Horse race betting has been a popular recreational activity around the world for decades.
There are just few enjoyable experiences like a day out at a race track on a nice summer day, watching some of the world’s fastest creatures go toe-to-toe on the tracks with jockeys competing for prize money.
It’s not just the excitement of watching horses race around the tracks, however. Countless spectators over the years have enjoyed placing wagers on horses to win races. The chance to win money makes the event that much more exciting.
While incorporating betting strategies, one can also use Massachusetts betting promos to maximize your potential earnings. The best promos include a first bet offer of up to $1,000 from BetMGM and $150 in instant bets from DraftKings when you wager $5.
5. Pay Attention To The Weather
Think of other sports like football. Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots have always dominated snow-filled games for obvious reasons.
One, his players are used to the freezing Foxborough winters. Second, Belichick is renowned for making his players put in extra effort during snow-filled practice conditions. And it’s obviously paid off.
Now, what if a warm-weather and superior team like the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers or Dallas Cowboys travel to New England for a snowy game? The Patriots might not have the better roster, but they do have a significant advantage in that they’re prepared and battle-tested for the snow.
Or, look at tennis legend Rafael Nadal. Nicknamed “The King of Clay”, Nadal holds a record 14 French Open victories. At 37 years of age, Nadal may not be the best in the world anymore, but he’ll almost have the advantage on the clay courts at the French Open. He has dominated such competitions thanks to his style of play.
So when it comes to horse racing, don’t just look at the fastest and heavily favored horses. Let’s say it’s raining during one race, and the track becomes muddy and a bit slippery.
Do your homework and see which racehorses have a better track record in rain-filled conditions. Horse A may be the betting favorite in a specific race, but what if they have a history of performing poorly in wet conditions?
4. Analyze The Race Track
Similar to the previous point, it’s important to consider several factors for a race.
Besides the weather, you should also pay attention to the race track’s design and length. While some racehorses are faster than others, they also tend to carry less stamina. In a shorter race, you’ll want to bet on the ones with the best speed.
But in a longer race, you’ll want to go with a horse that traditionally performs better. That is, ones with more stamina who don’t get burnt out as quickly.
Look at the weather conditions, race tracks and race length and see which horses traditionally perform better at the event you’re betting on.
3. Don’t ALWAYS Bet On The Favorites
In the world of sports betting, it’s usually about finding the best value bets.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the Super Bowl 58 favorites in 2023, for instance, and the Boston Celtics will be among the favorites to win the 2024 NBA Championship. But because their odds are so high, there’s only so much money to be made if you wager on them — and if they go on to win the title.
So in horse racing, don’t just bet on the favorites. If a horse is the main betting favorite at 10-1, that essentially means out of 11 results, they’d likely finish first in one of those occasions. Those are strong odds for one specific horse, but that doesn’t mean there’s much money to be made if you place a correct wager on them.
2. Bet On Underdogs/Find Good Value Bets
Continuing from the last point, this doesn’t entirely mean to bet on the biggest underdogs who carry the largest potential payouts in any given race. The biggest underdogs have low betting odds for a reason.
Instead, look at good value bets and potential dark horses. What if horse C has finished top-five in each of its last three races, but has yet to win a crown? What if they only have the fifth-highest betting odds?
You may feel like history will be on their side eventually. In that case, go with your gut and place a wager on a dark horse/underdog that you feel good about.
1. Dutch Betting
Dutch betting — also referred to as “dutching” — is a term used for a player who decides to place more than one wager on a specific event.
Obviously, you’re betting more money when you’re dutching, but you’re also increasing your chances of winning.
So let’s say you’re completely torn on two separate horses for a specific race, unsure of who to bet on. Well, it doesn’t hurt to place one wager on each of those two horses you’re leaning towards.
Let’s go back to value bets quickly. You can always place a wager on the co-favorites (as long as you feel very good about their chances of winning), and still also bet on an underdog who carries good value odds.
In short, don’t be shy to place multiple wagers in any given race/event if you feel strongly about more than one horse in that contest.