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Best Horse Racing Strategies: Here Is The Best Horse Betting Strategy To Try in 2024

Last Updated on 10/11/2024
Fact checked by: Mark Lewis

Do you want to be a great horse racing bettor? This means you’ll need a winning betting strategy. In this article, we’ll look at the best horse racing betting strategies - read on and discover these strategies that can help you become a pro bettor!

Horse racing is a highly complex sport with tons of variables and way more outcomes than other popular things to bet on, such as football, soccer, or tennis. Every player, just like you, is after the same thing - the best horse betting strategy that helps you find winners on the track. We kick things up a notch here.

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Horse betting strategy - Our top 4 explained

We start our look at horse racing betting strategy with some of the common threads that run through them all. You really do need to know your stuff with this sport, because the more data you have, then the better informed your choices when gambling are. There are no real shortcuts. Studying racehorse form, including any previous performances at the same track, is essential.

Assessing the conditions underfoot and whether they are suitable for a horse or not also plays a part. The distance may be one they haven’t raced over before. Can a thoroughbred’s pedigree tell you about whether that will be a problem? Is there any chance that a horse is vulnerable to younger, improving rivals? How have the trainer and jockey been doing lately? Already you can see there are so many questions for which you need to find answers before betting.

Each horse betting strategy discussed on this page relies on you knowing such information. No good will come from you guessing because you are then simply trusting to luck, so you have to be prepared to put the effort of discovering all this in if you want to unearth those all-important winners. Certain horses are suited by specific tracks, going and ground, race distances, and types of events. You have to develop sound judgment to go alongside the best horse betting strategies, otherwise, they cannot be applied correctly.

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No. 1 Betting strategy: Seek saver bets each way

Backing horses each way is seen as the best betting strategy for horse racing by many. The idea is to try and save your total stake on the bet by gambling on a horse that is a big enough price that if it places second, third, or sometimes fourth and beyond, then you will at least get your money back.

What you are doing is trying to cover more potential outcomes. When you bet on a horse to win, the only way you can turn a profit is if you have got things spot on. Sure, backing horses that finish second doesn’t have the same thrill as finding a winner, but there are times when the greater value lies in finding placed horses.

When you bet each way, you are covering a horse for win, place, and show - if there are eight runners and upwards in the race. Place terms go down to second for events with five, six, or seven horses involved. Four or fewer and each way betting is not available. Any race with 15 runners plus should be paying out in fourth place too!

Putting an each way bet on is done so you at least get your money back if the horse runs into a place but doesn’t win the race. This particular horse racing betting strategy is about mitigating loss rather than ramping up a huge return. Every little helps.

No. 2 Betting strategy: Hedging your bets on big field handicaps

When there are 15 or more runners involved, the best horse betting strategy can simply be to back more than one. Even with all the studies we recommend as the foundation of all the approaches mentioned on this page, the greater the size of the field, the more margin for error and the potential for something to go wrong in the run.

Stakes races don’t tend to attract big fields, except for mega-events like the Kentucky Derby. You are more likely to be confronted with many runners in handicaps. The key difference is weight-for-age terms don’t determine what a horse carries. An official handicapper will have their say about horses and give them all a rating which in turn helps to form the weights for a handicap race. The higher a racehorse’s rating, then the heavier their load.

Some of these types of races are genuinely so competitive that you can make a good case based on all the info you have gathered for three or four horses. Imagine if you fancied one but didn’t back it. You would be kicking yourself afterward. When you know how to hedge bets, you are accepting that one or more of the wagers you place cannot win. You are prepared to take the small loss in the pursuit of overall profit.

It could prove wise to combine a hedging strategy with the each-way saver bet technique discussed above. The best horse betting strategies fit together like this. That is entirely up to you, though. You set your budget and decide whether certain techniques suit what you are trying to achieve when betting on the horses.

No. 3 Betting strategy: Pick 6 strategy

For all you lovers of multiple bets, accumulators, and the overall horse betting system out there, the challenge of pulling off a pick 6 bet has obvious appeals and big potential rewards. You are limited to a certain racetrack on any given day and betting through tote pools rather than traditional fixed odds services with these.

