Tote Pick 6 - Ireland's Best Value Bet

As we reach the end of the year it is almost time for making new resolutions. If you have nothing in mind let me make a suggestion; in 2016, bet to make money not to just have an interest. At the core of gambling both the backer and the layer are expecting to win. If you are placing bets that you only hope will win then betting is nothing more than a very expensive pastime.

There is a general apathy amongst the betting public in Ireland to just accept what is given and to go with the crowd. Customers need to seek out the best value when investing money and the Pick 6 proves itself on a daily basis as the best value bet in Ireland.

With €100,000 guaranteed every day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, there is no better time to get involved with Tote’s Pick 6. With an average pay-out of €11,952 so far in 2015 the Pick 6 is Ireland’s best value bet but people can be put off by its potential complexity. With this in mind here are some simple steps we have put together to get the most from your Pick 6 bet this Christmas:

Step 1: Don’t be intimidated and set your budget

The core concept of the Pick 6 can be intimidating, “Pick the winners of races 1 — 6”. I can see plenty of people thinking that it is difficult enough to pick one winner never mind six. But therein lies the beauty of the Pick 6, it is not about picking winners, it is about eliminating horses you don’t think will win and letting the remainder run for you. You don’t have to find the best horse in the race you just have to find a short-list of them. Once you approach the bet in this way you will find it a lot more manageable.

The Pick 6 is all about giving yourself as many opportunities as possible which means giving yourself as big a budget as possible. You are playing for a share of at least €70,000 (€100,000 guarantee minus deductions) so it is worth making the Pick 6 your main bet of the day.

It is Christmas time so it’s likely that you will be around friends and family so what better way to all enjoy the feast of horse racing than all throwing in a few euros and trying to take home some big money.

Step 2: Prepare well and trust your gut

Hopefully there will be some spare time to go through the cards in some detail. There are many websites that provide some fantastic analysis, this one included, so sit back and pick your way through the card. Remember your starting point is eliminating the horses you think will not win. Don’t be shy if you fancy a horse at a big price, it is these sort of finds that could be the difference between you and the crowd.

The temptation is to always include favourites but to really win big the ability to find a horse that others might have missed is crucial.

Step 3: Match your selections to your budget

This is a crucial section of the process, at this point you will know how much you have to spend and you will have your selections made. What you need to do is determine if you can afford to play all your selections for a €1 stake. If not you have two choices; reduce your number of selections or reduce your unit stake and play for a section of the pool. This is really a personal choice and probably depends on how far off your number of selections is from your budget.

Step 4: Play early

Having put all this time and effort remember that racing starts around 12.00 on all four days of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival. If you are going to the races fill out a Pick 6 slip at any of Tote’s cashier counters or if not you can play online at thetote.com.

Pick 6 betting is also available in Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, Bruce Betting, Bar One Racing, The Track Bookmakers, Tully Bookmakers, Harcourt Bookmakers, Next Bet, Mulholland and Pat Toolan Bookmaker shops.

If you don’t feel like going through the card, there is always Tote's Quick Pick option which makes your selections based on a mix of the forecast morning prices and the most popular combinations. Just choose what you want to spend in total and Tote Quick Pick will give you the most (and hopefully best) selections possible.

Remember that all profits that Tote Ireland make go back into Irish racing helping it continue to be the success it is.

Happy Christmas to you all and here’s wishing you a profitable New Year!

Any questions or comments can be sent to mailto:[email protected]