Sweepstakes

“ The Calcutta Sweep on our Derby is the most valuable in the world. Lord William did a large business with the Indian lotteries, and made a heap of money over them. The sweepstakes being drawn some weeks before the race is run, gives everybody who likes to avail themselves of it opportunities of making money by buying and selling the chances subsequent to the [255] draw, taking the form of jobbery on the Stock Exchange. ”

“ If a match or sweepstakes be made for any specified day in any race-week, and the parties agree to change the day to any other in the same week, all bets must stand; but if the parties agree to run the race in a different week, all bets made before the alteration shall be void. ”

“ Don’t you know the sort that fall across people they wish to meet, that get the best corners at a shoot, the best hands at cards, that win big sweepstakes and lotteries, come in for fine legacies, and, at a good old age, die very comfortably in their beds? ”

“ Gresham soberly; 'but what then?'
'Dear uncle,' cried Hal, 'but you shall hear! There's to be a race upon the Downs on the first of September, and after the race there's to be an archery meeting for the ladies, and Lady Diana Sweepstakes is to be one of [Pg 213] them. And after the ladies have done shooting—now, Ben, comes the best part of it!—we boys are to have our turn, and Lady Di is to give a prize to the best marksman amongst us of a very handsome bow and arrow. ”

“ However, although I am a little uncertain about other bets, I have no doubt in my own mind that coach sweepstakes under certain circumstances should be discouraged. I do not wish to rely upon case law, but would rather appeal to that honest, manly feeling that is (so I have been given to understand) the birthright of every Englishman. When all Nature is smiling, and man (smoking a three-shilling cigar) is at rest, why trouble about mounts and starters and blanks? ”

“ We intend to keep a record over the years of the performance of each of the ten prize winners and the ten honorable mentions of the 1946 contest. To that end we have made a score card. The first section of this card will contain information useful to the Department of Forestry and to nut culture in general, but it will not be a factor in selecting the prize winner unless a virtual tie might result in the sweepstakes contest. ”

“ It has been shewn above, p. 36, that no action will lie to recover stakes from any of the competitors in a horse race, a sweepstakes being on the same footing as any other game for money. This decision would therefore show that what 64are known as “forfeits” in racing, i.e., sums payable in withdrawing a horse from the race, frequently half the stake (see Rule of Racing 105) are equally irrecoverable. ”

“ Add to this the fact that the bets were in proportion, that Jim and Joe Bland, of turf notoriety, Dick Whitlom, of Covent Garden, Simpson, a gaming house keeper, and Toll, of Isher, as regularly attended at a match as Crockford and Gully at Epson and Ascot; and the idea that all the Surrey and Hampshire rustics should either want or resist strong temptations to sell is not to be entertained for a moment. The constant habit of betting will take the honesty out of any man. A half-crown sweepstakes, or betting such odds as lady’s long kids to gentleman’s short ditto, is all very fair sport ”

“ II. As to when a person is “the winner” within the statute?
III. What are lawful games, sports, &c.?
Subscription or contribution. I. What is the meaning of a subscription or contribution to a prize?
In many of the cases the line is very fine between such subscription and a deposit of sweepstakes. In Batty v. Marriott, [184] a foot-race was agreed upon between plaintiff and A for £10 a side, and each deposited £10 with the defendant as stakeholder. A was declared winner, but plaintiff disputed the decision and demanded back his stakes. The Court held that the provisions of 16 Car. ”

“ A Scratched Horse is one whose name has been struck out of the final list of runners in a particular race. A Sweepstake is a term used to denote the whole amount staked by different persons upon one race, and cleared literally “at one sweep” by the fortunate individual who has backed the winner. ”

“ But the final and most exciting feature of the day, was the "scrub race," which came off at four o'clock in the afternoon.
In this race any and every animal was allowed to [Pg 316] take part, except horses. Men, boys, dogs harnessed into carts and carrying their owners, cows, steers and goats, anything on four legs or two, could compete except the genus equus. The prize was ten dollars to the winner, meaning he, she or it, that first reached the judge's stand. An extra rail had been put up in the fence enclosing the race-course, to keep the contestants on the track and out of the crowd. ”

