The Meadows: 'Lucky 7' wager to begin on Wednesday
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There is a new wager coming to Hollywood Casino at The Meadows that figures to provide a unique opportunity in harness racing for some bettors to enjoy a big payoff. While the “Lucky 7” comes with a high level of difficulty since it requires handicappers to pick the winners of seven consecutive races and offers no consolation payout for being close, it does represent another option for those looking for something different.
“I know the bulk of the players that play my card aren’t going to play this,” admitted The Meadows Director of Racing Scott Lishia. “We are trying to target a different demographic to see if we can garner some interest from people who don’t currently play our signal.”
The idea for the “Lucky 7” came partially from some comments made in a recent online survey the track conducted as well as from an article Lishia read on the need for a variety of options for bettors.
The $1 minimum bet will be offered with a low 15% takeout on races 3 to 9 daily. If no one correctly selects all seven winners 100% of the pool after takeout will carry over to the next racing program.
Initially the “Lucky 7” will kick off with a guarantee of $3,000 in conjunction with the USTA Strategic Wagering program to encourage participation for the launch. From the track’s perspective, ideally it will produce a large carryover which could entice an even wider audience seeking the opportunity to make a big score.
For Lishia, the “Lucky 7” is an experiment and as such he won’t be afraid to tweak it should become necessary. While he initially was leaning to a .50 minimum, the decision was made to land on $1 because he felt it may be too easy to hit the wager if multiple favorites won in the sequence.
“You don’t know if it will work until you try it,” said Lishia. “Maybe in a few months we’ll find that a .20 minimum will be better. If so, we adjust it accordingly.”
The inaugural “Lucky 7” will take place on March 6 at The Meadows with fields of eight or greater in each race. Post time is 12:45 PM.