''Down to me''

[Seagull]

I dont go racing now nearly so much as I did years ago but went with my partner for a night out at Hove dogs this week.<br>The previous time we went there was last year for some  open racing so I am certainly no regular and the normal bet is between £30 and very occasionally max @£200 so no real ‘face’ lumping on. <br>There are just 4 bookmakers there with one betting without the fav so it does not take them long to know you.<br>All the bets I struck were between the whole 4 in the end but when the bets were struck the words ‘down to me’ were uttered and I recieved no receipt.

Whilst I think its an honourable thing to do on their part why do they do it?

I am not some complete idiot that always loses so any winnings they pay out can’t be recorded or can they?

Surely it has got to be more than saving the cost of printing out a receipt!

This also has occured at all  my local racetracks and even once at Newbury after I lost £200 with Totesport on one race the next time I used the same bookmaker the bet was called as ‘down to me’ however Totesport are a national company and not some one man band.<br>( I do know the rep though)

So are they in effect running two books the recorded ones and the ‘down to me’ ones?<br>

(Edited by Seagull at 8:17 am on Feb. 16, 2007)

[davidbrady]

Hi Seagull

They probably have you down as a loser so would rather pocket your stake than declare it as turnover :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: ;)

[Artemis]

Seagull,

When I worked at the dogs and the races – many moons ago – we often called bets as down to me or down to ‘pal’. All the bets went into the field book. The use of ‘me’ and ‘pal’ is customary to acknowlege that the bookmaker knows the backer(who may not want his name called out) and can easily remember the bet.

In a rush, when many bets are called out, the use of ‘me’ and ‘pal’ may be less frequent. If the gaffer on the stool had had a few drinks, he might call out ‘me’ or ‘pal’ but would expect his clerk to look up and see who was having the bet.

[Mounty]

Seagull – all the bets go in the book (or computer these days). If I have a bet at the races they’ll often call it "£200 self No.1" or £160 fractions A.M. No. 6", especially if you’re not intending to pay on. Most on-course bookies will have letters relating to accounts that you’ll hear called – "£1000 L No. 7" – Ladbrokes, "£2000 WH No. 2" – William Hill, £500 CW No.10" – cockney wnaker  :biggrin:

(Edited by Mounty at 6:43 pm on Feb. 16, 2007)<br>

(Edited by Mounty at 6:44 pm on Feb. 16, 2007)

[davidbrady]

Quote: from Mounty on 6:42 pm on Feb. 16, 2007[br]Most on-course bookies will have letters relating to accounts that you’ll hear called … £500 CW No.10" – cockney wnaker  :biggrin:

Jamie Oliver bets with you Mounty?:biggrin:

[Purwell]

Guess whose handle is "Prick with a fork"?:biggrin:

I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highways

[gamble]

<br> :old:

I used to bet with the hove dog men<br> in fact I used take the train from London<br> sometimes three times a week<br> to enjoy the salty air.<br> Certainly I never had problems<br> with ‘down to you’ but it still leads<br> to a certain amount of uncomfortableness<br> similar to being in a fairly strong wind with no clothes on.

Are you a form or weight man ? I heard a clerk’s bookie<br> shout in the crowd on his day off – a wednesday afternoon <br> (then bags)

I was a weight man<br> and never realised there were others<br>

[Seagull]

The only time I wished I had a ‘down to you’ and did not was over 10 years ago at Kempton.<br>I had a very large bet on Wonderman at the Christmas meeting at Kempton. <br>Despite doing a ‘kauto’ at the last fence the Dunwoody ridden winner and David Nicholson trained horse won.

I could not find my ticket but had the bet with John Clarke who I knew from his pitch at Hove dogs.

I went through all my pockets but could not find the winning ticket. <br>I spoke to John and he said he knew I had the bet with him but he could not pay out without the ticket as he was obliged to pay out to anyone that presented him the ticket as he thought I could have sold it on and ‘those were the rules.’

I was given a claim  form by the betting ring inspector and had to write into the B.P.A office in east London and I received a cheque after 3 months.

I will always rember that day as I was going out with an American girl at the time and I promised her a trip back to the States to see her parents from some of my winnings. <br>She ditched me a month later as I had still not come up with her air fare!:angry:

ps<br> In those days all that was on the ticket was the name of the joint and a serial number so it would have been harder to claim on a ticket that someone had lost.<br>With all the winnings and name of the horse printed on the ticket now it would be much easier to claim on a winning ticket someone had found.

[Author]

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