While sports betting and gambling in casinos are very popular for a long time, betting on horse races has an even longer history and takes a big spot in the world of gambling. This type of betting is popular all over the world, and you can choose between many types of bets and competitions. Also, like with many other types of sports, successful betting on horse races required a lot of analyses and strategies. Moreover, betting houses that provide us with the ability to place bets on horses are also keeping track of modern trends.
Therefore, you don’t need to attend the race to become able to place a wager on your favorite jockey. Online betting houses became very popular in recent years because we can simply choose any game and bet on it over a smartphone. You can visit The Winners Enclosure if you are interested in some of the most popular horse racing competitions. On the other hand, you will have to learn more about the available odds types of wagers to become more efficient. In that matter, we are going to introduce you to some of the most important betting terms every beginner needs to know.
Table of Contents
1. Types of Competitions
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The two most common types of horse races are National Hunt Racing and Flat Racing. When it comes to National Hunt Racing, the main feature of this competition is that there some obstacles on the track that horses need to jump over. The length of the track is between 2 and 5 miles. Also, you can watch enjoy this competition between September and April. On the other hand, Flat racing does not have any obstacles, and the distance of the track is between half and two miles long. Also, this race requires a combination of skills, speed, and endurance. Besides these two, there are also other tournaments like Grand National, Classic, and more.
2. Sorting of Races
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All of these different types of tournaments are divided into groups by quality and status. Also, those competitions with higher status will bring more money to competitors along with more points awarded. The national hunt has 4 stages:
Grade 1; Related to best jockeys and horses in the league. Also, there are rules related to the sex and age of horses;
Grade 2; Similar to Grade 1, but could bring more points overtime;
Grade 3; Both male and female horses can compete, while the limit of the weight is determined by the current rating of a particular horse;
Listed race; Brings lower prizes but occurs more often;
The flat race is also separated into four groups:
Group 1; International Competition;
Group 2; Less important international events;
Group 3; National tournaments;
Listed Races; Less important national competitions;
Besides these tournaments that are related to Class 1 status, there are also other classes related to importance and quality. The handicaps available for this class are between 86 and 110. There are also handicaps for other classes;
- Class 3; Between 76 and 95;
- Class 4; Between 66 and 85;
- Class 5; Between 56 and 75;
- Class 6; Between 46 and 65;
- Class 7; Between 46 and 50;
3. Features of Handicap Race
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In the handicap races, each horse is provided with points related to their abilities, and stage them on the starting point in a way where each one of them will have the same chances for a win. The most popular handicap tournaments are Melbourne Cup in Australia and Grand National Tournament in the United Kingdom. The maximum weight is related to both jockey and the horse. For instance, a horse that carries 150 points has 150 pounds, all along with the equipment and jockey.
4. Most Important Terms in Horse Racing
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There are many rules and features in horse racing that you should learn before betting. Here are some of the most important:
Starting Price; This term is related to odds for a particular horse before the race. The method of placing this bet is the same as any other sort of sports betting;
Non-Runner; When a horse is not part of the current race, but you already placed a bet on it in advance. In this case, the betting house will give you a refund;
Ante-Post; If you place a bet on a horse a few days in advance, and it doesn’t appear in the tournament, bookies won’t provide you with a refund. Therefore, it is very important to analyze different factors that might lead to withdrawing a horse and avoid betting on it;
Non-Runner No Bet; The odds are lower if you choose this type, but your refund is guaranteed;
5. Most Common Bet Types
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Winner- This one represents a simple wager where you only need to choose a horse that you think has the best chances for a win;
Each Way- The most common type of a bet. It represents a combination of predicting win and defending by choosing that the same horse will finish in top places. The odds are lower than for a Winner, but chances are much higher.
Double Bet- Predicting the outcome of two separate races;
Forecast- Betting on the first two places in the race;
Tricas- Predicting the top 3 horses;
Trixie- Betting on three horses, but only 2 of them needs to be in the top;
Yankee- High chance for a win since you only need to predict two out of four selections;
Patent- You are choosing a total of seven wagers, and the main advantage that only one horse can provide you with a win;
Canadian- Betting on different races at once by choosing a total of 31 wagers.
There are also many other types of wagers that you can choose from. Some of them are related to a particular race, while there are also many of them that you can use to combine several races, and the main benefit of that is a higher chance to win. Also, you should learn about various odds like American, Fractions, and Decimal.
