Mega millions on the Met betting menu

About R17-million in exotic-bet pools are promised to punters for Saturday’s World Sports Betting Cape Town Met fixture at Kenilworth.

Tote betting on the Western Cape’s premier race meeting opened on Monday.

The Pick 6 is expected to top R10-million – boosted by a R2-million carryover – according to betting agency TAB.

Carryovers will also pump up the main-race Quartet and Jackpot 3 – with predicted pools of R2-million apiece.

Adding to the money bonanza is Hong Kong World Pools status for Races 6 to 12 – with bettors around the world contributing to monster pools for Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella (first and second) and Swinger wagers. The latter two bet types averaged R14-million and R14.5-million at the 2024 Met.

Two Bipots and three Jackpots are offered.

Seven other feature races

In addition to the 163rd Met, seven other feature races are carded, including the Grade 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship and the Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes.

As always on a major day, cracking the Pick 6 code will not be easy. Every owner, trainer and jockey is hell-bent on winning in front of a packed, smartly dressed, festive crowd, so upsets are a distinct possibility.

The only realistic banker option is in Race 4, Leg 1 of the Pick 6 – the New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers – where Joburg raider Poets Warrior appears to be a cut above his opposition.

At the start of the week, bookmakers were offering 12-1 the field bar three on the Met itself, making it a three-horse affair – with Eight On Eighteen, Oriental Charm and See It Again fighting out the finish. But Pick 6 investors might be a little gun shy after recent exotic results and will be inclined to cast their nets a bit wider.

Similarly, ante-post odds on the Cape Flying indicate only four horses are in the picture. But with no obvious bankers elsewhere, punters might have to grin and bear with these top-class sprinters.