Simulcasting Terms and Phrases:
A Practical Guide What follows is a glossary of terms and phrases, including bet type definitions, which are commonly used in simulcasting. This glossary is a “work in progress” (any potential contributions would be welcome) and is not intended to be exhaustive in detail. Rather, it can serve as a foundation for understanding simulcasting operations.
Also Eligibles (AEs) Also eligibles are race entrants in excess of the permissible number of starters. They can gain a starting position only if one of the designated starters scratches from the race. When a jurisdiction’s rules includes a set scratch time (48 hours, 24 hours, etc.), also eligibles are not assigned a program number unless they gain a starting position due to the scratch of another starter at the scratch time. If a jurisdiction’s rule calls for scratching off the program, an also eligible is assigned a program number at the post position draw and, should it gain a starting position due to a scratch, will keep its original number for betting purposes.
Bet Pool – See Pool
Bet Three – See Pick Three
Box
A method of wagering in which all possible combinations of betting interests in a particular wager are covered. For example, a 3-horse box in a Trifecta would comprise 6 wagers covering all potential orders of finish: l-2-3, l-3-2, 2-3-1, 2-l-3, 3-2-l and 3-l-2.
Breakage
The difference between the net pool for a given wager and the total payout (what the winners collect) once the $2 payoff is rounded off. Most tracks round off in $0.20 increments for $2 wagers. The disposition of these monies is handled differently from state to state.
POLICY ADVOCATED BY NTRA SIMULCAST TASK FORCE
STANDARDIZED BET NAMES
The importance of standardizing bet names came from meetings with simulcast patrons. The simulcast Task Force has adopted the following bet names and encourages their use in all jurisdictions:
- WIN · PICK (N)
- PLACE · EXACTA
- SHOW · TRIFECTA
- DAILY DOUBLE · SUPERFECTA
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Common Pool Wagering
The procedure typically used in simulcasting whereby the guest track or betting network merges its mutuel pool totals with the host track on whose races it is wagering, for purposes of determining the winning pari-mutuel prices. In this case the tote systems are linked between the host and guest and the payouts are identical. Also: Commingling, Merged Pool Wagering
Commingling – See Common Pool Wagering
Commission – See Takeout
Compressed Signal
Mode of transmitting and receiving satellite signals that allow for less signal degradation, better encryption security, better use of sparse satellite transponder space, and higher resolution of the satellite pictures and images. Also: Digital Compression
Coupled Entries
Two or more horses in a single race under the same ownership or trainer, depending upon state rules, coupled in the wagering as a single betting interest and, in determining the payout, are treated as a single finisher using the finish position of the leading horse in the entry.
Daily Double
Selection of the first-place finisher in each of two specified contests. Also: Double
Decoder
A device used by a guest track to unscramble encrypted audio/visual signals and/or data from the host. Typically, a guest needs a decoder for each host track’s signal being taken. Dedicated Line/Dedicated Lease Line A phone line connecting two designated points to allow electronic data communication. This is not a voice line. Also: Lease Line
Dial-Up Lines
Standard telephone lines that may be used for voice or data transmission via modem. These are typically used as a back-up to dedicated lines. Digital Compression – See Compressed Signal
Double – See Daily Double Double Exacta – See Exacta ‘n’
Downlink
The receiving end, including the equipment used, of satellite transmission. Encryption The scrambling or other manipulation of the audio/visual signal transmitted by a host track to ensure that it is unrecognizable and unusable to anyone except the duly authorized guest
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receiving site(s), which can unscramble the signal using the host’s decoder. Escheats – See Uncashed Pari-Mutuel Tickets
Exacta/Exactor
Selection of the first two finishers, in their exact order, of a single contest. Also: Perfecta
Exacta ‘n’
Selection of the first two finishers, in their exact order, in each of a designated number of contests. Also: Double Exacta, Triple Exacta
Exotic Wagers
Wagers which contain three or more betting interests. The takeout for exotic wagers is typically higher than for straight wagers. Also: Multiple Wagers, Superexotic Wagers
Fail-Key Mode
Method of transmitting a satellite signal in which the high-security encryption, or scrambling mechanism, is deactivated.
Footprint
The geographical range in which a satellite signal can be received.
Full Card Simulcast
A guest track receiving the entire race card of a host track.
Guest Track
The track facility or betting network that receives the live audio/visual signal from a host track conducting live racing. The guest facility’s patrons may wager on these races through several means: common pool, separate pool or net pool. A single facility can be both a host and guest track at the same time. Also: Receiving track
Hi-Lo – See Over/Under
Host Track
The racetrack at which live racing is being conducted. The host can send out its live racing signal to any duly authorized guest track. Note that a single facility can be both a host and guest track at the same time.
Hub
A central processing site for a totalisator company at which the main computer system is installed with one or more remote locations/facilities linked to it by telecommunications equipment.
Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978
The Act of Congress which sets forth federal guidelines for conducting interstate off-track wagering on hors races. It can be found at 15 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
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Inter-state Wagering
Wagering where the host and guest are in different states.
Inter-track Wagering (ITW)
The wagering on one track’s (host) live races at another track (guest).
Inter-Tote System Protocol (ITSP)
ITSP was developed by the tote companies to facilitate the transfer of wagering information between the various tote systems. Some sites may still be using ITSP version 5.14, but the latest version, ITSP 5.18, is most widely implemented and allows for the generation of progressive scans.
In the Clear
Term used for transmissions that are not encrypted and can be received without the aid of specific, authorized decoders.
Intra-state Wagering Wagering where the host and guest are in the same state.
Key Horse/Key
The single betting interest in a wager upon which the outcome of all combinations of the wager is dependent. This is typically used in wheels, partial wheels and multiple race wagers such as the Pick Six.
Lease Line – See Dedicated Line
Liability Report
Accounting summaries prepared after a performance is completed that depict total amounts wagered, commission, breakout, payout dollars, amounts due, etc.
License Fee
Fees paid to rights holders for the use of trademarks, logos, etc.
Lock Time – See Stop Betting Signal
Manual Merge
This procedure is necessitated as part of common pool or net pool wagering when there is a loss of data-line communication between the tote systems of the guest and host track. The host must then acquire wagering pool information from the guest by alternate means (phone and/or fax) and then manually input this information into the total pool so payouts can be properly calculated (See page 2.8).
Merged Pool Wagering – See Common Pool Wagering
Minus Pool
This occurs when the minimum required payouts of a particular wager exceed the amounts in the pari-mutuel pool available for distribution to the winning patrons. Generally, this difference
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is paid by the track or state. Minimum $2 payments are determined by the breakage rate of the host state.
Money Room Adjustments – See Mutuel Settlements
Multiple Wagers
Wagers containing two or more betting interests.
Mutuel Settlements
The net dollar amount the mutuels department money room is over or under at the conclusion of any given day’s operations as a result of commingling the wagering pools with other racetracks. This adjustment is determined primarily by the number of winning wagers and related payouts required to be made at each individual facility participating in the commingled pools. So, Mutuel Settlement = Payout + Breakage – Net Pool. Also: Money Room Settlements
Multiple Race Pool
A wagering pool that encompasses wagers involving the outcome of two or more races.
Mutuel Fields
In the case where there are more starters in a race than can be provided for by the tote equipment (e.g., tote board) a field comprising these overflow starters is created. The field horses are designated by the racing secretary of the host track and, as in the case of coupled entries, are considered as a single betting interest.
Net Pool Pricing
Similar to common pool wagering, this method may be utilized when the host and guest do not wish to or are not able to adopt the same takeout rate. This allows for merged pools but the payouts will not be identical across jurisdictions.
Odd/Even
A wager in which the betting interests are determined solely by whether their official program numbers are odd or even. This would essentially be treated as a win bet.
Off-Track Wagering/Off-Track Betting/OTB
Wagering conducted on live races of a host track at a facility other than a racetrack.
Omni – See Show Quinella
Outs – See Uncashed Pari-Mutuel Ticket
Over/Under
A proposition wager based on the cumulative total of saddlecloth numbers that finish in the first, second or third positions. Also: Hi-Lo
Pari-mutuel Wagering
Type of wagering systems used by racetracks whereby bets placed by participants are formed into a pool in which the participants are wagering with each other, not the racetrack. Money wagered, except for the takeout and breakage, is divided amongst those who chose the winning
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betting interests. Thus, this is a system where the losers pay the winners.
Parlay
A wagering technique whereby the entire payout from a winning wager is reinvested into another wager.
Partial Wheel/Part Wheel
A method of wagering whereby a single betting interest is combined with some, but not all, betting interests in a race (or races if the wager includes multiple races such as the daily double).
Payoff Price/payout Price
The amount paid to the wagers on the winning betting interest(s). These are typically based upon a $1 or $2 wager. Also: Winning Payoffs, Price
Perfecta – See Exacta.
Pick-N
Selection of the first-place finisher in each of a designated number of contests.
Pick-N Progressive Scans
Leg-by-leg report of a Pick-N pool generated to track all dollars, losing as well as winning. Progressive scans provide an increased level of security by maintaining a constant log of the distribution of wagers throughout the Pick-N pool.
Pick Six
Selection of the first-place finisher in each of six specified contests. Also: Super Six, Classix, Sweep Six
Pick Three
Selection of the first-place finisher in each of three specified contests. Also: Win Three, Bet Three, Triple
Piggybacking
The use of one decoder to receive the transmission from more than one racetrack. This can occur only when the tracks being piggybacked are not conducting races at the same time.
Place Wager
Selection of a horse to finish either first or second in a race.
Place Pick ‘n’
Selection of the first or second-place finisher in each of a designated number of contests.
