A day at the races can be an exciting affair, although making money while you are there isn’t always easy.
Many gamblers struggle to make a profit from horse racing on a regular basis, but employing a few simple strategies can increase your chances of winning big.
Read on for our top three tips to help you beat the bookies at the races.
Study the form
Many people who go to the races simply back the horses whose names they like or with a jockey wearing their favourite colours, but studying the form can give you the edge against the bookmakers.
Horse racing offers a wealth of statistics and information on past races that can help you decide which horse is more likely to win.
The odds give you a guide to which horses are fancied but, as betting at the Grand National 2018 will show, there are often numerous horses in with a chance of winning.
Some of the most important factors to consider are the horse’s recent form, the weight it’s carrying, the class of the race, the form of the trainer and past performances over similar course and distance.
Maybe you’ve discovered the horse had a slight injury last time or perhaps it’s been reunited with a jockey who always wins on it – studying the form can give you a crucial advantage in the ongoing battle with the bookies.
Watch the odds
There are rows upon rows of bookies to bet with on a racecourse, so watching the odds can help you obtain the best value from your bets.
If your fancied horse is 3/1 with one bookmaker but 4/1 elsewhere, it makes financial sense to place your bet at the higher price.
Also keep an eye on horses whose price falls in the market. It can often pay to ‘follow the money’ in the betting ring, with many market moves happening as a result of someone acting on inside information.
Many stables are famous for pulling off betting coups, so getting in on the action could help you boost your profits.
It’s all worth noting ‘drifters’ in the market. Prices regularly go up and this is usually an indicator that a horse isn’t fancied by connections to win a particular race.
Listen to the experts
There are numerous people on websites and in the media who claim to be ‘experts’, although many of them don’t really know one end of a horse from another.
However, there are a selected few whose opinions are well worth listening to and it makes sense to follow their tips, especially when they make a strong case for a horse winning.
Utilising all the information at your disposal will help you make informed betting decisions and give you the best possible chance of making your visit to the races a winning one.
