Top Three Finishers Qualify for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Handicapping Championship (January, 2008) - Enter Today!!!

Labriola Wins 11^th Annual Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge

Wins $27,500 and berths in both DRF/NTRA National Tournament & $1 Million World Series of Handicapping

New Haven, February 26, 2007 – Mike Labriola, one of the premier handicappers in the country, won the 11^th  annual $68,750 Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge, this past  weekend to earn the first place prize money of $27,500 as well as a  berth in the DRF/NTRA National Tournament. Labriola also finished third with his second entry giving him an additional $7,860 in prize money and a spot in the $1 Million Coast Casino’s  World Series of Handicapping in 2008.

            “For some reason, I never did well in the Sports Haven tournament before, and I’ve never done well at the DRF-NTRA tournament. Hopefully, winning here is a good sign that something good will happen for me at the next DRF-NTRA contest,” Labriola told the New Haven Register. Labriola, a workman’s compensation investigator for the Department of Defense, from Richmond, California, is a past Autotote champion, winning the Bradley Teletheater Handicapping Contest in 2001.    

       Labriola was in 5^th place after day one with $224.   He made eight $2 show bets before getting serious. He wagered $98 on Bride’s Best Boy ($8) in race nine at Tampa Bay giving him $432. He lost his next two bets totaling $150, before betting $100 to win on  Bright Design, in the sixth race at Santa Anita on Sunday, the next-to-last race in the tournament. Bright Design won the race returning $12 to win.  He then made a $15 place bet at Fair Grounds, which he lost, leaving him with $767.30 in contest winnings and the tournament title.  

     Jerry Barash, State Island, NY, finished second with $459.90 in contest winnings, earning $11,780 and an entry into the DRF/NTRA tournament. Barash took a shot at the leader in the last race of the contest, the tenth from Fair Grounds. He wagered $120 to win on Hoh Flyer Hoh, the 2-1 favorite in a $12,500 claimer for Louisiana bred maidens. The colt finished fourth, beaten nearly 10 lengths.

      Due to the fact that Labriola was first and third, the third place NTRA spot went the fourth place finisher, William Rendino, Bronx, New York, who also took home $6,290 in prize money.  John Macklin, Brooklyn, NY, was fifth with $363.80 in contest earnings, earning $4,720 in prize money and a trip to the $1 Million World Series of Handicapping.

     There were 275 entries and contestants came from 18 different states and Canada.  

     Rounding out the top ten were Marco Cacoparod, Commack, NY ($353.60 contest earnings, $3,140 prize money); Steve Matthews, Plainview, NY ($342.20; $2,355); Bill Roach, East Williston, NY ($289.80; $1,570); John O’Neil, Nesconset, NY ($279.00 ; $1,175); and Venice Adrien, New York, NY ($277.90; $785).  O’Neil was also the leader after the first day of the contest, earning an additional $1,575.

            The top Connecticut finisher was Robert Pelton of Mystic in 11^th place. The top New Haven County finisher was Antonio D’Angelo of New Haven in 12^th place.  Contestants who finished in 11^th – 20^th place receive a free entry in a future Autotote Handicapping Challenge.

    The Sports Haven contest was a two-day event. Entry fee was $300, fifty dollars of which was used to place wagers in the tournament on five designated tracks. Contestants were required to make at least ten wagers on each day.  The person with the most money in their account at the end of the contest was the winner. The top three finishers qualified for the NTRA/DRF handicapping tournament while the fourth and fifth place winners qualified for the $1 Million World Series of Handicapping. 

     The next NTRA/DRF qualifier event hosted by Autotote will be the Bradley Teletheater Handicapping Challenge, July 14-15.

About Autotote Enterprises, Inc.

Autotote Enterprises, a subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation, owns and operates the Off-Track Betting System in Connecticut, including Sports Haven on 600 Long Wharf Drive in New Haven, Shoreline Star in Bridgeport, and the Bradley Teletheater in Windsor Locks, across from the Bradley International Airport.

 In addition, Autotote owns RaceView Centers in Bristol (16 Barlow Street) , Hartford (121 Brainard Road), New Britain (Newbrite Plaza, East Main St.), and Torrington (1703 East Main Street).  Autotote’s OTB branches are located in East Haven at 65 Frontage Road; Norwalk on Burnell Boulevard in the Norwalk Mall; and Waterbury at 155 Thomaston Avenue.  More information can be found on Autotote’s website, www.ctotb.com.

About Scientific Games

Scientific Games Corporation is the leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries, and the leading supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel operators.  It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut and the Netherlands and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to telephone companies.  Scientific Games’ customers are in the United States and more than 60 other countries.  For more information about Scientific Games, please visit our web site at www.scientificgames.com.

2007 Sports Haven Handicapping Contest Rules

February 24 - 25

1.     Entry fee $300 (Two entries per person). $250 will go to the prize pool. $50 will be used to play in the live money contest.     

