How to Bet on Horse Racing

If you are a horse racing fan you might be interested to learn about wagering on horse races and festivals.  Be sure to check out our articles on horse racing betting terminology and types of horse racing wagers.

You can bet on horse racing either online or at the track.  If you are heading out to the racecourse, you will need to begin by picking up a program and a racing form at the track.  You can pick up the online equivalent through a data provider like Thoroughbred Sports Network (TSN).  The program will tell you all about the races coming up as well as the horses participating in them, the odds, the jockeys, distances, and more.  This should not be the full extent of your research if you are a serious bettor, but for the casual punter, it may be all that you need to know in order to place your wagers and enjoy the race.

If you are at the horse race in person, you will then need to find your seat.  After that, you can locate the paddock, and take a look at the horses.  This is a great chance to observe a horse’s physical and mental condition—something you cannot really do online.  Once you have studied your horse, you can place a bet.  If you are doing this online, you will do it through your online betting site.  If you are at the track, you will approach the window.

Once you are at the window, you will announce four things:  the track you are betting on, the amount you are betting, the type of bet, and the number for the horse you are wagering on.  You do not need to say anything else.  Simply read out the list, and your wager will be taken down.  If you are in the States, you can also head over to a Self-Automated Mutuel (SAM).  This is a machine operated by touch-screen which can use to place your bet if you have cash, a cash voucher, or a winning ticket.  This can help you to avoid some of the long lines at the teller windows. 

At the racecourse, you will notice a large board in the infield called the “tote board.”  This board lists information such as the race number, track condition, pool totals, will pays for exotic bets, and so on.  This is a handy display to reference throughout the race day.   

If your horse wins, you collect on your bet.  If your horse loses, you lose your money.  One nice thing about horse racing that makes it distinct from many other forms of betting is that you are not betting against the house.  Someone will always win at horse racing, and that means someone will always win their wager as well.  If you really learn about horse racing in-depth and get to know the competing horses as best you can, you have a real shot at winning your bets time and again.