Mutuel information...

With the Lone Star Park racing meet starting up next month, I received an e-mail from our Hottalkers pal "AndreBreton" (aka Donald) asking about what life was like when I worked as a mutuel teller out there. I have to say, of the jobs I've had in my life this was one of the funnest. (When people asked me what kind of work I did, Hubby would tell them I was a bookie, haha) I truly enjoyed going to work each day. But still it had its pros and cons.

I worked as a teller there during the spring and fall thoroughbred meets in 2004, which was the year Lone Star hosted the Breeders Cup. In preparation for the BC they hired something like 3-times as many people as they normally did, so they were incredibly overstaffed. The result was that a person would come in to work but after about an hour the management would say the business was too slow that night and start sending people home. It really disappointed me, because I enjoyed the job and didn't want to go home, not to mention how aggrevating it was to drive 45 minutes across town to work one hour and drive back home. Plus, it's only part-time hours.

On the good side, from the track's website it shows they're paying more now than they did that year. But from talking to some buddies still doing the job, they upped the pay but on the flip side are screwing fulltime employees out of benefits.

Tips varied quite a bit. Really, what made the biggest difference was LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. If you were stuck up on the 4th or 5th floor where the suites are at, things were extremely slooooow. Very boring. And when the suites were full of people who'd never been to the track before they didn't know it's polite to tip your mutuel teller. Therefore the tips sucked. However, I enjoyed working where the action was... in the Silks dining room and the 2nd floor where the box seating was at (both locations are for more routine patrons, higher spenders and well-versed in tipping. Not to mention superstitious about tipping too.) I wound up with a regular window in the midst of the action though, on the first floor at the entrance to the paddock. Here we had a huge mix of people, from regular horseplayers to the first-timers. One minute I'd be explaining the difference between an exacta and a quinella to a beginner, and the next person in line would walk up and start spitting numbers out at me to punch in the machine just as fast as my little fingers could tap. (10-key experience helps) Tips varied on the crowd that day... on big race days (Derby day especially) you made a pocketful of cash (literally) but on "Dollar day" when we sold $1 hot dogs and beers the cheap crowd came out and didn't tip at all.

Next, a BIG issue with the job is CASH HANDLING SKILLS. You must be able to count money accurately off the top of your head. If you make a mistake and your cash drawer is short at the end of the night, IT COMES OUT OF YOUR PAYCHECK. True story, my very first night (opening night) I was put in the simulcasting pavillion, one of the busiest areas there... and boy was I thrown to the wolves. A regular bettor there that night knew I was brand new and on purpose cashed a large ticket and then started making new bets and "changing his mind" and had me cancelling tickets. He managed to confuse me enough that I paid him twice on a $320 trifecta. He damn well knew he was taking advantage of me being inexperienced. I didn't figure it out until the end of the night when my drawer didn't add up right. I don't know if he knew that I had to pay for that mistake... I wound up paying $30 out of each paycheck for what seemed like forever. You have to watch out for the cons at the track, they print counterfeit money and hand it out at the track, etc., all kinds of games. They're sharks in the pavillion.

But I really liked working in the grandstand, it was a totally different crowd there. Few sharks, mostly fun people. A lot of the regulars are really nice guys. Even though it was a couple years ago that I worked there, if I go out there now a lot of them remember me and say hello and ask if I'm ever coming back (lol). The beginners are fun, they get so excited over winning a $2 show bet that nets them 10-cents. If a couple drunk women hit a $10 win you can hear them shriek across the room as if they'd just hit the pick-6! They come running to the window, bouncing up and down so happily and tell you their "handicapping method" of picking the horse that "looked so pretty with his hair all braided up", haha, you know the ones. What's really funny is when you explain a way to bet to them, like how to box a 3-horse exacta, and when they win they think you're a BETTING GENIUS. People just become so goofily funny when they feel like a winner, and their happiness is contageous. Then when the regular guys win it makes you happy and you celebrate with them, as if it was your own winning bet. Then they start to call you their "lucky teller" and makes you feel good. It was just so much fun.

From a handicapping angle, I suggest anyone wanting to learn different betting styles should work at least one meet as a teller. All the regular patrons have their own styles that they stick with, and you have a chance to see what works and what doesn't without having to blow your own money. And as you get to know them they'll talk to you about what they like about the horses they picked for that race, what they're looking for at different claiming levels or allowance races, or whathaveyou. It's a good way to build some handicapping knowledge. Plus from handling all the wagers and being "involved" you're able to see the big picture more clearly than just being a patron. I can't tell you how much I learned from that job.

There's all levels of people working as mutuel clerks, all ages, all walks of life. Some I worked with had never been to the track in their life before starting to work there... others like myself had worked on the backside, in fact one I knew was a jockey agent (don't ask me how this didn't classify as "conflict of interest...?" )

Just keep a watchful eye of what's going on around you, and be leary of people running up to your window yelling the numbers to you from across the room... if you get the bet wrong and the gates open before you can cancel the ticket, you'll be paying that ticket yourself (if it's not a winner). You have to think quickly on your feet whether to take a bet from a person or not, and risk pissing them off if you don't punch the bet for them. But the lead (manager) of each line of windows usually is on the side of the teller, he'll have your back in a dispute if he can possibly help you settle a dispute.

So anyway, that should be long-winded enough on the subject for you Andre. It's a good part-time job if you're looking for one, and loads of fun depending on what line of windows you're placed at.

Not to mention, occassional former HOTTALKER members who come visit you... I had several come visit while in town... Jack (aka OlMarv) and his family showed up at my window one day down from Arkansas, Spikefrost comes out sometimes, Soapy comes down sometimes, Jaydee has visited the DFW area (although not while I was working at the track), TexasHawg might swing by especially if his colts are running at LSP, and a couple others who lurked on the website said hello. And once in a very blue moon you'll see a person walk by your window wearing a Hottalkers hat... like Andre... hahaha.

Oh and one last thing... DON'T tell people "good luck" when they have you punch a ticket... the regular guys hate that. Only say that to beginners who still appreciate the wishes of good luck. ;)