Modern horse racing can trace its roots back to the 19th century when horse racing clubs were being established.
Betting has played a large role in the development of horse racing.
In Britain, betting on horse racing dates back to the 1600s.
Nowadays, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and is hugely popular across the world.
There are many types of bets that you might try out, all with their own requirements.
The last four markets are known as exotic bets and only specialised bookmakers will offer them.
Race Winner
This is a wager on which horse will win a race.
It is the most commonly placed bet in horse racing and it offers generous odds.
The odds will be affected by the size of the field.
This means how many contestants there are in the race.
Some races will only have 5 contestants, whilst others may have up to 16.
The more racers there are, the longer the odds will be for each horse.
Place Bet
you might bet on a horse to place in a race using this bet.
What this means is that the horse will finish either in the top three or top five places.
The places depend on the size of the field, with larger fields offering more places.
This bet comes at shorter odds than the race winner bet as you will have greater insurance.
Each Way Bet
Each way bets are combinations of race winner and place bets.
This gives you the best of both worlds.
If your horse wins, you will pocket a larger return.
A win would award $39.50 which comes from 6 x $5 and 1.9 x $5.
The odds on this bet are longer than quinella bets, but they are far harder to predict.
Trifecta
If the exacta sounds difficult, then prepare yourself for the trifecta bet.
This bet is extremely difficult to win, but in return the odds are tremendous.
If you do win it then you will certainly pocket a massive return.
It can be compared to hitting a jackpot in a casino game or winning the lottery.
The odds for superfecta bets will vary depending on which horses you pick to win.
It is possible to win hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more.
In the 2005 Kentucky Derby, a lucky bettor placed a $1 superfecta bet.
All their predictions came true and the bettor walked away with a cool $864,253.
To form a parlay, you’re able to combine numerous selections for far longer odds.
The odds of all your single bets will be multiplied giving you tremendous odds.
The only downside is that you gotta win all your selections to win the parlay bet.
Full-cover bets are similar, in that you need multiple selections.
The difference is that you will place multiple parlay bets that use combinations of the selections you made.
you’re free to learn more about full-cover bets in ourguide to full cover horse race betting.
Jockeys/Trainers
The first thing you could do is check the jockey and the trainer of a contestant.
Horse Age
Horses usually only race for a few years.
Therefore, be sure to also check out the youngest competitors.
Some horses accomplish the most in the first or second year of their professional careers.
Qualification
Horses do not simply qualify for the largest events.
There will be conditions to receive an invitation that involves winning other races.
This will be a good indication of how the horse competes in the most competitive stakes.
Track Surface/Distance
This may sound simple but it is highly important.
Races are made on dirt tracks or on grass turfs.
Horses usually have a preference for either one or the other.
Dirt races tend to be faster but grass races are less physically demanding.
Trainers know this, but sometimes they race their horses on both types of tracks.
Distance is also key.
Races can be anywhere from half a mile long to two and a half miles or more.
Again, the trainers and jockeys will recognise their horse’s strengths.
Horses that are better at sprints may be raced on half-mile up to one-mile-long races.
The horses that have less explosive speed but more stamina may be better suited to longer distances.
You should check the exact distance of the race and whether the horse is successful at that race length.
Sometimes there will be a wire-to-wire victor whilst other races may be more neck and neck.
The main thing is that you should have a go at enjoy the races.
it’s possible for you to also choose to make a day program out of horse racing.
Nothing beats buying a ticket and going to the races yourself.
Be sure to stay within your budget and have fun.
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