Late pick five will no longer be restricted

Beginning July 3, the late pick-5 at New York Racing Association tracks will be available for all bettors across the country, the company announced on Wednesday.

Since the inception of the wager at the beginning of the 2016 Saratoga meet, the late pick-5 was restricted to horse players who had a NYRA Bets advance-deposit wagering account or those who wagered ontrack or at an in-state simulcast facility. Typically, the late pick-5 handled about 20 percent of the early pick-5, which has always been open to all players.

The late pick-5 is usually conducted on the last five races of the card. The wager will continue to have a 15 percent takeout and be a 50-cent minimum bet.

On Sunday, there will be a mandatory payout on the NYRA Bets pick-5, the last one with restrictions. There will also be a mandatory payout of the both pick-5s and the pick-6 on July 7, closing day of the Belmont spring/summer meet. Racing moves to Saratoga on July 11.

The new rule regarding the late pick-5 will be in play at least through the end of 2019.