What is a good method for betting at horse races?

Question

is there a good way of knowing which horse is better to suited to a certain type/ length of race? how do you determine which horse to bet on?

Answer 1

There are a lot of books about handicapping.  But, even the professional handicappers don't win a lot of money.  Start with a basic book - it sounds dumb, but Horseracing for Dummies is a good one.  I would recommend that the first book you read have a thorough explanation of how to read the Daily Racing Form, which is going to be your primary resource for betting.  There is a great deal of information in the DRF (past races and finish position (the type of race and competition the horse ran against as well as problems such as traffic issues will come into play in evaluating how well the horse has been running, past Beyer speeds, workouts, trainer and jockey statistics among much more.  There are many factors to take into account and different handicappers give different weights to these factors.  For example, you not only look at how the horse has done in the past but you have to look at the current race you're betting on and see how it compares to past races - e.g., if the last race was 6 furlonngs and this is a 1 mile race, you have to determine whether the horse can handle the extra distance.  Always betting on the favorite is NOT a good strategy since favorites win only 1/3 of the time.  Also, you want consider value, not just whether the horse is going to win.  A favorite who is even money is probably not worth betting on.  You usually can exclude some horses as having little chance of winning (although there are no guarantees: Sarava won the Belmont Stakes at around 70 to 1) Betting is too complicated for this little answer.  Read and talk to people who know what to look for. If you are at the track and can watch the horse in the paddock that is also helpful.  Even the best horses have bad days.  If you see the horse you were going to bet on sweating, looking nervous, swishing his tail around, you might want to reconsider making him a choice.  One guideline I've often read is not to bet on a horse who is doing something for the first time (e.g., a horse who has won his last three races on turf may not be the best choice if this is his first race on dirt.)  Enough said.  Start by learning how to read the DRF.  Also, you can find some free information and picks by professionals on the Web or sometimes in a local paper.  Start small.  You will probably lose most races at first.  Finally, it's easier to bet on horses that have run before.  I would hold off on betting on first-time starters until you're more experienced (in the case of a first time starter you have less info. than if the horse has run in previous races (you have some infor: workouts, pedigree, trainer and jockey statistics for this type of race etc.)  Just try to learn from each race and have fun.

Answer 2

People have asked this question for years. If your a novice punter (gambler), the favourite usually wins about 1/3 of the time.  

Answer 3

The first thing that you need to know is that if you bet you will lose over a long period of time.  

Now that I got that out of the way, you need to learn to read the "Daily Racing Form."  The Form is the horse racing Bible.  You can determine how good a horse is at a given distance by looking at his past performances.  Horses are creatures of habit.  They do the same things over and over again.  If you see a horse that is on the lead all the time that is what they will do.  If a horse closes that is what he will do.

Once you learn to read the form and become proficient in handicapping you will determine what you like to look for in a race.  A good method of picking horses is to look for a horse that stands out.  If there is only one horse that runs to the front and he will not be challenged, usually that horse will win.  If there are several horses that run on the lead and a couple that are closers then you may get a speed duel and the closer will win.

That is the easiest method.

Answer 4

If you are not able to read or comprehend what you have read, play the odds.  :)

Yea, get a copy of the drf and read the legend and then try to understand how to read the form, which is the line that shows the horses last race.  Then compare those results with other races.  If you find difficulty with that, then play the odds.

Answer 5

You study the form guide which tells you when they last ran, over what distances they have won, which going they prefer, soft or hard ground etc.

Then you place your bet based on all the information and usually lose all your money :)  

Answer 6

I like to rate their class, speed ratings and Beyer numbers then consider if the horse can run the distance. The amount of speed in the race needs to be considered. Post position, track conditions and jockey also are considerations. Not a s easy as it looks.  Great sport though with beautiful athletes. Good luck if you decide to try!

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage11....