Do CAW Players See Unplayed Multi-Race Combinations?
One of the most persistent — and emotionally charged — questions in horse racing today is whether CAW players can see unplayed or open combinations in multi-race wagers like Pick 3s, Pick 4s, Pick 5s, and ultimately the Pick 6.
If that were true, it would represent an undeniable and indefensible advantage, allowing a CAW player to effectively position themselves to sweep an entire pool if that lone combination hits. That would go beyond edge or efficiency — it would break the pari-mutuel system entirely.
Despite the noise, I do not believe this is happening.
First, Scott Daruty — a man I know personally and regard as a man of integrity — has assured me on multiple occasions that CAW players do not see or have access to unplayed combinations in multi-race wagers. I believe he believes that and personally, I believe him.
Second, the only CAW player ever interviewed on the record — in my article Horse Racing’s True Lifeline — stated clearly that they do not have visibility into open combinations.
Still, trust nobody. Dissect everything. That is, after all, what we do.
We all know retail players can see will-pays in exactas and daily doubles, though accessing them is clunky and inefficient. CAW players, on the other hand, have computer models tied directly into the tote system, allowing them to analyze those probables instantly and exploit inefficiencies faster and more accurately than any human ever could.
Multi-race wagers, however, are a different animal.
Retail players cannot see Pick 4, Pick 5, or Pick 6 will-pays until late — and sometimes not at all until after legs are completed. For a CAW player to see unplayed combinations in real time, the tote system would need to be far more sophisticated than anything we’ve ever seen evidence of, and that’s assuming the data even exists in a usable, exposed form.
In wagers where probables are visible, an unplayed combination would immediately reveal itself — the probable payout would be the entire pool. The same logic would apply in multi-race wagers. The question is whether the current tote infrastructure is capable of tracking and exposing that information dynamically.
Based on what we know about tote technology — and its well-documented shortcomings — probably not.
Could it be done through a sophisticated hack? In theory, yes. The toughest systems in the world get hacked, so the tote system would hardly be immune. But that brings us back to something I say often: simplicity is the essence of intelligence.
There is more than one CAW player. Are they all hacking in? Do they all have clandestine access to unplayed Pick 5 or Pick 6 combinations? That would defeat the very purpose of a “pool sweep” and leave an enormous digital trail — a massive risk for a marginal gain.
And here’s the most overlooked point of all:
What about tickets that haven’t been bet yet?
What if I — or anyone else — have a ticket keyed in, waiting to be punched in during the final seconds? No system, hacked or otherwise, can know what hasn’t been wagered yet. That would require a team featuring The Amazing Kreskin and Harry Houdini.
The same limitation applies to CAW players.
So, can CAW players see unplayed multi-race combinations? I doubt it.
That said, as a gambling man, I wouldn’t make a large wager on that belief.
A small one at big odds?
Well… maybe.
My Dad often told me, those who know don’t say and those who say don’t know.
To make sure none of us get a warm and cozy feeling inside we always have this recent development courtesy of the Paulick Report x Feed:
COMING SOON: WE ARE NOT THE SPORT OF KINGS
