Official Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID IN WHOLE OR PART WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. CONTESTANTS RESIDING IN AREAS WHERE THE CONTEST IS VOID MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST, BUT WILL BE INELIGIBLE TO WIN PRIZES. SEE ELIGIBILITY SECTION BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
REGISTRATION. To enter the contest you must first register using the Registration Form. Limit one entry per person and/or email address.
Note: If you have previously registered for a Nine.com contest, there is no need to re-register. Just verify your information if prompted and login using the same username and password.
$1,000,000 Handicapper Challenge organizers, Nine.com and its contest administrator (hereafter collectively "Contest Providers"), are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, illegible, incomprehensible or misdirected entries, bugs, failures in servers, hardware or software transmission failure or lost, delayed or corrupted data transmission. Entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet Access provider, on-line service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. All entries become the property of Contest Providers and will not be returned to entrant. Multiple entries by the same person using one or more email accounts may result in disqualification. No mechanically or electronically reproduced entries will be accepted. All entries must be submitted from a valid email account that may be identified by reverse domain name search. Potential winners may be requested to provide Contest Providers with proof of identification (address and birth date) and proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the winning entry.
ELIGIBILITY. The Contest is open to anyone 18 years of age or older with internet access at the time of registration. Employees of Contest Providers, their respective parents, their affiliates and subsidiaries and the immediate family members of each are ineligible to win prizes. If an entrant has multiple betting accounts among BGD, VIP and NINE, that entrant will be ineligible to win prizes and will be disqualified. Prize recipients may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and publicity release. Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission to use winner's name and information provided by winner for promotional purposes without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. All applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the prize winners. In order to be eligible for the contest, players must have a funded account at Nine.com (or alternate participating sportsbook).
Note: Effective Feb 26, 2007, any new registrants from the US or Canada are not eligible for the cash prizes. Only existing customers at Nine.com and new registrants from non North American countries are eligible for the cash prizes.
GAME OF SKILL. $1,000,000 Handicapper Challenge is a game of skill and knowledge based on the participants ability to predict the outcome of selected races during the contest period. Your odds of winning are affected by the number of qualified entries received.
HOW TO ENTER AND PLAY. After you register, proceed to the Enter/Change Picks page. Pick the horse you believe will win in each of the listed races for that week. (Races will be selected from those at various racetracks in North America.)You will also be asked to select an alternate for each race. The alternate will only be used in the event your first pick for that race is scratched. If both your first pick and alternate are scratched, you will automatically earn zero for that race.
Standings in the contest will be determined by the total dollar amount that each "correct" selection pays. You will receive a mythical $2.00 to win and $2.00 to place on each horse that you select. The payouts for each of the races in the contest will be determined by the official payouts from the host track. The contestants who have the highest accumulated "mythical money won" from their selections will win prizes as set forth on the Prizes page.
Confirm and save your selections using the submit button at the bottom of the page. Follow all additional instructions listed on that page, observing all posted deadlines.The deadline for entering and/or changing submissions for each day is posted on the page. No submissions will be accepted after the deadline for any reason. The sole determinant of time for the purposes of the Promotion will be the servers of the Contest Providers.
The wagers used in the contest are mythical and have no value outside of the contest. "Mythical Money Won" is used to determine your rank in the contest, and has no value.
Notes:
- Only one entry per person and email address is allowed.
- You may change your picks any time before the applicable deadlines.
- Any picks received after the deadline posted on the Enter/Change Picks page will be void.
- The jockeys and weights listed for each horse are as of the time the horse was entered to run and are subject to change without notice.
- If a race or races are cancelled, postponed or re-scheduled and not completed on the originally scheduled day, that race or races will not be included in the contest.
- If any of your horses are scratched and will not run in the race, you may go back and change your picks before the posted deadlines.
- If any one of your horses are scratched and you aren't able to make a change before the deadline your alternate will be used.
- If a horse is scratched, that horse will be treated as having run out of the money and will pay $0.00 for both win and place spots.
- For the purpose of the contest all horses will be treated as separate entries. If one part of an entry places in the top 2 you must have that specific horse as your selection in order to receive credit for a correct pick.
- There will be maximum payouts of 25-1 to win ($52.00) and 12-1 to place ($26.00).
- All dollar amounts related to the contest are "mythical" and have no real value outside of the contest.
POSTING OF SCORES. Standings will be updated after each week.
WINNER SELECTION AND TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURES. Your rank in the contest is determined by the dollar amount won by each of your correct selections. The dollar amount won by each correct selection will be added together to get your total "Mythical Money Won" for the purpose of ranking you in the standings for the weekly, segment and the overall portions of the contest.
- In the event of a tie for any of the overall prizes, the contestant with the best rank in the final week will be considered to be ranked better. In the event a tie still remains, the second last week will be evaluated. This count back method will continue until the tie is broken.
- Your segment rank at the end of the applicable segment period is determined by the total "Mythical Money Won" for all weeks you have entered for that particular segment. In the event of a tie at the end of the segment, the contestant with the best rank in the final week of the segment will be considered to be ranked better. In the event a tie still remains, the rank in the second last week of the segment will be evaluated. This count back method will continue until the tie is broken.
- In the event of a tie for any of the weekly prizes, the contestant with the best current rank in the overall contest among the tied entrants will be declared the winner.
- Finally, if there are still ties, then the contestant whose picks were submitted earlier in the last applicable pick period will be ranked better. Note that if you submit your picks and then change them, we will use the time we received your last set of picks for the purposes of this final tie-breaker.
All matters of interpretation are solely at the discretion of the Contest Providers as per the GENERAL CONDITIONS section below. Official sources will be used to determine the final order of finish for each race used in the contest.
