Evening star., 1909-05-30
THIS MAN BELIEVES
IN ORAL BETTING

NEW YORK, May 29.-The oral betting
system now in vogue at the race track
offers many chances Of moneymaking
that could not be taken advantage of IN
the old days of the high stools. the states
and the open cash boxes. There IS always
chance to ''pull'' out If your credit Is
good In the old days If you went broke
early In the day you stayed broke unless
you could make a touch
Racing regulars are for the most part
superstitious about touches Ihey
rather stake a loser to $40 In town than
to be approached for single bean at the
track, all of which goes to show. as we
said before, that if you went broke on
the second race 1t was up to you to spend
the rest of the afternoon up in the grand
stand chewing toothpick and calling
yourself down for not having KNOWN
enough to play the first two winners.
An example of the advantages or the
oral system of wagering is shown In the
experience of a regular at Saratoga iast
year. 1t was the closing day or the meet
ing, and but Tor 10 cents. the price OF a
program. he was broke His hotei Dill
was unpaid and he didn't have even MS
railroad ticket back to New York
For three races he walked the lawn
cursing his fate and envying those around
him who had the coin to bet. Ihen nap
DIV idea struck him. John Madden was
starting Dandelion in the next race. he
saw Madden. The "Wizard'' said Dande-
lion couldn't lose. This looked the spot
to unload
The LAYERS had notified their customers
that losing bets might be settled the next
day at Sheepshead Bay. The regular
thought. He concluded he could take a
chance. If he lost he could get pack 10
New York somehow and dig up the money
TO keep his credit good. With the air
Of a man with nothing but money he ap-
p,>oa ched the layer.
FIFTY straight, Dandelion.
"Yo,,;re on 6p to 80" replied the layer.
Then the regular took himself TO eooo
positiou in the stand to see the race.
He lived a lifetime during the running,
but was greatly relieved when Dandelion
scrambled home. He had made $50 off
nothing.
keene had a starter in the same race,
GattIing. She was to 10 favorlte.
and the memory brokers were domg
rushing business on her. Lady bedlord'
entered and scratched a dozen times pre-
yiously was at skies.
The regular broke five minutes before,
but now feeling like a Carnegie, ap-
preached Madden again.
.'How about Lady Bedford?" he asked
Madden.
has shown me she can in the mornings,
was Madden's thoughtful answer.
That was enough for the regular. Saw
ing out $40 of what was coming to MIN
on Dandeion. he dumped back $40 on
Lady Bedford She breezed, and the
regulars accumulated wealth was $500,
all told.
Three hundred dollars on nothing" he
soliloquized, "and another race to be run.
I'll stop right here" He did, but took
pains to be paid off by the layer after
the last race.
He rode home in style that night. sat
next to Andrew Miller and ordered feed
that took in almost everything on the
New York Centrars bill Of fare.
The next day found him at Sheepshead
with a bank roll for Maskette In the
Futurity He went right on winning.
and at the end of the season was several
thousands to the good. No one can knock
the oral system to him. or. for-that mat
ter. John f.. Madden, either,