There’s a lot of debate about horse betting. On the one hand, some people swear that it’s the best way to make money. It’s a known fact that horses rarely lose, so if you can pick the right ones, you’re guaranteed to make a profit. On the other hand, some people say that horse betting is a waste of time and money. They claim that even if you do know what you’re doing, you won’t make any money in the long run. However, there is a lot of information available online that can make you a good horse bettor, and taking advantage of resources like British Racecourses that provide all the details on different racecourses can take you a long way.
If you are trying to avoid being someone that doesn’t make as much as you can whilst horse betting, here are a few tips that you can use today to improve. Continue reading to find out more.
Learn the Jargon
One of the first things that you should do to improve as a sports bettor is to learn the jargon. This is quite important since many phrases relate to making bets, as well as crucial information needed whilst betting.
For example, when a horse is boxed in, it means it is near other horses and can’t get a clear run. The going is the underfoot conditions at a racecourse, and a nap is a bet that is probably the best bet during the day. All of these terms are important to understand.
Research the Horse
The next thing you should get into the habit of doing is researching the various horses, especially the horse you are planning on betting on. There are many things to consider when researching the horse; how old it is, how much experience it has, its temperament, performance in previous races, and more.
In addition to this, different horses prefer different surfaces, and some do better on one surface than another, which is a big factor when placing a bet.
Research the Trainer and Jockey
You shouldn’t just stop at the horse, you should also do adequate research about the trainer and the jockey. Perhaps one of the most important things to research is the trainer since if you look at statistics and track records of different trainers, you might see winning patterns emerging of the horses they’ve trained.
That isn’t to say that the jockeys aren’t important, it’s more than certain jockeys are better at certain locations than others, which is another thing to keep in consideration before making a bet. You should also focus on trainer and jockey combinations to see which pairing is more often than not the most successful.
Place Different Bets
If you want to improve as a horse bettor, or at the very least, increase the profits you make from betting, then it is crucial to place different bets. There are many different types of bets available, other than just winning bets.
A few examples include place bets and show bets. Place bets would be when your horse is first or second to finish, and show bets would be when your horse finishes first, second or third. There are more, but as a beginner, you should focus on the three mentioned above.
Know When to Quit
Perhaps one of the best ways to improve as a sports bettor is to know when to quit, and this doesn’t necessarily mean only when losing. If you continue to bet to make money when you are losing, that is called chasing a loss, and it should be avoided at all costs.
It’s equally important to remember to quit when you’re ahead. There will be times when it feels like you can’t lose, but you will, and probably often. By quitting once you have won once or twice, you will be able to walk away with that money.
Big Races Aren’t Always the Best
Another important tip is that big events aren’t always the best to bet at. What does this mean? Well, consider that two events are happening in the same city. One event is very popular, and the other has a mediocre turnout.
If you were to bet on the favorite at the big event, you will most likely win, but the winnings won’t be as much as the less popular event, since there will be way more people betting on the favorite at the popular event. This is called understanding the value of a bet.