2.     Contest is limited to 350 entries. The contest is a two-day event that will be held Saturday, February 24 and Sunday, February 25, 2007.

3.     The top three finishers in the Sports Haven contest will qualify to compete in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Handicapping Championship tournament to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 2008. Air transportation and hotel accommodations are courtesy of Autotote Enterprises. The fourth and fifth place finishers qualify for the 2008 World Series of Handicapping at the Orleans in Las Vegas.    

4.     If the contest is fully subscribed, there will be $87,500 in prize money. One hundred percent of the $87,500 will be returned as prize money.  If the contest is not sold out, prize money will be awarded based on the percentage breakdown in the prize list below.

5.     All prizes are aggregate and if ties exist, prize money will be divided equally by entrants finishing in all positions involved in the tie.

6.     Two thousand dollars (2.29% of contest money collected) will be awarded to the leader on the first day of the contest. The prize money is based on the contest being fully subscribed. If it is not sold out then 97.71% of total entry fees collected will be distributed Sunday.    

7.     The remaining $85,500 or 97.71% will be distributed to the top 10 finishers after the two day event. (Order of finish is determined by combining the Saturday and Sunday scores). Contestants finishing 11 - 20 will win a FREE entry into the 2007 Bradley Teletheater contest (Date to be Determined) or the 2008 Sports Haven contest 

Prize money - Contest awards (based on 275 entrants)

The Contest

1. The tournament will be a live money contest. $50 of the $300 entry fee will be used by the players to place wagers. Players will be required to wager $20 on each contest day. The remaining $10 may be wagered at any time during the two day contest as long as the wagers are for a minimum $2.  Contestants will use an account card to place wagers.  
2. Entrants keep all pari-mutuel winnings.
3. Entrants must wager on a minimum of ten individual races each contest day. The total of the wagers on each race must be at least $2. The wagers may be win, place or show.
4. Contestants may only wager on one horse in each race.  
5. A contestant may play as many races as he would like on each contest day for any amount as long as it’s for at least $2. The wagers may only be win, place or show.  If a player does not play ten races for at least $2, then his earnings for the day will be negated and he will have zero for the contest day.
6. There is no cap on win, place or show prices. 
7. Contestants who make any type of wager other than win, place or show will be disqualified from the contest. Adding additional cash to a bankroll will also result in a disqualification.
8. Contestants may wager on the following tracks:  Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay, Fair Grounds and the first six races from Santa Anita. A player who wagers on a non-contest track will have all his contest money negated on the day in which the infraction occurred.      
9. The winner of the contest is the person who has the highest total in his account after two days.
10. Patrons must place all wagers in person. No intermediaries or agents may place wagers. All entrants must be present to participate in the contest at Sports Haven. There will be no refunds. There will also be no refunds in the event that a contestant is disqualified. 
11. All tournament wagers must be made on self-service terminals or Tiny Tims using a tournament plastic account card and pin number.
12. No cancellations on any wagers for any reason after post time. In the event of a late scratch, the rules of the host track will prevail.
13. Since this is a live- money/ live results contest, anyone withdrawing money from their account before the contest is official, will no longer be considered an entrant in the contest.
14. All official track rulings will apply to horses and wagering pools.
15. Autotote is not responsible for shut outs or incomplete transactions. No exceptions under any circumstances.
16. Autotote is not responsible for lost or mutilated account cards
17. The decision of the judges in all matters related to the contest is final
18. All contestants must be at least 21 years of age.
19. Winners are subject to all state and federal tax requirements.
20. The receipt of a registration form signifies the entrant’s acceptance of all rules and conditions stated herein. An entry constitutes acceptance of and responsibility for adherence to all rules and conditions of the contest as stated in the complete rules.  
21. All participants agree to have their name or image appear in any publicity material (posters, newsletters, programs, etc) and to be printed in any publication.
22. Officers and employees of Autotote and their immediate families, and employees of the Department of Special Revenue, State of Connecticut, and their immediate families, are not eligible to enter the contest.
23. The right is reserved to terminate, withdraw or modify this contest at any time without prior notice. In this event, all contest fees will be refunded.
24. People who have already qualified for the DRF/NTRA tournament may not qualify again. In the event that a person who has already qualified finishes first, second or third, the fourth place finisher will qualify for the DRF/NTRA contest. If this occurs then the contestant, who already qualified for the NTRA contest, will win a spot to the World Series of Handicapping.
25. Autotote reserves the right to fund the entry fees of invited members of the media.

NTRA Tie-Breaker

The first three finishers in the Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge will qualify for the Daily Racing Form/ National Thoroughbred Racing Association tournament to be held January 2008 in Las Vegas.

In the event that there is a tie for third place there will be a one- race playoff. The person who wins the playoff will qualify for the NTRA tournament. The playoff will not affect the prize money distribution.

