Horse Races Betting Tips
If you live for the thrill, suspense, and adrenaline-pumping action of sports, then you’ll fall in love with horse racing.
And, if you thought the entertainment value you get from watching different horses go head-to-head in a heated race to the finish line was amazing, man oh man… We can’t even begin to describe the feeling you get when the horse you backed emerges victorious. There truly isn’t any better experience in the world than betting on your favorite games and winning big.
But, there’s a method to the madness. You should never go into horse racing betting blind. Professional players will tell you that there’s a lot that goes into placing winning bets in tournaments.
Once you master the basics, there’s no reason why you can’t treat it like a side hustle and generate a decent amount of income from it. That being said, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide with the top horse races betting tips you need to apply every time you place a bet. Let’s begin, shall we?
Horse Races Betting in India
The first things you need to master are all the different types of horse racing bets that exist. This is primarily what you’ll find any legal bookie in India offering. There are generally two categories of bets you’ll come across – straight bets and exotic bets.
If you’re just dipping your toe into horse racing betting, we highly recommend starting with straight bets. They are easy to understand and cheap to play. A straight wager essentially involves predicting the specific horse that you’ve slated to come in first, second, or third place respectively. That’s it.
Now, what you need to remember when placing straight wagers is that you’re only betting on one horse to:
- Win – You bet on a particular horse to finish in first place
- Place – You bet on a horse to come in first or second place
- Show – You bet on a horse to come in first, second, or third place
- Win/Place – You bet on a horse to win and place. This is also known as an each-way bet
- Place/Show – You bet on a horse to place and show
- Across the board – You bet on a horse to win, place, and show. This is also known as a combo straight wager
The other category of horse races betting in India is the exotic bets. These allow you to use a single wager to place multiple bets on multiple horses. Naturally, these are a lot harder to win than straight bets given all the different variables involved.
Because of this, they require an unprecedented amount of knowledge and skill when picking the best horse to back. Plus, there’s also the fact that they are more expensive. But, as the age-old adage goes, the higher the risk, the greater the amount of cash you can expect if your bet wins.
Parimatch Horse Races Betting Markets
Now that you understand the specific horse racing wagers that exist, most of the betting markets you’ll find in online sportsbooks generally fall into one of those two general categories we’ve described in the previous section.
Here’s an overview of some of the popular Parimatch horse races betting markets you can expect to find at the online sportsbook.
Betting to Win
This betting market is precisely what it sounds like. You would essentially be picking the horse that you think will cross the finish line first. It is the simplest form of horse race betting.
Each-Way Bets
These are two bets in one. You bet half your stake on the horse to win and the other half for the horse to place. If the horse you backed wins, you receive both the win and place bet winnings. If, on the other hand, your horse places, you’ll only win a certain fraction of the pre-match odds.
Place Only
You’re essentially betting on a horse to come in first or second place. This comes in handy as a back-up plan if you’re not entirely sure that your chosen horse will finish first.
Ante-Post
This is a form of advance betting. You’ll commonly find it under “Future Bets”. If the horse you backed ends up not racing on the matchday itself, you lose your stake. This betting market offers some pretty lucrative odds. So, if your bets win, you can expect a huge pay-day.
Forecast and Tricast Bets
Here’s what these bets mean when you see them in your betting account when you bet on horse races at Parimatch or any of the other top bookmakers in India.
- Straight forecast (exacta) – Predict the order in which two horses will finish in first and second place respectively
- Straight tricast (trifecta) – Predict the order in which three horses will finish in first, second, and third place respectively
- Reverse forecast (quinella) – Predict which two horses will finish in first and second place in any order
- Reverse tricast – Predict which three horses will finish in first, second, and third place in any order
Multiple Bets
These involve combining bets on short-priced favorites into a single bet with some pretty massive returns in world currencies like Indian Rupees. Some popular options include:
- Double – Bet on two horses in a single bet. To get a return on your wager, both individual predictions must win
- Treble – Bet on three horses in a single bet. To get a return on your wager, all three predictions must win
- Trixie – Bet on three doubles and one treble to make a total of four bets, in a single bet. To get a return on your wager at least two of your predictions should win
- Yankee – Bet on six doubles, four trebles, and one accumulator to make a total of 11 bets, in a single bet. To get a return on your wager, at least two of your predictions should win
Several other types of multi-bets exist, but these are the most common ones you’ll come across. If you need any clarification on them, contact the customer support representatives of the sports betting site you’re on through the Live Chat feature.
Horse Racing Tips to Place Winning Bets
Aside from picking a bookmaker with the best betting odds, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure that you increase your chance of backing the right horses. Here are the top five betting tips you can use when placing a wager in the best horse races betting site.
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Don’t Just Back the Fan Favorite
Beyond looking at the horse that’s favored to win, you should place a bet based on the one that’s likely to give you great value for your money. The odds on a horse that’s already favored to win are usually pretty small, and won’t deliver the best return on your investment. Do your research and look at the other horses and betting markets to see which ones give you the highest ROI.
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Get to Know the Horses That Will Be Running in the Race
Of all the different free horse races betting tips you’ll read about, this one is a no-brainer. Get some background on the horse that will take part in the race.
Does it have a winning streak? What are its rating figures? How did it perform in the last three races? Has its class been changed? If so – why? How has it performed when running in similar conditions in its previous races? The answers to these questions will advise which horses you should back.
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Get to Know the Jockeys
Some jockeys perform better when racing in certain locations. Find out how well they perform under specific conditions by looking at their win history and where they were racing at the time.
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Have a Look at the Surfaces the Horse Will Be Running On
The course has a huge bearing on the horse’s performance. Again, look at the history of the horse when running on certain surfaces. Dry courses deliver the fastest speeds but are more suited to daintier horses. Heavier ones may perform better on softer turf.
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Find Out Who the Horse Trainers Are
Last, but certainly not least, you need to find out who the trainers are. Different trainers enjoy different levels of success on various tracks. As a rule of thumb, dominant trainers are likely to field multiple horses on a particular track. Those are the horses you need to keep an eye on.
The Bottom Line
It’s important to pick an online sports betting site that delivers exceptional odds on horse races. That way, you’re in for some hefty returns when your bets win. Parimatch would be a great starting point. Use the horse racing tips outlined in this guide to steer you in the right direction. There’s no limit to the amount you can win. Good luck!