For me, gambling consists of placing a $2 bet, in cash, to show on a long shot at Oaklawn in Hot Springs. If my horse comes in first, second or third, my ticket typically pays between $2.10 and $4, including my original $2. My ambitions are modest.

I tend to lose a little over an afternoon, but sometimes I break even. Any winnings are usually squandered on Oaklawn’s well-made Bloody Marys. And being there means I can check out the horses in the paddock before each race, which is part of the entertainment, whether or not I pick one that eventually bothers to finish in the money.

According to BloodHorse, Oaklawn’s lower takeout on show wagers made in person at the track is part of its effort to market horse racing as affordable sports entertainment. The track retains only 10 percent of those wagers, as compared with 17 percent for show bets made off-track, leaving more money for winning tickets purchased in person. Railbirds know a bargain when they see one.

Others prefer casino gambling at Oaklawn, Saracen in Pine Bluff, or Southland in West Memphis. Southland, formerly known as Southland Greyhound Park and later Southland Park Gaming and Racing, held its last greyhound race on Dec. 31, 2022. Its owners had announced the phaseout amid declining interest in dog racing nationally and concern that Arkansas voters might eventually end it themselves.

I’m not tempted by roulette or slot machines, where winning depends on luck, or by poker and........

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