The best horse betting strategy here will take considerable skill. Getting the winners of six consecutive races is no mean feat. In some ways, it is the ultimate challenge because the way a card of racing is structured means you are betting on different events. There may be age-restricted races, claimers, handicaps, and stakes races. Odds accumulate from leg to leg like a normal acca, but tote prices are different from sportsbooks.

Be aware that the returned dividends you receive on each leg when you try to pick 6 horse racing may be different from the ones received via fixed odds. Pool betting has its pros and cons and an appropriate strategy to suit. Attempting a pick 6 bet should just be a bit of fun, really, because even serious pro gamblers find they often come up short at gambling sites online.

No. 4 Betting strategy: In play horse racing betting

Arguably, the best betting strategy for horse racing of all is to look into placing in-play bets. Gambling, while horses are actually running, can only be done on betting exchanges where you take and lay bets from fellow bettors rather than a bookmaker. You will be charged a commission on all your wagers. The exchanges do not provide this service out of the goodness of their hearts. This will allow you to take advantage of the horse betting system.

The strategy here is to identify certain horses who may hit a flat spot but have the class to recover and win or like to be ridden patiently and come from off the pace. It follows that horses running behind the leaders have to trade at bigger odds in play than you could get beforehand using regular fixed-odds sportsbooks.

You do need to develop very sound judgment, however. This in play betting horse racing strategy can make you look foolish if you back a horse that doesn’t pick up or respond when asked for an effort by its jockey. It is only bettors with the most detailed and intimate knowledge of racehorses who can make this pay. Speed is key and the ability to spot things that other gamblers do not.

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5 Horse Betting Top Tips

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're betting on horse racing games.

Carry out some research

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about the horses, jockeys, and tracks. This knowledge can give you an edge when making betting decisions. Before placing a bet, it is important to research the horse's performance and history. Knowing if a horse has won at a particular distance before is vital. Study the horse's race record meticulously to make informed decisions.

Check the winning history

Analyzing a horse's winning record at a specific track and distance can significantly improve your chances of winning. Horses with a high winning percentage at a particular distance have an advantage over others.

Consider the favorite

Betting on the favourite may seem obvious, but it's a common mistake novice bettors make. Favourites are assigned the best chance of winning by oddsmakers and track handicappers, so putting more money on them can increase your chances of winning.

Don't Overbet

Overbetting is a common mistake that can lead to financial troubles. To avoid this, set a budget and stick to it. Never bet more than 1% of your bankroll on a single horse race.

Have a Betting Strategy

Having a strategy is crucial in horse betting. It helps you stay focused and have a backup plan when things go wrong. Find a strategy that suits your betting style, and don't be afraid to try new approaches.

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Applying your chosen horse racing betting strategy

Now that you have an idea of some of the best horse betting strategies out there, our final word on them concerns how you apply them. There is also the elephant in the room to address. No horse betting strategy can guarantee success all of the time. Sport just isn’t like that. What the best horse racing system and strategies put forward and suggested above are done with the aim of reducing the potential for loss and to help you make better-informed decisions when gambling.

An approach isn’t bad just because it doesn’t work out the first time. Your chosen betting strategy also needs to be applied correctly. With so much information needed, it can be easy to miss something obvious or see conditions turn against you after placing a bet earlier in the day. Ultimately, betting on horse racing or any sport is meant to be a bit of fun and you should gamble responsibly when deploying a strategy.

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Best Horse Betting Strategies FAQ 

✅What are the best horse betting strategies?

When it comes to betting on horse racing, there are many strategies to choose from. Some popular ones include Dutching, 80-20, Laying The Favorite, Pick 3, Show Bet, Trifecta, Exacta, Superfecta, and Each Way Betting. Before trying any of these strategies, it's essential to understand the potential risks and rewards. Take the time to evaluate each approach carefully to make informed decisions and bet wisely.

💥Are horse betting strategies useful?

Yes, having a strategy when betting on horse racing is useful because it can help you increase your knowledge in horse betting and make it more fun for you. However, it is important to understand and apply your strategy correctly to get the best results.

Dutching is a well-known and widely used betting strategy in horse racing. However, different people have different preferences when it comes to betting strategies. Some may like Dutching, while others may prefer a different approach. It's all about finding what works best for you.

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