Gambling is an activity that many people indulge in, simply because it gives them a rush. We all like to feel dopamine rushing through a body and a sensation such as that is pretty easy to feel when you are watching the slots spin or waiting for a match to end, hoping that the team you bet on will pull a miracle win.
On the other end of betting, you can bet on horse racing and these races are an even bigger rush. Any type of equestrian competition can be entertaining to watch and bet on, but horse racing and sports betting have a long history. Here is everything you need to know about horse betting, the very basics.
Understanding Odds
Horse racing betting odds are different from the traditional odds which you will typically find in football and other sports. The traditional odds are fractional, decimal and moneyline. For horse racing, the odds are similar to the fractional odds. They are displayed in a similar manner, for example, 5-1, where you get five times your bet, plus your deposit. If the odds are 5-6, then you would get your own bet, plus five-sixths times your bet. If the bet was 12 dollars, then you would get 12 dollars plus 10 dollars, meaning ⅚ times 12.
Once you get fractional odds, they are the same in any iteration (give or take).
Which Bets to Bet On
Horse racing, like many other sports, has a plethora of bets that you could practically do. Some of them are pretty simple, like the Win bet. In this case, you bet that your horse will win. This is a bet which could be lucrative, provided that you do not bet on the clear favorite. Even then, however, there is money to be earned.
The Show bet, on the other hand, can net you less money but you are more likely to win. In this case, your horse or horses are supposed to finish first, second or third. The bet which is in between the two is the Place bet, which limits the number of places to first and second, but has a larger payout.
Then, there are the special bets. The Quinella bet is pretty interesting because the horses you bet on have to finish in any order you pick them. Usually, the Quinella bet requires you to pick the first three horses in either order.
The Exacta bet is like the Quinella, but the horses must finish in the exact order. This bet is much more difficult to win, but pays out more, as can be expected. The Superfecta bet is like the bets above, but for four places, in exact order.
Another interesting set of bets to consider is the Pick 3 to Pick 6 bets, where your horse needs to have from 3 to 6 consecutive wins in order for you to win the bet. The odds are approaching lottery territory.
Do Research and Tread Carefully
Any type of bet can lose you money and horse races tend to go either way, depending on the day, the jockey, the horse, the weather, the butterflies on the other side of the globe. Approach horse racing betting as you would any other type of betting, rationally and with lots of research.
Remember to bet safely and responsibly and you should have lots of fun with horse racing.
