Hong Kong Jockey Club

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The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC, Traditional Chinese: 香港賽馬會) (formerly The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, 英皇御准香港賽馬會) is a non-profit organisation providing horse racing, sporting and betting entertainment in Hong Kong. It holds a government-granted monopoly in providing parimutuel betting on horse racing, "Mark Six" lotteries, and fixed odds betting on overseas football events. The organization is also the third largest charity and community benefactor in Hong Kong, after Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and The Community Chest of Hong Kong. The HKJC also provides dining, social and recreation facilities to approximately 20,000 members.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club supports different social and edcuation institutions. Jockey Club Ti-I College was founded by a 84 million Hong Kong Dollars from HKJC. Many swimming pools or public sport facilities in Hong Kong are supported or founded by the funding of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Founded in 1884 as an amateur racing body, its status changed to professional in 1971.

The HKJC conducts nearly 700 horse races per year at its two race tracks at Sha Tin and Happy Valley. During the 2001/02 racing season, the HKJC licensed 1,144 horse owners, 24 trainers and 35 jockeys and had 1,435 horses in training.

In 2002-2003, the betting turnover was HKD 71 billion (approximately USD 9 billion). After paying dividends of 58 billion and betting duty of 9.5 billion, it betting commission revenue was HKD 3.9 billion (approximately USD 0.5 billion). It contributes 11.7% of Hong Kong's tax revenue. Surpluses from its operation are allocated to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust which serves as the administrator for the club's charitable donations. The trust serves four principal areas of civic and social need: sports, recreation and culture, education and training, community services and medical and health.

The HKJC's revenue has substantially declined since the People's Republic of China resumed its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong on July 1, 1997 from the United Kingdom, possibly due to economic recession in the region.

The HKJC was instrumental in persuading the Hong Kong government to pass the Gambling (Amendment) Bill 2002 to combat unauthorized cross-border gambling and the related promotional activities in Hong Kong, making it a criminal offence for any person in Hong Kong to bet with an unauthorized bookmaker, even when the bets are received outside Hong Kong. The offence applies to all visitors as well as to residents of Hong Kong.

It was also instrumental in persuading other members of the Asian Racing Federation to sign the Good Neighbour Policy on September 1, 2003.

[edit] 2006 Horse Racing Reforms

In 2006, after years of declining turnover, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed the Betting Ordinance (Amendment) 2006. This amendment granted the Hong Kong Jockey Club more autonomy in how it ran its own operations.

[edit] Single-Race Bets

Pool Name - Dividend Qualification

Win (獨贏) - 1st in a race.
Place (位置) - 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a race with 7 or more declared starters or 1st, 2nd in a race with 4, 5, 6 declared starters.
Quinella (連贏) - 1st and 2nd in either order in the race.
Quinella Place (位置Q) - Any two of the first three placed horses in any finishing order in the race.
Trio (單T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in the race.
Tierce (三重彩) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in correct order in the race.

As of September 2006, all Win, Place, Quinella, and Quinella Place bets (including All Up bets) of a value of at least 10,000 Hong Kong Dollars are eligible for a 10% rebate if the bet or betline loses.

[edit] Multiple-Race Bets

Pool Name - Dividend Qualification - Consolation [if any]

Double (孖寶) - 1st in two nominated races - 1st in 1st leg and 2nd in 2nd leg.
Treble (三寶) - 1st in three nominated races - 1st in first two legs and 2nd in third leg.
Double Trio (孖T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in both legs.
Triple Trio (三T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in three legs - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in any two Triple Trio legs.
Six Up (六環彩) - 1st or 2nd in each of the legs nominated to comprise the Six Up - 1st or 2nd in each of the legs nominated to comprise the Six Up.