Horse Race Betting, Horse Handicappers, and Playing it Safe

Horse Race tracks establish common betting pools for- Weight handicapping criteria in order of importance.
each type of wager in a race and deducts a certain- Make sure that the return is worth the investment.
percentage as a commission (approximately 15-29%)- Be consistent in your betting.
depending on the type of wager, before returning the- Bet only the tracks that you know best.
rest of the money to the winning bettors. We are- Bet the tracks where you get the best ROI.
surprised day after day at the track as we see folks- Consider horses that have won at the track that you
betting the favorites, so we decided to interview aare betting.
few of them for our video series on horse- Consider horses that do their best at todays distance
handicapping and wagering.and surface.
Many of the interviews indicated that people just- Bet your own picks not who "they" are betting.
wanted to play it safe, and decided to go with the- Pay Attention to the Jockeys and the Trainers.
flow. We tried to explain that the flow loses most of- Study - The horses past history, including when the
the time, and that they are actually wagering againstlast race was and the lifetime best speed.
the other people wagering at the park, and that theirWhat did they learn NOT TO DO?
odds fluctuate according to how much money is- Do not be influenced by odds.
wagered on each horse.- Do not bet tips
After they went to our website and learned some- Do not bet a favorite under 9 to 5 to win.
basic betting knowledge, and advanced betting- Do not bet to show
strategies we got some feedback that their winning- Do not bet a Heavy favorite on top in an exacta or
bets were coming in more often.trifecta with under 8 horses.
I suppose the most compelling reason they changed- Do not feel that you have to bet every race.
their minds is that they actually met someone that- Do not bet when track conditions change.
makes a comfortable living betting on horse races.- Do not bet numbers or names.
These people were happy to win once out of every 8- Do not bet on a trainer that has not won at the meet
races, and console themselves that they could haveafter the meet has run for 30 days.
lost more! When they met someone that consistently- Do not bet a jockey that has not won at the meet
made profits, and has to hire an accountant to reportafter the meet has run for 30 days.
his winnings to the IRS every year, they were- Pay Attention to the Jockeys and the Trainers.
flabbergasted!- Study The horses past history, including when the last
What did they learn TO DO?race was and the lifetime best speed.
- Never Bet 1st and 2nd choices in an exacta or a- Do not be afraid to pass races that have no value.
trifectaMany people lose money at this, simply because they
- If a Heavy favorite looks difficult to beat, bet it as anbet every race. You must wait for the right opportunity
anchor in a pick3before you wager your hard earned cash. As sure as
(See Advanced Betting Techniques)the sun will rise every day, so will an opportunity show
- Do your homework in advance before arriving at theup for you to act upon. You can be part of the few
track.that regards horse wagering as horse investing, and
- Make sure to include all handicapping criteria.that just makes good horse cents!