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Horse Racing: A Sport Rich In History And Tradition

Mankind has domesticated many animals, but horses were among the very first. And with our competitive spirit it's only natural that the sport of horse racing soon followed. Thousands of years later it is more popular than ever before as a sport. Due to the crowds and competition of these races a tradition of betting on various outcomes quickly became popular. With so many different types of tracks and horses there are many different kinds of races. Bettors who don't enjoy casino games will sometimes find horse betting a great alternative.

The different kinds of races depend on a variety of factors including the location in the world and the length of the track to be completed. The most common type is referred to as flat racing; a type of thoroughbred racing where the horses compete against each other side by side, or at least starting side by side. This tests both the horse's stamina and fastest speed. Thoroughbred racing has also brought us handicap and conditions races. Flat racing has definitely become the biggest attraction for horse bettors, which leads to bigger purses for the winners, which has kept a cycle going of ever grander races.

Some races are designed to be extremely long, making the stamina of the horse more important than speed. A race of ten miles or so is firmly on the shorter side of endurance races and they can go all the way up to more than one hundred miles. Due to the distance these races can't be finished in a single day, so they are planned for ahead of time to take up two or more days. Because these tracks are so long they can't be made artificially, unlike traditional flat races, and therefore the races take place over dirt and grass. There are also races that last only a quarter of a mile and are, predictably enough, called quarter horse races. Different breeds of horses have been found to be best suited for different types of races, due to their unique evolutionary development.

Excitement is always heavy in the air when a person is placing bets at the track or at an off-track-betting location. Most bets are placed in the last few minutes and there are dozens of different types of bets that can be made. Some people look down their noses at betting on horses, but the fact is it remains a billion dollar industry and will remain a big part of the sport for the foreseeable future. An enormous amount of work goes into the maintenance of the tracks, but even more so in the breeding and training of the horses that will race. Placing that first bet may be a little nerve-wracking but the more informed bets down the road can be very exciting.

This is also a show as much as it is a bet; a sport that has been taking place for thousands of years brought into this modern world and broadcast for millions to enjoy. And as every year goes by the sport gets bigger and better. People who are thinking of placing a few bets should do a little research before taking the plunge. Read articles, guides, and anything else written by experts and only then start on your own journey to becoming an expert. Unlike almost every other betting game/sport out there, being informed and very well prepared for a horse race can make all the difference in the world.

Great Online Horse Betting Tips

Heading down to the track or the OTB for the first time? Maybe the second time, but the first did not go so well? Well betting on horses can be extremely fun and profitable too, but it's important to get past the basics. There's a right way of doing things and a wrong way; the wrong way is to go and place bets on a horse because of its' name or a jockey because of the color of his shirt. It's very important to educate yourself on all the particulars of a race, and of horse betting in general. Research the horses, the jockeys, and the races. Doing all of this makes it possible to reduce the risk involved in horse betting to the lowest level possible.

I can't overstate how important the research is, this is what makes or breaks bettors at the counter. Take a look at the horses competing in that race, that day. Do they have a history of performing better in hot conditions? Wet conditions? Long races or short races? Avoid horses that have never won a race before. It's more likely that the horse will never amount to much or the jockey is inexperienced than the horse will finally see its first win. Give a horse that just moved up in class time to establish itself; he's probably out of his league if he just moved up recently.

A few more horse betting tips: fast starting horses have a better chance of winning if the track is heavy. It's not a good idea to bet on every race (proven by the fact that this is done by amateurs but not experts), it's almost impossible to have good research on so many races. And horses that have been racing are almost always favored over a horse that has just taken a few weeks off. The jockey's importance is magnified in longer races; if the race is longer than a mile then the jockey's skill becomes very important.

Finding the right value bets can really make a bettor's week. A good tip for people who have become pretty good at doing the necessary research for races is to look at the possible exacta and trifecta bets. A small bet on either of these or similar options can bring in hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This can be very possible if you've done enough research and feel like you know what you're doing.

