A lobby is building for the return of couplings in the Pick 6 to put the winning and fun back into the popular exotic.
Couplings were dropped on 9 September 2013.
“Unavoidably, the Pick 6 has gone a bit stale over the years and the combination of couplings, fractional betting and, in more recent times, the first-timer rule has also diminished the bet’s appeal in terms of delivering mega payouts,” said Phumelela Sports Betting Executive Vee Moodley at the time of the change in the rule.
Leading owner and top TAB customer Greg Blank added his voice, saying he wished the couplings rule had been dropped sooner. “This will separate the men from the boys,” he commented.
Greg Blank
Sporting Post reader Richard Ward writes in the SP Mailbag that he would like to comment on Gold Circle’s Barrier Trial initiative. He quotes our editorial: ‘to create transparency designed to boost flagging tote turnovers and give punters the tools to find more winners’.
In my humble opinion the one certain way to address this issue would be to re-introduce the couplings rule for the Pick 6, writes Richard.
It has become almost impossible to win a Pick 6 with a high percentage of carryovers.
Generally payouts are ridiculous amounts and only the really big punters benefit.
Winning punters make happy punters and the more people sharing the pool the better for the industry.
It would be interesting to do a survey amongst a representative sample of punters country wide to find out what the general feeling is but I am pretty certain that the vote would be in favour of an easier Pick 6.
Ed – Well let’s try it! Have your say in our comments section and we will present the findings to Vee Moodley and request that he comments thereon.
