Horse Racing Betting Guide
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Horseracing is a popular sport in the UK, with many people attending races and betting on the outcome. Horse racing betting is legal in the UK, and many bookmakers offer this service.
There are different types of horse racing betting, including win bets, each-way bets and forecast bets. Win bets involve betting on a horse to come first in a race. Each-way bets include betting on a horse to come first or second in a race. Forecast bets involve betting on which two horses will come first and second in a race.
Horse racing betting can be done online or at physical locations such as racetracks. You will need to have a betting account with a bookmaker to place a bet. You can also bet on horseraces using mobile apps.
Horse racing betting is a popular way to gamble in the UK, and many people enjoy the thrill of trying to predict the outcome of a race. However, it is essential to remember that gambling can be addictive, and you should always gamble responsibly. If you think you may have a problem with gambling, please seek help from a gambling support service.
Matched betting is a technique used to make money from bookmakers’ free bets and incentives. It is a risk-free way of betting, as you are guaranteed to make a profit from the free bets. We advise you to steer clear of betting and stick to matched betting; it’s much safer. You can learn more about matched betting with our FAQS, beginner guides, tips and advice posts and our information on more advanced strategies.
If you are looking at horse racing betting (we hope for matched betting only!), it’s worth knowing in a little more detail (see below_ and also see our guide to matched betting the Grand National here)
The Types of Bets Placed on Horses.
The most common horserace bet is the win bet, which involves betting on a horse to come first in a race. The odds of a winning bet are usually lower than other bets, as it is easier to predict that a horse will come first than it is to predict which horse will come second or third. If the horse you have bet on wins the race, you will receive a payout.
Each-way bets are another popular type of horse racing betting and involve betting on a horse to come first or second (or other set ‘places’) in a race. If the horse you have bet on finishes in the top two, you will receive a payout. The extra places strategy helps you earn big from each-way betting.
Forecast bets are a more complex type of horserace bet. This involves betting on which two horses will come first and second in a race. If you correctly predict the order of the top two horses, you will receive a payout. The odds of a forecast bet are usually higher than an each-way bet, as it is more difficult to predict the exact order of the top two horses.
Some of the most well-known bookmakers for horserace betting in the UK are William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Betfair.
You will also need to use a betting exchange website; a betting exchange is different from a regular bookmaker as they don’t offer fixed odds. Instead, you bet against other people on the exchange (when you lay your bet, you essentially become the bookmaker by betting that an outcome won’t happen!). The most popular betting exchanges are Betfair and Smarkets, and there is also a horseracing only exchange called Matchbook and other options such as Betdaq.
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Horse Racing and Odds
The odds are the probability that an event will happen. They are usually expressed as a number, for example, 3/1 or 4/6. When we do matched betting, it is easier to see the odds expressed in decimal form, so 3/1 would be written as 4 and 4/6 would be written as 1.67.
The odds of a horserace bet determine the amount of money you will win if your horse finishes in the position you have bet on. For example, if you place a £10 bet on a horse at odds of 3/1 and it wins the race, you will receive a payout of £40 (3 x £10 + £10). If it loses the race, you will lose your £10 stake.
Popular UK Horse Racing Meets and Festivals
There are horseracing meets and festivals throughout the year in the UK. Some of the most popular include:
The Cheltenham Festival: This is a four-day festival in March each year. It is one of the most famous horseracing events in the UK, with over 250,000 people attending each year.
See our guide: Matched betting the Cheltenham Festival.
The Grand National: This is a horseracing event in April each year at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. It is one of the most-watched horseracing events globally, with over 500 million people tuning in to watch it on television each year.
See our guide: Matched betting the Grand National.
Royal Ascot: This is a five-day horseracing event in June each year at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. Attended by members of the royal family, it’s one of the most popular social events in the UK horseracing calendar. See our guide: Matched betting Royal Ascot (to follow)
Other key horse races each year include :
– The Derby (May)
– The Oaks (June)
– Glorious Goodwood (July)
– Ebor Festival at York Racecourse (August)
– St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse (September)
These often offer enhanced opportunities for the matched bettor.
Horseracing Betting Tips and Strategies
If you are new to horserace betting, it is advisable to start with small stakes and gradually increase them as you become more familiar with the horserace markets and how they work.
It’s also good to set yourself a betting budget and stick to it. This will help you manage your bankroll and not bet more than you can afford to lose.
It is also worth researching the horseraces and horses that you are betting on. This will give you a better chance of picking winners and making a profit in the long run.
Many horseracing tipsters provide their tips for a fee but are aware that not all of them are successful. It is often a good idea to follow the tips of a few different tipsters to see how they perform over time.
You can also find horseracing betting systems online, which claim to be able to help you make money from horserace betting. Be wary of these as there is no guarantee that they will work, and you could lose money if you follow them blindly.
The bottom line is that there is no sure-fire way to make money from horserace betting, but if you approach it in a sensible and disciplined manner, you may be able to profit over time. However, we advise you to stick to matched betting and never lose money but rather turn a nice profit!
The best matched betting techniques for horse racing are Extra Places and refund offers (such as the BBL – Beaten by a Length offer and the Bet365 4/1 offer).
Matchedbettingfaqs.com has further help on getting started with matched betting; this includes beginner’s guides, tips and advice posts and advanced strategy guides. We also review the best matched betting sites. There is also a free email matched betting course for beginners (see below).
- To join Profit Accumulator, simply click here (trial available).
- To join OddsMonkey, simply click here (trial available).
- To join Profit Squirrel, simply click here (trial available).
Email: answers@matchedbettingfaqs.com for more help.