The Beauty Of Low Buy-In Single Track Contests

There are many types of contests to choose from on TwinSpires and sometimes it can be a challenge to get the most value out of the contests you are playing in. Factors including the series of races, potential track conditions, and even your personal commitment of time can steer you in one direction or another. To help with possible game selection dilemmas I am going to highlight a great contest that can be lucrative and great assistance to novice and expert players alike. The low buy-in single track contests are one of the hidden gems in the contest arena and should probably receive more attention. Confucius once said, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." There are no better words to express how I feel about these particular contests.

The low buy-in single track contests are precisely what they seem to be. A contest at a specific track over a series of races with an entry fee that is smaller than most. The entry fee in conjunction with the overall prize distribution is usually the main attraction for contests such as this. Most of these types of contests run on TwinSpires have a $25 entry fee with a prize pool somewhere between $500 up to $1,000. In the example of the $1,000 prize pool, the 1st place player would receive $400 and the subsequent places pay all the way down to 8th for a $50 score. Typically these contests are limited 50 players or less and, without boring you with the math, are pretty decent as far as odds of actually winning and return on investment if you manage to place in the contest. In addition, these contests stretch your hard earned $25 investment across an entire day of action at a particular track.

The variety and level of competition in the low buy-in single track contests make them challenging as well as a useful tool to improve your contest play. You will see newer players in these contests who feel they have a decent chance to win and capitalize on opinions at a track they are familiar with in a more controlled environment. Novice players can also use the experience gained in these contests and build upon it to bring their play to the next level. These contests, other than free-roll contests, remain to be the best way to gain solid contest experience without risking a great amount of money doing so. You will also see more experienced players as well in these particular contests. Most are looking for a decent return on their initial $25 investment because their mere presence in the contest is for the sole purpose of winning. Not to downplay the novice players' attempts to win the contest, but the more experienced play the role of the "shark" going after the win because they smell "blood in the water" with the novice players playing. It also provides the more experienced players an opportunity to keep their skills sharp. Being in contest situations and making decisions during contests sometimes takes some practice and is a skill that needs to be maintained. Usually, successes and failures over the course of contest play shape how a contest player may make decisions and learn from costly errors in a more controlled environment. With the field size of 50 or less players, it can take on the perspective of the top third of a bigger, more lucrative contest and the expert players can gain a little experience as well with situational and end game decisions.

The low buy-in single track contests are available everyday on TwinSpires. In addition, you are not bound to a particular breed to enter these contests. They are offered for thoroughbred racing, harness racing, and even greyhound racing. One of the great things about TwinSpires is the full range and variety of contests offered every single racing day so you should take advantage whenever possible. If you are just starting out or the grizzled veteran player, there is a contest like this out there for you. Who knows, you may end up seeing me in theses games from time to time. Beautiful, isn't it ?