Super Zoo

The methods for betting on horse races are incredibly diverse, with various betting combinations. Suming didn't have the time to study each one, so he just looked at a few of the simpler and more common options.

Win, which means correctly guessing the first-place horse in a particular race;

Place, guessing one of the horses to finish in the top three;

These two types have relatively higher chances of winning, so their odds are accordingly lower. Even when you factor in the individual odds for the horses, the numbers aren't startling, usually only a few to several times the bet. For example, in a race with 12 horses, a win would theoretically pay out 12 times; place would be 4 times.

But each individual horse also has its own odds. With the same win bet, betting on a hot favorite would mean a smaller payoff if successful, while a longshot win would yield higher rewards.

This time, the hottest for win betting was Governor's Scepter. If you bet on it and Governor's Scepter actually took first, you'd likely get around 8.92 times your bet. The longshot 'Lionsgate Dragon,' if it managed to win, could pay out 21 times.

Suming had previously paid special attention to 'Lionsgate Dragon,' hoping for a spectacular upset.

But the result was disappointing. No wonder this horse was a longshot; its form was bizarre, displaying not even a hint of fighting spirit, utterly listless, and slightly rascally - as if embodying the attitude 'a dead pig doesn't fear boiling water.' After all, if I'm already at the bottom, could I possibly finish worse?

Horses are naturally competitive and hate to lose. In the wild, when one horse starts running, the others will follow without hesitation, not to follow, but to overtake. People often use the term "dragon-horse spirit" to describe someone who is tenaciously striving. It's uncertain how that jockey trained this naturally spirited racehorse into a listless hooligan.

In addition to win and place betting, which have low odds and straightforward gameplay, there are also several types with high odds but low chances of winning that involve complex play. These include high school level permutations and combinations.

Quinella, guessing the first and second place horses in a single race; for a race with 12 horses, theoretically, it could pay out 66 times;

T Placepot, guessing the top three regardless of order, could reach an astounding 220 times; Explore hidden tales at empire

Trifecta, accurately guessing the first, second, and third horses in order. Suming, whose math teacher had left the world too soon, fiddled with his phone for a while, and the payout was over a thousand times!

The most terrifying are the Quartet and First Four.

Both the Quartet and First Four involve guessing the first four places, the difference being the former requires exact positions, the latter does not; accordingly, the payouts are roughly ten thousand times and five hundred times…

"No wonder in Xiangjiang movies, every Xiangjiang person gambles on horse racing as if they're crazy. Once they get so-called 'insider information,' they'd even borrow money to bet. Put a thousand on a Quartet, and if it hits, that's ten million!"

For the first time, Suming felt that his own earning capacity was truly too low!

Of course, hitting the right bet is not that simple. Horse betting is quite complex; different betting types, odds fluctuations, the horses' conditions and track records all contribute to a constantly changing 'matrix' of elements. In theory, to make money, one must choose the optimal state of several elements and strike during that most stable moment in the betting matrix. That's why there are many popular horserace guides, teaching people how to bet on horses, and all sorts of self-proclaimed experts and horse-gods becoming famous.

But it's all in vain, just like with the lottery. If these so-called experts and horse gods were really that great, they wouldn't be selling horserace guides for a living.

Suming decided to place a bet of five hundred for Wang Hao on Governor's Scepter for the win, then, thinking it over and based on the information he had just gleaned from the horses, he made his own bets.

"Five hundred on Number Four, Joyful Heart for the win; five hundred on Judge, Joyful Heart, Governor's Scepter for the Trifecta; five hundred on Governor's Scepter, Joyful Heart for the Quinella."

Nangong, who knew nothing about this, chimed in from the side, "I'll also bet on Joyful Heart for the win, five hundred."

Two thousand Hong Kong dollars were handed over in exchange for four thin printed tickets. In the vast majority of cases, this money is as good as thrown away, contributing to the special administrative region's charitable welfare and the development of the Xiangjiang Jockey Club.

After returning to the stands, the tractors down on the racetrack had put the starting gates in place. The jockeys were mounted and ready to go, waiting only for the signal to start the race.

Then there was a bit of an incident; eleven horses obediently followed their riders into the gates, but the least favored longshot, 'Lionsgate Dragon,' resisted by pressing its head against the gate. No matter how much the jockey urged it, it just twisted its hindquarters stubbornly, absolutely refusing to enter.

The crowds on both the upper and lower levels of the racetrack were soon laughing uproariously, and the jockey was extremely embarrassed. He dismounted, gently brushed Lionsgate Dragon's mane with a brush, and murmured something into its ear as if pleading with it.

Nangong was also quite surprised and remarked, "There are horses that don't listen to their owners too?"

"Of course, after all, horses are animals," replied Suming with a shrug. The relationship between a racing horse and its jockey is one of cooperation, not hierarchy.

Not just racing jockeys, but even the animals in a zoo have their own personalities and temperaments. Sometimes when they're in a mood, they might not listen at all. They have to be handled like children, with a mix of coaxing, deceiving, and sometimes, even intimidation.

