Get Rich Quick

Ever slip a buck or two into the enormous slot machine at the local Indian casino? Jump up and pull the jumbo handle like your spinning for the Showcase Showdown?

Ever buy a lottery ticket and spend the day imagining the ways you would spend the money?

Well, I'm here to tell you that there is a better way. You, yes you, can turn $2 into $3 million. I feel like John Basedow or Jack LaLanne.

(Photo: jacklalanne.com)

Allow me to introduce you to the Breeders' Cup Pick 6. The Pick 6 has a guaranteed pool of $3 million with potential for more depending on the amount of participants and whether there is a carryover from the night before. All you have to do is select six first place horses in a row on October 27.

I haven't done the the proper odds making compared to the lottery, it has been a few years since I took Calculus, but the Breeders' Cup allows you to place educated guesses rather than random selection increasing your odds of becoming a millionaire exponentially.

Granted, you have to share the pool if others are as lucky as you in selecting six in a row, but that is still a lot of hooch for $2. In 2003, the lone Breeders' Cup winning $2 Pick 6 ticket paid $2,687,611.60.

As Montel Jordan would say, this is how ya do it...

Conduct the proper reading and determine who you like in the following races in the following order: Filly & Mare Turf, Sprint, Mile, Distaff, Turf and Classic. Take a drive to your local racing track or casino that is offering simulcast racing. Go up to the teller and say "Monmouth Park, Race 6, $2 Pick 6, (insert your picks here) 3 with 4 with 8 with 6 with 1 with 7." Hop back in the car, go home, play with the kids, dog or drunk frat brother, turn on ESPN at noon, crack open some beers and watch your $2 become $3 million.

There are ways to increase your odds of winning that fresh cabbage, but it requires more money on your part.

You can select more than one horse per race. Here's the math (numbers equal the amount of horses per race):

1x1x1x1x1x1x$2 = $2

1x2x1x1x1x1x$2 = $4

2x3x1x2x1x3x$2 = $72

It can add up in a hurry. That is why some professional gaming organizations buy in with a pool trying to score the big enchilada.

So, pool together or go it alone. What do you have going on that is more important than becoming a millionaire on Saturday?

-posted by C.R. Dunbar