How to Bet on Horse Racing
How to Bet on Horse Racing – Online Horse Racing Betting Guide, Best Odds & Tips
Welcome to our complete guide to horse racing betting at Stake.com.
Here, we run through everything you need to know about betting on horse racing, including which events to bet on, which bets to place and some tips to help you pick winners.
Read on before placing a bet on any horse race at Stake Sportsbook to give yourself the best chance of winning.
Horse Racing History
Horse racing can be traced back to one of the first Greek Olympic Games in 700 BC. In other words, it’s one of the oldest sports still contested today, with a rich and varied history.
Chariot racing in ancient Greece and Rome followed, while thoroughbred racing became a pastime of British nobility during the Middle Ages, aptly known as the “Sport of Kings.”
By the 1600s, horse racing was hosted at iconic venues like Newmarket in the UK, and the Jockey Club was established in 1750 to control the races.
The first British Classic race was run at St Leger in 1776, while the Epson Derby debuted in 1780. From there, formal horse racing spread to North American tracks and further afield, with Group 1 races hosted in countries worldwide by the 19th century.
What are the Major Horse Racing Events to Bet On?
You’re spoiled for choice when betting on horse racing, with many events scheduled yearly. We cover the latest in racing news over on our blog, but if you want to bet on the biggest races, here are the events to pay attention to on the calendar:
The Triple Crown: Comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, The Triple Crown is the pinnacle of horse racing in America. Known as “the two most exciting minutes in sport,” the Kentucky Derby is arguably the biggest and the best horse race in the world.
The Melbourne Cup: Australia’s biggest horserace, the Melbourne Cup is held at the Flemington Racecourse and is a Group 1 thoroughbred race held across 3,200 metres.
The British Classics: Including the 2000 Guineas, the 1000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Derby, and the St Leger Stakes, these British Classics are Group 1 races in the UK that are open to the best three-year-old racers in the world.
The Grand National: Run at Aintree, England, in April, a field of 40 runners takes on the ultimate test in jump racing. More money is bet on the Grand National yearly than any other British horse race.
The Hong Kong Cup: One of the richest horse races in the world, the Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 race open to 3-year-old+ thoroughbreds over 2,000 metres.
What Makes a Successful Horse?
Several components of horse racing make it a compelling sport to bet on, as various factors can influence a horse’s success. Here’s what you need to know for a basic understanding of the sport:
The horse itself: You must understand the horse you bet on. Is it a colt or a filly, and what is its breeding? How old is the horse? How has it performed in similar races in the past? What’s its form like? What going does it prefer? The more you research the horse, the more likely you are to pick a winner.
The jockey: Second only to the horse, the jockey is key to horse racing. Like soccer players, some jockeys are better than others and can transfer between horses. Some of the top jockeys in the sport right now are Ryan Moore, James McDonald, Flavien Prat, and William Buick.
The trainer: The trainer is responsible for training the horse into a potential champion. Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby, and Bob Baffert are among the world’s best trainers.
The stables: Some stables have a history of training winners for specific races, so it’s worth checking out before the big races in particular.
The course: There are two main types of race – flat races and jump races. Each type of race is hosted on a specific type of course. Make sure you research if your chosen horse is a good runner on its respective track ahead of the race. Most races are on grass, but some are on dirt tracks.
The going: This is a key term in horse racing that describes the underfoot conditions. Some horses prefer softer or firmer ground, so checking the going before a race can help you pick the right horses to bet on.
As horse racing has so many key components, giving a precise overview of what you can expect from one race is difficult. However, researching the above aspects will give you a good idea of which horse to back.
How Do You Bet on Horse Racing?
Horse racing has a lot of jargon, making it seem daunting for first-time bettors. However, the premise of horse racing betting is the same as betting on other sports. Simply select a race, do some research, and pick the horse you think will win.
Every horse race has a race card (or race program), which details the runners, the jockeys, and the trainers. You’ll also find important information about the racetrack, the race times, and details of a horse’s recent form.
Helpfully, a race card also denotes previous winners at the track. For instance, if the horse has a C next to its name on the card, it means it has previously won at the track. If it has a D next to its name, it means it has won over the same distance.
So, if you’re just getting started, follow this simple step-by-step process to bet on horse racing for the first time:
Choose an upcoming horse race.
Read the card and check each race for details of which horses are running.
Consider their odds, form, and previous performance at the track.
Decide how much to bet and place a wager (details below).
Watch the race live.
