The Tote Fantasy game works in a similar way to the hugely popular Fantasy Premier League Football, which is played by more than 11 million people. There is one significant difference. Instead of being a slow burner that runs for months, there’s a new Tote Fantasy puzzle to indulge in every day.
All you have to do is pick seven horses in seven races, pitting your wits against others doing the same with cash prizes on offer. It costs £7 to enter, with players competing for the pool that they accumulate.
You have a notional budget of 10,000gns from which you must pick your team. Selecting all the favorites is impossible – naturally, they will cost the most – so you have to juggle your finances.
The key to success? Making shrewd buys who will win or make the frame. And if they prevail by more than a length, then they will earn you a small but potentially crucial bonus.
Horses score you points according to how they perform. And field sizes can be critical – the more runners in a race, the more points you can chalk up.
Your chosen Stable Star – think of it as your nap or captain – earns double points. And there’s also a Stewards’ Enquiry boost selection – bumping you up a place. So if your horse finishes second, it wins.
The entrant with the most points wins the jackpot, with profit to all those finishing in the top 25 percent.
You can follow your progress on a leaderboard that updates between races, and remember; you don’t need to pick all seven winners. You simply need to do better than others in that day’s pool.