Is it possible for horserace handicappers to earn a living without inside information?

Question

Another words, using the racing form pretty much as the sole source of info, and related materials. Also, good money management?

Answer 1

reyenterprise.com

Answer 2

yes if there miracle workers like timmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Yes. Why should you not be able to win backing horses? You can bet in any race you like, you can back any horse you like, you can back any jockey you like, you can limit your choices to races where you have your preferred number of runners, you can limit your choices to the prices you want to bet at, the list is endless and the bookie has NO CHOICE at all. So where is the problem? It boils down to mathematics since the betting 'take' is the only advantage the bookie has. So you bet where the 'take' is small and there are races where the 'take' is in single figures. Horse racing is not a random game, where the figures always win. You can combat these figures by working out your own and exploiting the differences.  The average bookie is no judge, they take their lead from the better ones and there is no reason why you cannot aspire to be as good. It is enormously difficult to forecast the range of prices for any particular race, sometimes more difficult than finding the winner and the bookies or their odds compilers are bound to make mistakes every day by underassessing a horse's chance and correspondingly offering over the odds. In an eight horse race let us say the bookie is betting 16% over round, which is roughly 2% for each horse. This is less than the difference between 4 to1 (probability 20% and 5 to1 (prob.16.6%). Therefore if you can get 5 to 1 for a 4 to 1 chance in selected races you have nullified his advantage. But that's where the skill comes in and you have to bet your OWN opinion based on your OWN sound judgement , which does not come out of reading the morning paper but from years of experience and learning from your mistakes.

The only information I have comes from the programmes and results in the Racing Post Weekender and if you understand form that is better than most inside information.

Answer 4

I believe you can.  The racing form should tell you enough about each horse, jockey and trainer to be able to weed out non-contenders.  Besides good money management, knowledge gained from experience is important.  You also need to know enough about the track you are playing.  How does the track condition affect the horses.  How about the weather?  Does a wet track favor inside posts?  Are the fastest horses better in warm weather at this track.   I would love to have enough money to find out the answer to your question for myself.  Good luck.