Pool
The total dollars on one specific wager. Also: Wagering Pool, Bet Pool
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Pool Definition Report
An itemized listing of the number of runners, types of wagers, race numbers, etc. used by the tote companies and mutuel departments to ensure that the proper wagering information is both available and useable to the respective computer systems and track patrons as well.
Price – See Payoff Price
Profit Split Pool
One of two means of determining how the winnings in a pari-mutuel pool are divided amongst the winning ticket holders, the other being a single price pool. Under “profit split” rules, there are two or more winning betting interests, each with a different payout price. The pool is divided equally among the winning betting interests and their payout prices are determined by the number of their winning dollars wagered on each. Place and Show pools are typically distributed as profit splits.
Quinella
Selection of the first two finishers, irrespective of order, for a single contest.
Quinella Double
Selection of the first two finishers, irrespective of order, in each of two specified contests.
Rate – See Signal Fee
Satellite Associations/Satellite Facilities [Secondary Recipients]
Racing association(s) that are legally included under the wagering umbrella of another racing association (hub). Also: Secondary Recipients Satellite Coordinates Commonly refers to the specific satellite “address” of a transmitted signal and usually includes the satellite name and number, the transponder number, either vertical or horizontal polarity, a specific downlink frequency and a specific channel.
Separate Pool Wagering
Very similar to a guest facility conducting its own live wagering event. The guest receives the live signal from the host track but wagering is conducted solely at the guest track (and its own betting network if applicable) independent of the host. Show
Selection of a horse to finish either first, second, or third in a race.
Show Quinella
Selection of two of the first three finishers, irrespective of order, for a single contest. Also: Omni
Signal Fee
The percentage of gross handle that is owed the host track by the guest facility for the right to wager on the host’s races.
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Simulcast
The Simultaneous telecast of a live race, or races, for pari-mutuel wagering purposes at a remote location.
Single Price Pool
One of two means of determining how the winnings in a pari-mutuel pool are divided among the winning ticket holders, the other being a profit split pool. Under “single price” rules, all winning dollars are distributed based on the same payout price. Exacta and Trifecta pools, for example, are typically distributed as single price pools.
Stop Betting Signal
The time designated that no further wagering is allowed on a particular event. This time varies between jurisdictions and can be handled by either the guest or host facility. Also: Lock Time
Sweep Six/Super Six – See Pick Six
Superexotic Wagers
Wagers containing four or more betting interests.
Superfecta
Selection of the first four finishers, in their exact order, for a single contest.
Takeout/Take
The percentage held out of every dollar wagered by a racetrack which varies depending on the wager type and racing jurisdiction, used to pay racetracks, state taxes, purse monies, breeders’ fund payments, etc. Also: Commission
Tote Interface Fees
Fees charged to connect the tote computer systems between the host track and guest track when the guest uses a different tote company from the host. The fee is generally billed by the tote company at the host track’s location.
TRA Settlement File
Working with the TRA’s 2020 Committee and RCI’s Tote Standards Committee, the tote companies created a standard settlement flat file, formatted to exchange liability and settlement information between totalisator systems when acting as Host and Guest for the purpose of common pooling. Known as TRA Settlement Files, these files are exchanged through ITSP as the ability to transfer files exists within the protocol. ITSP 5.14 is the minimal protocol required to generate, transmit, and receive TRA Settlement files.
Transponder
A circuit aboard a satellite that acts as a receiver and transmitter of a signal to and from Earth.
Trifecta/Triactor
Selection of the first three finishers, in their exact order, for a single contest. Also: Triple
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Triple
A wagering term used in different jurisdictions to mean either a trifecta or a Pick Three. See NTRA Simulcast Task Force standardized bet names at beginning of glossary.
Tri-Superfecta
Selection of the first three finishers, in their exact order, in the first of two designated contests and the first four finishers, in exact order, in the second of two designated contests.
Triple Exacta – See Exacta ‘n’
Twin Quinella
Selection of the first two finishers, irrespective of order, in each of two designated contests.
Twin Superfecta
Selection of the first four finishers, in their exact order, in each of two designated contests.
Twin Trifecta
Selection of the first three finishers, in their exact order, in each of two designated contests. Uncashed Pari-Mutuel Tickets Winning wagers which have not been collected by patrons. After the conclusion of a race meet
patrons have a designated amount of time to cash in their winning tickets. After that time, the
money reverts back to a designated party or combination of parties — the state, racetracks,
purses, etc. — in accordance with state laws. Also: Escheats, Outs
Uplink
The signal, encompassing the equipment as well, that is transmitted to a satellite from Earth.
Wagering Pool – See Pool
Wheel
A method of wagering whereby a single betting interest is combined with all other betting interests in a race (or races if the wager includes multiple races such as the daily double). Selection of the betting interest which finishes first.
Win
Selection of the betting interest which finishes first.
Win-3 – See Pick Three
Win-4
Selection of the first-place finisher in each of four designated contests.
Also: Pick-4 Winning Payoff – See Payoff Price