Demystifying Horse Racing Betting Strategies

Horse racing is known as “The Sport of Kings” because its rise to popularity was due to the medieval practice of aristocrats and rulers wagering on racing high quality horses.  Eventually the sport became open to the common folks but the custom of betting on favorites was passed on to the masses, thus eternally linking horse racing to gambling.  Unfortunately this was also the reason why horse racing was almost ruined in the 1900s because gambling was banned on a lot of areas.  Pari-mutuel, a French term which means “among ourselves”, was a type of betting system introduced in 1908 which eventually saved the horse racing enterprise and became adapted to its modern form.  Pari-mutuel betting means that all the money placed by bettors are placed in a pool, a certain percentage is taken away to cover for taxes, track expenses, race purse, and others, and the remainder is then distributed appropriately to the winning tickets.

If you play the odds right, horse racing can be a very exciting and profitable venture.  But what about those who want to take on horse racing betting but have no idea where to begin?  Certainly a lot of questions can come up once you engage in horse racing.  Queries such as, “There are so many horses listed on the board, how can I choose the best ones?”, “All those terminologies are so foreign sounding, how can I place my bet?”, “The weather is very cold today; I wonder will it affect the performance of my favorite horse?”, and “Sprints, posts, turns, what do all these mean?”, all these issues have no doubt crossed the minds of many a horse race fan.

For newcomers in horse racing betting, it is advisable to stick to one or two race courses in orders to familiarize yourself well with the area.  Be acquainted with the horses that run the track especially those who have won previously.  It is also good practice to be familiar with the horse trainers and jockeys.  A properly trained horse driven by a well-experienced jockey is a very good combination, and betting on it may increase your chances of winning.  The type of track, whether dirt or turf, can be a determining factor in a race, because some horses are only trained on one type and would not perform well on the other.  Get yourself acquainted with horse racing betting jargon because it will help you a lot in placing your bets.  Simple bets such as win, place, and show, are appropriate for novices but can also be taken advantage off if the odds are right.  Exotic bets such as the perfecta, trifecta, superfecta, daily double, wheeling, keying, and boxing are best left to veterans or experienced bettors but can pay out larger sums if won.

So how can you be sure that you would win in a race track?  Alas there is no guaranteed strategy to consistently win at the races since a lot of conditions can affect the outcome of any race.  However, it is important that you are well-informed of the basics of the game so that you can plan your line of attack thoroughly.  As with any other type of gambling, responsible gaming is necessary in order for you to succeed in this area.