Placing bets on horse races has been around for centuries. Join the tradition and find out how you can maximise your profits from our horse betting tips.
Understand horse racing terms.
There are several horse racing terms that are not directly connected with betting but essential for understanding news reports and horse racing literature. More important is to have a complete understanding of the different types of bets offered. Horse racing glossaries on the Internet is a good place to start.
Start with conservative bets.
The staple bet in horse racing is the Win bet, which pays if the selected horse comes first. The Place bet pays if the selected horse comes either first or second. This bet has a greater chance of winning but will pay out less. However, it adds a comfort value to new punters.
Use the Exacta and Quinella bets well.
An even money favourite is not worth betting on. For such races the Exacta bet with the favourite for first place and another horse for the second place is a good option. If there are two favourites at the top then the Quinella bet can be considered where the two selected horses have to finish first and second but in any order.
Importance of race cards.
Before every race, the race card is issued listing all the runners and relevant information such as jockey, trainer, handicap and so on. It is important to read this document before betting.
Statistics of past races.
Most punters analyse the last five races the horse has participated in. Here it is important to factor in conditions like type of racetrack and race distance. A horse that has performed well over short distances will not necessarily be suited for longer races.
Current form is important.
Horses come to the racetrack several days before the race and train there. How they perform during the workouts is perhaps the best indicator of preparedness. Check out the news items for information on the workouts.
Post allotments.
Posts are allotted to the horses a few days before the race. Post 1 is closest to the rails and disliked because of a possibility of being crowded in. Posts furthest away from the rails are also not preferred. However, the importance of post allotments in overstated.
Ante post odds.
Betting sites release odds before the posts are allotted and these are known as ante post odds. It is generally seen that the odds for an overwhelming favourite get shorter closer to the race. Therefore it is worth placing a bet on the favourite with the ante post odds, especially with a “no run no bet” clause that refunds the bet if the horses scratched.
Bet at reputed sites.
It is not worth the risk betting at fly by night sites. Ensure that the site is licensed and enjoys a good reputation and history before placing a bet. A good practice is narrow the field to about five sites after due diligence and use those only.
Compare odds before betting.
Always compare odds at your short listed sites and place the bet where the odds are most favourable.
