NYRA- Grand Slam wager

[tenfurlongs]

Just wondering if anyone plays this regularly, and what your thoughts are about it? $1 minimum bet, 24% takeout (same as pick-4.) 

If you aren't familiar: Grand Slam – Pick a horse to finish in the top three in three straight races, capped by the winner of the fourth race in the sequence. 


I've been having pretty good success with it since the latter part of the Saratoga meet. Here are some recent payouts (*denotes favorite):

BEL 9/17- $15.70  (4/5*, 5-2, 23-1) (4-1, 3-1, 34-1) (8-1, 2-5*, 22-1) (Final leg $3.10*)

BEL 9/16- $11.20  (11-1, 4-5*, 5-1) (2-5*, 6-1, 4-1) (2-1*, 9-2, 7-2) (Final leg $11.80)

BEL 9/15- $5.60  (7-2, 8-5*, 7-1) (8-1, 5-1, 8-5*) (Even*, 5-1, 12-1) (Final leg $3.50*)

SAR 9/5- $24.90  (10-1, 2-1*, 5-1) (3-5*, 5/1, 5/1) (5-2*, 4-1, 10-1) (Final leg $15.80)

SAR 9/4- $21.30  (8-5, Even*, 22-1) (8-5*, 6-1, 5-2) (2-1*, 9-2, 5-2) (Final leg $14.80)

SAR 9/3- $6.40  (4-1, 2-1*, 7-2) (5-1, 1-5*, 33-1) (8-5*, 5-2, 5-1) (Final leg $8.10)

SAR 9/2- $80.00 !!   (3-2*, 11-1, 36-1) (3-1, 3-1*, 9-1) (4-1, 6-1, 14-1 top three choices out of the money) (Final leg $10.80) 


In theory, you could hit this wager 27X (3 x 3 x 3), but each ticket would cost $27 if you played 3 in each leg and one in the last. I've been playing 2x2x2, and either one or two in the final leg ($8//$16.) 

Is it a time-waster, or a way to leverage the win price of the horse you like in the finale?




TW

[eye123]

I like the wager if in the first three show legs I can go 1x1x1 or 1x1x2...AND I like a price in the final leg to win. Just amplifies what would be a win wager in the final.

[jolyb]

I'll play the grand slam if I like a horse in the final leg enough to treat it as a single.  After that, I try to structure the wager to try to hit it multiple times; if you have two successful picks in the first leg and two more in the second leg,  followed by one in the third leg (not an impossible result), you can then multiply the payoff by four.  That can greatly magnify what the win payoff of the final leg single would be.

I wouldn't call it a regular play because of the limitations I have placed upon its use; but it is a useful wager to keep in mind if the circumstances merit.

[soundsofsaratoga]

I play this wager every time I’m betting the NYRA circuit. My ticket is 1x1x1x2 in the pay leg always use a price and a logical and I play 10 or 20 dollar ones. Saratoga meet I hit 10 of them and the lowest payment I got back was 200 dollars for my ticket.

[shoes]

I always wondered what this bet was. I will give it a try.