Product Information
Board Game Geek Avg Player Rating: 5.80. Suitable for 3 to 9 players and published in 2016. This is the Retail Edition of the Bookmaker Board Game. In Bookmaker, players engage in horse - race betting. It's not about which horse wins but making the most money from bets based on the race cards in hand. Each turn has two phases: bidding and race. Two players act as bookmakers, setting odds on four horses. At the start, four race cards are face - up, and each player gets four face - down cards. Bookmakers exchange two cards secretly. Then they set odds (e.g., 1:1, 1:2), and players place bets. After all bets, cards are removed, and cards from the deck are revealed one by one to move horses. The first horse to reach the #10 spot wins, and bettors on it are paid by bookmakers. During the race, bettors can get credit from the bank but must pay it back with interest. After a set number of races, the player with the most money wins. Variant rules include wild race cards, a 'nag' bet, and a harness option. We're happy to back campaigns to bring you Bookmaker. A large percentage of your spending on this game will support new Kickstarter games. Contact us at The Game Steward if you have purchase or game - related questions.
How to use: First, gather 3 to 9 players. Shuffle the 80 - card deck. At the start of each race, turn four cards face - up and deal four cards face - down to each player. Two players become bookmakers, set the odds on four horses, and secretly exchange two cards. Players then place bets with bookmakers. After all bets are placed, start revealing cards from the deck to move the horses. The first horse to reach the #10 spot wins. Pay off the bettors on the winning horse. Bettors can get credit from the bank during the race but remember to pay it back with interest. Keep playing for an agreed number of races, making sure each player is a bookmaker the same number of times. The one with the most money at the end wins. Note: When setting odds, the total of the second numbers should be at least ten. If a bookmaker wants to lower the odds on a horse and the total would drop below ten, they must raise the payoff on another horse. Maintenance: Keep the cards in a dry and cool place to prevent damage. If the cards get dirty, you can gently wipe them with a soft cloth.
