Sec. 09.10.02.45. Sale of Pari-Mutuel Tickets

A. Sale of Tickets.

(1) Only one method of selling pari-mutuel tickets shall be used for the sale of tickets on individual races during any racing day.

(2) A pari-mutuel ticket may not be sold except through regular ticket windows properly designated by signs showing the type of tickets sold at that particular window.

(3) A pari-mutuel ticket may not be sold on any race unless the race is on that day's card of the association, except with the approval of the Commission or the Commission's representative.

(4) A pari-mutuel ticket may not be sold on an event for which the totalisator has been closed for betting on the event.

(5) An association is not responsible for a ticket sale started, but not completed, before the totalisator has been closed for betting on the event.

(6) Claims pertaining to a mistake on an issued or unissued ticket shall be made by the bettor before leaving the teller's window.

(7) An association has no obligation to enter a bet into a betting pool if unable to do so as a result of equipment failure.

B. Bookmaking or wagering other than pari-mutuel wagering is prohibited.

C. A person younger than 18 years old may not purchase or cash pari-mutuel tickets.

D. All wagering shall stop as soon as the word "go" is given either by record or by the voice of the starter. Vending machines shall be electrically locked by the presiding judge or an associate judge from the judge's stand.

E. When the vending machines have been closed they shall remain closed until the race is declared "official", unless otherwise opened on approval of the Commission's representative.

F. Pari-mutuel tickets shall be sold in denominations approved by the Commission.

G. The method of selling pari-mutuel tickets shall be approved by the Commission's representative.

H. The manager of the pari-mutuel department shall be properly and timely advised by the presiding judge, before the beginning of wagering on each race, of the number of horses that will compete in the race and any driver changes from those listed in the official program.

I. The least number of horses in separate interests that can take part in a race in which payment out of the several pools may be made is:

(1) Five for win, place, and show;

(2) Four for win and place;

(3) Three for win; and

(4) In exceptional instances, with the consent of the Maryland Racing Commission, win pools which may be sold with only two horses engaged.

J. The consent of the Maryland Racing Commission shall be obtained to call off betting in the various pools as follows:

(1) Show, if five or more separate interests are engaged in a race;

(2) Place, if four or more separate interests are engaged in a race; and

(3) Win, if three or more separate interests are engaged in a race.

K. On all tracks when the horse units provided for wagering on the totalisator board are less than the horses competing in the race, all horses in excess of the maximum number of units provided for wagering, less one, shall be grouped together in the betting to constitute the "field", a wager on any one of the "field" being a wager on all horses so grouped.

L. The association, with the consent of the Commission's representative, may prohibit wagering on any particular horse or entry in any race. Consent shall be sought by the association from the representative of the Maryland Racing Commission after the entries are closed on the day previous to that during which the race or races in which exclusions are desired. The exclusions shall be clearly indicated on the program, and any excluded horse or horses may not be numbered so as to imply that they are coupled in the "field." Horses once excluded from the wagering shall remain excluded from the wagering in any race during the day on which they are scheduled to start.

M. When two or more horses that are owned in whole, or in part, or are trained by the same trainer, or trained in the same stable, or by the same management, start in a race, they shall be coupled as an "entry," and a wager on one shall be a wager on all of them. However, when a trainer enters two or more horses in a stake race, early closing, futurity, free-for-all, elimination, or other special event, under bona fide separate ownerships, the horses may, at the request of the association and with the approval of the Commission's representative, be permitted to race as separate betting entries. If a race is split into two or more divisions, horses in an "entry" shall be seeded in separate divisions insofar as possible, but the division in which they compete and their post positions shall be drawn by lot.

N. A refund of the cost value shall be made on tickets bearing the number of a horse scratched or withdrawn before the horse becomes a starter in a race.

O. If the judges or the veterinarian excuse a horse and order it scratched before it is in the hands of the starter, and this action reduces the number of horses in separate interests actually engaged in the race below the number required for win, place, or show wagering, refunds shall be made of the win, place, or show tickets on the horses.

P. If a horse is prevented from running due to a failure of the starting gate, a refund of all tickets shall be made.

Q. The "take" (commission) and the "breakage" shall be in accordance with the law existing at the time of the race meeting.

R. In establishing the pay-off in each pool for every race, the calculations shall be made on the dollar, and any balance that may result in the division on which the result is determined need not be paid in pennies, but in every instance the breakage allowance shall be less than 10 cents, the dollar being the unit.

S. "Minus pools" shall be charged against the breakage, in accordance with the law existing at the time of the race meeting.

T. Payments due on all wagers shall be made in conformity with well established practices of the pari-mutuel system. The practice is to work in dollars and not in the number of tickets. Money wagered on winning tickets is returned in full plus the profits. Notwithstanding any other rule of the pari-mutuel rules for wagering, in all cases, each association shall distribute not less than $2.10 on each $2 wager, or in accordance with the law existing at the time of the race meeting.

U. Excused or Scratched Horse.

(1) The judges may excuse a horse and order it scratched from a race at any time before the horses are dispatched by the starter. Tickets purchased on scratched horses shall be redeemed at their face value unless the excused or scratched horse is part of an "entry" or "field".

(2) When a horse that is part of an entry or field is scratched after betting on the race has begun, all wagers on the entry or field remain in effect as long as a horse from the entry or field remains in the race. If the entire entry or field is scratched, the tickets purchased on the entry or field shall be redeemed at their face value.

