From the Grand National to the Kentucky Derby, major horse racing events attract millions globally. From enthusiasts to bettors, horse racing has something for everyone. Betting lets the fans up their experiences. However, if you are looking to pocket a profit, it helps to learn some aspects to facilitate efficient betting. From reading the form guide, analyzing racing results, employing the readily available information, to picking the best bookmaker, among other considerations, you need to know a few things to enjoy profitable betting. Here are some of the things you need to know to make horse racing betting more manageable.
Horse racing offers many markets categorized in two wagers; straight and exotic/system bets. Straight wagers are the most convenient, especially for beginners as they learn the ropes. The wager entails wagering on one horse.
Straight wager
- Win: Pick a specific horse to win the race (finish first)
- Place: Wager on a horse to come in first or second
- Show: The horse will come in first, second, or third
- Across the board: Also known as a straight combo, it entails wagering on a horse to win, place and show. You pocket the win, place, and show money if the horse wins the race. Second place wins you the place and show money, and third place only wins you the show money.
- Win/place and place/show bet: This is a multiple bet on a single wager. Win/place bets mean that you are wagering on a horse to win or place. The first spot secures the win and place money, and for the second position, you collect the place win. For the second or third spot, you pocket place and show win. The second position wins you place and show money, and the third spot means that you collect show winning.
Exotic/system bets
Exotic/system wagers are a little more complex, requiring more skills to win more. The bets also require more wager amounts than straight bets, making them ideal for bettors comfortable with horse racing betting. The market allows you to wager on multiple horses in one bet. While challenging, system bets return more profit than straight wagers. The common system bets include;
- Exacta: You pick two horses and wager that they’ll finish first, and they must follow the exact order for the bet to win.
- Quinella: Wager on horses to finish first and second, and the bet wins regardless of the order.
- Trifecta: Pick three horses and wager that they’ll finish first, second, and third, and in exact order.
- Superfecta: Pick four horses and wager who’ll come in first, second, third, and fourth in exact order.
You’ve understood the main markets, but how can you score a profit? The easiest way to win more in horse race bets is by relying on information and not purely instincts and luck. Check out racing results, form guide, reliable information sources such as media coverage, and interviews with jockeys and trainers, among others. Managing your bankroll is also a valuable aspect as you tailor an effective horse racing betting strategy.
Budget, and stick to the portion you set aside for betting. This ensures that you don’t turn the exciting aspect into a painful experience as you spend more than you can comfortably finance, such as digging into money meant for settling your bills. If you feel frustrated whenever you lose, take a break. Horse racing betting should be fun, not a painful experience.
