Horse Racing – Evening the Odds

Dating back as far as 4500 BC, the ancient sport of horse racing made its way onto American soil in 1665, when the U.S.’s first horse track was set down in Long Island. Only in the late 1800’s, though, did horse racing truly blow up in terms of national popularity.

Before the advent of the internet, it was difficult to get a hold of enough hard data to make truly informed decisions when betting on the tracks – now, with online databases, you can turn chance into something greater. Some online platforms have made this even easier; Mr Green sports, for example, includes tables and charts of relevant statistics on-screen for you when you’re about to place your bets, helping ensure that you’re never just guessing.

Handicapping

The art of picking a horse to bet on – known as handicapping – is a delicate one. Sure, you could just choose a horse at random, or based on unrelated metrics like which horse has the coolest name, but if you put a bit of effort into it you can improve your chances tenfold. Here are some things to look at when handicapping.

Leveling the Competition

Horse racing takes place in a number of different competition levels, or classes, with the better horses performing in the higher classes and netting larger wins for those who bet on them. When a horse from lower class begins to perform well, it may be moved up to the next one – paying attention to these movements of horses between classes can net you some valuable information.

Jockeying for First

There are two main aspects of every horse’s performance in a race, and those are the horse themselves, and their jockey. If a jockey with a trend of placing last is riding a horse that’s usually a safe bet, it might not be all that safe of a bet this time – and vice versa, a good jockey can bring up a horse’s placement.

Rain on the Parade

Just like jockeys, weather conditions can have massive effects on horse performance. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that some horses actually prefer wetter terrain, and will be helped by a recent rain. If you make a note of which horses prefer which, and keep an eye on the weather, you could stand to make a hefty sum from your smart calls.

Picking and Choosing

Not every race gives you a good opportunity – if a race has too many oft-favored horses, it can be impossible to predict the placings with any amount of certainty. Search for races that are top-heavy with talent, or ones with a new horse that’s just been moved into the class. Having a good eye for which races to bet in is just as important as having a good eye for which horse to bet on.

With all this information easily available through channels such as online casinos, horse racing is more accessible than ever, even if you’ve never participated before in your life. Head on over to a site like the previously mentioned Mr Green, and put these tips to good use!