gold Cup (4000m), he was narrowly denied victory in the G2 Prix Foy (2400m) in his trial for the ‘Arc’. Olivier Peslier picks up the ride with regular jockey Frankie Dettori favouring Enable.

Sottsass

2019 G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m) winner Sottsass catches the eye as a possible candidate for victory in the ‘Arc’, having placed third behind Waldgeist in the 2019 renewal. Winner of the G1 Prix Ganay (2100m) at Chantilly in June, he will be looking to recapture best form after a below-par effort in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m).

Enable 

‘Queen of the Turf’ Enable will be bidding – for the second time – for a historic third victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Second behind Waldgeist in the 2019 renewal, the champion race-mare has enjoyed a straightforward season with victories in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2400m) and the G3 September Stakes (2400m AW). Her record over 2400m is exceptional and she may prove hard to beat.

Deirdre 

Japanese star Deirdre has been campaigned in the UK and Ireland over the last two years winning over two million pounds in prize money. Although her European form falls short of top-level, she demonstrated plenty of ability when scoring in the G1 Nassau Stakes (2000m) in 2019 and can’t be ignored if returning to that level.

Gold Trip 

Trained by Fabrice ChappetGold Trip has been lightly campaigned over the course of the season and caught the eye with a success in the G2 Prix Greffulhe (2200m). Although the colt struggled in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m), he showed better form when third in the G1 Grand Prix du Paris (2400m) behind Mogul seeming to enjoy the additional stamina test.

Chachnak  

One of five three-year-olds in the race, Chachnak looked to be a leading contender for the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m) after a hard-fought success in the G2 Prix du Guiche (1800m). Although disappointing in the Classic itself, Chachnak bounced back to form with a victory in the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange (2000m) and tries 2400m for the first time.

In Swoop

The least experienced runner in the field, In Swoop has achieved two victories and two placings from four career starts. Winner of the G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) in July, the German-bred colt produced a big performance to place second behind Mogul in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) and continues to improve.

Mogul 

Touted as a likely Epsom Derby winner at the end of his juvenile campaign, Mogul has improved with each run this season and achieved his first Group One victory when scoring comfortably in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) at Longchamp in mid-September. The Galileo colt continues to make headway and should not be dismissed with the advantage of a three-year-old weight allowance.

Serpentine

A surprise winner of the G1 Epsom DerbySerpentine was given an enterprising ride by jockey Emmet McNamara to steal the Classic from the front, beating his nearest rival by five and a half lengths. The colt’s only subsequent start came in the Grand Prix de Paris where he finished fourth behind stablemate MogulSerpentine would need to step up again after that below-par performance.

Raabihah  

A close fourth behind Fancy Blue in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m), Raabihah continues to improve with each outing and caught the eye with a useful second against older competition in the G1 Prix Vermeille (2400m). Her age and sex allowance will be helpful against experienced rivals and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget remains confident in her ability.

Kentucky Derby 146 – Analyzing the Favorite

Churchill Downs finishBy ART PARKER for “Racing’s Best Kept Secret” BetPTC.com.

Not long ago a friend of mine that pays a small amount of attention to horse racing asked me, “Who will win the Derby?” I learned long before the turn of the century that answering that question is tough, if not impossible, for any good horseplayer. So, I answered with my usual smarty pants response of, “The one that crosses the line first.”

My friend would have none of that and responded with, “That’s what you said last year but that guy got disqualified,” referring to Maximum Security being the first Derby winner in 145 years to be disqualified for a racing violation during the running of the race. My next comeback was a simple, “I don’t know.” Then I came up with a verbal guarantee and proclaimed, “But I can guarantee who the favorite will be!”

Well, I didn’t say I was brave and going out on a limb with that prediction.

Want to wager online or by phone on the Kentucky Derby?  Sign up today at BetPTC.com and claim your $200 new member bonus.

Tiz the Law will be the favorite if he goes to the post, and as of this moment, there is no reason to believe he will be left out of the proceedings. There is no doubt in my mind and the mind of anyone who knows anything about horse racing in 2020.

The New York bred has won six of seven, four of which are Grade Ones. You rarely see that with any horse that is Derby bound. As a three-year-old he has won almost all of the big races. His victories include the Florida Derby, the Travers, and the Belmont Stakes (at a changed distance of nine furlongs). As a juvenile, he notched his first Grade One with a victory in the Champagne Stakes – one of the most important races for the two-year-olds.

