Today we are going to take a look at how to bet on horses. Handicapping is picking the right horse to be the winner in a horse race. Some people do that well and others are just a hit and miss on the winners. Betting the right horse can be a science if it is done correctly/
As you prepare to bet a horse and are looking at the horses entered then you need to know some things before you make your selection. Is the horse running their maiden race, has the horse had strong competition, what kind of winning percentage do they own and what distances have their races been.
Does the horse have enough history to know if they prefer turf, dirt or synthetic? Has the horse done well on this particular racetrack? What position at the post did they get? Has the horse been here awhile or did they just get shipped in?
All of these and more are things you must consider. Another important factor is how much time has the horse had off since their last race? Between 30-60 is the preferred time. If it has been 90 that is ideal. However, getting close to 180 days finds that horses don’t perform well. You need to find out how many starts the horse has had in the past year. A horse that runs a lot doesn’t win very often. Ideally, find a horse that has 12 or less starts in the last 2 years. With that being said, I prefer a horse with less starts more than many starts.
Look at the time of day and gather the odds. Horses that are less than 20-1 in the morning are more likely to come away as the winner. You can really make some money look at those 15-1 and 12-1 in the morning that have gotten even better as the post time appears. Good horses will get beat from time to time which makes looking at the last 3 races and determining if they were favorite and got beat. This horse may be primed for a win.
Look at speed in previous races. They may be running well but not winning. This translates into a horse that may be ready to win. They are ready to finish in the money. Look at the horses and find a way to eliminate all but 3 horses. These are the ones you must do your diligent research on before post time. Look to see if the horse has dropped in class. Also, look for a horse that has won at least once in its last five races.
If you do your research and find two horses that fit all the criteria, turn to the trainer’s record and take the one with the most win. Trainers can make a huge difference in a close race.
Horses wear blinkers which is designed to sharpen a horse’s focus. Look and see if this is the case for any horse you consider. Lastly, if you can’t decide look at the record of the jockey and find the one with the highest winning percentage.
If all else fails, here are some numbers to help you:
- If you bet the favorite horse for the race to win, you will win about 33% of the time.
- If you bet the favorite horse for the race to place, you will win about 54% of the time.
- If you bet the favorite horse for the race to show, you win about 67% of the time.
Remember to check the odds before betting on horse racing and remember to practice good bankroll management.
