Horse Racing Betting Tips

Make the Most of Horse Racing Tips

There has never been an easier, or better, time to bet on horses. Many bookies are competing for your business with the best odds and offers. If you know where to look, then you can take advantage, exploit the offers, and get the best prices around. We can help you shop around and get the best prices to match those tips. Here’s how to make the most of your horse racing betting.

Pick Your Specialty for Those Racing Tips

There is far too much horseracing going on today to be able to bet on everything successfully. There’s no way you can be on top of everything. If you try, then you are probably going to get plenty wrong – and make too many errors of judgement.

As such, you need to pick the area of racing that you can specialise in. You could pick an area of racing, such as novice hurdles – or even the 2YOs on flat Pick the type of race that interests you, watch them all, and become an expert in those only.

Keep a Track of the Results

If you can pick one specialty, then you can make up a database to log everything. You can log the results, notes and your views on all the races. You can find special ones online or just make your own database. You need to make a note of everything so you can analyse future races.

Try to Set Your Own Odds

This sounds odd, because the odds come from the bookies, but try to set your own odds. How? Why? Well, you need to do this. There are many good bettors who don’t do as well as they should because they bet on what they want – regardless of odds.

The best way to figure out when the best time to bet is to make your own prices up to 100%. An example of this is if you bet up a three horse race at evens (2.0), 3/1 (4.0) and 3/1 (4.0). You then compare this to the bookies odds, which are: 6/4 (2.50), 5/2 (2.50) and 2/1 (3.0). Then the only value bet is the 6/4 shot. Bet on this, and you’re getting odds of 6/4 on a horse that you calculated as evens.

Obviously, there aren’t many three horse races – and this is a very simplistic example. It might be a little trickier than this, but if you can do it, it’s a hood habit to form. This will help you pick out the value bets, so you don’t bet on anything and everything that looks like a winner.

Wait for a Change in Weather

The best weather for racing is when the weather is dry and the ground is hard. As such, summer time is the toughest for the bookmakers. However, British summertime doesn’t guarantee sunshine. The weather changes and so do the results. Try not to analyse a horse on its form on hard ground if the weather means it will be racing on soft ground. Be careful and wait for sunnier days.

Check the Shape of the Race

This is a surprisingly important factor in any race analysis you do. You need to analyse the style of your horse and what race suits them best. An example: If you have two headstrong runners up front, then they could cancel each other out and ruin each other. This could well make way for a hold up horse to benefit.

Likewise, if a horse is looking like it will get a softer and unpressed lead, then it will likely give a very good running. This type of analysis comes with experience as you get to know the horses, tracks and races – and revising your notes.

In Form Small Yard Beats Big Name Stable

In general, any horse from a big and more well-established yard tends to be overbet if you compare them to the form actually achieved. You need to blinker yourself to the hype and just base it on what you have seen yourself.

Start-ups and young trainers tend to push harder than the already established trainers and yards that have already enjoyed success.

Review Your Bets Monthly

The one thing you can be sure of is that the best way to be successful in betting is through discipline – and the ability to spy and avoid the bad value bets. Make a betting plan and stick to it. Also, don’t bet more just to chase the losses. Just sit back and be disciplined and patient. Ride out hard times and losses and keep to the plan you set. If you don’t, you’re likely to fail.

Avoid Odds-On Betting and Look Out for Each-Way Value

You should try not to bet odds-on. It’s always best to try and focus on each-way options. Unfortunately, when betting odds-on, the hit rate you need to make a profit is very high – and it’s often hard to find any price advantage. As such, it’s better to bet on 8, 9 or 10 horse races, each-way – where you’ll find terms more in the bettors favour.

Pay Attention to the Draw

This is one of the most important ways to find a winner – and is becoming more relevant than ever. It is often a source of frustration to bettors on the flat. For reasons unknown, there are some parts of racecourses that have faster strips of turf. As such, this sees the horses that are drawn high or low enjoy substantial advantage. Always remember to record any bias so you can use it for future reference.

Go for a Young Pilot over a Star

There are often horses that are under-priced, just because they are being ridden by star jockeys – and bettors believe that the top jockeys are riding the horse because it is expected to win. There are some punters who often bet on the jockey and not the horse, which skews prices.

For successful horseracing betting, it’s best to avoid the mainstream view. Check out young riders who often offer much more value if you are quick enough to spot them before others do.

Types of Horse Racing Betting Tips

There are plenty of ways you can bet on the horses. There’s the simple and traditional race winner and to place bets; there are also plenty of special bets if you want to try something a little more exotic. Horse racing predictions don’t just cover winners – you can get  free horse racing tips on all types of different bets. Here are the most popular.

To Win Only

This is the most common – and simplest – of all horse racing bets. This is simply a straight bet for the horse to finish in first place. Many bookies often pay a ‘double result’ – so should your winner subsequently be disqualified by a stewards enquiry, you’ll still get your winnings. Alongside the tips, you should also check out which bookmakers are offering ‘best odds guaranteed’. This means that if the starting price is better than the price you get when betting, you are paid at the best odds. This is one of the top offers when looking at win only bets.

To Place Only

This type of bet used to be available on betting exchanges only; however, it is now more common on standard bookmaker sites.

Each-Way Bets

You make two different bets One bet to win, and one bet to place. This is particularly popular when a race has 8 or more runners. With most ‘place’ bets, they are settled on the first three places – as in many competitive handicaps races with wide open markets. The each-way terms vary depending on the number of horses in the race and what type of race it is.

Handicap Races

2-4 Runners: Win Only

5-7 Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2

8-11 Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2,3

12-15 Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2,3

16+ Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2,3,4

Non-Handicap Races

2-4 Runners: Win Only

5-7 Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2

8+ Runners: Odds ¼ to place 1,2,3

Forecast Bets

This bet requires you to pick the first or second in the right order. The winnings are then calculated by a tricky algorithm made from the prices of the first and second placers.  This is a good bet if you don’t fancy a short-priced runner to finish first or second.

Tricast

This is very similar to the forecast bet in how you calculate it – but you have to find the first, second and third place in the right order. This offers value if you think there has been a draw bias – so those drawn low have a big advantage. An experience punter can combine the lower drawn runners in a tricast bet.

Accas

Also known as a multi-bet or combo bet. This is for very good – or very optimistic bettors who want to find several different winners and combine it in one bet. You can multiply your winnings in doubles and trebles. However, the most popular acca is the Yankee – four selections and eleven bets / combinations.

Laying

This is where you can bet on a hose to win rather than lose… which is becoming ever more popular with punters. Check out our in-depth article on the best way to make a profit from lay betting

Antepost Betting

All big bookies offer betting on the big races. You can get the biggest prices if you take more of a risk – and the earlier you bet, the bigger the price. However, will your horse turn up fit and well on the day? That’s the risk you have to take! So check out all the best horse racing tips today!