(3) At a track equipped with a totalisator system with the capability to cancel and refund tickets before the running of a race, the time that betting has begun on a horse in an entry or the field is considered to be the time that win odds are first displayed on the track's infield tote board on the race in which the horse is to compete, or when the probable payoff prices are posted on the first race of a multiple race pool of which the horse's race forms a part. If a horse is scratched before betting has begun, and if tickets have been sold upon an affected entry or field before the time when betting has begun, the tickets may not be refunded unless the holders of the tickets present them for cancellation before betting on the race has begun, or the first race of a multiple pool. Tickets not presented for cancellation by this time are considered as wagers upon the remaining horses in the entry or field.

V. The result of every race is determined, insofar as the Mutuel Department pay-off is affected, when it is posted as "Official", and an immediate distribution of the respective pools is required. A subsequent change in the order of finish, and a run-off of a dead heat may not involve the Mutuel Department.

W. Except when a dead heat occurs, or when a field horse or horses or entries are involved in the result of a race, or when no ticket has been sold on a horse finishing first, second, or third, the distribution of pools shall be as follows:

(1) The distributable portion (gross pool less allowable commission) of the straight pool shall be paid to holders of tickets on the horse that finishes first.

(2) The distributable portion of the place pool (gross pool less allowable commission and money wagered on first and second horses) shall be divided equally between the winning horse and the horse finishing second, payments being made to holders of place tickets on the horses.

(3) The distributable portion of the show pool (gross pool less allowable commission and money wagered on first, second, and third horses) shall be divided into three equal parts and shall be apportioned one part to the winner, one part to the second horse, and one part to the third horse.

(4) All payments to holders of tickets entitled to share in the distribution of the respective pools shall be in the proportion of their investment on the horse or horses sharing in the distribution from these pools, reference to payments out of these pools meaning the distributable portion thereof, but refunds, when made, include all the money in the pool or pools to which they apply.

X. Exceptions in Pool Distribution.

(1) If two horses run a dead heat for first place, the money in the straight pool is divided the same as in a place pool calculation.

(2) If two horses run a dead heat for second place, the division is made as follows: The winner of the race receives his full share, namely one-half of the distributable money, and the two horses in the dead heat divide the remaining half between them, namely one-fourth of the distributable money.

(3) If two horses run a dead heat for third place, the division is made as follows:

(a) The winner and the second place horse receive a full share, namely 1/3 of the distributable money in the show pool to the wagers on each of these positions; and

(b) The two horses in the dead heat divide the remaining third between them, namely 1/6 of the distributable money is apportioned to the wagers on each of them.

(4) If two of the horses coupled in the "field" or an "entry" finish first and second, first and third, or second and third, the distributable money in the show pool is divided into three parts, two parts going to the "field" or "entry" horses and the other part going to the other horse.

(5) If three "field" or "entry" horses finish first, second, and third, all pools shall be calculated as straight pools.

Y. Apportionment of Pool.

(1) If a horse wins a race and there are no straight tickets sold on him, the straight pool shall be apportioned to holders of straight tickets on the horse placed second.

(2) If a horse runs second and there are no place tickets sold on him, the place pool shall be distributed the same as a straight pool to holders of place tickets on the winner.

(3) If a horse runs third and there are no show tickets sold on him, the show pool shall be calculated as a place pool and distributed to holders of show tickets on the first and second horses.

(4) If only one horse finishes in a race, all money wagered place and show shall be distributed in the same manner as a straight pool.

(5) If no horse finishes, all money shall be refunded.

Z. Miscellaneous.

(1) Selling windows may not close until the horses are "off" for the race.

(2) While betting is in progress, there shall be frequent postings of the approximate odds on the horses taking part in the race, entries and field horses being listed on the odds board as one horse each, when either or both are running in the race.

(3) Suitable apparatus shall be provided whereby notice is given to the mutuel department:

(a) First, that the horses for the race are parading;

(b) Second, that the horses are in the hands of the starter; and

(c) Third, that the horses are "off".

(4) Totalisator adjustments shall be summarized at the close of each meeting and if the net result is a credit to the company operating the totalisator, then the Commission auditor shall be given a check from the company for the amount of the net credit, made payable to the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Fund, Inc.

(5) If any emergency develops requiring an immediate solution in connection with the operation of the mutuel department, the authority to act is hereby conferred on the mutuel manager, who shall promptly report the emergency to the Commission's representative and the means employed by him in meeting it.

(6) If an error is made in posting the pay-off prices on the public board, it shall be corrected promptly and only the correct amount shall be used for the pay-off, irrespective of the error on the public board, but no change shall be made in the pay-off after the cashing of tickets has commenced. If an error is discovered before the pay-off has started, the correct pay-off shall be posted and a statement shall be made over the public address system stating the facts and the corrections. In order to determine "at what time" the cashing of tickets has commenced, the following rules govern:

(a) At racing associations where a mechanized device is employed to inform the cashiers the amount of pay-off "when the key or other device is set to indicate race and prices are official and it is proper to pay off".

(b) At racing associations where messengers are employed or telephone messages are used to deliver official pay-offs to the cashiers, "60 seconds after the pay-offs have been posted on the Public Board".

(c) If, under the conditions set forth above, it is too late to correct the error, then the following rules shall apply: If the error results in an overpayment to the public, no subsequent correction is made. If the error results in an underpayment, the amount of the underpayment, after it has been determined, is added to the same pool of the next succeeding race. However, should an underpayment occur in the last race of any scheduled race meeting, the amount of the underpayment shall be paid over to the Commission for the account of the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Fund, Inc.