“ Thus, without sweeps, the maximum points in one deal are 11. A sweep is a play that clears the table of all exposed cards. The game then proceeds by the next player placing a card on the table face upwards.
“Building,” referred to above, is done as follows. Should a 3 lie exposed on the table, a player may place a 4 upon it, saying, “I build a 7,” and, if it is not disturbed before his next turn, he may then take the two cards with another 7 from his hand. It follows that no combination may be built unless the builder holds the proper card in his hand. But a build may be increased. ”

“ The townsfolk, the few passers-by in the street, and also some young ladies whom the noise had brought to a window went into fits of laughter. The sweeper himself, in spite of his awkward position, could not help smiling at the energy with which the figure, with its coat-tails flying, made erratic and angry dashes at the ground.
"Is that the way you sweep?—ah!" (Terrible bang with the broom.) "That is the way—ah!" (another bang) . "That is the way to sweep!—ah!"
Not until worn out, heated, and nearly falling from fatigue, did the mayor hand back the broom, and take up his tasseled stick again. ”

“ He'll tear his face," shouted Nick.
"You can't. He's my horse," yelled Bellshaw.
Bill rushed forward, an iron bar in his hand, and in the nick of time brought it down on Lion's head with a mighty sweep. He dropped like a log. Man and horse lay side by side in the ring. [Pg 311]
CHAPTER XXX THE SWEEP WINNER'S HOME
Glen Leigh was taken to the Kangaroo and nursed by Mrs. Prevost. His chest was crushed, his arm lacerated, but he made a wonderful recovery, and in a week was removed to Sea View, Manley, where, needless to say, he received every attention. ”

“ It's an extraordinary piece of luck, that's what it is. I know fellows who have been going in for sweeps for years and have never drawn a horse. I've been doing it for a dozen years, and all I ever got was a non-starter." [Pg 213]
"You shall have a couple of hundred if Barellan wins," said Glen. "So shall Jim, and I'll see Hadwin and Nicholl have a trifle."
"You're distributing the cash before you've won," laughed Bill.
"Half the fun of things is to anticipate, and plan out what you'll do with the money," Glen laughed back. ”

“ This was a desire for a fresh trial, and positive security from loss was guaranteed. It is noticeable in the table given that by a judicious selection of races and horses the winnings were bound to be always low, as animals with odds on are selected, and that when stakes are lowest. When on the doubling principle the stake on the chosen winner would be inconveniently large a race was omitted. ”

“ Even if he wins the sweep he'll soon lose it. Probably you'll get most of it, or some of your fraternity," retorted Bellshaw.
"You don't know the man. If he wins he'll stick to it, take my word for it," said Nick. ”

“ They often-times disport themselves in witnessing prize-fights among the champions of different towns, or of different wards in the same town, and on these occasions large crowds assemble to view the performance. The combatants generally fight with their fists, but, like the French, are much given to use their knees and feet as well in the contest. Much betting, also, goes on amongst the excited spectators, and it is not seldom that a private contest of this kind degenerates into a free fight. ”

“ George did not follow him here.
"The sweepstike? What's a sweepstike?"
"Why, a thing you puts names in 'ats and draw 'em and the one that gets the winning name wins the money."
"Oh, you mean a sweepstake!"
"That's wot I said—a sweepstike."
George was still puzzled.
"But I don't understand. How do you mean you drew me in a sweepstike—I mean a sweepstake? What sweepstake?"
"Down in the servants' 'all. Keggs, the butler, started it. I 'eard 'im say he always 'ad one every place 'e was in as a butler—leastways, whenever there was any dorters of the 'ouse. ”

“ I have never concealed my opinion that the old prize-ring was an excellent thing from a national point of view—exactly [Pg 267] as glove-fighting is now. Better that our sports should be a little too rough than that we should run a risk of effeminacy. But the ring outlasted its time. It was ruined by the villainous mobs who cared nothing for the chivalry of sport or the traditions of British fair play as compared with the money gain which the contest might bring. ”

