With so many fans, it cannot be denied how popular horse racing is. People attend the event, sitting on bleachers, spectating which horse is the fastest among them all. But is that all there is to it? There is a reason why the horse racing industry is valued at over three billion dollars in the past year, attributed to gambling.
Gambling is a fun gimmick at horse races where you bet on specific instances of a horse or two. You get your money back plus an additional prize if you win, which is why so many people are hooked on betting during races. If you are one of them, you need to carefully pick a winner if you want to get that extra prize.
The following are tips on how you can choose a horse worthy of your money. Keep in mind that this will not necessarily help you win, as betting is a game of chance, but how to help narrow down the competitor with a great chance of winning.
Read the Odds
The odds are an easy way to pick a competitor. These are calculations by racing analysts which show how likely a horse could win and how much you can win every time you bet on the horse- that is, if the horse wins. It is an easy way to pick who you like. You can find the odds on the races’ official sites or on betting sites such as this one here.
When you want to rely on the odds to pick a horse, you need to learn how to read it. The horse race odds format is two numbers with a dash in between. The number on the left represents the profit you can gain if the horse wins, and the number on the right represents the amount you need to bet.
For example, the odds of horse A is 5-2; it means that for every two dollars you bet, you get a five-dollar profit if horse A wins. On the other hand, horse B’s odds are 12-1, so you get a twelve-dollar profit if horse B wins for every dollar you bet.
Additionally, when looking at the lineup and their respective odds, the favorites, or horses deemed most likely to win, are always the ones with the lower revenue. The ones with the lower likeliness of winning have a higher income.
Keep in mind, whichever competitor is deemed as the favorite does not mean that this is the winning horse. You can always pick the choice to be sure, but if you want to make sure you have the right horse, you can consider a few more factors.
Look up the Horses’ Stats
You may look at a profile of a competitor and decide this wins for you. Looking at stats can say something about a horse. From lineage, training to just basic facts, some of these might convince you enough. Stats do not ensure a win, but they can tell you whether the horse can put up a good show or not.
Most of the racehorses nowadays will have a profile you can quickly get online. That can either be taken from the race website or even from their owners’ social media account. You can look at their physical build, how fast they can go, and how frequently they join races. Past wins are also a good indicator of the likeliness of winning.
If you don’t want to do a lot of research, you could also go for the most reputable horses. Talk of the town horses may also be strong contenders.
Know the Trainer and Jockey
Effort in racing does not come from the horse alone. Two people also contribute to the horse’s performance, which is the trainer and jockey. The trainer is the person that nurtures the horse. There are many types of discipline a trainer could teach a horse, including racing, given that the horse is qualified to do so.
There are several reputable racehorse trainers known for training horses that have won races. If you see a familiar name among the trainers in the race you want to bet on, try to take a look at the horse or horses under them. There are instances where there is more than one horse that competes under the same trainer. Some popular trainers are Steven Asmussen and Bob Baffert.
Another important person is the jockey. The jockey is the person riding the horse during the race. They are in excellent physical condition and have to help guide the horse throughout the run. Jockeys are typically self-employed and are hired by trainers and owners for the horses. Famous jockeys include John Velazquez and Jose Ortiz.
In Conclusion
The only way you win when you bet on a horse race is selecting the horse you think will win the race. While it is difficult as gambling is a game of chance, you can always consider factors such as stats, the people behind the horse’s performances, and odds placement. But always bear in mind to spend your money wisely and not bet recklessly.