In the Derby points standing he has not only accumulated more points than anyone in history (372 points), his closest rival in the standings is a very good colt named Authentic with only 200 points.

He is beautifully bred. His nicely bred sire, Constitution, was a Florida Derby winner that never had a complete chance to show how good he was. That means that Tiz the Law is a grandson of Tapit, the world’s top stallion. His dam is Tiz Fiz by Tiz Now. We all know that Tiznow is the only two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Need I say more about the breeding of Tiz the Law?

His races have been impressive. He is quick from the gate but doesn’t need the lead. He has a good tactical speed to be close to the pace and stalk leaders. Tiz the Law is the epitome of class in my book because he appears to do the most important thing a racehorse can do – he follows orders and does what he is told to do. I saw this when he won the Holy Bull at Gulfstream. He was up close and in good position but pinned on the rail and had to take up down the backstretch. His rider, Manny Franco, checked his mount slightly, moved him outside of horses for a clear run, and asked him to advance. About the time Tiz the Law regained position, Franco said “Enough for now” and Tiz the Law went back to cruising instead of attacking. When it came time to attack Franco encouraged him slightly to go and he went into semi-assault mode. Once clear in the stretch Franco suggested a total attack and it quickly became a bad day for the rest of the field.

This appears to be his normal race. Get position, advance quietly to challenge then pounce – and take no prisoners.

In watching his races I have only seen one potential problem for Tiz the Law. He sometimes appears to have a little trouble in the turns. The difficulty is probably not enough to not cause concern, but in the Derby and a big field, anything can cost even the best horse the race. Franco has won over 1,000 races and is not viewed as one the classic riders, but I think Tiz the Law is in good hands and thus far Franco has been a great partner.

Others may believe that Churchill Downs may be a problem for him because that is the venue of his only loss, the Kentucky Jockey Club last November. I have a hard time buying that. Tiz the Law bobbled some leaving the gate and was in good position on the rail, but never had anywhere to go and was throttled back on a couple of occasions. He finally found a hole but the odds were stacked against him by that time. The track was off that day, and some may think that was an issue in the race. The rough trip was the downfall for Tiz the Law in his only loss.

I’m not touting Tiz the Law simply because I don’t like favorites from a wagering standpoint. However, if Tiz the Law is healthy, if weather and track condition are not an issue, and if he has a fair trip, then I will be shocked if he doesn’t win.

I don’t consider this three-year-old crop to be all that great. I’ve seen almost forty Derbies, and Tiz the Law is probably good enough to have won several of them. He is not Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Man o’ War or Affirmed, but when one combines his talent with the weak competition he seems invincible in 2020.

KY Kentucky Derby 200 bonus

Got Cash Back? Get the August 2020 Cash Back Offers with BetPTC

Join today with promo code “Blog” and claim your $200 new member sign up bonus to boot

Hong Kong Horse Racing – Statistics. Big Prices Abound

Hong Kong Jockey Club Week In Review 07/01, 07/05

Prepared for the Hong Kong Jockey Club by Dick Powell

21 races

8 favorites won – 38%

12.43 average field size

$14.65 average win price

 

JOCKEYS                                             TRAINERS

4 wins Zac Purton                                 3 wins David Hall

4 wins Joao Moreira                               3 wins John Moore

3 wins Karis Teetan                               2 wins Tony Cruz

2 wins Neil Callan                                   2 wins Frankie Lor

2 wins Vincent Ho                                  2 wins Ricky Yiu

2 wins Francis Liu

Hong Kong Jockey Club Meet In Review 9/01 – 07/05

799 races (one dead-heat)

235 favorites won – 30.20%

12.37 average field size

$18.98 average win price

 

JOCKEYS                                             TRAINERS

141 wins Zac Purton                               64 wins Ricky Yiu

135 wins Joao Moreira                           63 wins Francis Lui

88 wins Karis Teetan                              60 wins Tony Cruz

63 wins Vincent Ho                                56 wins John Moore

42 wins Chad Schofield                          47 wins Caspar Fownes

28 wins Matthew Poon                           45 wins Danny Shum

28 wins Derek Leung                              45 wins John Size

26 wins Neil Callan                                41 wins Frankie Lor

40 wins Doug Whyte

 

Next Race Meets: 

Wednesday                       Happy Valley           07/08/20           First Post: 6:45am EDT

Sunday (Saturday night)    Sha Tin                   07/12/20           First Post: 12:30am EDT

 

Cash Is King Real-Money Tournament is Back at BetPTC

Join today.  Fill out the quick and easy form below.  Full details and rules below.

