For the most part, whether or not you win a horse race bet is up to Lady Luck. However, there are a few mistakes that many novices make that can hurt their winning odds in the long run. There are also a few things you can do to improve your odds, the most important of which is experience.
The more experienced and knowledgeable you are about the racing industry, the more you will be able to place intelligent wagers that could end up bringing you great returns! Learning from the mistakes of others is also a great way to gain experience and learn the ropes. Here are the 5 mistakes that new horse racing punters make that you should always avoid to maximise your winning chances.
#5: Avoiding a Horse Because of a Wide Barrier
At first glance, a wide barrier might seem like a significant disadvantage for a horse. Even betting experts sometimes note that horses with wide barriers represent betting risks. With that said, it is also good to remember that each horse will perform differently in separate races, but ultimately, the market’s bias toward inside barriers makes such bets less profitable than outside ones.
When a horse seems slow in the beginning and has a wide barrier, chances are it will lag behind its competitors. In this case, you should avoiding betting on it. However, a wide barrier alone is not a good reason to discard a horse. Remember to be objective and consider all angles before wagering.
#4: Trying to Guarantee Wins
If you want to be a successful bettor, you need to remind yourself that the outcomes of your bets will ultimately always be uncertain. Think about playing slots at casinos; you could win huge on one spin, and lose it all in a few more. It is a good idea to wager when you are confident that your odds of winning are good, but don’t consider every element of chance to be an intimidating betting risk.
Sometimes the risk is enough to make you abandon a bet, but on other occasions even unlikely wagers can end up bringing great returns. Try to keep risk to a minimum, but remember that no wager has a 100% chance of winning!
#3: Betting Without Knowledge
A key mistake that many novices make is placing random bets without researching them first. Pro horse race bettors spend plenty of time comparing statistics and performances of different horses, as well as the odds at different bookies’ websites, before placing their wagers.
It’s essential to obtain as much information on each equine as you can if you want to place bets with good winning chances. You can even visit the walking ring where the animals are exercised before racing to check their health and appearances if you want to be sure of your choice.
#2: Being Overly Confident
Being too confident in your chosen horse is a common mistake for punters of all levels of skill. Experts actually recommend that you always expect the worst, as anything can go wrong on the track in the blink of an eye. Your fate rests entirely on your horse, so you can never be fully assured that you will win. Always be realistic and assume the worst, even if you are hoping for the best!
#1: Becoming Preoccupied with the Starting Run
The starting performance of a horse is a great guide for your betting choices, but it’s important that you do not take only this factor into account. There are so many other factors to consider when placing your bets, and almost all of them hold more water than the starting run. Take as many factors as possible into account and your wagers will have far better odds of paying out solid returns.