PRIZES. To be eligible for a cash prize, you must have a real-money account at Nine.com and have deposited and wagered at least $50 in sports/horse wagers within the last 30 days of the applicable prize period. If you are an inactive/non depositing player, you will not be eligible to win any of the prizes.
Any new contest registrants from the U.S. or Canada are not eligible for the cash prizes. Only existing customers at Nine.com and new registrants from non-North American countries are eligible for the cash prizes.
All prizes, excluding the $1,000,000 bonus prize and $50,000 bonus prize, will be bettable funds into an account at Nine.com. Contestants must wager the prize amount five (5) times on horse racing in the sportsbook prior to any withdrawal being issued.
Bonus Prize terms and conditions
The following terms and conditions apply to the $50,000 Pick 8 Breeders' Cup Bonus Prize and $1,000,000 Pick 6 Bonus Prize:
- There must be a minimum of six (6) horses competing in each Designated Race. If the number of horses that compete in any of the Designated Races is fewer than six (6), then the bonus prize is not available to be won. There are eight (8) Designated Races for the $50,000 Pick 8 Breeders' Cup Bonus Prize and six (6) Designated Races for the $1,000,000 Pick 6 Bonus Prize.
- Eligible contestants shall select the first place finishing horse plus an alternate selection in each of the Designated Races specified on October 25, 2008 and June 20, 2009 respectively. In the event that a horse chosen as one of the contestant's predictions for one of the Designated Races does not participate in that Designated Race, the contestant's prediction for the first place finishing horse for that Designated Race will default to the contestant's alternate pick for that Designated Race.
- The Official Results shall be defined as the names of each of the first place finishing horses of the Designated Races as certified by race organizers.
- In the event a bonus prize is payable under the terms of these rules and only one (1) of the Designated Races ends in a dead heat (i.e., two or more horses competing in a Designated Race tie for the position of first place finishing horse), the prize amount to be paid will be one half (1/2) of that amount stated in the Schedule of Prizes contained herein. In the event a prize is payable under the terms of this contract and two (2) or more of the Designated Races ends in a dead heat, the prize amount to be paid will be one fourth (1/4) of that amount stated in the Schedule of Prizes contained herein. Said reduced prize amounts will be limited to one payment even in the event of multiple winners.
WINNER NOTIFICATION. Determination of the potential prize winners shall take place on or about two days following the completion of each prize period by Contest Providers whose decision shall be final (see GENERAL CONDITIONS below). Potential winners will be notified by email, phone, regular mail and/or overnight courier within one week of the prize determination date. If potential winner is unreachable after 10 days an alternate potential winner will be selected by rank according to the rules. To be declared a potential winner of any prize, the contestant may also be required to correctly answer without assistance of any kind, whether mechanical or otherwise, a time-limited, mathematical, skill-testing question to be declared a prizewinner. In addition, potential winners may be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Prize Acceptance Form/Release of liability within 10 days of notification to be declared a prizewinner. Noncompliance within this time period may result in disqualification and an alternate potential winner being chosen.
Prizes will be distributed within sixty (60) days after each prizewinner has been successfully contacted and notified of their prize and has complied with all contest rules and requirements. Contest Providers reserve the right to substitute a prize for another of equal or greater value for any reason. All applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the prizewinners.
USE OF CONTEST INFORMATION. Contest Providers reserve the right to use any and all information related to the Contest, including information on contestants obtained through the Contest, for internal purposes with regards to the Contest, unless prohibited by law. Contestant data will not be provided to any third party unless the contestant has agreed to it during registration or on the contest site. Entrants further grant to Contest Providers the right to use and publish their proper name and city/state of residence online and in print, or any other media, in connection with the Contest. By accepting a prize, winner and travel companion (if applicable) grant permission to Sponsors to use their names, photographs, likenesses, voices, prize information and/or biographical information for publicity and promotional purposes without further compensation unless prohibited by law. By entering, participants release and hold harmless Contest Providers, their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Contest or any prize won. Restrictions, conditions, and limitations apply.
CONDUCT. Contest Providers reserve the right at their sole discretion to disqualify any individual they find to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the game or website; to be acting in violation of the Official Rules; or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. You agree that in the use of the Contest -- including but not limited to chat areas, and the registration of usernames or groupnames -- you will not use obscene, libelous or slanderous language, or language which infringes upon a third party's trademark, trade name or other intellectual property right or right to privacy. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Contest Providers, their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, sponsors, officers, consultants, agents, and employees against and from all claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses asserted by third parties alleging that the Contest includes obscenity, libel, slander, or infringes upon the third party's intellectual property or privacy rights, as a direct result of your actions in the use of the Contest. You further agree to not knowingly: damage or cause interruption of the Contest; prevent others from using the Contest; obtain or modify another user's non-public account information without his/her consent. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A CONTESTANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE GAME IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, CONTEST PROVIDERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH CONTESTANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. Winners and travel companions (if applicable) assume liability for injuries caused or claimed to be caused by participating in the contest, or by the acceptance, possession, use of, or failure to receive any prize. Contest Providers are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of submissions in the Contest. Contest Providers assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. Contest Providers are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of email or players on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Website or combination thereof, including injury or damage to participant's or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading materials in the Contest. If, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Contest Providers which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Contest, Contest Providers reserve the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Contest and all of the related pages, contents and code are copyright © Nine.com, and/or affiliated sponsors/administrators. All rights reserved. $1,000,000 Handicapper Challenge is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by any horse racing organization. Copying or unauthorized use of any copyrighted material or trademarks without the express written consent of its owner is strictly prohibited.
GENERAL CONDITIONS. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. The decisions of the Contest Providers are final on all matters of fact, interpretation, eligibility, procedure and fulfillment. By entering this contest, you acknowledge acceptance of all contest rules and agree to be bound by them.