Although the Stewards of the Jockey Club take no cognisance of betting, yet, for the convenience of such persons as are interested in the subject, we subjoin a copy of the Rules as re-arranged by the Committee of the Subscription Rooms, at Tattersall’s, on February 8th, 1886.
1. The Committee of Tattersall’s and the Committee of the Newmarket Rooms have authority to settle all questions relating to bets, to adjudicate on all cases of default, and, at their discretion, to report defaulters and persons guilty of any malpractice to the Jockey Club. In the following rules the words “the Committee” refer to either of those bodies.
2. In all bets there must be a possibility to win when the bet is made: “you cannot win when you cannot lose.”
[On September 25th, 1890, the following addition was made to this rule].
“No betting ‘first past the post’ will be recognised by either of the Committees.”
For betting purposes, the time of starting for any race shall be decided in accordance with Rule 38 of the Rules of Racing.
3. All bets are P. P.—play or pay—with the following exceptions—1. When the nominator dies before the decision of the race. 2. When the race is postponed to a future week, or the conditions are altered after the bets are made. 3. Bets on matches. 4. Bets made after the running numbers are telegraphed about a horse that is not subsequently under the starter’s orders.
4. If no objection is lodged within seven days of the race, exclusive of the day on which the race was won, bets go to the horse placed first by the Judge, and the settling, except in cases of fraud, shall not be disturbed. If an objection is made within the said time, bets go with stakes.
5. Bets made on one horse against another, or that one horse beats another, are determined if either of them should win: unless agreed by the parties, it is not indispensable that both horses should start. Bets made between horses 1, 2, 3 are determined by the places assigned by the Judge—it is not necessary to say the best of 1, 2, 3.
6. If odds are laid in running or immediately after the horses pass the post, and a dead heat is the result: and in “double events,” if either is decided in the backer’s favour, and the other results in a dead heat, the money betted must be put together and equally divided. As, according to racing custom, matches which result in a dead heat are void, bets are void also.