IIMBLUE,

Do not speak about 1905.  Entire lot of mankind that was alive during 1905 would have gone to heavens by this time.  

Instead talk about 1970.  At that time a Railway clerk was drawing less than 400 per month.  Even many seniormost officer in Railway would  be earning 2500/-.

However, a man who was betting 10/- during 1970 should have been betting 8k to 10k in current days.  (doubling his bets every 5 years).

As regarding your suggestion that at 5/-, he will get the dividends at half of what he used to get for 10/- is correct theoretically.  But, the man who was betting 10/- now will just take 2 tickets for 5/- each.

"At 5/-, with the current rate of GST one will get very low returns"!  

You see, the minimum bet in USA is $1 for exotic bets.  But, he can bet just 10 cents per ticket and get proportionate dividends.  This is applicable where he desires to nominate multiple horses in every leg and will not be interested to buy superfecta tickets at $1.  Of course, I do not know whether such facility is given for trinella pool also.

In any case, if you feel that returns are not viable and bet at 5/- is not worth, then you can skip betting!  As I have told, at Hyderabad, there is huge collection for forecast, quinella, trinella and jackpot because unit bet is 5/-.

I have read somewhere that even in year 1905 , the minimum betting on tote ticket was rs 10. That was one the reasons why the sport was call sport of kings. 

Till the introduction of computerisation of tote the ticket price used to be rs 5 at BTC. 

Going back to rs 5 as the minimum bet may not make much difference to other pools. But my gut feeling is that it will surely kill the place pools. With almost 35 % deductions the divisible pool is much less. In a hypothetical case where two fancied runners come on the board  , the place dividend on the third placed horse will be much less,  even if it is a rank outsider.

On the other hand,  punters are saved from tax deduction on other exotic  pools as the payments will be exactly half compared to that before. 

As it will facilitate punters frm Hyd or else they may sulk

In this pandamic if they put 10 days season it will be welcomed but have to start that is the big taskkkkk