Bookies & Bookmaking Handicapping Tools

Special calculators designed to link wagers and odds together automatically in horse racing--a sport dating back
at least 4000 years--were first used in France in the 1870s. Bookmakers and punters have been very creative
in inventing various slide rules and other tools to facilitate the art and science of handicapping.

Photo of Delaney slide rule
Delaney's "Horse Handicapper's Slide Rule"
plastic slide rule dated:1950, size: 37 x 11cm
Contains one fixed and two independent slides to modify over a dozen racing factors.
96 tracks around the country are listed on the back for recording track parameters.
Designer: J. R. Delaney, Michigan. MFR: Graphic Calculator, Co., Chicago, Illinois.
detail of Delaney slide rule
detail of Delaney slide rule
 Photo of The Automatic Handicapper
"The Automatic Handicapper"
metal slide rule dated: 1947, size 19 x 6cm
MFR: Master Chart Company, Louisville, Kentucky

Photo of Rate-O-Slide slide rule
"Rate-O-Slide, The Slide Rule Handicapper"
paper slide rule dated: 1959, size 20 x 8cm
MFR: Rate-O-Slide Company, Los Angeles, California

Photo of Play Percentage
"Play Percentage, The Scientific Handicapper"
plastic calculator dated: 1955
size 11.5 x 10.5cm (closed)
MFR: Hake Manufacturing Company, Roanoke, Virginia
 Photo of Ray Taulbot slide rule
"Ray Taulbot's Pace Calculator"
plastic slide rule dated: 1965-67, size 25.5 x 10.5cm
MFR: American Turf Monthly & Amerpub Co., New York
Photo of Rate-O-Matic
"Rate-O-Matic Speed Rule Handicapper"
plastic slide rule dated: 1962, size 18 x 10.5cm
MFR: Universal Turf Club
 Photo of Detect-O-Meter slide rule
"The Smart Money Detect-O-Meter"
plastic slide rule dated: 1968, size 24 x 7.5cm
MFR: Amerpub Co., New York
Photo of Pace-O-Speed slide rule
"Pace-O-Speed"
paper slide rule dated: 1965
size 23 x 18cm
MFR: Robert Elias
 Photo of Equalizer slide rule
"The Equalizer"
plastic slide rule not dated: [c.1970]
size 17cm diameter
MFR: Cloverleaf Associates, New York
 Photo of K2 round slide rule
"K2 Performance/Class Calculator"
plastic slide rule dated: 1972
size 10.5cm diameter
MFR: K2 Publishing Corp., New York
Photo of Cal-Q-Meter slide rule
"Thoroughbred Cal-Q-Meter"
paper slide rule dated: 1972, size 22 x 8cm
MFR: Robert Elias
Photo of Trot-O-Matic slide rule
"Harness Trot-O-Matic"
paper slide rule dated: 1974, size 18 x 8cm
MFR: Robert Elias
Photo of Fleet electric calculator
"Fleet Electric Handicapper"
electric calculator not dated: [c.1961]
size: 19 x 16 x 6cm (in carrying case)
MFR: Fleet Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Glendale, California
 front panel of Fleet electric calculator
front panel of
Fleet Electric Handicapper

Photo of Kel-Co RS-1 calculator
 "Kel-Co Class Computer"
Model RS-1
dated: 1979, size: 14 x 7cm
handicapper's calculator
MFR: Cannella Corp.
Syracuse, NY
 Photo of Kel-Co RS-2 calculator
 "Kel-Co Class Computer"
Model RS-2
dated: 1980, size: 14 x 7cm
handicapper's calculator
MFR: Cannella Corp.
Syracuse, NY
 Photo of Selector calculator
 "The Selector"
handicapper's calculator
dated: 1981, size: 10 x 6cm
MFR: Racetrack Intl. Corp.
Bryant, Arkansas


 Photo of Starshine LED calculator
 "RaceTrack Computer II"
handicapper's calculator
dated: 1979, size: 14 x 7cm
MFR: Starshine, Inc.
 Photo of Starshine LCD calculator
 "RaceTrack Computer II"
handicapper's calculator
dated: 1979, size: 14 x 7cm
MFR: Starshine, Inc.

Photo of handheld handicapper's computer
"Horse Race Analyzer"
dated: 1979-83, size: 20.5cm x 6cm
microchip-based calculator programmed for handicapping at the track
MFR: Mattel Electronics & Advanced Handicapping Technologies

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updated April 2006