Since the horses ran, people have organized some kind of wagering on the outcome of races. Today we can say that this is one of the most profitable types of betting if you are sure in your knowledge about this sport and if you think you can beat the bookmaker, i.e. the ‘house’.
At the same time, there is nothing better than adrenaline when you watch the horse you bet on lead the race. Because of all these elements, horse racing is considered to be one of the most attractive types of betting, precisely because of the adrenaline rush we mentioned and which you can get quickly. If you have not tried it, we sincerely advise you to give it a try.
You can bet on horse races either via the Internet or by going directly to the horse tracks. You can be sure that you will have a great time with skillful jockeys, screaming fans, and dust rising as the horse race towards the finish line. It does not matter whether you have been on a horse track before or not because, if you follow sports in general, you are certainly familiar with the fact that sports betting and horse races go together.
Bookmaker-Expert.com has gathered in one place the best online bookmakers that offer different types of horse racing, such as Grand National and others. If you are interested in trying it out, then you are in the right place. On the other hand, if you want to improve the knowledge you already have, you are also in the right place.
We will show you how betting on horse racing works. We will also introduce you to the types of bets for horse racing. We guarantee that betting on horses will be even more fun with all the knowledge we will share with you.
Types of Bets on Horse Races
When it comes to horse racing bets, there are two categories of bets:
- bets on the winner of the race (or the exact position at the end of the race)
- bets on several different race outcomes
If you are a beginner in horse racing betting, we recommend that you play straight (direct) bets – on the winner or the exact position. They don’t cost much and are simpler. Choose one horse and guess in which position it will end up. For example, it can come in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place. You will be satisfied when you find out that the minimum bet on most bookmakers is 1 or 2 EUR/USD.
However, if you are more experienced in this field, you can take one of the other bets, which means you can bet on more horses per race. Of course, in addition to the fact that you need more experience, they are also much more expensive. Logically, the rewards for ‘exotic’ bets are higher than those for straight bets.
Straight or Direct Bets
As we have already said, when you use straight (direct) bets you can only bet on one horse.
Win
This is the simplest bet at the moment. Bet on the horse that will win the particular race. If your horse wins, you win money.
Place
This term means that you will aim for the position in which the horse you bet on will end up. Here you get money if the horse you choose ends up in first or second place. You need to know that the winnings here are slightly lower than with a “Win” bet.
Show
This means that your horse needs to be among the top three places to win money. Of course, the reward resulting from this bet is significantly less than the previous ones.
Accros the Board
This is the most exciting type of direct betting. Bet on your horse to win, finish among the first two and finish among the first three – all at the same time. These are 3-in-one bets. Usually, that bet is not the highest-paid.
This seems pretty logical if you keep in mind you bet on multiple types at once. Win/Place, Place/Show – This one is quite similar to the previous one, but not the same. If you bet on a horse to win and if your horse wins, you will raise money for both bets.
‘Exotic’ Bets
As we stated in the previous part of our article, there are also so-called ‘exotic’ bets. By playing them, you improve the winning potential you can get. If you are not careful, you can get carried away and your bet can be much higher than you wanted it to be at first.
Exacta
If you decide to try this type of betting, then you should know that you are choosing two horses to finish first and second. You can only get money if it happens in exactly the correct order you have chosen.
Quinella
We would describe this type of bet as a flexible type of “Exacta”. The reason for this is that the two horses you choose should finish in the first two places, but they don’t have to do it in the order you specify. As long as they are both in the top two, you are good, payout is at your fingertips.
Trifecta
This bet is really hard, to be honest. You bet on three different horses to finish in the top three in the order you choose. Admittedly, there are a few subtypes to choose from that will allow you to pick the top three places in any order and make money.
Superfecta
Bet on four different horses to finish in the top four in the correct order. You can combine “Superfecta” with “Exacta” and “Trifecta”. Usually, the minimum bet is 10 cents and you can find a really large number of bookmakers that allow it. And precisely because of the small amount of stakes, players are quite attracted to try it out.