Terry Severson won the 2023 Canterbury Park Handicapper of the Year title, earning the honor as well as a $2,000 cash prize. The competition takes place throughout the year in the Racebook with entrants competing in handicapping contests, some free to enter and others with entry fees and live bankrolls, earning points based on success. Severson won by a wide margin with 17 points. Second was Shaun Rau with 10. Rau was the 2020 winner and runner-up in ’19, ’21 and ’22.
Severson has been a regular contest participant but this was his first HoY title. He earned points in several contests including Road to Kentucky, Bet on Yourself in R2K, You Want In Super Satellite, Dog Days Super and NHC Super. He parlayed a win in the Spring Tune-Up Satellite into a victory in the annual Dog Days of Summer Tournament. The Dog Days sends the winner to the National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas however Severson had already maxxed out entries to the NHC through other online contests. He also had qualified for the NHC the prior year and played in the final in Vegas last March where he finished on the bubble but got moved up in the standings later due to a DQ and earned $12,500. “That was an unexpected bonus,” Severson said. “I’ll take it.”
He also won a $10,000 entry to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge through the Canterbury Park BCBC / NHC Qualifier Contest held in September.
Severson earned prize money in most of the cash contests in which he played. “I had a really good year in contests,” he said. “There is strategy and game theory in all contests. Even the $10 weekly super satellites require a strategy.” He encourages others to play contests maintaining that there are many very good handicappers that do not take advantage of the contest schedule. “Handicapping contests offer a great opportunity,” he said. “I am always promoting them to others.”
The 2024 contest season kicks off soon with the Spring Tune-Up Super Satellites mid-month and the Road to Kentucky and Bet on Yourself on January 20.
