NYRA Revises Pick 6 Carryover to $47,812

Calling it a matter of fairness to horseplayers, the New York Racing Association increased its carryover pool for the June 9 Pick 6 after receiving permission from the New York State Gaming Commission early that morning to make the revision.

The problem began after the June 8 Pick 6 pool failed to reach the $75,000 guarantee offered by NYRA, topping out at $59,421; $15,579 short of the guarantee.

No players hit all six of the races in the sequence, meaning five players qualified for the consolation payout. NYRA officials said those five players received a consolation payout of $1,914 based on the $75,000 guaranteed pool.

But in determining the carryover pool, NYRA officials said the NYSGC rule suggests that those carryovers should be based on the actual pool, instead of the guarantee. NYRA officials said the rule calls for the guaranteed payout be made when a player or players selects six of six winners (or is awarded six winners when one race is declared "all" because of a surface change, for instance), but suggests in carryover situations that the amount should be based on the actual pool.

The current NYSGC rule on guaranteed Pick 6 wagers reads: "In addition to the 75-percent-net-pool share and any carryovers distributable when a wager correctly selects winners of all six designated races, or five winners and no more than one all-win race of a pick-six pool, there shall be distributed by the track operator from its own funds, upon such occurrence, any amounts it has advertised that it will add to the total distribution, or any amounts necessary to yield an advertised guaranteed total distribution."

With that rule in mind, NYRA initially announced a carryover of $37,514. Noting the $75,000 guarantee, horseplayers in social media questioned the $37,514 carryover.

NYRA officials agreed that the rule, as written, is unfair and contacted NYSGC officials early Friday morning. The regulatory officials agreed to allow NYRA to base the carryover number on the $75,000 guaranteed pool, allowing NYRA to increase the carryover amount to $47,812.

NYRA director of business development Will Alempijevic said track believes a guarantee should be a guarantee. He said if the situation occurs again, the carryover amount will be based on the guaranteed pool. He said NYRA will work to officially change the rule to clarify that guarantees also apply to carryover situations.