Racing: Pool your money to win Pick6

Balmuse, at odds of 20-1, not only beat hot favourite Starcraft in the 2004 Kelt Stakes at Hastings, he also dealt a blow to Pick6 punters. Photo / APN

Sharpen your pencils.

They are going to need to be in fine form, along with your grey matter, when you do your selections for the $1 million Pick6 at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Historically, there is a warning in staying too close to the favourites without spreading wider.

In each of the past six $1 million Pick6 jackpots there has been a blowout winner on the list.

A "thriller killer" as the TAB's statistician Michael Dore describes them.

You have to go back to Ellerslie in 2004 to find a $1 million Pick6 that did not include a winner at double-figure odds among the half dozen.

The dividends that day were $6.50, $4.85, $3.50, $9.10, $6.05 and $3.60.

That resulted in 77.16 units striking the jackpot with a dividend of $25,920.

The fact there were only 77 full units, given the prices, shows how difficult it is to get the spread to win any Pick6.

The knockout punch in each of the past six million-dollar Pick6s have been dividends of $43.80, $24.60, $27.10, $30.20, $64.25 and $48.80.

At Alexandra Park in May 1998, the Pick6 started with a Crusaders game and the Pick6 option was the red and blacks at 13-plus, which was just taking money.

Things were looking good for everyone when the next four Pick6 winners paid $3.20, $3.15, $1.95 and $4.75.

It was going to be pay all until Frosty Mota also froze punters' hearts by winning at $19.60 in the final leg, resulting in only 26 tickets dividing the million dollars.

A million-dollar pot at Addington in 1996 saw the first five winners pay $6.10, $7.70, $48.10, $16.20 and $28.00 leaving the favourite New Age Man to win the last leg at $2.75 without a live ticket remaining.

If there's a lesson to be learned from all of that it's be bold enough to take a few "roughies".

What that probably means is pooling your dollars with others and getting a wider spread.

Yes, it means a lesser return, but it's better than missing out.

Ten per cent of a dividend around $60,000 is still healthy.

Fifty per cent of nothing is nothing.

To help you here are the results and dividends which have comprised the past eight $1 million Pick6s. They also include a $2 million jackpot at Ellerslie in 2004.

*On February 14, 2009, at New Plymouth: Castlebar ($6.10), Seven Schillings ($4.40), Richard Beymar ($3.30), Vickezzchardonnay ($3.60), Zagata ($43.80) and Herculian Prince ($9.50) saw 3.42 units pick up $303.073.50 each.

*On September 1, 2007, at Hastings: Hoorang ($18.50), Rios ($5), Samurai ($4), Veloce Bella ($5.60), Seachange ($2.10) and Richard Beymar ($24.60) saw 5.24 units pick up $190,839.60 each.

*On July 28, 2007, at Te Rapa: Sand Hawk ($3.80), Anood Prospect ($8.10), Figure of Speech ($7.60), Tuscany Dancer ($27.10), Taking The Mickey ($8.10) and The Cosmob ($9.50) saw 1.06 units pick up $943,396.20 each.

*On September 2, 2006, at Hastings: Giovanni ($3.65), Cedar Manor ($1.90), Arlingtonboulevard ($5.20), Seachange ($5.40), Dancing Song ($30.20) and Kay's Awake ($4.90) saw 15.98 units pick up $64,313.05 each.

*On August 6, 2005, at Riccarton: Quantum Classic ($64.25), No Hero ($1.85), Coup Biscuit ($5.60), Dont Ya Lovett ($3.85), Texas ($15.20) and Miles ($3.50) saw 2.10 units pick up $591,930.95 each.

*On March 4, 2005, at Alexandra Park: Allegro Agitato ($5.30), Badlands Bute ($2.45), Sokyola ($2.10), Delft ($2.30), Elsu ($1.20) and Hidden Dragon ($48.80) saw 101.64 units pick up $9,838.60 each.

*On October 9, 2004, at Ellerslie: Iflooxcouldkill ($6.50), Melba ($4.85), Empyreal ($3.50), Waltermitty ($9.10), Megabucks ($6.05) and Mandana ($3.60) saw 77.16 units pick up $25,920.15 each.

*On October 2, 2004, at Hastings: Shastri ($15.30), Waitoki Dream ($1.70), Balmuse ($20.80), Last Claim ($18.85), Green Machine ($8.65) and Sing In The Sun ($4.80) was not struck which resulted in the $2 million jackpot the following week at Ellerslie.