The Many Bets of the Horse Racing System
So you’ve been playing against the horse racing system for a while now. The real question is are you placing sound bets? Or, more accurately, do you even know what you’re doing? Do you know that there’s actually more than one way to bet? Well, now you do. And if your current betting isn’t really working out for you, maybe you’ll fare better with one of the other types.
The Win
Betting to win isn’t rocket science. It’s the most common type of bet there is. It’s just a simple matter of betting on a horse to win.
The Place
Betting to place gives you more chances. Your horse doesn’t have to win, only that it places. This doesn’t apply to races with only 1-4 runners. For races with 5-7 runners, the first and second places are considered wins. For 16 or more runners, your horse can go all the way up to fourth. You have to remember, however, that the place odds will just be a fraction of the total prize. Still, it’s better than nothing.
The Each-way bet
This is probably the safest bet there is. Basically, you can go "each way" - to win and to place. If your horse wins, you win both bets. If your horse places, at least you get to win one bet. All bookies, both on and off-course, offer each-way bets. But it’ll serve you well to check the boards before you decide.
The Exacta
This is also known as the Straight Forecast. This bet is valid with 3 or more runners, and you basically have to pick 2 horses and predict the exact order of their wins. This is a very risky bet that requires less guesswork and more research.
The Place Pot
This type of bet is a rather costly one and is usually long-term. You have to select a horse to be placed in each one of the first 6 races of a meet using a place pot-betting coupon. The amount of the bet increases with the number of horses you choose.
The Scoop 6
In this type of bet, you have to find the 6 winners of the selected Saturday TV races. It’s a treasure hunt cum lottery of sorts.
Now that you know everything there is to know about betting in the horse racing system, you now have a chance to improve your bankroll. Don’t hesitate to switch from one type of bet to the other. Who knows? You might have been looking for your luck in the wrong bet all along.