Worldwide bets for Saudi Cup card will be commingled

Betting on the two cards held in Saudi Arabia on Friday and Saturday will be widely available through account-wagering operations and many brick-and-mortar sites in the U.S., along with countries in Europe, Scandinavia, and Africa, according to the host of the pool.

Takeout for win, place, and show bets will be 20 percent, according to the officials, while all other wagers – including exacta, trifecta, superfecta, and linked bets like the pick 3, pick 4, and pick 6 – will be 27 percent. Bets from all countries participating in the pool will be commingled.

Among the other wagers that will be available in the international pool is the Omni, which requires a bettor to select two of the first three horses. The Omni, which can go by different names in different countries, is popular in many international jurisdictions but has failed to catch on among North American bettors during limited experiments.

The international racing world will have its sights set on King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on Saturday due to the inaugural running of the Saudi Cup, worth $20 million. The race has drawn five American entrants, and four are expected to be among the favorites in the 1 1/8 mile dirt race. Fourteen horses are scheduled to go to the post.

King Abdulaziz Racetrack is holding eight-race cards on both Friday and Saturday. The Saudi Cup is expected to go to post at 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

The international pools are being hosted by Premier Gateway International, a joint venture between the South African company Phumelela and TABCORP of Australia. The company is based on the Isle of Man, and it caters to high rollers and computer-assisted wagering teams that receive sizeable rebates on handle. Both TABCORP and Phumelela have been pioneers in the hosting of semi-global pools for international wagering events.

U.S. racing officials said that PGI is charging 3 percent as a host fee for brick-and-mortar sites, and 5 percent for account-wagering operations, though those rates were described by officials who work for large racing companies that usually get the best rates.