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The turf, the horses, the jockeys, the stands and all these things you’ll find at the horse track. People who are new to horseraces are usually overwhelmed, excited. What to see? Where to look? And the most commonly asked question at the racetrack, which horse do you favor to win?
Betting on horse races should be fun. Many people over assume this as they get used to coming to horseraces. It’s an added benefit to watching the race. It’s not meant to become a career. It is not meant to be the source of an income.
With this said, it should be clear what the first rule of horse race betting is, don’t spend more than you can afford to lose. You have to walk into a bet assuming the money you’ve spent is already lost. Even when using educated methods when choosing a winner, you’re more likely to loose most times. This is just a fact of life, that in gambling, there is no such thing as a sure bet.
There are things, however, that when betting you can be aware of to make a more educated guess on choosing a winner. The majority of the people going to the horse track bet on frivolous things. It could be anything from the look of the horses, biggest or smallest. It could be the name you happen to like best or the colors on the jockey that appeal to you more. These are great if you are very much doing this for fun. For a more educated guess, you can’t let emotion towards a cute name or something else get in the way.
For a more realistic approach, try actually reading the race form for starters. This is one of the keys to seeing not only consistent wins, but also in what conditions each horse won. Some horses run well when it rains. A horse may not like the inside track and will back off if cornered. Does a horse fight until the end? Does a horse let a few take the lead, only to sprint forward to the winner’s circle at the last minute?
There are also tricks you can learn to make a more educated guess. Some jockeys are better than others and once you become familiar with them and their professional ranks, you’ll be able to choose a good horse. They are not going to put someone like Gary Stevens, a famous jockey, on a horse they don’t think has any chance of winning.
Another thing to watch out for are the trainers themselves. Each trainer may have tricks of the trade to help their horse win. A trainer might make the horse appear to have fought his way to the gate by sponging water and making the horse appear sweaty and tired. Get to know your trainers and the tricks they might play.
In addition, the general rule of thumb is to not bet on maiden races. Maiden races are new horses that have never been in a race before. There’s no real way to make an educated guess on these races so it is best to skip.
All in all, if you don’t feel comfortable with the odds or can’t pick a winner, don’t bet. Some people feel compelled to bet every race. Good horse race gamblers might only bet on one or two good races and that’s it. So keep a good head and don’t let your excitement guide your betting and most of all, have fun.
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