“ When stakes are lost, whether a horse, troop of mares, saddle, lazo, or what not, the winner simply sends a friend for them, or goes himself and takes them; all debts of honour being scrupulously paid at once. Frequently large stakes are lost and won. On one occasion I had negotiated the purchase of a horse from an Indian possessed of a goodly troop, and having given earnest, had started hunting on the animal to test his staying powers. ”

“ Hadwin told me the horse was all right again, and that the lameness disappeared as suddenly as it came."
"Still it can't have improved his chance for the Cup," said Jerry. "I wonder how Leigh induced him to run the horse. He says he hasn't laid him anything out of the sweep."
"I'm glad of it. There's too much fleecing [Pg 250] goes on. When a man is lucky enough to draw a horse it's hard lines he should be robbed out of a lot of it." ”

“ No time is called, catch as catch can, and strike as best, and where best you may, are the simple rules of these contests, and the sight is a somewhat degrading and unpleasant one, though it excites the spectators to ecstasies of delight and laughter. Most big Chiefs in Kĕlantan keep trained men to take part in these prize fights, and heavy bets are made on the result. ”

“ Descending with a sweep, which, though majestic, is yet soft and gentle, it seems about to sink upon the waves, when, almost as it touches them, it glides again softly upwards, to descend once more in the same manner. Thus, ever rising and sinking, seeming always about to rest, yet never resting, it glides, tireless, and seems to coquet with the sea. On land, too, these wide circling sweeps had had a grace and charm, but it had not entirely pleased the eye. ”

“ And although at first the spectators shouted their disapproval of manifest violations of rule, yet when they saw that the blood of both combatants was up, and that they were resolved on something more serious than a wrestling match, they were quite prepared to encourage the new direction taken, for to them the greater the violence employed and the greater the danger to life and limb in those engaged, the more acute was their pleasure, and the more interesting the sport. ”

“ Glen laughed.
"You told me a few minutes ago you'd strike Barellan out if I did not give you a cut out of the sweep," he said.
Tom Roslyn smiled knowingly at Jerry as much as to say, "That's more like it."
"I say, Bellshaw, you'd never do a dirty thing like that?" said Nick. [Pg 232]
"I've told you my horse is lame; I also told Leigh I expected a cut out of the sweep, and he said he wouldn't lay me anything. Do you think that's fair?" Bellshaw asked.
"He's drawn the horse; he can do as he likes. Personally I don't think an owner has any right to demand sweep money," said Tom. ”

“ One of the competitors chanced to say rashly, in the moment of exultation, "That's a d⸻d fine blow, George!" On which the intruder took up the word, as characteristic of the competitors, and repeated it every stroke that was given, making such a ludicrous use of it that several of the onlookers were compelled to laugh immoderately; but the players were terribly nettled at it, as he really contrived, by dint of sliding in some canonical terms, to render the competitors and their game ridiculous.
But matters at length came to a crisis that put them beyond sport. ”

“ It was a strangely silent crowd, sitting or standing with eyes intent upon the tables, the only sounds being those incident to the game: the voices of the croupiers inviting their patrons to place their bets, the quick whir of the ivory ball about the rim of the roulette wheel, the warning that no more bets could be placed, the rattle of the ball falling into a compartment, the announcement of the winning number, and the clatter of the little rakes pulling in the bank’s winnings. ”

“ If he failed to guess the right number, the holder of the stones was the [Pg 75] winner; then the next savage seized the pebbles, and so it went round and round the circle, the winners venting their exultation in yells and laughter, while the losers clearly indicated by grunts, expressive of disgust, their disappointment when fortune went against them. ”

“ Others begin the attack more impetuously, but meet with such strenuous resistance that the struggle lasts a long time before one succeeds in vanquishing his opponent. The spectators encourage them, praise and blame, cheer and scoff, betting among themselves the while, and becoming more and more excited as the balance inclines to one side or the other. ”