If you’re a newcomer to this game, first of all… welcome aboard! I’m going to try my best to list a few things that should help any beginner step into this game with a boost of confidence. Betting on horse racing online is easier than ever before so it is important to follow few steps to make the most out of it.
1) First thing we need to learn how to do: read the racing form. Don’t buy the cheap-o programs your track produces, get the Daily Racing Form. It typically contains abundant amounts of information you won’t find anywhere else. Once you get your hands on the DRF, you can learn how to read it by visiting this website (a very handy tutorial). This is the first and most important step when beginning to bet the races. Once you know what you’re analyzing, the sky is the limit.
2) Bet what you can afford. This should be an obvious tip, but it’s insane how many times people don’t follow it. My biggest rule of thumb is this: There’s no such thing, as a sure thing. Therefore, never wager what you can’t afford to lose. If you’re a beginner, wager to have fun, not to win your retirement fund. I feel like one of those cheesy gambling-addiction commercials, so let’s move on…
3) Never bet to show. This is a boring, typically low-profiting means of handicapping. Why would you want to bet one horse to finish 3rd to begin with? If you’re not confident on a horses ability, stay out of the race! If anything you should be doing exactas, trifectas, and other exotic wagering. However, if you aren’t feeling comfortable with those types of wagers (which is fine), only bet to win/place/ AND show. If you’re gonna bet on a horse, at least reward yourself by covering all of your bases.
4) Don’t Overplay: If you’re doing your homework and you run the numbers at all of the races for a particular day’s track and you can only find one race you like…. Well, only play that one race! I can’t tell you how many times I look at the form and see only two or three races that I feel sure enough about to bet. There’s plenty of days ahead for future racing, be patient and pick your spots. Patience and discipline is what separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls if you please).
5) Don’t waste your money on “systems”!!! If there was a system out there that could beat this game, we would have known about it a loooong time ago. Everyone and their brother would have that system and be raking in the big cash. Unfortunately, horse racing changes and moves at a pace that no computer generated algorithm could ever break. Have faith in yourself and your own handicapping abilities and definitely don’t throw money out the window on fly-by-night “guaranteed” systems and methods. There is no system, there are no methods, there is only keen and accurate handicapping abilities that you possess!