Tote Standard Designed to Avert Past-Posting of Wagers

• Print

The 2020 Committee of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations unanimously decided Dec. 10 to establish a model rule for totalisator systems in the event tote communications are interrupted. The decision stems from incidents in which past-posting has occurred after system failure.

All tote systems are designed to close wagering at zero minutes to post time on an active race if there is no transmission link with the host track. However, the TRA said there wasn't a configuration for subsequent races during transmission failure, which means wagering might continue after the start of a race.

In order to avert past-posting, the 2020 Committee, which has spent much of time on tote issues in the wake of the Breeders' Cup Ultra Pick 6 fraud of 2003, said all betting on the host's program must be suspended automatically by the tote provider until the transmission link has been re-established.

Tote providers have been asked to develop and implement software to accommodate the rule as quickly as possible.

• Print