Marinelle Adams
If we look back to how important the horse was to the success and advances of human society over the centuries, it could be said that we would not be where we are today without the noble animal’s help. Humans were always heavily dependent on the strength and stamina of these creatures which helped us in exploration, hard labor, and warfare. With the advancements of technology however they were used less and less for these means, and once the cars and motorcycles started to appear, the use of horses dropped dramatically. Nowadays it is a luxury to own one and like most other things, something that was crucial and necessary that everyone had back in the day is now expensive and reserved for the richest.
The horses have also been used for thousands of years in another, more fascinating way. Original sports at the original Olympic Games used them, and horse racing is still popular today. Again, it is reserved for the richest of the rich in terms of organizing and participating. But the betting part is largely available for anyone, and it has been for centuries. There is something innate with human beings that makes us place wagers and bet on the outcomes of things we believe will happen. Either based on a gut feeling, knowledge, or a combination of the two, horse racing fans and other sports fans cannot help but put their money where their mouth is and back up their favorites.
If you have been drawn to horse racing but never had the courage to try it out, we are here to help. It is a difficult thing to crack and become good at so do not expect to become great immediately. It takes some time to get learn the ropes and get the hang of things, but with the right strategies, you will have an easier time. With this being said, here we will be talking about the most important horse racing strategies and tips every beginner needs to know. Visit here in case you wish to learn more or to place some bets while you are at it.
1. Do Research
Doing enough research about something new to you is always the best way to start. Having all the right information about the history of the sport, the biggest races, and the format of competitions is prevalent if you mean to make even the simplest of bets. Without doing enough homework and the right kind of it, you cannot expect to be good at anything, let alone a difficult and complicated form of betting as horse racing can be. When we say research we also mean the exact race at hand. For example, you should never just pick a random horse or a jockey and go with it. How experienced are they? What is their track record? Is the horse prone to winning or does the jockey make mistakes? What is the competition like, and the weather? Which race is it and what are the surrounding factors like the standings, injuries, and the stakes? Is the race on dirt, turf, or some other type of track? All of these things have to be familiar before you make a single bet. Therefore, this is not really a strategy but a must-do thing before any form of bet you mean to make. Once you start to recognize patterns and habits of the teams, the jockeys, and the horses, you can better predict the outcome and come out on top more often than not.
2. Diversify Your Bets
You know the old saying that warns us not to put all our eggs in a single basket. Well, this is exactly the same only the eggs are your hopes and dreams of winning and the one basket is one horse in a single race or one single bet. It is crucial for every horse race bettor to make different kinds of bets most of the time because it is an unpredictable sport where Lady Luck plays a huge part. There is a lot of room for dumb luck and chances despite yourself covering all of the bases in terms of knowledge and predictions. Therefore, it is always smarter to be safe and make a few extra bets to increase your odds and chances at a win. You should employ different types of bets, and there are a few of them in particular that you have to think about. First off, we have the most basic type that is the fixed odd. This is when you pick a horse to win or lose or finish at a certain place. Straightforward, but the most difficult to win of course. A place bet on a horse is when you wager that a horse will finish first, second or third. This is an easier way of winning of course.
3. Betting on More Horses
Diversifying one’s bets is not the same as betting on multiple horses at once. While changing the way in which you bet on a single horse is important, it is also important to know that you can bet on multiple horses at once. You can bet on multiple horses in the form of exacta and quinella bets. Exactas implies betting on two horses and predicting which will come first and which second. Quinella bets also deal with two horses but without the order in which they win or come second. Naturally, you are free to pick a few, or even all horses in a race, and guess their final standings. You are free to pick your own bets however crazy they may seem. And you can take the bookmaker’s odds into consideration or you do not have to, just like with other types of sports betting.
4. Betting on More Races
Having more races to bet on may be easier and a better way to start. Betting on more races usually comes cheaper than anything mentioned above, with bigger payouts and risks. Since multiple variables are at play, these are harder to win but easier to carry out and learn from. The most common type of multiple race bet, the daily double, is when you pick the winner of consecutive races. You can pick a jockey/horse team to win more than two races too. These are called pick-3, pick-4, and pick-6. Accumulator and parlay bets are reserved for betting on numerous horses in different races, in whatever way you please. Of course, this is again quite a hard way of betting to win but it is exciting and it will surely be a great and fun way to learn.