THE US Masters Tipster Competition 2014

[Karabiner]

Could you please clarify the place odds Vince, I apologise if I've missed it.

Is it 1/3 odds 1-2, 1/5 odds 1-2-3, and 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4/5?

No problem.
Place odds are 1/4 in all cases.

I hate to come across as being critical as I am one of your greatest fans but please excuse me for suggesting that those are simply not realistic, or even slightly reflective of the bookies' place odds.

Would it not be fairer since we are using skybet's prices to also use skybet's place odds for these "races" re. the number of runners in each.

I appreciate your comments, as always. I'm pleased to receive constructive feedback such as this.
The same rules have been applied for previous years and I suspect that it was after some debate since, as you say, it does not reflect the actual bookies' payment structure.

I'm loath to change the rules for the competition at this late stage when people have already submitted their selections.

Of course, I'll bear your suggestion in mind for any further running of this event.
Does anyone else have an opinion? It seems sensible to me.

Since you never mentioned the place terms until I enquired about them I would doubt that anyone else had any clue about them, and that they would be more surprised that they are not in line with "normal" bookies' prices than your unusual ones, if you will indulge me.

I believe that we had a similar conversation last year and you might have said that you would "look into" the matter, but that was during the event when the place prices came as rather a shock to me, rather than now which seems to me to be in good time to make an adjustment.

 

Not sure how it effects the ew if it's the same for everyone (which it is) however I have no problem if they are changed. Either is ok with me.

Why should the place odds for golf be different to horse racing?

But more pertinently why should the place odds for our blonde Masters golf competition be different from the bookies' place prices when they aren't for our Cheltenham and Royal Ascot competitions?

[Nico29]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

[MereNovice]

Could you please clarify the place odds Vince, I apologise if I've missed it.

Is it 1/3 odds 1-2, 1/5 odds 1-2-3, and 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4/5?

No problem.
Place odds are 1/4 in all cases.

I hate to come across as being critical as I am one of your greatest fans but please excuse me for suggesting that those are simply not realistic, or even slightly reflective of the bookies' place odds.

Would it not be fairer since we are using skybet's prices to also use skybet's place odds for these "races" re. the number of runners in each.

I appreciate your comments, as always. I'm pleased to receive constructive feedback such as this.
The same rules have been applied for previous years and I suspect that it was after some debate since, as you say, it does not reflect the actual bookies' payment structure.

I'm loath to change the rules for the competition at this late stage when people have already submitted their selections.

Of course, I'll bear your suggestion in mind for any further running of this event.
Does anyone else have an opinion? It seems sensible to me.

Since you never mentioned the place terms until I enquired about them I would doubt that anyone else had any clue about them, and that they would be more surprised that they are not in line with "normal" bookies' prices than your unusual ones, if you will indulge me.

I believe that we had a similar conversation last year and you might have said that you would "look into" the matter, but that was during the event when the place prices came as rather a shock to me, rather than now which seems to me to be in good time to make an adjustment.

 

Not sure how it effects the ew if it's the same for everyone (which it is) however I have no problem if they are changed. Either is ok with me.

Why should the place odds for golf be different to horse racing?

But more pertinently why should the place odds for our blonde Masters golf competition be different from the bookies' place prices when they aren't for our Cheltenham and Royal Ascot competitions?

Addressing the highlighted points in order:

The terms are stated in the opening post along with all other applicable rules. It states:
"4. The place component of an each-way bet will be decided using 1/4 the odds for a win. The number of places paid in each market will be determined by me when I post the lists on Tuesday and know how many runners there are in each market."

I checked last year's thread and there was no discussion of this matter.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=60795.0

The same rule is applied for the Cheltenham and Royal Ascot competitions.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=63364.0

[Karabiner]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

Obviously I know almost nothing about managing spread-sheets so if it's a matter of complicating the admin. side of things I retract all of my arguments, as the last thing I want to do is make things more difficult for Vince.

