Ask A Stupid Question...

Degag

Why don't bookies call 100/30, 10/3???

Told ye it was a stupid question:D

Mr Benevolent

I'd guess because it looks 'better' to the punter's eye.

myflipflops

The 6/4 instead of 3/2 thing really puzzles me. Punters are strange beings.

Trampas

pwhite587 wrote: »

The 6/4 instead of 3/2 thing really puzzles me. Punters are strange beings.

I say it makes people bet in multiples of 4 instead of 2 i.e. bet 40 to win 60 instead of 20 to win 30

Collie D

Trampas wrote: »

I say it makes people bet in multiples of 4 instead of 2 i.e. bet 40 to win 60 instead of 20 to win 30

That's what I always thought as well. Might make sense for the 6/4 ie stick on forty instead of twenty but in the case of 100/30 versus 10/3 I can't imagine somebody who was just gonna stick on three quid thinking "Sure, may as well make it thirty"

Paddy Irishman

Prices like 100/30, 6/4, 11/8, 15/8 are related back to English currency in use before decimalisation in 1971; Pounds, Half Crowns, Shillings etc. 8 half crowns = £1, 10 shillings = 1/2 Pound, 20 shillings = £1

So back then £1 win
at 6/4 returned £1 and 4 Half Crowns
at 11/8 returned £1 and 3 Half Crowns
at 15/8 returned £1 and 7 Half Crowns

100/30 was 100 shillings to 30 shillings which was the same as £5/ £1 and 10 shillings. I suppose this was the best way to enter bets back then and it's something that's just stuck around since then.

There were other prices like 100/6, 100/7 and 100/8 which are no longer used. They were rounded down to 16/1, 14/1 and 12/1 which are common today. That's why John McCririck when returning the SP of a 14/1 winner will often say "the winner at 100/7"....

Hope that clears up the confusion

dsmythy

And now we know!

Posy

Degag wrote: »

Why don't bookies call 100/30, 10/3???

It also prevents:
"What price is that horse...?"
"It's 10/3"
"No, it's only half two HAHAHAHAHA."
(I've actually heard people saying that. Saddos.)