Top Tips For Horse Race Betting
Horse racing is one of the most popular spectator sports in the world. Millions of people place bets on horses every day, so there’s never been a better time to learn how to get involved.
If you want to try your hand at placing some bets on this exciting sport but don’t know where to start, we have all the top tips right here for you.
Getting Organized
To begin with, you need two things: an account with a bookmaker such as fun88 and the ability to watch the races! If you’ve ever watched television coverage or gone to a racecourse, then that counts as watching races, so you’re already halfway towards finding out how to bet on horses.
The second step is to open an online account with a bookmaker. Again, the process is very straightforward, and there are several different bookmakers available to choose from, so you can usually find one that meets your needs. Now that you have an account with a bookmaker and the ability to watch some races, then you’re ready to put some money on a horse!
Types of Bets
There are many different types of bets that you can place. Some of the most popular include match betting (betting on horses in pairs) win only (betting on horses to come in first), and each way (betting, which involves hedging your bets).
Before you take part in any form of race betting, you need to be aware that it is highly addictive! Be sure not to invest too much money until you develop your skill and understanding of the betting systems, or it could become a very costly hobby!
While many people will tell you which horses to avoid and which ones are worth your money, there’s no guarantee that this information is accurate, so make sure you try out different strategies yourself before putting your money at risk.
The Odds
The odds are the likelihood of a horse winning a race. Different bookmakers will offer slightly different odds for the same horses, so it’s always worth shopping around to try and find the best price! If you’re watching races with friends, then it might be fun to pool your money together to see if you can win big from a small bet but remember that this is meant as entertainment rather than something too serious.
The bookmakers do factor in how much money that’s been wagered on each horse. So that means that if one horse is far more popular than another, then they might have to cut their odds slightly to try and spread the bets out – this is called ‘trading out.’ If you can find a horse that isn’t being traded out, then it could be worth putting your money on.
Starting Prices
The starting prices are the odds or chances of a particular horse winning at the very start of a race. If you’re new to race betting, then it’s worth watching some races first before trying your hand at placing bets, as this will help you get used to how things work and give you an idea of what sort of returns those different types of bet offer.
Sometimes odds will shorten or lengthen as it gets closer to the start of the race, so it’s always worth waiting for this to happen before you place your bets. This is when using starting prices can be very useful, as if a horse starts at 5/1 and then gets shorter than 2/1, then that could be an excellent opportunity to get in on the action.
The Starting Price or SP is known as the price bookmakers quote an unbacked runner. The initial ‘starting’ prices are based on the previous performances of horses in similar races and factor in such information as the weight carried, distance raced, experience, and jockey quality.
Horses that start at longer odds or higher prices usually provide the opportunity to win more money than those with short odds or smaller prices. However, do remember that all bets come with a risk!
Age, Weight, and Form
Horses may be trained specifically to race at a particular type of track or distance, so it’s essential to factor in all of this information when placing bets. Some horses may be more experienced than others and be the perfect age and stamina levels for a particular race distance.
If you’re thinking about playing around with some betting strategies, then you’ll need to know your form! The age of an older horse will affect how fast they can run, whereas younger horses are just getting started in their careers and may not be consistent runners.
The ‘form’ of a horse is something which tracks their last few races and tells you how long it’s been since they have raced. The form guide will also list the type of race, age, distance, and weight carried so you can get an idea of whether or not the horse in question is suited to your betting system.
Making The Most of Your Bets
The more risks that you take, the greater potential returns you can expect if things go well – but this also applies to losing money too! As long as you have done your research beforehand, then it should be relatively easy to find a betting strategy that suits your household budget.
If you’re using tipsters for guidance, then remember that they will only ever offer their opinion – it’s still up to you to look through the information given and decide whether or not it works for you.