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Inside Jimmy V: November 4
Little Known Rule Leaves Bettors
Asking Who Won the Ball Game
All sportsbook employees received hazardous duty pay after being deluged with questions from customers about the rain shortened Phillies-Rays World Series game 5 that was suspended and picked up two days later.
The rule, as written is very clear, but the “splaining”, as Ricky Ricardo would have said, is not that simple. No one really knows when the books started the current version of rain shortened payoffs, and I admit, my memory is vague on the issue.
In my youth back in Pittsburgh, Pa., I remember a local BM explaining it this way: “Kid,” he said, “I need decisions, not carryovers.” And the question still begs the issue: do we try to address it consistently as an industry or keep the status quo?
Remember this is a house rule, and in Nevada it can be changed, tweaked or amended as long as we don't go too far, and Gaming feels it is a fair and balanced policy.
At Lucky's we are not ready to change the rule, but would welcome some discussion on the subject. Ideally, by next baseball season, we would have a better way of resolving the problem.
Remember, there were 15-20 rain-shortened games this year, but the firestorm started only because this happened on baseball's biggest stage. The large number of first time bettors that comes with such an event invariably do not know the rules for this relatively rare occurrence. And they are not going to read them before making their bets.
As we all know, there are three ways to bet bases: side, total and run line. The total and run line are refunded on rain interrupted games, but the side will be declared a winner if it goes the required distance.
Whether we agree or don't, we know why the total and run line bets are refunded. But that means there is an inconsistency to the rule, when two of three bets are refunded, but one decision stands.
Compounding the confusion, we do not count the run scored in the top of the inning for reasons we know, but if the home team ties in the bottom half, then a delay is called and that run is counted.
Very confusing, especially trying to explain to customers who are holding Rays tickets. There is absolutely no inherent advantage to the book in these situations, but it is a nightmare from a P.R. perspective.
I would recommend that we look at having the game go the distance before paying off any bets, but that is just my thinking. Collectively, the industry should discuss what happens when a game is stopped, and what happens with all the prop bets.
Getting me and my boss, Joe Asher, to decide on one thing is next to impossible. So getting the whole industry to concur on an across-the-board change will be quite a task, but hopefully not impossible.
This week there is a definite change in Washington taking place. So maybe we can have a change on an antiquated rule that might have run its course.
Take Care,
Jimmy V
Little Known Rule Leaves Bettors
Asking Who Won the Ball Game
All sportsbook employees received hazardous duty pay after being deluged with questions from customers about the rain shortened Phillies-Rays World Series game 5 that was suspended and picked up two days later.
The rule, as written is very clear, but the “splaining”, as Ricky Ricardo would have said, is not that simple. No one really knows when the books started the current version of rain shortened payoffs, and I admit, my memory is vague on the issue.
In my youth back in Pittsburgh, Pa., I remember a local BM explaining it this way: “Kid,” he said, “I need decisions, not carryovers.” And the question still begs the issue: do we try to address it consistently as an industry or keep the status quo?
Remember this is a house rule, and in Nevada it can be changed, tweaked or amended as long as we don't go too far, and Gaming feels it is a fair and balanced policy.
At Lucky's we are not ready to change the rule, but would welcome some discussion on the subject. Ideally, by next baseball season, we would have a better way of resolving the problem.
Remember, there were 15-20 rain-shortened games this year, but the firestorm started only because this happened on baseball's biggest stage. The large number of first time bettors that comes with such an event invariably do not know the rules for this relatively rare occurrence. And they are not going to read them before making their bets.
As we all know, there are three ways to bet bases: side, total and run line. The total and run line are refunded on rain interrupted games, but the side will be declared a winner if it goes the required distance.
Whether we agree or don't, we know why the total and run line bets are refunded. But that means there is an inconsistency to the rule, when two of three bets are refunded, but one decision stands.
Compounding the confusion, we do not count the run scored in the top of the inning for reasons we know, but if the home team ties in the bottom half, then a delay is called and that run is counted.
Very confusing, especially trying to explain to customers who are holding Rays tickets. There is absolutely no inherent advantage to the book in these situations, but it is a nightmare from a P.R. perspective.
I would recommend that we look at having the game go the distance before paying off any bets, but that is just my thinking. Collectively, the industry should discuss what happens when a game is stopped, and what happens with all the prop bets.
Getting me and my boss, Joe Asher, to decide on one thing is next to impossible. So getting the whole industry to concur on an across-the-board change will be quite a task, but hopefully not impossible.
This week there is a definite change in Washington taking place. So maybe we can have a change on an antiquated rule that might have run its course.
Take Care,
Jimmy V