As was the case last year, the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met race meeting at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this Saturday is the first Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) World Pool event of the year and that gives TAB customers a rare opportunity to bet into the world’s biggest tote pools on South African races.
Last year an astounding R650 million was bet with the HKJC tote on eight of the 12 races at the WSB Met meeting and that total is set to be bettered come Saturday because there will be World Pools on nine races.
Flahback to Met day 2022, courtesy of Candiese Lenferna
All TAB pools on the first three races will be hosted locally and the normal betting rules will apply. Hong Kong World Pools will be in operation from Races 4 to 12 and all Win, Place, Exacta, Swinger and Quinella bets placed with TAB on those races will be commingled into the massive World Pools.
There will be no Swinger on Race 4 because there are only six runners, but Exacta (first two correct order) and Quinella (first two any order) bets can be played.
The benefit for TAB customers is that they can bet huge amounts without any concerns that their wagers will significantly reduce payouts. As an example, last year Quinella pools averaged R20.5 million and Swingers R19.4 million.
Hong Kong tote rules will apply in all commingled pools and Hong Kong rules for Place bets are different to the normal TAB Place rules that local horseplayers are accustomed to.
Hong Kong Place rules:
* 4-6 declared runners – payouts FIRST, SECOND
* 7 or more declared runners – payouts FIRST, SECOND, THIRD
All other tote pools on Races 4 to 12 will be hosted by TAB including three carryover pools:
* R1-million TAB Pick 6 carryover; likely pool R10 million
* R1-million TAB Quartet carryover on the Met; likely pool R5 million
* R200,000 BiPot Two carryover; likely pool R1,000,000
Below is a table setting out locally hosted pools and Hong Kong pools.
| RACE | SA HOSTED POOLS | HKJC HOSTED POOLS | ||
| RACE | EXOTICS | DOUBLE/PICK 3 | RACE BETS | RACE BETS |
| RACE 1 | JACKPOT 1 | DB P3 | W PL SW EX TR QT | |
| RACE 2 | BIPOT 1 | DB P3 | W PL SW EX TR QT | |
| RACE 3 | PA | DB P3 | W PL SW EX TR QT | |
| RACE 4 | PICK 6 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL EX QU |
| RACE 5 | JACKPOT 2 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU |
| RACE 6 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU | |
| RACE 7 | BIPOT 2 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU |
| RACE 8 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU | |
| RACE 9 | JACKPOT 3 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU |
| RACE 10 | DB P3 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU | |
| RACE 11 | DB | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU | |
| RACE 12 | TR QT | W PL SW EX QU | ||
