1 of 14

Write now Article Tools

How to bet at the horse track? Let's assume that means, how to bet to win at the horse track. First of all you'll need a fistful of money, a racing day program, and a whole lot of luck. And that's it. You'll win every time. No, just kidding. But you'll stand a better chance of winning if you really study that racing program before placing a bet.

Horse race betting can be very addictive, especially if you are a mystery buff, or you like solving logic problems.

Like mysteries, racing programs are filled with clues, bits of information, that when logically linked together, can actually help to choose a winning horse. Or at least place a winner in the top 3 finishes: Win, Place or Show (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). This puzzle solving is called, "handicapping."

Remember, when betting on horse races, if you bet a horse to PLACE and your horse comes in 3rd, you lose. If you place a WIN bet and your horse comes in 2nd or 3rd, you lose. But if you place a SHOW bet, and your horse races to any of the top 3 finishing positions, you win.

But before placing that bet, learn to handicap first. Here are simple horse race betting tips for the new handicapper:

1. Arrive at least a hour before the races begin. Buy a program; it'll cost you a buck or two, but it's really an invaluable tool when deciding where to place your betting dollar.

2. Study the program. Besides naming all the horses in the individual races, the program also lists a racing history and statistics for the horses and the jockeys (the riders). You'll find a key to the short-form codes used, somewhere in the program.

3. Look for the track favorites, the "picks." These track favorites are usually quite reliable. Track officials may not predict all the horses accurately, but the majority of the track favorites will wind up in one of the winning categories.

(Hint: Lay a small SHOW bet on the horse that the track has picked to WIN! Even if the horse comes in third, because you hedged your bet by placing a SHOW bet, you will win. Your bet will only pay a few cents, because of poor odds, but you will still win!)

4. Now study the history of the horses and how they placed in previous races. The racing program will give you all the hi-lights like in what position the horse finished previous races, what jockey was aboard, the condition of the track (muddy, fast, etc.), and the date of the horse's last races. Weights of both horse and jockey are also included, but they just seem to muddy the problem.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How to bet at the horse track?
We want to hear your view. Write now!