From: slider@anashram.com   
      
   >> - fuck me heh...   
   >   
   >> for THAT much money just strap a saddle on my back and i'll have a go   
   >   
   >> LOL ! :)))   
   >   
   > so how would  you bet Hot Rod Charlie  today?   win or place or show   
   > bet ?   
   > this is gonna be a very tight race.   
      
   ### - ain't sure how they do things there, but over here ya can't just   
   back for either a place or a show on their own? ya also have to back it   
   for a win as well! so to get paid for a place here you first have to back   
   it for a win and, if ya want to, only an equal amount for a place (we   
   don't bother with a show difference here and so it pays the same as for a   
   place)   
      
   the prob with hot rod this time being his very low odds (currently only   
   4/1) which is cool for a win but lousy for a place (or show) which only   
   pays a fifth (or a quarter in bigger races) of the winning sp, in which   
   case the best ya can hope for with either a place or show is to get all   
   (or most) of your money back if he comes in the first 3 or 4...   
      
   therefore... i wouldn't bother hoping to maybe scrape back your outlay on   
   a place or show bet as well and just put everything you're gonna bet on a   
   full win :)   
      
   e.g., $10 each-way costs $20 and the best you can get from a place is just   
   about a quarter of those odds, iow: even-money, so if it places/shows   
   you'll recoup maybe $20 less tax etc, which is hardly worth it so would   
   personally just back the full 20 on a win instead = maybe a $50 return and   
   screw the places...   
      
   basically, this formula means only ever backing for places if the winning   
   odds are high enough to get more than just your money back if it places,   
   one would never, for example, bother backing a favourite for anything less   
   than a win  :)   
      
   methinks charlie could win it though, as long as he doesn't step on anyone   
   like that last time heh ;)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)