Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-02
ODDS NOT IN FAVOR
Florida FrOwns on the Bookmakers'
Old Methods.
PLUNGER AND BoOK1Es TOGETHER
IL Became nm Evil on New York
Tracks Before the AEnew-Hart
Law Went Into If
feet.


NEW YORK, Jan. 1~-Bookmakers oper-
ating a. Jacksonville, have been notified
that the practice OF boosting or plug
ging' prices, which has been common at
the race tracks in the United States and
Canada. is strictly prohibited ana that
the persons violating the new order will
be ruled off. This reform, II backed by
sincere motive. is expected to do racing
in Florida a lot OF good. In future, there
fore, the Jacksonville layers will be com
PEELED TO a X at least 500 on a pa to
l shot, $50 on a s to 1 shot, and 500 on a
horse quoted at 10 to 1. In other words
the bookmakers cannot refuse to accept
wagers at the odds they have chalked on
their states. If they do not want a play
on a certain horse, no price must be
quoted.
The plugging of prices became a
great evil in the former betting rings
on the New York tracks before the pas
sage Of the Angew-Hart measure. Lead
ing boOkmakers, who knew more than
others about the respective merits Of the
horses In each race established the mar
ket They wrote down the odds in ac-
cordance with their own calculations and
more than 300 layers copied them. En-
joying such an advantage, It was not at
all strange that the bookmakers became
u-nscrupulous and proceeded TO manipulate
the prices for the benefit Of themselves
and some Of the big bettors, who were
their clients.
II a plunger had a good thing and wanted
to secure a fat price, at the same time
concealing his play, he went to one Of
these bookmakers and handed him a COM
mfgqfnp 10 no nIapal IN n nartaN. l....a
The bookmaker making the prices that
were promptly copied by his business rivals,
seldom failed to quote a higher price
against his clients horse than was war
ranted and then, as the quotation appeared
on 200 states, his agents hurried about the
ring getting the commission down In small
humps. Meanwhile this bookmaker refused
to accept any wagers on the horse him
self.
In many instances 1t developed that the
bookmaker, anxious to profit by the
plunger's information, placed a solid wager
at top price for himself first and then got
his clients money down at the best odds
.obtainable. One OF the biggest LAYERS on
the metropolitan tracks worked this game
so incessantly that in due time the other
chalkers became wary Of his prices and
avoided him altogether. His methods were
well illustrated the day James R.. Keene's
Sysonby made his first appearance as a
two-year-old, The great Melton colt had
been Kept so well under cover that he was
generally underestimated by the profess
sional checkers. II, was known that he was
a high class y%oungster, but his real worth
was a well kept secret.
TIL debut OF Sysonby took place at
Brig ,on Beach. A mob surrounded the
rings price maker, waiting for the first
chalk marks. The crafty layer, backed by
several big betters, put UP even money"
against the Keene colt, and the quotation
was carried at top speed to the other
layers, In the twinkllng of an eye the big
operators were offering 200 bookmskers in
the main ring all the money they were
willing to accept on Sysonby, until the
price was rubbed to 4 to 3. At this price
there was another heavy play, until 8 to 5
was offered on all sides.
The original price maker, however, did
not weaken on his ''even money" propo-
sition for the excellent reason tina he re-
fused every big wager that came his way,
though he kept the quotation on his slate
and held It up where all could see it.
Finally a western busines man who was
not a regular at the track came along. and
OAh 0N1h hNCAANS Oh NAAAo SAaAhN .
slate said:
III bet you fifty on Sysonby.'
Don't want it!'' growlsd the rings
price maker. G away from here! You're
blocking the crowd!"
But you've got even money on your
slate!" persisted the western man. IF
you don't want my bet why don't you rub
out the price?'
stop annoying me or III have you
e~jectedt' yelled the %bookmaker, where
upon a fight seemed imminent. Publicity
caused a cessation of these methods for a
time, but the bookmaker soon resumed on
the old lines.
Badly Ryan put over a killing one day
at Jamaica with a horse named Cary.
He took this same p~ricemaker into his
confidence and told him to play the odds.
When the market opened the layer put so
to 1 on his slate and these odds appeared
all over the ring. Ryan had twenty men
on hand to bet small sums on Cary. so
that the chalkers might not become sus-
picious, but one OF these agents. who was
ratified, sailed up to the original price
maker.
"ITl bet you fifty on Caryi'' he shouted,
noting 50 to 1 on the slate.
Don't want itl' snapped the Ryanized
~bookmaker with a glare.
TAKE twenty-fiye2' asked the ~plunger's
agent.
Not a niekell" was the reply.
"We,l, rub out the price thenl You're a
plker!" said the agent as he walked away
In a rage Cary, It may be recalled, was
backed down to 10 to 1 and won, the ring
paying out nearly $4,000 on his success,
but Ryan's bookmaker didn't lose a dollar,
One OF the biggest plungers known on