The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-14
BETTING REFORM WANTED.
Some Experiences In the Ring at the Morris
Park Opening.

A few moro experiences like that Of the big
crowd which attended the opening of the
metropolitan racing season at Morris Park
may result in some fresh agitation In favor Of n
new betting law that will give the public nm on
rortunity to do its racetiack gambling with
some kind Of comfort. Betting is conducted
on the local racetracks to-day in much the
same fashion rs always. save that the mar who
wants to place n bet has to go through twice
rs many discomforts as under the old system.
and in addition has to accept smaller prices
against tho horse he l. backing. The only
effect OF tho new laws about racetrack betting
has been to increase the discomforts attendant
upon placing Il wager in the crowded betting
ring. and to give the bookmakers. or layers. as
they must now be called. a shade more advan-
tage over the public.
Under the old system in vogue for many
years hereabouts each bookmaker had n box.
in which his cashier. sheet writer and card
writer worked. He himself stood on n plat
form projecting from the box. and to his left.
high over the heads Of the people and in plain
sight from all parts OF the ring. was his black
board. containing the names Of the horses IN
large letters and the odds against each animal.
in figures that could he seen AZ a considerable
distance. Thus a man entering the betting
ring could SEQ the odds offered against tho
horse he wanted to play at n glance. and
could make for the book offering the best
prices at once. lie would get n card. register
ing his bot. which was practically a receipt.
and could get through with his business
in the ring in a JiTy. But by far the greatest
advantage to the public in the old system was
tho keen competition II opened up among tho
bookmakers. The latter used to watch each
other closely. II one man raised the price
against any certain horse the others were al
most sure to follow. Some would even go
ahead Of the book that went up first. and in
their anxiety to get the money in thew would
keep this sort Of thing up until the horses were
on. Thus the public got n big advantage in
Nowadays the bookmakers sit on their stools
around the ring. Theycan only learn what the
other bookmakers are doing by means of mes.
are from 80 to 100 per cent, lower than
they used to be, and it is rs much as a mans
crowd surrounding each bookmakcr. to lay a
bet. The ring Is, one mass of struggling hu,
is a bigger Job vet to get out again. Getting in
and out. however. is child's play compared
M MIN %a sht and Sno. swe way at a9 g one oos snntSer
q tho ,'' way 50 that tSsy eaS ksSe yr .
prices against, horses unless he is right up
aIopsside ot a b2okpaker. for the layers keen
he seen a half dozen feet away. After the
races the winners are paid off promptly by the
caSh!erS' nut mere tnrr. = more CONFUSION. Tor
number on his badge. He gets nothing to
show for his money when he makes a bet. tho
sheet writer merely registering the number OF
his badge alongside Of his bet. If the sheet
writer makes a mistake in the general con-
fusion, the man who makes the bet has to
suffer. Unless the exact number that is on the
badge is also on the sheet. the bettor has to
wait Gays and sonletimcsa week Tor his money.
system works against the public is afforded
than the fact that the people who bet on Fill
prnnn m win thn Mai r0nnlItan hHnhipnn m
Saturday got only 2hs to I for their money,
| although there were a dozen books in the ring
find the 3 to | books unless one made a com.
plete tour Of, the ring. II feat which few men
would have the strength to do on q day like
SATURDAY.. or accidentally ran III against Il book
laying the more liberal odds.