Day 4, May 19, Santa Anita

[The Pook]

Okay. Well. That was the 2024 edition of the Bill Varone. A relatively quiet affair with only 5 signees. The perfect number is 10. The contest is a little more exciting while not being too much work when there are 10.

I think next year we will advertise earlier around the first of April and give some of the wallflowers out there longer to mull it over and hopefully throw their hats into the ring. There are certainly enough good handicappers on the site to fill 10 spots without too much repetition year to year. Some women would be nice and maybe a couple of those Jedis?

Anyhoo this years contest was not without its drama. Mowens and Mrbill were DQ’d on technicalities. Mrbill’s error was particularly notable because he would have taken first place hands down. And the whole thing was just a half nose, a questionable horse disqualification and a wagering amount booboo away from being gandalf380’s.

Luck of course is huge but besides handicapping and wagering strategy articulate appication is big. And this stuff can help you be a better regular day player. Contest play over the years has certainly helped my game. Something about the added pressure of publishing exact bets. It’s sort of like in 8Ball (I am a league player in the CPA)…practicing at home is nothing like under the lights in league. It helps you improve.

Thanks to Gandalf, Mrbill, Mowens and Cdax for playing. Maybe we will see you again next year or maybe we can attract a whole new group. And of course thanks to Ted for supplying 2nd and third prizes.

Pook