The Bottom Line
In contrast to the majority of racing fans who come out to bet a little and enjoy an afternoon out, a small group of hard-core players bet on the horses as their full-time job. Chicago Review staff writer Ted McClelland immerses himself into the tight-knit community of Chicago horseplayers to write this first-hand account of this unique yet very diverse community of societal outcasts. Strongly recommended read for anybody considering taking the plunge into full-time horseplaying.
Pros
- A first-hand look at the life of the typical professional horseplayer
- McClelland not only observes the community but participates in its addiction
- Those considering a horseplaying career get a heads-up on what the job entails
Cons
- Negative tone may discourage potentially successful horseplayers
- Some may feel the book paints the sport in a negative light
Description
- The members of the Chicago horseplayer community come from many different backgrounds.
- Each uses a different selection and betting strategy, and each believes that he has the secret.
- The worst case was a man who used numerology and superstition to pick his horses.
- His method is found to be bogus when he picks the #8 horse to win a 6 horse race.
- About the only successful gambler in the book was Scott McGinniss, who teaches handicapping classes.
- The Hawthorne-based "professor" wears tailored suits while his students wear free givewaway clothes.
- McClelland spends a week with Terry "McChump" Bjork, whose hobby is to travel to bush league tracks.
- This is an excellent look at people who may be ignored or vilified by the mainstream press and fans.
- We must remember that they ultimately fund the sport through the high takeouts on their heavy wagers
- Without them, there would not be a sport for the rest of us to enjoy.
Guide Review - Review - Horseplayers: Life at the Track
Contrary to popular belief, the racetrack is a tough place to make a living. It is estimated than only 2% of horseplayers make a consistent profit. One hears about Andrew Beyer and Steve Davidovitz whose exploits at the betting windows are legendary, but they are the exception and not the rule. However, this does not stop people from taking on the races as a full-time job. Chicago writer Ted McClelland infiltrates his city's community of full-time horseplayers to explore this alternative and much-maligned lifestyle. It is not surprising that many of these people fit the stereotype of the compulsive gambler, consciously eliminating from their lives the very things average people hold dear (such as family, friends, and stable employment) in order to devote 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at this very unforgiving game. McClelland does not simply observe the community, he joins it, taking the opportunity to life the life of a horseplayer himself. He quickly learns what makes this group tick. Some big scores and a winning streak early in his "career" got him hooked, but the eventual losing streaks and heavy losses brought on an insatiable need to win back the losses, which put him further in the hole. He said, "Playing the horses wasn't about the money, at least not for me. It was an intellectual game, like chess. It was about trying to be smarter than the rest of the gambling world."