A play-off race will be determined. Each person will make a $2 win, place or show bet on a designated race. The person who earns the most money in the race qualifies for the NTRA contest. In the event that there is a tie after the race, then another race will be selected and each player will make a $2 wager. This will continue until there is a winner.

The above rules will apply if there is a tie for fifth place. The winner of the play-off will earn a spot in the World Series of Handicapping at the Orleans. 

Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge

How it works:

• This is a live money contest. In addition to the entry fee, you have funded your contest account with $50. You will use $20 to wager each day, plus $10 in wild card wagers.

• You must wager on a minimum of ten individual races. The total of the wagers on each race must total at least $2. The wagers may be win, place or show.  They can be for any amount as long as the wager is for at least $2. For example, you may wager $10 to win and $5 to place and $3 to show. Total: $18. In this example will only be credited with one wager. You must wager on a minimum of ten individual races.             

• You may make as many wagers as you like on each contest day as long as the wagers are at least $2 per race. At the end of the day, you may have actually wagered on 15 races. Again, the only requirement is that you wager on a minimum of ten races, but you can bet on as many races as you like. You can also bet as much as you like. The wagers may only be win, place or show.  You can only wager on one horse in each race. If you fail to wager on at least ten races on a contest day, your score for the day will be zero.

Example:

A player makes a $2 wager. He loses. His bankroll is now $18.  

The next bet, the player makes a $2 win bet in which he collects $14. His bank roll is now $32. The player has now made two $2 bets.

In the next race, the player loves a horse. He can bet $18 on the horse, saving the remaining $14 so that he can make seven more wagers. Remember you must wager on a minimum of ten races. Of course he can take a chance and wager the entire $32, but if he loses, he would be out for the day.   

Remember, a player can make as many bets each contest day as long as he plays a minimum of ten races.   

• In the event that a player does not make the required ten $2 wagers, the player’s earnings for the day will be negated and he will have zero for the contest day.

• There is no cap on win, place or show prices.

• Contestants who make a wager other than win, place or show will be disqualified from the contest. Adding additional cash to a bankroll will also result in disqualification.

• You may wager on the following tracks:  Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Tampa Bay, Fair Grounds, and the first six races from Santa Anita. A player who wagers on a non-contest track will have all his contest money negated on the day in which the infraction occurs.     

Frequently asked Questions

What wagers am I required to make?

You must wager on a minimum of ten races that total at least $2 each race.

What types of wagers can I make?

Only win, place and show wagering is allowed.

Can I make a $2 across the board wager and have that count toward my required minimum of ten wagers?

Yes. However, since it is all on the same race, it will count as one contest wager.

What If I win and have more than enough money in my account to make the minimum of ten $2 wagers.  Can I bet more on a race?

Yes! If you like a horse and want to bet more than $2, you can. For example, if you have made two bets and won and have $50 in your account, you can wager the entire $50, but remember you must make a minimum of ten wagers so you might want to save $14 so that you can fulfill the requirement.

In the example just cited, what if I bet $40 and lose leaving me with only $10. Am I still in the contest?

Yes, but you better win with the $10 you have remaining, because you need to make seven  more wagers in order to meet the minimum requirement.

What is the “Wild Card” wager?

Each player will have an extra $10 in their account to use however they like.  It can be played all on one race, or split up on different races. The $10 will be deposited on your account card on the first day of the contest, giving you $30 to start the contest. 

When can I use the “Wild Card”?

The $10 in wild card wagers can be used at any time in the contest.  It can be used on any of the contest tracks. However, you must still adhere to the rules of one horse per race, win, place and show only, minimum wager of $2.

What if I don’t meet the requirement?

You will be disqualified for the contest day. If it is Saturday, you are still eligible to play Sunday. Your Saturday balance will be zero. 

Theoretically, can I make 50 wagers on any contest day?

Yes you can make as many bets as you like as long as at the end of day you have wagered on ten races and have wagered at least $2 on each race.

What if I have $1 in my account, can I still make a wager?

NO. All bets must be for a minimum of $2. In order to stay alive your balance must be $2 or more.

This is a live money contest. What if I’m up a substantial amount of money on Saturday, do I have to deposit the $20 into my Sunday account.

Yes. Each player will automatically have the $20 deposited into their account on Sunday.

What happens if I violate the rules of the contest?

Be sure you are familiar with all the rules. Violating the rules could lead to a disqualification. In the event of a disqualification, there are no refunds. If you have any questions, please direct them to tournament officials. 

Can I make bets outside the tournament?

Yes, but be sure to close your contest account before making those wagers. And be sure your account is not open when checking the status of un-cashed tickets. You can only open your account by sliding your card into a self-service terminal and activating it. When you are done making contest wagers, be sure to hit finish. If you don’t hit finish and place a non-contest wager, it will appear on the wagering contest report. The wagering report is used to verify a player’s wagering activity and to ensure adherence to the rules.