Contributing expert Barry Meadow answers:
The casino's cut from horse-racing wagers varies based on casino location (Nevada? New Jersey? California?) and the deals negotiated by the disseminators with individual tracks. In general, a casino will keep more money on a trifecta bet from Beulah Park, for example, than it will from a win bet from Aqueduct.
Many casinos offer comps and reward credits to horse bettors, including meals and rooms. This varies from casino to casino, but in general an off-Strip casino is likely to offer better comps than a major Strip hotel. At some places, total action of only $400 might get you a midweek buffet comp. At larger casinos, anyone betting less than $1,000 per day isn't even on the radar.
Before you place your first bet, ask a racebook supervisor how much you need to bet to qualify for what you want (buffet, gourmet-room comp, room, etc.). Then be sure that your play is being tracked each time you bet.
By the way, since the racebook payouts are tied to the track pari-mutuels and the casino gets its cut from the tracks, the bettor faces the same takeout in a casino racebook as he would at the track. For instance, a win bet at Belmont has a 14% takeout, while a pick 4 bet at Louisiana Downs has a 25% takeout. An up-to-date list of takeouts is available at: http://www.horseplayerdaily.com
Barry has numerous publications related to horse-racing. Visit his site at: http://www.trpublishing.com
