Evening journal., 1912-09-24
HOW MONEY
GOES AT The
RACE TRACK
Thirty Boobies Spend Over
$4,000 a Day at HaVre de
Grace
AND EACH GIVES UP
$lO6 FOR PRIVILEGE

II probably has never dawned up
on the general public what an
amount Of money is involved in meet
ing the running expenses OF 30
books" at Havre de Grace.
The average running expenses OF
frstclass book per day are more
than 5000, and for 30 books the total
is more than $4,000. The concession
Of a bookmaker at Havre dc Grace
for a day, It is said, is SlO6, which
Is known as "cut in" money. This
Is the largest item OF the expenses.
An "up-to-date" book usually has
seven men on its payroll, each COM
handing from $40 to Sl5 day. Ex-
pert block men," 1t is said, can
command SIS q day, and the same
can be said of sheet writers"
Invariably It is understood that the
hookmakers take from the public
this amount of money each day, and
then some more. or course. there are
times when the books come out OH
Z the short end OF the ledger. AS there
are about 80 books in operation at
Havre de Grace the business" must
be brisk.
Busy as n Hive OF Bees.
The "bookies" employed have their
own end of the business to look ar
ter. They are as busy as n hive Of
bees from about 20 minutes before
the opening race until the last ticket
has been cashed in.
Tho "block mans" duty is to mark
IN the odds on the slate, take the
money from the better and see that
he gets his ticket. He has to be on
the lob all the time, know instantane-
ously the odds against each horse and
call out each bet loud enough for
the ticket and sheet writer's 10 hear
without repeating. Incidentally no
much be quick at grabbing the "long
green"
Tho sheet writer is an expert ia
his line. He keeps tab on all the bets
as they are made, and after the books
close for race he knows instantly
how much the book will lose or win,
when the result of the contest is an
nounced.
Alert for Information.
The scouts" travels about Tho
betting ring, gets the odds against
the horses, sees how the play is on
certain ponies and carries the In
formation to the lookout" man, who
owns the book or is employed to run
IT, II there is a heavy play on n
certain horse in some part OF the
betting areana he hurriedly elbows
his way to his book and gives the
tip. and then the price on the horse
goes down.
The paddock info" man loiters
about the paddock before each race.
He is there 20 look the horses over,
try 20 learn all that Is going on, and
especially If there is something
good" going to come over" Some
times he viii get an ear full of news
that certain horse is being backed
heavily by his owner.
The "clocker" is employed TO keep
tab on the work out" Of each horse.
which may be in the early dawn. dur
ing the day or after the afternoons
sport He is supposed 20 know TO the
second Just how fast each horse can
travel certain distances and the
weight it can shoulder when at its
best. He also watches the running
OF each race like hawk watching
its prey.
As ~Sport" and Sightseer.
The man who does the races in
style can spend about $40 a day in
actual expenses alone. But this does
NOT include whatever he might choose
10 pay for dinner, and betting is out
OF the question.
A man who goes TO the races as a
mere sightseer need give up no more
than about 81. A glance az the ap-
pended table will show nearly tho
actual expenses 10 operate book
and how a man with the money goes
TO the track.