More Than Luck…
Developing a Winning Horse Racing Betting Strategy
When I have a good day at the track, I am on top of the world. Not only do I have money in my pocket, I had the exhilarating feeling of watching my horse thunder past the finish line.I confess, when I started betting at the track, I choose horses based on the coolest name (Sobriety Test, anyone?) or my favorite jockey. And that worked well, because winning was a bonus, not my goal.
But if winning is important, you’ll need more than luck. Consistent winning requires a system based on strong strategies.
So what should you consider when setting up your betting system?
The Horse
The individual horse is obviously the first consideration when deciding where to place your bet.
Check the odds for the horse. Long shots will bring in the most money if they win, but they are usually less likely to win. The favorite with the best odds is likely to win, but the bet may not be worth your money for the amount it will bring in if you win.
In addition, look at the horse prior to the race as well. Horses should be well groomed with a smooth gait and alert demeanor. If the horse looks lame, lethargic or overly-excited, it is probably not a good bet.
Jockey
Consider the experience level of the jockey. New jockeys can be very talented and skilled and probably have extensive experience exercising the horses, but as a general rule, you want to bet with the more experienced jockeys. This is because a lot can happen in a race: the horse can stumble coming out of the gate, get bumped in the field or get boxed in on the turns. Jockeys with more experience in these tough situations have more skill getting out of them ahead.
In addition, skilled and experienced jockeys can bring out the best in a horse. This is especially important with difficult or strong horses that may fight and not listen to jockeys with less skill.
Race Track
The race track is another major consideration. It is important to analyze the condition of the track and how this will affect the horses.
Muddy tracks will make for a slower race than a dry track. Wet turf tracks may be slippery. Some horses dislike mud in their face. These are all things that you will have to consider when deciding where to place your bet. It is important to know track conditions not only on the race you are betting on, but also on the horses previous races so that you will know how the horse will react to current track conditions.
Record
Generally, you will want to choose a horse who has run recently and ran a good race, even if it didn’t necessarily win. Look out for horses who have not run in a while. They may be coming off of an injury and may not be fit to run. This can be found in the racing form or the program at your track.