How To Bet On Horse Racing For Beginners? With Expert Tips

Horse racing is an exciting way for beginners to get some action. You don’t have to be a pro to have fun. 

Some folks like picking their horses based on the color of their silk or how clever the name of the horse sounds. Others may have a favorite number that they always bet on. It’s fun because there isn’t one correct answer.

So, how to bet on horse racing for beginners? If you are a beginner, then you should choose to win bets whereby you just pick one horse and think it will finish first to win. But additional betting options can make it even more exciting.

We don’t want to confine you to one option only. So, let’s get into horse racing and learn everything about it!

Why Go To A Horse Race?

It is not just fascinating to see horses in action at horse racing. It is something that you will not experience anywhere else. “My grandfather loved horse racing, but I never got the point,” you may think. 

Horse racing has a greater sense of thrill compared to other forms of betting. You won’t be in some smoky casino where people lose track of time. Instead, you’re outside amidst the crowd’s excitement and fresh air. 

The exhilaration one gets from seeing powerful horses charge toward the finish line cannot be written into words accurately. No matter how they perform, it’s a memorable moment.

Additionally, horse racing has an affordable entry fee for all individuals. If you have ever gone to a professional football or basketball game, then you understand what we mean when we say their tickets are expensive. 

Furthermore, a trip to see horses run is also an excellent way to make a date more interesting. It’s high energy, has tons of topics for conversation, and is thrilling, too! 

How To Bet On Horse Racing For Beginners?

Whether you are attracted to a horse by merely its name or use statistics to make an informed decision, betting on racing horses will always be a fun and amusing way of enjoying the sport. The following are the steps for you to join in! 

Choose Your Horse

When selecting a horse on which to wager, you could be general or detailed, depending on what you want. Think about the name of the horse, its lucky number, or even the color of its saddle pad before making your choice. 

From reading through that racing program, one can learn much about trainers who were raced previously by the horses as well as those who drive them, i.e. jockeys and drivers, respectively. 

Morning line odds could indicate which horses are favored by handicappers at a track. For some people, choosing a horse is easy since all it takes is going with your gut feelings, while others may need more information concerning their choices.

Decide On The Finish Position You Want To Bet On

Once you have settled on a particular horse, your next step is to select your mode of betting. At least for beginners, “Win” would be considered the simplest type of wager where your horse should come first. 

If you want higher chances of winning, then go for “Place”, where you’ll expect that your animal finishes among the first two positions. To show is usually referred to as Show, and it’s advisable for someone who has just joined the gaming industry. 

You just need to place the top three, whereas wins are only possible when one uses these types of bets, although they do not pay much money.

Taking Risk

You can place bets at the betting window or “mutuel” after picking out both your selection and type of bet. Details such as racetrack name, race number, wager amount, horse number, and the kind of bet you will place may be mentioned to the teller. 

For instance, you can say, “Race 4 at Mohawk Racetrack; $2 on #7 to WIN.” Once they collect your cash, complete your ticket and give it back to you. 

Check the ticket twice before the race begins to ensure that it is correct. The tote board has MTP (Minute to Post) written on it, which shows the amount of time remaining until the start of a race.

Watch The Race And Confirm Your Ticket

And here we go –the most exciting part! Look at everything around you, cheer for your animal, and have fun. Immediately after that, there are results of a racing completion on a tote board. 

In addition, it also shows what two dollars would pay off if one bet them on the top three horses in each race in question. Turn in your ticket at a teller’s window if your horse finishes second or better; otherwise, keep track of winnings until an announcement is made as “OFFICIAL” by the tote machine. 

Even though you lost, you should still retain your ticket just in case another winner was disqualified, and your horse ended up being awarded first place instead.

Different Types Of Horse Racing Bets

Whether you are a pro at gambling or just trying it out for the first time, there are several horse racing bets for you. Straight bets and exotic bets are the two most common types of wagers. But there are more for you to choose from. 

Straight Wagers

For newbies, a straight wager is an ideal option due to its simplicity. It’s possible to either win (the first position), place (first or second places), or Show (first, second, or third) in case someone has made a straight wager on a given horse. 

Those straight wagers do not require extensive research into horses’ background information or previous performance history. 

The minimum bet is $2, thus making it a cheap alternative as far as straight wagers are concerned, unlike other forms like exotic betting that can be very expensive, especially if one loses their stakes.

Although WIN pays the highest money, it is difficult to win. At the same time, PLACE or SHOW comes with some comfort because anyone among these types of wagers can assure payout, regardless of which point the selected horses land during the completion position of the race.

Across The Board And Combo Bets

Across-the-board wagering and combo betting offer slight variations on straightforward bets. Furthermore, across-the-board wagering involves dividing a single horse’s stake into three separate stakes: WIN, PLACE, and SHOW. 

The payment will be calculated for all three stakes if the animal is in the first place; meanwhile, if placed second, payment would involve both PLACE and SHOW results, paying for only the last SHOW bet if the horse happens to come third.

Therefore, even though this form of betting is more expensive, as you are essentially putting three bets at once, it has a better chance of winning. Combination bets like WIN/PLACE or PLACE/SHOW help you cover multiple positions in one bet, thus giving an equilibrium between cost and probability of success.

Exotic Wagers

Exotic wagers open doors for more adventurous and potentially profitable gambling. Some examples of such bets include selecting the first two horses to cross the finish line in a certain sequence (EXACTA) or the first three horses to cross the finish line in any particular sequence (TRIFECTA). 

You can box these bets, meaning that your chosen horses may come in any order, but you have to pay extra. However, exotic wagers are harder to win than straight wagers, but when won, they give much higher returns than them.

