Meadowlands: Pick 5 carries over to next Saturday night, card handles over $3.7 million

After longshots scored in the third, fourth, and fifth races Saturday night at the Meadowlands, the track's 20-cent Pick 5 wager did not yield a winning ticket, setting up what could be a gigantic pool when racing resumes Saturday, Jan. 2.

Those who correctly selected four winners cashed in for $312.78.

The bet started innocently enough as the 9-5 second choice and 2-1 favorite won the first two races on the card. But then the bombs fell as 14-1, 50-1, and 36-1 outsiders took the final three legs of the sequence, leading to a carryover of $46,731.16.

As a result, Big M management - in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering initiative - has guaranteed next Saturday's pool at $150,000.

The Meadowlands faithful were out in force with Christmas money in hand throughout Saturday night, and at the conclusion of the 15-race card, all-source wagering topped the $3 million mark for the first time during the Fall Meet on the last day of racing in 2020. Handle for the night totaled $3,718,250, an average per race of $247,883.

The last time - other than Hambletonian Day and Meadowlands Pace Night - that business was as brisk on a per-race basis was on July 11 (Meadowlands Pace eliminations night) when a total of $3,440,248 was bet over 13 races, an average of $264,634 per dash.

Things got rolling in the fifth race Saturday when a night-best $366,063 was pushed through the windows, with $117,910 in exacta action leading the way. Twenty minutes later, $85,859 in 50-cent Pick 4 play keyed total betting of $353,837 in race six. Race eight - which saw an exacta pool of $98,671 - was the third $300,000 or better race of the night, with total action of $302,405.

--press release (the Meadowlands)--