The biggest single payoff in California horse...

The biggest single payoff in California horse racing history, $719,777.40 on Sunday’s Pick Six betting at Bay Meadows in San Mateo, was collected by a retired salesman who has been playing the horses for 49 years.

The big winner, who chose to remain anonymous, was described by track officials as a 68-year-old retired salesman of electrical supplies. He held the only winning ticket, a $24 investment, and placed the bet through a friend who went to the satellite wagering facility at Golden Gate Fields, the track near the winner’s home town, Vallejo.

The man who picked the six winners in order received $582,648 after taxes. He asked for a $580,000 check and $2,648 in “walking-around money,” a track official said.