The totalisator (also spelled with a letter “z”) or the tote board is a common feature among race horse betting offices these days. Although these two terms are often used interchangably, there is a difference between the two. Basically, a tote board is a large alphanumeric display often positioned in front of the grandstand area that showcases information about the current or upcoming races in an event. Part and parcel of the tote board’s displayed data are the current odds and pay-offs for each runner or racing horse.

A totalisator however, is more than just a display screen that aids the players with their wagers. It is the generic name of a computerized system which runs pari-mutuel (paramutuel) betting, calculating payoff odds, displaying the current odds against each runner and producing or pays tickets based on incoming bets.

The very first totalisator was a mechanical system invented by a certain George Julius of Julius Pool & Gibson Pty Ltd, and was utilized for the first time at a horse racing event in New Zealand in 1913. The United States installed its first totalisator almost twenty years later at the Arlington Park race course in Chicago. By 1966, with the introduction of new technology, the mechanical system had given way to a new and faster batch of electronic totalisators. Today, most systems are superseded by general purpose computers which run specialized wagering software. Some highly specialized software even carry off-track and on-track betting system that follow and display race results and winning tickets. Some of them may even broadcast race simulcasting, as with some cases for online betting stations.

Pari-mutuel, on the other hand, comes from a French term which means “group betting.” This is a reference to the fact that this type of wagering system needs the cooperation of a group of players in order to gain higher benefits for each race. Pari-mutuel betting is, in reality, a form of betting whose accumulated wagers are pooled together before a race or an event and is distributed among the players who managed to place money on a winning runner. The sheer number of wagers placed on a runner helps: one, increase the purse money at stake; and two, increase or decrease its betting odds.

Given accurate information of their prospective winning, and the odds given to each runner, seasoned players would know when to make wagers that would earn them a tidy profit. In today’s fast paced betting systems, information is a vital tool at the race tracks. Computerized systems that are available over the Internet has helped increase the number of players for each race. This means, that stakes are also pushed higher, affording potential winners faster and more accurate data with bigger purse money. This type of wagering system is also an advantage of the house by ensuring that for each bet, a certain percentage is already dedicated to their betting office’s funds.

Jimmy Mayon (MBA, BSEE) is a technologist with an enthusiasm for Horse Racing. During the last 25 years he has been managing banking and online transaction processing technologies for private and public sectors. Today he specializes in open source development using Java, PHP, Linux, and MySQL.
KANATI Inc.