Will You Play the Jackpot Eight?

The Octafecta is going to hit the windows at Turfway Park this week. I know, it sounds like a sea monster from the deep and has bettors with mixed feelings. It is a $1 base wager with a 22% takeout. - Now, this isn't eight different races, but the first eight finishers. The wager is a "Jackpot -Style" and this gets gamblers reaching in their jeans and pulling out the greens to bet.

According to Horse Racing Nation; "The jackpot-style wager will first be offered in the ninth race on March 11, featuring a $1 minimum wager and 22 percent takeout. There are no consolation payouts. 25 percent of the pool is paid out for multiple winners, while 75 percent is carried over to the jackpot. The wager requires a minimum field size of 10 horses. HRN reports that TwinSpires, the advance-deposit wagering company owned by Churchill Downs, Inc. (which owns Turfway), will offer a $250,000 bonus to a single winner who plays the wager on TwinSpires.

Sounds like a lottery style payout in the wings and should draw mega attention when the carryover starts growing. The bet can carry over across tracks, according to DRF reports, and CDI is considering having it carried over to Kentucky Derby day.

Social media is buzzing and not in a good way, but horse players are slow to embrace change in my years working in the industry. Eight horses in one race? This pool is gonna be huge! - It is like getting struck by lightning eight times in one race as the odds of hitting the wager are pretty staggering according to the Paulick Report:

• 10 horses – 1,814,400 possible combinations

• 11 horses – 6,652,800 possible combinations

• 12 horses – 19,958,400 possible combinations

• 13 horses – 51,891,840 possible combinations

• 20 horses – 5,079,110,400 possible combinations

Over the years I've always been a fan of new wagers. - It draws new players, gives fans a chance at a life changing score, and brings in new and exciting action. I'll sit on the sidelines and watch for awhile. I can't say it's going to get the majority of my wagering dollars, but once it gets going, I'll make a couple quick bets for a dollar.