Betting the Horses

 

Using the information from the form or other sources is the basis for most betters to choose which horse merits a bet. It could be a hunch because you like the jockey and the horse’s name. A substantially better reason is does the race set up for the horse or not. This means if the race is loaded with speed, maybe a horse that likes to come from off the pace will do well when the front-runners tire.

 

Another consideration is the postposition of your selection. A horse posted way out side in the starting gate may be affected and it could influence how the horse will finish. Jockeys can be a factor in how the race is run and a better jockey seem to get more out of horse than another.

 

This myriad of nuances makes handicapping a difficult study and it takes a while to get good at it. There are several good books on handicapping available. If you happen to know a good handicapper ask them if they have any recommendations. If not read the reviews of readers on any book purchase site.

 

Here is a suggestion for playing trifectas at the races. If you can get a ten horse race down to five horses that you feel will have a chance to be in the money, this idea has merit. This idea is especially good if the horses you like are price horses. There are several ways to play this trifecta bet. You can play a $60 ticket with all five horses in the win, place and show slots. Each horse you eliminate from the win hole reduces the total price substantially. A three five five would only cost $36. A single in the win hole with all five in the second and third Holes would cost $12

 

Another wager strategy is what is called Dutch betting. This is the play of two or more horses to win at the same time. The odds have to be favorable for this idea to have legs. It is very good if you hand two 4 to one shots with an 8 to one shot. If any one of them wins you will book a profit. You could do the same thing with a 5 to two shot and a 3 to one shot. Pure favorites are hard to play in a Dutch betting strategy.

 

There are numerous betting strategies and a player is wise to find one they like.