How deep is to deep in the pk4?

[wac]

I was just fooling around today wiht the late pk 4 at delmar and my ticket was 5x2x5x3=150 which to me is a lot of money where one lose and your out. and in this case dixie chatter would have taken me out. Is 150 a normal play for most of you guys on these bets? I see where the payout was over 4k so would gladly trade 150 for 4k any day of the week but i guess i get gun shy and dont see myself ever making a bet like this. Just curious to see what you guys think on this. Do you ever go thru and make your ticket and just say man thats too much or do you just put it in and hope for the best?

[hockey2315]

That's probably too much for $1 on a single ticket unless you're expecting a really chaotic sequence. . . if you're dropping that much then there's no reason not to make out multiple tickets.

[Thoroughbred Fan]

I never play multi-race sequences anymore without one single.

[-BT-]

Originally Posted by wac

Do you ever go thru and make your ticket and just say man thats too much or do you just put it in and hope for the best?

this happens to me a lot, if i can't trim the ticket down to a comfortable investment then i just pass on the whole sequence. I try to put a max or about $81 on a $1 ticket, if i can't get a ticket under that i usually pass. IMO a $150 ticket on a $1 bet is a bit much, but its all about your bankroll and your comfort level. On bigger days i try to get friends to pool some money and get a bigger ticket together only b/c the payoff should be worth it

-bt-

[docicu3]

I look at the game a bit differently guys where a ticket for a P4 that is trying to catch a score of 2K or more especially in So Cal can easily be a solid investment of $150-200 for a caveman ticket.

If your playing 50-75 bucks a ticket you can hit some but it usually is not enough to allow you to spread deep for the big return. The key is race selection and for whatever reason the late sequences seem to provide bigger payoffs in New York and California.

[ateamstupid]

Generally I try to limit my tickets to $75 or less, with the goal being ~$50. The only way I'd usually go higher is if there were four consecutive races with 10+ starters and either no heavy favorite or a vulnerable one.

There are plenty of ways to make money at the track. If I find myself making a $150 Pick 4 ticket, I stay away from the sequence.

[onebadbeast]

Horizontal Bets Suck....that Is Why The Qpk Button Is Made.

[robfla]

Originally Posted by onebadbeast

Horizontal Bets Suck....that Is Why The Qpk Button Is Made.

Disagree:
Horizon bets usually provide the best value, with the payoffs usually paying higher than the parlay.

I'm a weekend warrior, so the last pick 4 I played was the one on SOS day at Calder. ( 3.20 - 4.60 - 18.20 - 3.60 ) The Pick 4 payout was $220.70 for a buck. The Pick four payout was way higher than the parlay.

Now in the above pick four, anyone betting more than $150 into the sequence was crazy as Indyanne and Benny the Bull bookended the sequence and the fields were rather short.

On the other hand, betting a $150.00 ticket at Delmar ( or anywhere else ) where the fields are large and the races are wide open, sometimes if you DON'T bet enough you are only cheating yourself by not giving yourself the right opportunity to hit the ticket. ( example: BBB )

If I feel that to properly structure my P4 ticket will cost too much, than betting a Pick 3 is an option.

If you haven't read Christ's Exotic Betting book - its a must for any pick 4 player.

wac: if you dont have the book, shoot me a PM w/address. I have 2 copies ( got 2nd as a gift ) I'll give you the other one.

[Bigsmc]

I am a "feel" bettor. If I have a strong opinion that the sequence is going to produce some prices, I will gladly put in a $144 ticket. If I find I don't have strong opinions, I'll keep it under $50. If I have very strong opinions on a single or two (or three or four), I may play a small ticket and hit it multiple times.

It also depends on the track I am playing and my track record at that track with P4's. I do not get crazy with tracks that I know I don't do well at. This goes back to the record keeping discussion.

I never follow any strict rules. More often than not, I do not single. The big payouts come when that obvious single (or two) is upset.