There aren’t many sports events that are able to gain the attention of gamblers around the world than the biggest horse races. Like clockwork, fixtures around the world dominate every weekend, but there are certainly some bigger races than others.
Understanding the race that you’re betting on is one of the main factors that must be considered before placing a bet, but understanding the markets and signing up for a reliable sportsbook is equally important. In this article, you will learn all about the vital factors that should be followed when betting on horse racing.
Biggest Horse Races Of The Year
As we mentioned, some races are more prominent than others, which means that there will be more interest. Those who typically don’t make wagers on horse racing will also be interested in some of the year’s most significant races. These are some of the biggest that you can expect to bet on.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest race of the year in the United States, and is the most famous of the Triple Crown events. It is a race that causes the whole of the USA to be brought to a standstill and is typically the most attended meeting of the season.
The race is run on dirt over one and a quarter miles, and has been won by famous horses such as Authentic, Country House and Justify over recent seasons.
The next edition happens in May 2024 and you can already check the odds: https://www.twinspires.com/kentuckyderby/odds
Grand National
There are a number of huge races in the United Kingdom over the course of the season, but none are able to match the history of the Grand National.
This race was first run in 1839 and sees 40 horses tackle 30 fences over a four- and two-and-a-half-furlong course.
It is viewed in 140 countries worldwide, and winners of the race have gone down in British folklore. Red Rum is the most famous winner, as he remains the only horse to have won the Grand National on three occasions. Tiger Roll is the modern-day legend of this race, having won back-to-back Nationals in 2018 and 2019.
Melbourne Cup
Australia’s Melbourne Cup has become a race of huge significance around the world and is labelled as the richest two-mile handicap in the sport.
Like the Grand National and the Kentucky Derby, the Melbourne Cup also brings the entire country to a standstill, as horses compete over the two-mile distance for a piece of the AUD 8 million prize pot.
Twilight Payment was the most recent winner of the Melbourne Cup, as the Joseph O’Brien-trained horse became the oldest winner of the race since 1938.
Finding The Best Sportsbook For Horse Racing
Along with understanding the biggest races of the season, it is also important to sign up for a sportsbook that offers the ultimate experience when betting on the action.
Finding a leading horse racing betting site can prove daunting for gamblers, but there are a number of factors that you should be on the lookout for. Among the most important factors that should be found include a license, and payment methods.
A license is the most important consideration, as this will ensure that gamblers will be signing up to a sportsbook that is moderated to ensure safety and fairness.
As well as this, gamblers should first examine the markets that are offered in the horse racing markets to ensure that they will be able to place bets on the markets that interest them the most.
The majority of sportsbooks now ensure that gamblers can make bets on action from around the world, with leading sites offering odds on races around Europe, North America and Australia. This will be essential for horse racing bettors, as it means that they will be able to make bets on all the races that we have spoken about.
Finally, customers should also ensure that they sign up to a sportsbook with an excellent welcome offer. These welcome offers are prominent online nowadays, and they make sure that new customers are able to get more money to play with after meeting the terms and conditions set out by the respective sportsbook.
Horse Racing Betting Markets
One of the factors that often-put gamblers off making horse racing wagers are the markets, as they sometimes appear to be confusing.
Still, making wagers on the action is straightforward once you can understand the markets available.
Win Betting
Beginners to betting on the racing will be able to bet on the win markets. These are the most straightforward to understand, as you will be putting your money on the horse that you think will win a race.
Each-Way Betting
Instead of putting a win bet on, gamblers could instead wager on the each-way market. This bet covers both the place and win options and will see customers put on double the stake.
Therefore, a $10 bet will be made up of $5 to win, and $5 on the each-way. Depending on the size of the field, gamblers will get returns on their selections should the horse selected finish in the top three. Bigger fields in races such as the Grand National will see gamblers get returns on up to seven places.
Forecast/Tricast Betting
One of the most difficult betting markets to get a winner is the Forecast/Tricast. In this market, you will be selecting the horses that will finish first, second and third in the race. The forecast bet is just the first two, while the forecast is the first three. All selections must be correct to get the returns from the bet.
What Is Ante-Post Betting?
A term that is used regularly by horse racing bettors is ante-post. Simply put, this is a market that gamblers will be able to bet on before the final declarations of the field that will make up the race have been announced.
There are better odds in this market, but you do run the risk of losing your stake should your selection not run in the race. Gamblers must carefully examine the pros and cons of this market before making their selection.