High Rollers Handicapping Contest
Presented by Horse Tourneys
LAST CHANCE/FIRST OPPORTUNITY HANDICAPPING CONTEST
Presented by Horse Tourneys
2024 $1,000 Buy-In ($500 Bankroll/$500 Prize Pool
Win, Place & Show Wagering
Tampa Bay Downs
Feb. 16-17, 2024
100% of Prize Money Returned to Players
- BANKROLL
The (“Contest”) is a “real money” handicapping contest. A player will be required to deposit $1,000, of which $500 will be the player’s bankroll for wagering during the Contest, with the remaining $500 going to the Prize Pool. At the conclusion of the Contest, any dollar amount remaining in the bankroll — whether it grows to $100,000 or falls to $100 — will remain the property of the player.
- ENTRY INFORMATION
To enter, register at www.tampabaydowns.com and make the required payment of $1,000 on or before 11:00 a.m. on FRIDAY, FEB. 16, 2024. If for some reason a player is unable to make a payment online by the deadline, the player may contact Margo Flynn at mjflynn@tampabaydowns.com or at 813-855-4401, extension 1368 to make a payment.
- WAGERING FORMAT
Only Races at Tampa Bay Downs on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, and Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, will be included in the Contest. The Contest will conclude with the final race on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2023, at Tampa Bay Downs. Wager types permitted are Win, Place and/or Show only. Players must comply with the minimum wagering requirements noted below.
Players can only make Win, Place and/or Show wagers on the races during the Contest – FIVE races on Friday and FIVE races on Saturday, Feb. 16 and Saturday Feb. 17, 2024. Wagering any amount other than $50 per race, betting on more or fewer than 10 races (FIVE RACES each day), or wagering into another pool other than Win, Place and Show with your Player Card during the contest, will result in a disqualification from prizes. . Example: Race 1 $20 to win, $20 to place and $10 to show on #1 ($50.00) or Race 1 $25 to win on #1 and $25 to win on #2 ($50.00).There are no caps on payouts. The player with the highest score (which is calculated by taking player’s total bankroll) at the end of the Contest on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, is the Grand Prize winner.
- CONTEST SCORING
Players begin with $500 which is the equivalent of 500 points. A player’s score will be the equivalent of their bankroll at a rate of 1 point = $1.00 unless disqualified (in which case the Contest Score is zero.)
- ESTIMATED PRIZES
Of the $1,000 buy-in, $500 will be placed in the prize pool with 100% of the prize money paid out as prizes.
The first and second place overall finishers will receive their choice of a seat in either the 2023 or 2024 National Horseplayers Championship plus Tour Points. (Prizes include hotel accommodations). Daily prizes will also be awarded as summarized below.
Day One Prizes Feb. 16, 2024 Day Two Prizes Feb. 17, 2024
First place $500 cash plus one seat to the NHC First place $500 cash plus one seat to the NHC
Second place $250 cash Second place $250 cash
Third place $50 cash Third place $50 cash
The overall prize pool will be based solely on the number of entries – example below.
An overall prize pool based on 100 entries is as follows:
1st place $15,250 or 50%(of the prize pool) plus a seat in either the 2024 or 2025 National Horseplayers Championship
2nd place $6,150 or 20% (of the prize pool) plus a seat in either the 2023 or 2025 National Horseplayers Championship
3rd place $4600 or 15% (of the prize pool)
4th place $3,075 or 10% (of the prize pool)
5th place $1500 or 5 % (of the prize pool)
*Winning seats costs are deducted from the prize pool
REMINDER: PLAYERS CAN ONLY WIN ONE SEAT PER CONTEST PER NTRA RULES, THEREFORE, IF THE PLAYER WINS A SEAT ON THE FIRST DAY THEY WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM WINNING A SEAT THE SECOND DAY OR THE OVERALL PRIZE. TAMPA BAY DOWNS WILL AWARD A HIGH ROLLERS 2024 SEAT FOR ANY PLAYER THAT WOULD MISS THE SECOND SEAT. PLEASE NOTE THE PLAYER WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MONEY PRIZE. TOUR POINTS WILL BE AWARDED BASED UPON THE OVERALL 2 DAY LEADERBOARD.
6. PLAYER CARDS
Each participant will be issued a player card to be used for all Contest wagers. This account-wagering card contains the “real-money” bankroll of $500. Upon receipt, participants should test the card in self-service machines to become familiar with placing wagers and to ensure the card is working properly. If a player loses his/her card or if the card is not working, the player is responsible for immediately reporting the issue to Contest officials so they may resolve the problem. Players must make only Contest wagers on this card. TAMPA BAY DOWNS is not responsible for lost or stolen cards.
