If you want to take your betting to a whole new level, then you need to take charge of your own ‘good luck’. And the best way is to put a little more brainpower behind your betting strategy by using a betting calc.
Here are some simple tips to keep your racing bets on track.
- Do your homework – it may feel like it’s taking the spontaneity out of your horse racing but doing a little homework before each race could well reap your rewards. We’re not talking in-depth calculations and mysterious statistics here, just some time reading the form, so you have more insider knowledge on the trainers, runners and riders you are choosing from.
- It’s all about the odds – you really need to understand the odds in horse racing so you can meaningfully work out any potential winnings. This way you can make a strategic decision as to when and how much to bet.
- Don’t always shy away from the favourite – were not saying put all your money on the favourite every time but it’s worth factoring them into your plan for your total stake money. OK, the odds may be low, but on average the favourite will romp past the winning line around 33% of the time. This means with a little careful planning with a proportion of your planned stake spend, you could pocket a small profit.
- Look for value – if you have done your homework, you should also use your wager money to target horses that could also bring you a better return on your investment. So, as well as backing the horse most likely to win, you should also look for horses that could realistically place or cause an upset.
- The top jockeys are at the top for a reason – stats show that in general, the highest-ranked jockeys tend to win the highest proportion of races so for a ‘safe’ bet, it is often worth placing a wager on any top-ranked jockeys in the race. Or you could opt for another strategy of betting against them, which could pocket you a bigger pay-out.
- Get to know the surfaces – the one thing we really can’t control is the weather but what you can do is understand how different types of weather conditions can affect the racetrack surface as different horses run better on different surfaces. A dry (firm or good to firm) surface is the fastest so suits finer horses while a softer turf will work best for horses that tend to hit the ground harder as they will get more grip as they race.
- Check out the paddock – if you are trackside, pop by to the runners’ paddock just before the race to assess the current situation with the race pack. A calm horse that’s relaxed and has a shiny (not sweated) coat is likely to perform more confidently than a jittery, foamed horse that’s burning off its energy in the paddock.
- Place multiple bets – now’s the time to shake up your betting habits if you typically keep to one type of bet. Choosing an alternative bet, such as an accumulator, will add another injection of excitement into your betting. Or why not consider placing multiple bets, on the same race, to give yourself a better chance of scooping the winner. As long as you have done your homework, worked out the odds, are keeping within your stake budget and know the form of the horses, you are leaving less to lady luck and betting more with your brain. And it could well pay off!