Horse Racing Betting Guide
Welcome to our horse racing guide were we will try to explain the different types of bets available and to give you a glossary of horse racing betting terms.
This is the most popular bet and is very straight forward. You are basically saying that the horse you select is going to win the race. If it wins you win. If it loses you lose. Prices are quoted in fractions e.g: 4/1 or decimals 5.00. Note that 4/1 is the same as 5.00 as the 5.00 includes your stake.
You place a Win bet of £10 on horse A at 4/1. If it wins you ein £40, If it loses you lose £10.
An each way bet consists of two bets in one. The win and the place. So, as long as your selection is placed, you will get a return. An even bigger return will be coming your way if it wins. You cannot place an each way bet if there are 4 runners or less in a race. 5-7 runners in a race, your bet will only pay out on 1st and 2nd places. 8 runners and above will pay out on the first 3 horses home in any type of race. 16 runners or more in Handicaps only will pay out on the first 4 horses. Be careful here. If you place an each way bet in a 20 runner race that is not a handicap race, then you will only be paid on the first 3 horses.
If you place £10 each way on horse A, your total stake is £20 (£10 win and £10 place). The price you get is 4/1 and the each way terms are 1/4 the odds 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
It wins. You win: £10 x 4 + £10 x 4/4 = £50
There are a large variety of multiple bets available. Multiple bets are a combination of selections that multiply as each one wins. These can be very difficult bets to win but the possible returns can be large if all are successful. Multiple bets can also be placed as Each Way multiple bets. Here are the most popular types of multiple bets.
Double: This is two selections combined together. To win both selections must win. Can be placed as win or each way
For Example: £10 win double Horse C and Horse D. Horse C wins at 3/1 and Horse D wins at 2/1. You get back £120 - £10 x 2 + £10 = £30 x 3 = £90 + £30 = £120. So You win £110.
Treble: This is a combination of three selections. Can be placed as win or each way
Would follow on from a double. So the winnings from Horse A and Horse B would then go on to Horse C.
For Example: Horse C is 2/1. So £120 returned from the double would go on Horse C at 2/1. Bet Returns £360 - £120 x 2 + £120 stake = £360. You win is £350.
Accumulator: This is a combination of four or more selections. Exactly the same would apply to this bet. So the winnings from the treble would then run onto the fourth selection.
Patent: This bet consists of 3 selections. The bet then comprises of the following 7 bets; 3 x Singles 3 x Doubles and 1 x Treble.
Yankee: This bet consists of 4 selections. The bet then comprises of the following 11 bets; 6 x Doubles, 4 x Trebles and 1 x Fourfold accumulator.
Lucky 15: This is the same as a Yankee but there are also 4 x Singles as an added bonus. So there is a total of 15 bets in a Lucky 15.
The easy way to calculate your return from this bet is to add two points to the horses prices and multiply together. So if 4 horses win at 2/1, 3/1, 3/1 and 4/1. Your return to a £10 stake would be: 4 x 5 x 5 x 6 x £10= £6000. You take out your stake (£10 x 15= £150) to leave £5850 profit
This is a horse racing bet where you have to select the first and second horses in the correct order. It can be roughly calculated by adding one to the price of the second horse and multiplying it with the first. So if you had the Fist horse at 5/1 and the second at 2/1, the payout would be around: 5 x 3 = 15/1
This is simply two straight forecasts combined. You win as long at either of your horses finish 1st and 2nd
Similiar to the above straight forecast but you must select the first three home in the correct order.
In this bet you are forecasting that the horse you select will not win. This is becoming a very popular bet. If you lay a horsefor £10 at 5.00 (only decimal odds are used on the betting exchanges) and it wins, you will lose £40.
In this bet, you are laying a horse, but the amount you will lose if it wins is fixed. So if you lay a horse at 5.00 for a fixed liability of £20, you will lose £20 if it loses and win £5 if it wins
Here is a glossary of common racing terms:
Jockeys must sit on the racecourse scales before and after every race to verify their racing weight to the Clerk Of The Scales. It is not uncommon for a horse to be disqualified, having lost some of the weight from the saddle during racing.
The smallest distances a horse can win by in a race.
This is a race in which the winning horse goes up for auction at the end. Although usually run by horses that are not of high quality, and no longer wanted by their owners, the horses are often used to run in these races for gambling purposes and are often retained by the owners, either by buying them back or when nobody bids for the horse.
When two or more racehorses are involved in a tight finish also known as a photo finish.
A race for horses which haven't won a race under rules, or a term for a type of horse eligible for these races.
The length from a horses nose to its tail. This is used in racing as a general measure of the winning margin in a race.
A race in which the handicappers assign weights to be carried by each horse according to recent or past racing form.
Highest quality flat races which are run all over the world and make up a worldwide classification system for horses.
This term depicts the condition of the ground on the racetrack on any given day. The track conditions can be described as follows and are listed in the order of increasing moisture within the ground: Hard, Firm, Good to Firm, Good, Good to Soft, Soft, Heavy. An all weather course will list the going as Standard.
A male horse which has been gelded(castrated). Gelding a racehorse often helps them to concentrate on their racing. Some horses would not require this and obviously once gelded a racehorse will then be unable to go to stud.
220 yards or 201 metres. Eight furlongs make up 1 mile. Races in the United Kingdom are measured in miles and furlongs. Horse Racing in America, Australia and South Africa are generally measured in yards.
Some bookmakers offer a first past the post betting service, whereby, if your horse wins the race but is then disqualified, you will still be paid out as a winning bet. This usually only applies to single bets. However, something not many people know is that if you write FPP on your betting slip and your horse is disqualified from first place, you will still be paid as a winner. However, if your horse finished second and was promoted to first place you would not be collecting any winnings.
A female horse that is under four years old.
When a racehorse wins by 30 lengths or more, it is said to have won by a distance.
A male horse under four years old which has not been gelded.
This term refers to the colours worn by the jockey in a race and must be registered by the owner with Weatherbys to avoid any duplication.
The five most prestigious flat races run in England. They are The Derby, St Leger, 2000 Guineas, The Oaks and the 1000 Guineas.
An aid to help horses concentrate whilst racing. They fit over the horses head and have cups around the eyepieces which prevent the horse from seeing behind him and in effect almost gives tunnel vision, so they concentrate on what is in front of them.
This term is the abbreviation for racecard. A racecard is produced by the racecourse and contains all information pertaining to the raceday you are attending, including runners and riders and usually the colours.
A young jockey who has not won more than 95 races in his or her career under racing rules. Apprentice jockeys may "claim", which means they are allowed to ride at a few pounds lighter than the handicapper has allotted their intended mount. The amount of weight that they are allowed to claim depends on the number of winners they have ridden.
Early odds offered by bookmakers before the day of the race. Usually only really applies to big races of major sporting events.