To bet on horse racing, create an account at Stake.com. Follow the sign-up prompts to create an account in seconds and make a deposit to fund your wagers. You can then consider which races to bet on and which type of bet to place, as introduced below.
What are the Popular Types of Horse Racing Bets?
There are numerous different types of horse racing bets you can place:
Win bets: This is a straight-up bet on the horse you think will win a race.
Place bets: If you don’t want to dial down on a winner, you can bet on a horse to “place,” meaning you can bet on them to finish first, second, or third in a particular race.
Each-way bets: This is a dual bet that is popular in horse racing. You’re betting on the horse to win and the horse to place. Learn more about each way bets, and how they compare to place bets over on our blog.
Trifecta: These are adventurous bets known as exotic wagers, where you seek to predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in a race, respectively.
Forecast: Similar to a trifectas, you only bet on the horses you think will finish first and second, respectively.
Accumulator: Bet on the results of consecutive races, and if all selections romp home, you win. This is also called a horizontal wager in the US rather than a vertical wager that concentrates on the outcome of one race.
Flexi Betting: With a flexi bet, you can place a combination of selections within an exotic bet for a smaller outlay, reducing the risk.
How are Winnings Paid Out?
If you place a winning bet on a horse race, you’ll win a payout according to the odds you received, as in all sports. Just be mindful that each-way bets payout a fraction of the odds if your horse only places, which is an important distinction to make.
Stake.com processes horse racing winnings instantly, meaning you don’t have to wait to get your hands on your funds. Alternatively, you can store your funds in the Stake Vault to fund future horse racing bets at Stake.com.
Can You Live Stream Horse Racing & Bet In-Play?
You can watch many of the biggest horse races in the world at Stake.com for free. Simply sign into your account to access the best odds and a huge selection of horse racing markets and place a bet on an upcoming race.
If your race is selected for live streaming, you can then watch the race in real time and even place live bets as the action unfolds.
What are the Best Betting Strategies & Tips to Win?
Now that you know the basics of horse racing betting, here are some handy tips to bear in mind as you make your selections:
Study the form guide to learn about a horse’s recent performances, specifically their recent finishing positions.
Consider the track conditions and determine which horses prefer racing on soft or heavy tracks, grass or dirt, before picking your winner for the upcoming race.
Analyse the recent performances of the jockey and trainer, as well as the horse.
Refer to our sports betting guide for helpful tips relating to horse racing betting and other sports before placing your wagers.
Understand the differences between pre-match and live betting to improve your horse racing betting strategy.
For expert tips and predictions, hear from Stake partner and racing legend, Frankie Dettori! Keep your eyes peeled for updates and exclusive promotions from the World's Greatest Jockey.
How to Deposit Funds to Bet on Horse Racing Responsibly
You can place horse racing bets at Stake Sportsbook by depositing in a local fiat currency or via cryptocurrencies.
Right now, you can play at Stake.com with the following local currencies – ARS, CLP, JPY, INR, and PEN. Depending on your preferences, you can also view your balance in numerous other currencies. You can find more information about our local currency options on our community forum, as well as our local currency payment guide.
To place horse racing bets with crypto, you can easily deposit crypto units into your account using coins like BTC, ETH, Doge, and LTC. You can find the full list of available cryptocurrencies on our blog, as well as our recommendations and guide for choosing the right coin for you.
Stake offers live support to sports bettors via our customer support staff for help with issues like depositing and withdrawing units and more.
Moonpay supports multiple payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others, to buy cryptocurrency to enjoy horse racing betting. For a full list of supported payment options, please refer to the Moonpay documentation .
Learn how to use the Stake Vault to securely store your funds online for all future bets at Stake Sportsbook. You can also read our crypto security guide to learn more about keeping your funds safe and secure at Stake.com.
Please always remember to bet within your means and gamble responsibly. You can find out how to stay in control with our Stake Smart guidelines. You can also use our monthly budget calculator to determine how much of your disposable income to allocate to gambling.
Why Should You Bet on Horse Racing at Stake.com?
Stake.com is the number one online betting site for horse racing fans. You can bet with fiat currency or cryptocurrency, and we offer unbeatable odds for all major horse races on the calendar.
We also provide excellent rewards via our exclusive Stake VIP Club and great-value sports promotions that you can use for a bankroll boost before betting on horse races at Stake.com. For more information, be sure to read our VIP Club FAQs.
If you're looking for some thrilling alternatives to Horse Racing, check out our guides to betting on Greyhound Racing and Harness Racing to shake things up.