I simply assumed in my non tech-savvy world that if it could be done for horses then golf would be equally straightforward for a spread-sheet wizard.

[Karabiner]

Okay I give in.

Well at least I once managed to get you to to abolish the "non-runner you lose" rule.

 

[MereNovice]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

Obviously I know almost nothing about managing spread-sheets so if it's a matter of complicating the admin. side of things I retract all of my arguments, as the last thing I want to do is make things more difficult for Vince.

I simply assumed in my non tech-savvy world that if it could be done for horses then golf would be equally straightforward for a spread-sheet wizard.

As you suggest, it would be trivial to apply different place terms for different markets.
However, as stated above, 1/4 odds are also used for the horse tipster competitions.
I believe that this was  decision made (on the recommendation of others) when the rules for the very first tipster competition that I organised on Blonde were drawn up and has been in place for every competition since. I suspect that it was to keep things simple for the entrants rather than for myself.

[MereNovice]

Okay I give in.

Well at least I once managed to get you to to abolish the "non-runner you lose" rule.

 

Feedback is always good.

I believe that someone has suggested that we should re-instate the "non-runner you lose" rule. Perhaps we should debate that more fully.

[Karabiner]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

Obviously I know almost nothing about managing spread-sheets so if it's a matter of complicating the admin. side of things I retract all of my arguments, as the last thing I want to do is make things more difficult for Vince.

I simply assumed in my non tech-savvy world that if it could be done for horses then golf would be equally straightforward for a spread-sheet wizard.

I suspect that it was to keep things simple for the entrants rather than for myself.

I have a very long memory(most of the time). 

[MereNovice]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

Obviously I know almost nothing about managing spread-sheets so if it's a matter of complicating the admin. side of things I retract all of my arguments, as the last thing I want to do is make things more difficult for Vince.

I simply assumed in my non tech-savvy world that if it could be done for horses then golf would be equally straightforward for a spread-sheet wizard.

I suspect that it was to keep things simple for the entrants rather than for myself.

I have a very long memory(most of the time). 

For those without such a good memory, it seems that we have Simon Galloway to thank for this rule.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56945.msg1523047#msg1523047

Here is the only later discussion (in my maidenl tipster competiion)  that I can find on the topic prior to today.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=57000.msg1526661#msg1526661

It seems that no objection was lodged.

[horseplayer]

Money and selections sent

Good luck all

[tikay]

Don't forget, entries close at 5am TOMORROW morning, so effectively, you need to enter, & send your payment & selections, by close of play this evening.

I've puffed the Comp up on The Rail this morning, so we might yet get a few late entries.

[edgascoigne]

In and paid.

Cheers Vince.

[claypole]

Selections sent will Ship now

[tikay]

Winning Selections SENT.

I'll let you know my Bank Account details later, so you know where to send the winnings.

[Doobs]

Half of the 8 markets are 1/4 odds.

3 markets are 1/3 odds with the bookies+one other with mainly only 1/5 available.

Surely just keeping it the same for each market saves mere a lot of admin and also I really don't see the big deal as it's the same for everyone.

Obviously I know almost nothing about managing spread-sheets so if it's a matter of complicating the admin. side of things I retract all of my arguments, as the last thing I want to do is make things more difficult for Vince.

I simply assumed in my non tech-savvy world that if it could be done for horses then golf would be equally straightforward for a spread-sheet wizard.

I suspect that it was to keep things simple for the entrants rather than for myself.

I have a very long memory(most of the time). 

For those without such a good memory, it seems that we have Simon Galloway to thank for this rule.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56945.msg1523047#msg1523047

Here is the only later discussion (in my maidenl tipster competiion)  that I can find on the topic prior to today.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=57000.msg1526661#msg1526661

It seems that no objection was lodged.

Is that the previous winner, Simon Galloway?  Suggest ropey rule, clean up, nobody will notice.  You would have got away with it if it wasn't for those meddling pensioners.

FWIW rule is ok by me.