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$20,000 Cash is King Tournament @ BetPTC.com

 Win a Full Berth into the 2021 Pegasus Cup Betting Championship at either Gulfstream Park or Santa Anita (player choice), a $6,000 value, plus $500 travel stipend.

$3,000 Leaderboard cash prizes (two grand prizes awarded).

Play for $20,000 in Cash & Prizes

Only 25 Players will compete in this year’s Finals!

Become the 7th Annual BetPTC Handicapper of the Year.  Recent winners include Frank M. (2019) and John F. (2018, 2017). 

cash is king at betptc

NEW IN 2020! Every weekly top 10 finish moves you closer to nabbing the $2,500 Leaderboard prize.  Two $2,500 Leaderboard Grand prizes will be awarded – one for weeks June 20th through August 22nd, and another for weeks Aug. 29th through October 31st! 

Join BetPTC.com today, claim your sign-up bonus with promo code CIK, and get your account set up for our Cash is King XII event which is offering a full $6,000 entry into the lucrative Pegasus Cup Betting Championship in February 2021.

“As a real-money tournament the weekly Cash Is King tournament is the perfect practice grounds for the high-end bankroll contests,” stated Richard Nilsen, tournament director and 17x NHC qualifier. “In addition to competing for the huge grand prize, you keep your winnings each week and play without incurring any high contest takeout.”

Cash is King XII – The Best Real Money Contest exclusively at BetPTC.com

Please read the rules carefully.  Any questions should be directed to rich.nilsen @ betptc.com

The BetPTC real-money tournament is back.  Cash is King XII runs from Saturday, June 20 until the end of October, with a championship finals November 21-22, 2020.   Jump in and play at any time!  For only a one-time $50 entry fee you can play all year long!

This is a real-money contest so, in addition to any prizes, you keep whatever you win.  But that’s not all.  In a tournament environment where takeouts can go as high as 30% or even more, this is the best value in the country!

Why Cash is King? First of all, it’s fun and challenging. Plus, our contest at BetPTC.com takes away the inequities of traditional handicapping tournaments and lets you play how you want, on the tracks you want, with a very small, minimum amount of wagering.

Unlike many other tournaments, it doesn’t matter if you’re a big bettor or a small bettor. Everyone has an equal chance to win the prizes in the one-of-a-kind Cash Is King contest at BetPTC.com.  If you are wagering on the horses on the weekends, you should be participating!

To qualify for contest scoring each Saturday, you must wager a minimum of $150 in contest wagering. Play your favorite tracks and make your favorite wagers, all using a bankroll that fits your budget. There are no mandatory tracks and no specific bets required. The contest is scored on your return on investment (ROI), not on how much you wager.

WHY PLAY THIS CONTEST?

There’s no doubt … traditional handicapping tournaments aren’t for everyone. If the contest is filled with mandatory races at tracks you don’t normally play, it slants the playing field toward others in the contest who play those circuits.

Many of the real-money, big bankroll tournaments require large minimum wagering thresholds or entry fees that price most players out.  In addition, they often encourage players to go “all-in” which many players simply do not have the disposition to do.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  You can parlay a top finish in BetPTC’s Cash Is King XII into a major score on Pegasus World Cup day!  It doesn’t get any better than that.

RULES & PRIZES

Finish in first place on any Saturday feeder (dates listed below) and you qualify to compete in the November 21-22 Finals of Cash Is King XII.  There will be a maximum of 25 members eligible to compete in the Finals where a full berth to the PEGASUS CUP BETTING CHAMPIONSHIP will be given away plus thousands in other cash prizes!

How is scoring calculated?

This is an R.O.I. (Return on Investment) based contest that utilizes your regular wagering during the course of the day.  Prizes are based on ROI on the players’ accounts. ROI is calculated by dividing wagering returns by the amount wagered. BetPTC rewards are not included in the calculation. For example, a player makes $2,000 in contest-designated wagers on a Saturday and his or her return is $3,000.  The calculation for that Saturday is as follows: $3000/$2000 -1 = 50% ROI.

Contest Eligibility & Requirements

Customers who agree to these rules and wish to participate must complete the following two steps:

1) Register for the contest by completing the required registration form which allows for $50 to be deducted from your wagering account.  The Registration Form can be found here.  Funds will be manually deducted from your BetPTC account and could take up to 48 hours.  Please be sure to retain enough funds in your account for the withdrawal.

