Del Mar tweaks its betting menu for summer season

The standard lineup of betting options, supplemented by a trio of tweaks, will be offered to racing fans as Del Mar opens its 86th summer season next Friday.  

The 31-day session will begin with a three-day weekend, then meld into its standard four-day format of Thursday through Sunday with an extra racing date on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 1, and a final three-day weekend, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 5-7.  

The track’s betting package starts with the traditional win-place-show bets and extends to five multi-race exotic offerings. They are the early Pick 4, the late Pick 4, the early Pick 5, the late Pick 5 and the Pick 6. 

All told, there have been 15 different ways to wager on each of the daily programs, which will range from eight to 11 races on various afternoons throughout the eight-week stand.

This year, though, in response to the enthusiasm that fans have shown for exotic offerings, there will be three new offerings on the betting cards.

A middle Pick 4 will be held on races 4-7 every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays only. Opening day and Labor Day both are excluded. This wager goes in addition to the early and late Pick 4 and has the regular Pick 4 takeout.

A $3 late Pick 3, with a $3 minimum, is for the last three races daily with a 15% takeout. This will be offered daily, and the regular rolling Pick 3 will continue throughout each race card until the last Pick 3 is offered.

A $5 late double, with a $5 minimum, is for the last two races daily with a 15% takeout. It's offered daily;, and the $2 rolling double will continue throughout each race card until the last double offered.

Both the $3 late Pick 3 and the $5 late double provide a 15% takeout.   

The $1 Pick 6 is back with its traditional arrangement of 80-20, meaning the majority of the pool goes to those tabbing six winners and the lesser percentage to those with five. If nobody manages to pick six winners on a card, the 80% pool goes to a carryover for the next day of racing.  

“Our bet menu has proven a winner over the years, and we’re expecting no less coming up to this meet,” said Del Mar’s director of mutuels, Bill Navarro. “We’ll be interested to see how the new wagers we’re offering go, but we’re expecting they’ll make the fans happy.”

The full array of Del Mar bets outside of the three tweaks is as follows: $2 win, place and show on all races; $1 exacta (all); $2 quinella (all); $2 rolling doubles (all except last); $1 rolling Pick 3 (all except last two); $1 superfecta (10-cent minimum, all); $1 place Pick All (starts with race 1 or 2); 50-cent Super High Five (last); $1 Pick 6 (last six); 50-cent Players’ Pick 5 (first five and last five); 50-cent Pick 4 (Races 2 through 5 and last four), and $2 win-place-show parlay (all races but last).

First post will be the traditional 5 p.m. EDT on most days throughout the season.