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though. If you see a jockey's name repeatedly aboard a winning horse, that's a good sign. Jockeys can become well respected for their ability to bring in a winning horse.

6. Watch the tote board and carefully examine the odds being posted by the track. It's not worth putting a bet on a horse to SHOW when the odds are 5 to2. These odds will change constantly until post time (the start of the race).

7. Another thing you might like to do is watch the "parade to the post." This is your chance to see the horses as they prance by with their jockeys on their backs. Watch for a horse's "action," sluggishness or skittishness. A horse that is having a tough time getting it together during the parade to post, may also have a tough time during the race.

8. It's generally a good idea to bet on a horse that has a winning history because they will usually win again. But the odds on this horse are so low, that your wager will have to be much larger to make any money. And if you lose, it means that you will lose that much more money.

And then, of course, the rule is proved by the exception known as the, "long shot." That's the horse that comes from behind; the horse that no one expected would win; the horse with the big odds and even bigger payout. The money horse.

9. When starting out betting on the ponies, set a budget. If there are 10 races and the minimum bet is $2 a race, then budget $20. If you lose, you'll only be out a few bucks, but you will have had the fun and excitement of betting on every race.

10. Don't worry if it takes a while to understand the racing program; that's natural. But usually by the fifth race, you will have a pretty good sense of how the statistical pieces fit together. And you'll be surprising yourself at the number of times you'll be cashing your betting slips, instead of ripping them up.

This guide is only a primary tutor for horse race betting. Once you feel comfortable, you will want to try betting on the more complicated races like the Daily Double, the Trifecta, or the Exactor; these races are much harder to predict, but their odds make a winning bet much more lucrative.

But in the meantime, don't worry about making money betting on the ponies; just go and have fun.

Learn more about this author, Sheree Zielke.
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