BRITISH TURF. 617 



We now come to speak of that species of gam- 

 bling called "Betting," which in no country in 

 the world is carried on to the extent it is in this, 

 whether upon horse-racing, prize-fighting or cock- 

 ing, the two last now happily exploded, which 

 indeed may be said to be peculiarly British amuse- 

 ments. 



"Making a book," or " betting round," is the 

 plan pursued by what are called the " knowing 

 ones" of the " betting ring," who are early in the 

 field, and generally possess the best information 

 from head quarters, of every circumstance relating 

 to the favorites in betting races. 



This method of betting has been thus described 

 by the best sporting authorities.* The really 

 knowing man is one who " bets round," in other 

 words, " makes a book" on the race. His system 

 is to lay out a definite sum against all the horses 

 in the betting, and the more the better. Should 

 he be lucky to "get round," and at an average of 

 20 to 1 against 25 horses, he must win, and this 

 is very frequently the case. To make it clear that 

 the favorite is a bad horse for the knowing ones, 

 we will suppose that a race is about to be run — 



* For the benefit of the reader who may wish to make himself tho- 

 roughly conversant with this subject, we give the following list of the 

 best authorities he can consult ; — viz : " The Quarterly Review, No. 

 XCVIII" which contains an article on the "Turf" by Nimrod ; to 

 many articles in both the Old and New Sporting Magazines, but 

 particularly to Numbers XIII. XVII. and XXXV. of the latter; 

 "Card's Guide to the Turf"; "the Turf Expositor"; "Hoyles' 

 Pocket Guide to the Turf." 



"The Turf Ready Reckoner" also by Mr. Green, the author of 

 "The Backgammon Teacher", and an "Essay on Chances", is parti- 

 cularly adapted for the use of the " betting man", as it contains tables 

 of odds on horse-racing, consisting of many thousand calculations 

 of the odds between one horse, or several and others — between se- 

 veral and the field — also about being first and second with two 

 horses — and other chances. 