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2) Wager $150 or more on any of the Saturdays during the contest dates (June 20 – October 31, 2020), using a BetPTC.com wagering account in good standing.  Wagers can only be made online through the regular BetPTC wagering interface that allows for wagers to be designated as “contest bets.”

3) Every Saturday that you participate and finish in the top 10 of the weekly leaderboard, you receive 1 point in the Leaderboard contest.  See details below.

Employees and vendors of BetPTC.com and their immediate families are not eligible.

At any time new players can join the contest by paying the entry fee and participating in the qualifying weekly feeders.

 

How to Play

Wagers can be only be made online through the contest platform at BetPTC.com.  Players must check the box that indicates that they want the wager(s) included in their contest bets for the day. Wagers flagged as contest bets can not be cancelled or will result in disqualification of that player for that particular day.

Contestants can verify that a wager was properly designated as a contest bet by clicking on ‘Account Activity’ or by the ‘c’ indicator under the ‘Sent Bets’ tab.  It is the players’ responsibility to make sure that the wagers they want included in the contest are designated appropriately.

Wagers can be made on any type of bet that BetPTC accepts for all tracks.

Wagers can be made on any tracks of the player’s choice on any of the Saturdays during the contest date range. To qualify for contest play on a given Saturday, registered members must wager a minimum of $150 in contest bets during the course of the day. There is no maximum limit to how much can be wagered.

Wagers for each Saturday begin with the racing day on Saturday late morning.  Wagers made late on Friday night past Midnight ET will NOT count towards Saturday’s scoring. And wagers made on Saturday racing that occur AFTER Midnight ET will count towards Saturday’s scoring.

Weekly Prizes and the Championship Prizes are based on ROI on the players’ accounts.

Weekly and Annual Leaderboards will be displayed via a link on the homepage at www.betptc.com

How to Win

Meet the wagering requirement and finish the day with a higher ROI than other BetPTC members who participate in the contest.

Leaderboard Contest – 1st Half / 2nd Half

Every Saturday that you participate, meet the minimum wagering requirement, and finish in the top 10 weekly standings, you receive 1 point in the Leaderboard contest.

The maximum number of Leaderboard points a member can earn in a given week is 1 point.  The minimum number of Leaderboard points a member can earn in a given week is 0 points.

The player with the most Leaderboard points at the end of each tournament stage (see schedule below) will win the grand prize for that segment of the Cash Is King contest.

Contest Dates:

Every Saturday, June 20 – October 31, 2020.

 

Leaderboard contest Prize Stages:

June 20 – August 22, 2020:  Player with the most points (top 10 weekly finishes) will win the 1st half $2,500 cash prize.

Player with the 2nd most points (top 10 weekly finishes) will win the 1st half $500 runner-up cash prize.

August 29 – October 31, 2020: Player with the most points (top 10 weekly finishes) will win the 2nd half $2,500 cash prize.

Player with the 2nd most points (top 10 weekly finishes) will win the 2nd half $500 runner-up cash prize.

 

June 20 – October 31, 2020- The top 5 players based on annual Leaderboard points at the end of the Cash Is King XII season who did not win a week will earn a spot in the Finals on Nov. 21-22, 2020.

Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie for the 1st half or 2nd half prizes, the tie will go to the player with the most 1st place weekly finishes during that stage of the tournament.  If still tied, the players will share the cash prize accordingly.

FINALS WEEKEND: November 21-22, 2020.

Weekly Prizes for the Cash Is King X Contest

1st Place: Entry into the Cash Is King Finals on November 21-22, 2020.  If the first place finisher has already earned a Finals berth, then the prize will go to the player next in line who has not won in.

Please note that at times during the contest period, BetPTC may offer ‘contests within a contest.’  Players who wagers a certain amount of money (TBD) will be eligible for additional prizes that week.  Contestants will be notified by email when these opportunities arise.

 

Grand Prizes for the Cash Is King XII Championship Finals on November 21-22, 2020.

Grand Prize: Title of BetPTC.com Handicapper of the Year. A Trip to the 2021 Pegasus Cup Betting Championship at Gulfstream Park or Santa Anita* to compete for over $300,000 in cash prizes. $6,000 value. An additional $500 for travel money will be deposited into the winner’s BetPTC account. The full $6,000 entry includes tickets to the on-track event plus other perks provided by the tournament host.