Thinking outside the box can be essential to becoming great at horse betting, after the research is over and done, because there are so many different variables that are important during the race. For example, if you happen to be at the track and are about to place a bet on a horse but notice another horse's odds falling rapidly (this is soon before the races starts) then most likely someone out there has reliable information on this horse. They were just waiting for the last moment to get their bets in at good odds. Take advantage of this, place a bet yourself. These horse betting tips, if used properly, can bring an average person an extra few hundred dollars a week.

Types of Bets

Straight bet or Single or Win bet: This is the simplest and most common bet. You bet on a winner at given odds. You collect only if your chosen horse is the first across the finish line.

Place: A wager for place means you collect if your selected horse finishes either first or second.

Show: The third horse across the finish line. A wager to show means you collect if your selected horse finishes either first, second or third.

Combination Bet: Combinations cover from two to four horses to win in chosen order.

Pick 3: This wager requires the player to pick the winners of three consecutive races. Some race tracks have a rolling pick 3 which is when the player must pick three races in a row and it continues for the next three races.

Pick 6: This wager requires the player to select the winner of six consecutive races prior to the first race of the pick six. Some tracks place the pick six as the first six races, the middle six races, or the last six races. Many tracks have carry over pools for the pick six that can grow to as high as a million dollars.

The Daily Double: You win if you pick the winner of the first and second race. To bet you say "$2 daily double on 3 (your pick to win in the first race) and 5 (your pick to win in the second race)". Your bet must be placed before the start of the first race.

Quiniela: (Reverse Forecast, UK) You win if you pick two horses that finish first and second, in either order, in any single race. To bet you say "$2 quiniela, numbers 5 and 6″. If the results of the first two horses are either 5-6 or 6-5, you win.

Quiniela Box: Pick three or more horses. You win if any two of your selections finish first and second. To bet you say "$2 quiniela box on 4, 5 and 6″. You are making three separate bets so your minimum bet is $6. If they finish 4-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-5, 5-4 or 5-6 you win. You can box as few as three or as many as the field.

Quiniela Double: Quiniela Double is a combination bet of two winning quinielas in the last two races. Select two horses to win and place, in either order, in each of the last two races. You must win both quinielas to win your Quiniela Double.

Quiniela Wheel: You can also 'wheel' a favorite horse, so that it is combined with all the other horses. Based on the $2 value, the total cost of a wheel with say, 6 other horses is $12. For example; if you wheel #2 with 6 other horses in the same race and #2 comes in first or second, you win because you have all the 6 combinations covered.

Perfecta or Exacta: (Straight Forecast, UK) The Perfecta is similar to the Quiniela, except the two horses must finish in the exact order. To bet you say "$3 Perfecta, 5-6″. Only if the horses finish 5-6 you win.

Perfecta Box: As with the quiniela box, except the two horses must finish in the exact order. To bet you say "$2 perfecta box on 4,5 and 6″. You are making six separate bets so your minimum bet is $12. If they finish 4-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-5, 5-4 or 5-6 you win. With Perfecta Box, for each extra horse you add to the box the possible combinations get compunded and your number of bets increases accordingly. A "$2 perfecta box on 4 horses" will cost you $24 (12 bets), a "$2 perfecta box on 5 horses" $40 (20 bets), and a "$2 perfecta box on 6 horses " $60 (30 bets).

Straight Trifecta: (Tricast or Treble Forecast, UK) Pick the first three horses to cross the finish line in exact order. To bet you say "$2 trifecta numbers 7,4 and 5″. Only if they finish 7-4-5 you win.

$1 Trifecta Box: Pick three horses to finish first, second and third, in any order. To bet you say "$1 trifecta box 2,3 and 5″. You are actually making six $1 bets, so your total bet is $6. If they finish 2-3-5, 2-5-3, 3-2-5, 3-5-2, 5-2-3 or 5-3-2; you win.

$1 Trifecta Key: Pick your favorite horse to win, then two or more others to place and show in any order. To bet you say "$1 trifecta key on 1 with 2 and 3″. You are actually making two $1 bets so your total bet is $2. To win your Key horse must win and the other two must finish either 1-2-3 or 1-3-2.

Superfecta: The straight superfecta is played by picking the first four horses to finish in exact order. To bet you say "$2 straight superfecta 1-3-2-8″. You would collect if the race finishes exactly 1-3-2-8.