Horse Racing Betting, A Beginners Guide

So you want to bet on the horses but you haven’t got a clue where to start. You look at the form but at this stage, the numbers don’t mean a thing. Well, listen up as what I’m about to tell could result in a few winners today.

First things first, ignore the jockeys silk (There nice colours, So What!) and don’t try and pick a cool sounding name.

Right now I’ve got that off my chest let me tell you a few things you need to take into account;

Look at the jockey who is riding the horse and look at the trainer of the horse. There will also be a section that says’s ‘top jockeys’ and ‘top trainers’. Make sure you pick a good trainer and then second to that a good jockey.

The next factor to take into consideration is those little form numbers at the side of the horses' name, what your looking for are 1,2 and 3’s these mean first, second and third in a race and if it has a few on these it’s last five races it’s in form and should stand a good chance to run well.

So now we should have a horse with a good trainer and a decent jockey that is showing some past form. The selection should have a good run and hopefully, with a bit of look, it will finish well.

Is there such a thing as horse betting etiquette? Yes, there most definitely is. While you may see chaos at the betting windows with 2 minutes to post time, there is a dynamic at work.

Here are 5 important items you need to know when you are betting horses at the racetrack:

1.) Always know what you are going to bet BEFORE you get to the teller. The absolute worst thing you can do is a handicap at the window with little time to post and hemming and hawing while people behind you get shut out of their wagers.

2.) Know what the bets are called BEFORE you get to the window. They have programs at the racetrack specifically designed to tell you what bets are, how to call them out, and how much they cost. Don’t waste the teller’s time – they are there to collect wagers, not go over the history of racing with you. That’s how their performance is judged. While they may smile on the outside, they are definitely not smiling inside.

3.) NEVER go to the window with little time to post to cash a ticket. Wait until after the gate bell rings and people place their bets. Getting someone shut out of a wager while you have no intent on betting the upcoming race is a BIG no-no. This is a recipe for getting a knuckle sandwich.

4.) Have your money ready. Don’t be like the elderly lady at the grocery check out and start counting out change with 1 minute to post time while you have a line of people behind you.

Be aware of others.

5.) Never be intimidated by the guy behind you huffing and puffing and mumbling nasty things while you are trying to get your bets in. This only applies if you are not doing any of the above no-no’s, too bad for him. Maintain your cool and get your wagers in.