Disclaimer: In the event that the Pegasus Cup Betting Championship is not held on-track, BetPTC.com will award that grand prize winner a total of $6,500 in cash in their BetPTC wagering account to do as these please.

2nd Place: $4,000 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

3rd Place:  $2,000 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

 4th Place: $1,000 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.

5th Place: $500 in cash credited to BetPTC.com account.
Wagering Rules for Finals

Cash Is King XII Championship Finals on November 21-22, 2020.

Finalists must wager $250 or more in contest wagers over each day of the November 21-22, 2020 weekend to be eligible for any of the prizes.

Tiebreakers for Prizes:

If there is a tie for the weekly prize, the tie will go to the player who wagered the most money on that Saturday.  If that still does not break the tie, then the player who cashed on the most individual bets will win the tie.  If that still does not break the tie, both players will earn a spot into the Finals.

Ties for the November championship finals’ prizes will be broken based on the player who participated in the most contest Saturdays throughout the year. 

If this does not break the tie, the tie will be broken based on which player wagered the most amount of money over the course of the Finals’ weekend. If this does not break the tie, the player with the most Leaderboard points over the entire year will break the tie.  If that still does not break the tie, a playoff date will be chosen for the two players to compete for the championship prize.

Disclaimers:

BetPTC may at times post information, commentary and/or selections of contest races when appropriate. BetPTC shall not be liable for any inaccurate, incomplete, or missing information that is posted. Such information is posted only to help players make their selections and any opinions or analysis posted by BetPTC regarding the outcome of the races should not be taken as a recommendation of which horses to select.

Each player agrees that BetPTC.com may use his or her name and picture for publicity if they are a prize winner without further compensation.

BetPTC reserves the right to change the contest schedule and rules without notice, or cancel the contest due to unforeseen events.

Tournament Director:

Rich Nilsen, Director of Player Services at BetPTC.com, rich.nilsen@betptc.com

Horse Racing Without Fans. Let’s Make it Work Everywhere!

Oaklawn RacingAbout a month ago I whined about so many tracks not following the lead set by Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream, and especially Oaklawn Park regarding the coronavirus. These tracks and a couple of smaller ones carried on racing without spectators. My complaint was simple. If we race without patrons very little will be different than the days when there is no racing at all. Open the doors, be diligent with all precautions regarding the coronavirus, let the patrons play online, and let’s run.

Part of my reasoning is that we already have 85%-90% of our handle from online wagering, or so I am told by several experts. There is no doubt in my mind that this percentage will only increase in the future. One thing for sure, right now, relying upon online wagering is the only option.

Just consider the following two excerpts I read the other day. First from America’s Best Racing: “Records shattered-On April 18, Oaklawn’s handle was $19 million, breaking the record set last year on Rebel Stakes day. Arkansas Derby day more than doubled that record, with $41,007,201 wagered.”

From The Blood Horse: “Fonner Park, while conducting spectator-less racing since that date in a state that does not permit ADW wagering, —all handle is coming from out-of-state—wagering has averaged $2.43 million. Those figures do not include the phenomenal $7.26 million bet Tuesday, April 5 when the track’s popular Dinsdale Pick 5 Jackpot wager featured a mandatory payout pool of $4.2 million. In short, wagering is about 10 times the previous norm.”

The bottom line is that most places missed the boat, and, generally speaking, it was because of terrible government decisions. I could only imagine how well Woodbine could have done with their normal mid-April opening since reasonably nearby markets New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago were closed (especially New York).

Oaklawn is not necessarily one of the real big boys but they are far from one of the little guys. I salute them for stepping up to the plate, and I imagine they feel good about it when reviewing their handle figures.

I’m happy for a little track like Fonner Park. The Nebraska bullring stepped up and provided a product to the overall market and knocked it out of the park with handle.

As I have said before, we missed a generation or so when the thoroughbred industry shied away from television. COVID-19 provided the industry an opportunity to go into every home and office (and cell phone) in North America and expand its share of the sports and entertainment market. I can hear it now, “There’s nothing to do since the concert has been canceled.” “Oh yeah? I’m staying home so I can play the Pick Four at Woodbine.”

How could the tracks that have raced without spectators make it work so well when others ran into the corner with fear?

I just looked over my list of tracks that say they will open within thirty days. I’m glad to hear it. I hope they do open and others follow suit.

The time is now. We really missed a chance to get ahead and make up for lost ground in the last couple of months.

Now, as many areas begin to open up we have to try and survive, again.  ~ Art Parker