It's common to see such interesting incidents occur during horse betting. Horses with personality are very popular. For example, even though Lionsgate Dragon has consistently poor results, the organizers still invite it and its jockey to every event.

"I think you treat women the same way: a mix of sweet-talking and deceiving," Nangong said as he unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into his mouth, grumbling as he sucked on it.

"You're too old for lollipops, what if you spoil your teeth and can't appear on TV?!" Suming glared and snatched the lollipop, stuffing it into his own mouth.

Nangong: "..."

After much coaxing for nearly seven or eight minutes, Lionburg Dragon finally twisted its ***** and reluctantly entered the starting gate.

On the racecourse's big screen, twelve horses were lined up behind the gate, ready for action, and suddenly the entire track fell silent.

Under mechanical control, a row of starting gates slowly lifted simultaneously, and all the horses burst out of the gates at almost the exact same moment!

Including Lionburg Dragon, which initially refused to enter the gate, twelve horses galloped away, vying for the lead on their way to the finish line, with the jockeys perched on their steeds, standing in the stirrups, their bodies buoyantly bobbing up and down with the rhythm of the horses.

At the start of the race, the spectators at the side of the track didn't shout aloud; instead, they were surprisingly quiet.

The only sound was the announcer's voice coming from the loudspeakers.

"Now leading is Governor's Scepter, Governor's Scepter is the big favorite of this race... Wow, the Chief Justice is close behind, just half a horse length away..."

The first race was just an 800-meter sprint, and after running less than 300 meters, the leaders had already begun to emerge clearly. Leading the first group were the two biggest favorites, Governor's Scepter and Chief Justice.

And, living up to expectations, Lionburg Dragon was lagging behind at last place...

"What's going on? Wow, Great Joy! After half a turn, Great Joy has caught up. It's now in third place, wow, and Great Joy has just overtaken Chief Justice, but Chief Justice retakes the lead, it's a real dragon and tiger fight, both horses now side by side in second place..."

After half a turn, Great Joy, in good form, suddenly exerted itself, surging from fifth to run neck and neck with the second-place horse!

"Ouch!" Suming suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm as if something had pricked him hard; it turned out Nangong, seeing the long shot he bet on - Great Joy - possibly pulling an upset, was so tense she had dug her nails into his palm.

The 800-meter race was extremely short; from the horses breaking out of the starting gates to nearly finishing, the race announcer only had time to utter a few words.

With only the last fifty meters to the finish line, all eyes were on the three or four horses in the leading group!

The racecourse, which was eerily quiet just moments before, suddenly erupted as the leading horse rounded the last bend, less than fifty meters from the finish line, with a deafening roar of cheers!

Almost all gamblers stood up, rushing to the rails or hopping onto their seats, waving their betting slips in the air, shouting themselves hoarse cheering on the horses they bet on!

"Great Joy, go go go! Great Joy!" Nangong was so excited that sweat dripped down, a damp lock sticking to her forehead.

"Governor's Scepter is in the lead, with Great Joy and Chief Justice going head to head... Oh my God, Yellow River Enterprises is making a move, overtaking the two horses in front, and is now contending for third with Chief Justice..."

As they approached the finish line, the unforeseen happened again! A horse named 'Yellow River Enterprises' that had been plain and unremarkable suddenly powered through, passing several horses ahead of it, and even left this race's heavy favorite 'Chief Justice' behind by a third of a horse's length, charging into the third spot to vie with Great Joy for second!

The entire place was aboil, and even Suming couldn't help but stand and cheer loudly for Great Joy!

This is the allure of horse betting; even the most perspicacious jockeys and horse experts don't know what will happen next!

But as quickly as the moment arrived, Governor's Scepter was already first across the finish line, followed closely by Great Joy and Yellow River Enterprises, who finished neck and neck. Chief Justice was behind by two horse heads in fourth, with the rest of the field following in succession.

Because the rivalry for second and third place was so close, ordinary viewers couldn't tell the difference; the big screen replayed the slow-motion footage, and the announcer's voice chimed in: "Governor's Scepter wins as expected, the contest for second place is so intense, Great Joy causes a surprise by a margin of half a horse's head over Yellow River Enterprises..."

As the dust settled, the punters had mixed expressions; those who won danced and embraced, celebrating, while those who lost tossed their tickets to the ground, some spat in anger, cursing at something.

Just then, a wave of laughter spread from the edge of the field.

Everyone's attention had been fixed on the first group, and nobody noticed what was happening behind.

Lionburg Dragon hadn't even run 500 meters before it was left behind by twenty or thirty meters by the other horses, and hardly anyone paid attention to it. Lionburg Dragon's jockey seemed to have been thrown off it; it wasn't until long after all the horses had passed the finish line that he, limping, led Lionburg Dragon across the line.

Amid the laughter, there was still scattered applause from the sidelines, praising the jockey's professionalism. Regardless, he had persisted and 'completed' the race.

Lionburg Dragon had probably never received so much attention and seemed quite proud, tossing its mane.