If you are looking for a little bit more thrill and risk in your betting routine, then these types of stakes are definitely for you. One must know extensively about horse racing before placing such wagers.

Superfecta And Other Complex Bets

Superfecta is an interesting choice for the big fish in the betting money pond. For you to win this bet, you must know the exact order in which the first four horses will finish. 

Like an exacta or a trifecta, you can also box a superfecta so that your horses may finish in any order of your choice; however, it becomes very expensive. 

It’s not easy getting a superfecta, but if you do, then you get paid a lot. Despite their complexity, superfectas are a favorite for many punters since they have a small minimum stake, usually at 10 cents.

Including additional sophisticated bets such as Quinella and more exotic options adds depth to strategy and potential payoff on horse racing experiences.

Tips On How To Pick Your Winning Horse

To predict which horse will win a race, you need to combine skill, luck, and keen observation. However, there are no guarantees for success in this field; you can only adopt several strategies to boost your odds of winning and maximize the fun in it. Here are some simple techniques of handicapping that will help you be more confident in your selections: 

Know The Race Day Program By Heart

To bet intelligently on horses, one must be familiar with the schedule of activities on the race day. Each horse or jockey involved in any given race has a section dedicated to it in the program where you may find statistics, history, or other important information. 

In particular, these figures might confuse you at first, but sometime later, they will start making sense to you. 

For example, it shows which horses have done well against comparable competition and whose jockeys have been successful; thus, simply learning how to read this software can instantly transform gambling from a random act into an educated decision.

Look At The Horse’s Class Levels

For instance, if a horse performs poorly during his last few outings, then chances are that soon enough, he may drop down into a lower-level claiming race. 

Even though a horse might have been very successful at low-level claiming races, it doesn’t mean that it won’t encounter difficulties while racing in such allowance events. 

Looking into their record book using their track records, especially seeing how they perform in races like this one, helps determine if they are likely to do well or not. 

When betting on such a horse that just moved up into higher class levels, I think one should be cautious.

Consider Surface Type

More often than not, horses tend to prefer one type of racetrack surface among many options, such as dirt tracks, grass tracks, or synthetic materials used for construction purposes within them. 

Some horses can run fast on dirt but cannot perform well on synthetic tracks. Race day programs sometimes document each horse’s past races on different surfaces. 

A reassuring sign is when a horse has a record of winning over surfaces similar to what you’ll be running on. By watching the track surface, you will avoid betting on a horse that will not do well.

Review Jockey’s Record

The skill and experience of jockeys have a significant impact on how well horses perform. Some riders just seem to always come in first or second every time they ride. 

In situations like these, betting on a horse that consistently finishes somewhere among the pack could be worth considering, especially if you see an expert rider aboard. 

Moreover, ensure that this jockey has successfully ridden this horse before. It is advisable to use such facts when developing your gambling approach, as a good performance history combined boosts chances for a proper finish.

Watch The Horse In The Paddock

Before every race, horses are taken for a walk around the paddock. In doing so, you will experience their moods and check their conditions on race day to help you decide where to put your money. 

A horse that appears alert and calm will probably do well at times like this. You should avoid anxious, sweating, or agitated-looking horses all the time. 

It may not be scientific, but gazing at those horses while you are in the paddock adds a human touch to gambling and sometimes reveals stuff.

Consider The Odds

The odds given in the program, based on past performances of the participating horses, can help you determine which ones are favorites to win. 

The favorite is, therefore, advisable because it has lesser odds than all other horses; thus, it increases the chances of one making some money but doesn’t mean that your horse will win. 

Favorites have a 1/3 win percentage, 50% top-two percentage, and 2/3 top-three percentage, as shown by statistics. To bet for a favorite show is known as a “Safe Bet” because it offers an even chance of return.

Luck And Superstition

Your intuition alone or just a superstition can easily make you choose one horse over another. Maybe it could be the color of the saddle pad or simply its lucky number? 

Some people select only by name! These methods do not possess any statistics or analysis foundation, but they bring fun to different events, such as racing with friends. 

Actually, when it comes to horse racing, the thrill and excitement are far more important than the actual outcome itself. That’s why don’t shy away from following your unusual way of choosing a horse; maybe it’ll work out after all!\

FAQ

What is the easiest bet in horse racing?

The Win-Place-Show bet is the simplest in horse racing. To be a winner, a place finisher, or a show finisher, all you need to do is pick a horse. This is ideal for beginners since the $2 base wager is basic.

What is the smartest bet in horse racing?

The smartest stake by far shall be SHOW on that favorite racehorse of all times. It has a better chance of winning and is less risky but with a lower payout. Thus, by placing exotic bets such as Exacta, Trifecta, And Superfecta, among others, which require one to select the order in which multiple horses will run, you can boost your winnings.

What is the most profitable horse bet?

Value betting, when it comes to horse betting, yields great results. This means finding divergences between those set by bookmakers and your assessment of how well a given runner can perform on that day. 

What is the best time to bet on horses?

You should put down your bet if you notice that there are odds higher than average for your chosen steed and if you believe it will perform well. In case there remains some doubt about this matter, anyone would rather put their stake early enough before sunrise or at least just prior to the start time of the event itself.

The Ending 

Betting on horse races is an exhilarating and profitable affair if you know what you’re doing. So, now that you know how to bet on horse racing for beginners, this basic understanding will certainly help in enhancing your experience. 

Nothing beats the joy of seeing your chosen horse become first past the finishing post, but do not forget that winning is not everything in horse racing: loving the sport is just as important.