Quebec racetrack operator Attractions Hippiques is back in the news, this time over a disputed Pick-7
ticket.
Pocono Downs has refused to honour an apparent winning ticket on the September 2 Pick-7, sold at one of Attractions Hippiques' Montreal-area teletheatres, on the grounds it was a $1 ticket and its Pick-7 minimum is $2.
Instead of the $70,000 they thought was theirs, the four friends who held the winning ticket were instead offered a refund of $432, the amount they'd spent using different $1 combinations. Pocono paid a consolation prize of $39.60 to those who had six of seven winners.
Attractions Hippiques said it was the first it heard of the minimum. It had been taking $1 boxed bets on Pick-7 bets wagers at Pocono Downs since June 30, boosting its payoffs and generating commissions for the track, with no protests from Pocono.
"They have been accepting our money without a problem," Attractions Hippiques president Ian Wetherly said.
An item in June on the Standardbred Canada website specifically mentioned the new Pick-7 bet at Pocono could be made in denominations of $1.
Pocono Downs president Robert Soper said the $2 minimum was clearly communicated in emails sent to Attractions Hippiques when the bet was introduced.
"It's funny how they seem to be the only ones (who misinterpreted it)," he said.
Soper said "this is really an issue for the one that accepted the bet and their tote company. We don't really have an obligation or ability to monitor every single bet that occurs. We have bets coming from all over the world."
The actual amount in the pool was about $28,000, not $70,000, Soper said.
The preliminary payout number was unofficial and based on a $2 ticket, with a further adjustment for currency exchange. Attractions Hippiques has let Pocono know it disagrees with its stance in the matter and intends to bring it to the attention of regulators in Pennsylvania. As of Tuesday, it's also stopped taking bets on Pocono's races.
"We are working diligently to resolve the situation," Wetherly said.
The ticketholders just want to be paid.
"It's not our mistake," said Daniel St. Onge. "It shouldn't be our problem. We made a legal bet through a licensed operator. If they take the bets, they should also pay them."
He and his partners have lodged a formal complaint with the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Association, which is now investigating.
(A Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)
$28,000 (after the rake) is
$28,000 (after the rake) is the pool in USD. In CND that means roughly $35,000. $70,000 on a $2 wager means $35,000 on a $1 wager.
It may be as simple as that. Pocono is simply stealing money. If they refuse to honour the Quebec ticket, they should refund all monies bet on the wager from Quebec, not just the $432 on this one ticket.
Perhaps the most egregious example of racetrack chicanery I've ever heard of. Absolutely sickening...
All the best to the "gang of four"!
In reply to $28,000 (after the rake) is by SAS
To Sasha, the pool quoted
To Sasha, the pool quoted was the gross pool before the rake therefore the net pool of $21,000 should have been converted to CDN to come up with approx $24,000 but that amount was to be paid to all holders who had the winning numbers. If we assume they were the only ones who had a winning ticket the total they could be paid was still only $24,000. I still don't see where $70,000 came from.
Lets see Pocono took in bets
Lets see Pocono took in bets for 4 months knowing they could refuse to payoff anytime they wished,or Attractions Hippiques "booked" the bets knowing they wouldn't payoff, or a combination of both. Just when the betters (fans) thought they had been cheated in every way at Harness Racing they get fooled again!!
This story is rather
This story is rather bizarre. First of all, if the minimum bet per pick 7 was $2 how did the $1 bets get into the pool (maybe they didn't).
Where did the number $70,000 come from. If the total pool was only $28,000 as indictaed by Mr. Soper (assuming a 25% takeout -just a guess) that means the the total available to be paid out was approx $21,000. If there was one holder of a $2 ticket the payout would be $21,000. If the $1 ticket was allowed into the pool the max would be $42,000.
This is very confusing.