7. PLACING WAGERS
All contest wagers may be placed through selected self-service machines throughout TAMPA BAY DOWNS. Wagers will not be accepted through mutuel tellers. There are numerous self-service betting machines located throughout the facility and in the Contest room. Players must place all wagers personally. No person shall directly or indirectly act as an intermediary, transmitter or agent in placing wagers for a player, unless authorized by Contest officials. All official track rulings will apply to wagers placed in the Contest except as otherwise stipulated. The Contest will be based on the running order and mutuel prices at TAMPA BAY DOWNS. If a player wagers on any track other than TAMPA BAY DOWNS for purposes of the Contest, the player will be disqualified.
8. IRS WITHHOLDING
If winnings (less the wager) exceed $5,000 and if the winnings are at least 300 times the total net amount bet through a single account on a single track/day/race/pool; IRS withholding will automatically be deducted from the player’s card. Whereas, for Contest scoring purposes, the gross amount of the winning wager will be recorded in the player’s score. Please note for purposes of wagering in the Contest, only the net amount (the amount received after the IRS withholding) will be available to the player. TAMPA BAY DOWNS is not responsible for a player missing a bet due to winnings being withheld.
9. SCRATCHES
If a horse is scratched after a wager is placed, it is the player’s responsibility to change his/her selection prior to the race, subject to all other Contest wagering rules. In the event a player is not able to change his/her selection due to a late scratch (within 10 minutes to post), which prohibits the player from wagering on the minimum number of races on Saturday, Feb.16, 2024, the player will have the amount not wagered, up to the required minimum per race, deducted from the player’s final Contest score. However, this amount will not be deducted from the player’s personal bankroll. No penalties will be assessed on player wagers involving any horses ruled as non-starters by stewards.
10. TIES
In the result of a tie for a cash-prize placing, the prize money will be divided equally among the players involved.
11. CONTEST STANDINGS
Officials will endeavor to post the standings on TV monitors in the Contest area. Issues related to IRS withholding, late scratches or other matters could delay the posting of the scores. All standings are unofficial until the final results are audited and posted. Players are encouraged to maintain an accurate record of their wagers and scoring.
12. AGE INELIGIBILITY / DISCLOSURE
Players must be at least 21 years of age to participate in the Contest and the NHC. The following are ineligible to participate in this contest: Employees of TAMPA BAY DOWNS, AmTote, or any of their subsidiaries, or members of their immediate families, including spouses, children, siblings and parents of any of the foregoing. If anyone has any training or ownership interest in any horses running in any of the applicable Contest races, then all involvements must be fully disclosed in advance to Contest officials. If a player has a stake in a horse in a race included in the Contest, the player is not allowed to bet in that race.
13. TAXES
Liability for any and all federal, state, and local taxes is solely the responsibility of prize winners.
14. AFFIDAVITS
Affidavits confirming compliance of all the rules of this Contest will be required of all players. All prize winners acknowledge that if they enter this Contest under a fraudulent name and/or Social Security number, they will be immediately disqualified from this and all future Contests held by TAMPA BAY DOWNS. Positive identification is required of all prize winners. Positive identification is a valid government-issued ID with a picture and the same address and birthdate used on the entry forms, and/or such other form of identification as deemed adequate by contest officials. Social Security information is also the responsibility of the player. Contestants may play a maximum of two entries. Collusion of entries between horse players is prohibited, as is any attempt to manipulate the results of the Contest.
15. JUDGING AND DISPUTES
The management of TAMPA BAY DOWNS reserves the right to interpret all questions and conditions in regard to this Contest, without claim for damages or recourse of any kind. The management of TAMPA BAY DOWNS will decide all questions and definitions covered and not covered explicitly in these rules and their decisions shall be final.
Reminder: All contestants at qualifying Contests must have paid a one-time annual NTRA membership fee of $50 in order to be eligible to compete at the National Horseplayers Championship. Contestants may opt not to purchase the $50 annual NTRA membership, but they would then be competing in qualifying Contests for prize money only at the qualifiers, and not for the available berths in the NHC Finals. NHC berths at a given qualifier will only be available to those who are paid NTRA members prior to the start of competition at a qualifying Contest. Please contact the NTRA directly if you have any questions or concerns regarding these stipulations at mravencraft@ntra.com or 859-422-2657.
***If the contestant wishes to play for a 2025 Seat they must be a member of the 2024 Tour.
Tour registration will open on January 6, 2024***
2023 NHC Tour Points will be awarded in this contest regardless if you are playing for a 2024 or 2025 NHC entry BASED ON THE OVERALL LEADERBOARD.