A horse race is the pure embodiment of excitement and thrill--massive animals hurtling forth, chomping at the bit, deciding fates in the course of a couple short minutes. As long as horse racing has existed, betting on the horses has existed as well and today there is more opportunity than ever to get involved in this exciting sport, and to make a little money as well. Despite the opportunity, there is considerable risk and it is worth your while to do your research before laying down money. So many punters just bet on whims, but with the amount of information available to the public it makes more sense to use it to one's advantage. Here are some pieces of advice to get you started.
The racing form is a program that lists the day's races, tracks, times, purses, and horses. It also has a mountain of information about past performance and other pertinent happenings in the horse's career. This form is the Holy Grail to the established punter and, if used correctly, can make or break him. Know the following abbreviations: "T" - horse won on this track but at a different distance; "D"-won at same distance but different track; "C"-won at same track, same distance; "B"-was the beaten favorite in last race; "W or M"-refers to wet conditions and means the horse has won on slow or heavy tracks (excludes dead).
Begin your research by looking back at the horse's last races. Look for a hot streak. Handicappers can't agree on the most important factor, but lots of people will tell you to start your search by finding a horse that lead the pack in its last race. Take it from there.
Newspapers will provide a set of ratings on horses, with the greatest chance horse being assigned a 100 and the other horses rated at numbers below 100 as a relative indicator. These numbers are based on a murky set of factors, but keep in mind that the 100 horses do not always win. At best it is a general indicator, but do not use it as your only source of information.
Statistically speaking, favorites win somewhere between 28% and 35% of the time-keep that in mind before getting too excited about a "sure thing."
Also keep in mind that trainers put equipment like eye blinkers and nose rolls on their horses. The form will tell you about these factors, so work them into your betting. In particular, if a trainer takes off or puts on blinkers, this could influence a change in the way you bet the race.
Note whether a horse is moving up or down in class for the race. In the form, there will either be an arrow up or down next to the horse's name, or the letter "U" or "D", to indicate a horse changing class. Horse's moving down in class may be good bets depending on their recent performance.
Track conditions are a big factor in predicting winners. Fast, slow, dead, and heavy describe the moisture on a track, with fast being a dry hard track and heavy being a wet track. These words also correspond to a numeric scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the driest and 10 being the wettest. If a horse is a recent winner but has not won in wet conditions, it may not be a good bet. Tracks have their personalities and idiosyncrasies, and you may find it easier to win on some tracks than on others. This is normal, and most veteran punters will tell you that they have tracks they love and tracks they hate. Avoid the ones you hate.
As race day approaches, odds on a horse will change. Keep an eye on the odds for sure, but do not make bets based solely on them.
A firmer is a horse whose odds have moved in its favor, and a blower is one for which the odds have worsened. While these are good things to pay attention to, do not be so foolish as to think that all firmers are winners and all blowers are losers.
The going rate of a horse is based on opinion, not fact. Keep an eye out for horses that seem to stand out to you, not others. That's the mark of a true punter.
The racing form is a program that lists the day's races, tracks, times, purses, and horses. It also has a mountain of information about past performance and other pertinent happenings in the horse's career. This form is the Holy Grail to the established punter and, if used correctly, can make or break him. Know the following abbreviations: "T" - horse won on this track but at a different distance; "D"-won at same distance but different track; "C"-won at same track, same distance; "B"-was the beaten favorite in last race; "W or M"-refers to wet conditions and means the horse has won on slow or heavy tracks (excludes dead).
Begin your research by looking back at the horse's last races. Look for a hot streak. Handicappers can't agree on the most important factor, but lots of people will tell you to start your search by finding a horse that lead the pack in its last race. Take it from there.
Newspapers will provide a set of ratings on horses, with the greatest chance horse being assigned a 100 and the other horses rated at numbers below 100 as a relative indicator. These numbers are based on a murky set of factors, but keep in mind that the 100 horses do not always win. At best it is a general indicator, but do not use it as your only source of information.
Statistically speaking, favorites win somewhere between 28% and 35% of the time-keep that in mind before getting too excited about a "sure thing."
Also keep in mind that trainers put equipment like eye blinkers and nose rolls on their horses. The form will tell you about these factors, so work them into your betting. In particular, if a trainer takes off or puts on blinkers, this could influence a change in the way you bet the race.
Note whether a horse is moving up or down in class for the race. In the form, there will either be an arrow up or down next to the horse's name, or the letter "U" or "D", to indicate a horse changing class. Horse's moving down in class may be good bets depending on their recent performance.
Track conditions are a big factor in predicting winners. Fast, slow, dead, and heavy describe the moisture on a track, with fast being a dry hard track and heavy being a wet track. These words also correspond to a numeric scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the driest and 10 being the wettest. If a horse is a recent winner but has not won in wet conditions, it may not be a good bet. Tracks have their personalities and idiosyncrasies, and you may find it easier to win on some tracks than on others. This is normal, and most veteran punters will tell you that they have tracks they love and tracks they hate. Avoid the ones you hate.
As race day approaches, odds on a horse will change. Keep an eye on the odds for sure, but do not make bets based solely on them.
A firmer is a horse whose odds have moved in its favor, and a blower is one for which the odds have worsened. While these are good things to pay attention to, do not be so foolish as to think that all firmers are winners and all blowers are losers.
The going rate of a horse is based on opinion, not fact. Keep an eye out for horses that seem to stand out to you, not others. That's the mark of a true punter.
About the Author:
David Gately has built a reputation for accuracy in horse betting tips. This has come from his highly respected and reasonably priced weekly horse racing form, for the Australian horse races.. Check here for free reprint license: Horse Racing is the Most Exciting Sport Out There.
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