As one of the most popular forms of betting in the world, horse racing betting is a thrilling way to spend an afternoon while also making good money on the side. Anyone looking to get into horse racing betting will find a world filled to the brim with exciting opportunities, and with most people being at home for the foreseeable future, there’s never been a better time to learn a few helpful hints.

Research

The first step that a new bettor needs to take is to learn everything they can about the horse racing world, including the horses and jockeys themselves. Good betting is based on good research, and it’s vital to know when and how to take out a bet on an upcoming event. There are many bookies out there that earn a profit just from the beginner bettors that don’t do the research before putting money down, and it’s a good idea not to be one of those people, as it can end up being fairly expensive to maintain.

Choosing The Right Races

One of the biggest mistakes that rookie bettors make is choosing a race or event that appeals to them in a personal way, and if often leads to disappointment. While there’s nothing wrong with choosing an animal that you like, it can conflict with the goal of winning money from the race. A better idea is to do the necessary research to find a horse that has the best odds of providing a fun and profitable endeavor.

Track Conditions

This is an aspect of racing that even the most experienced bettors forget to take into account when laying down their wage, but it’s certainly one of the most important factors. It comes down to the preference of the animals that are going to run on the track: some horses prefer turf while others prefer dirt, and some might prefer to run on a dry track and others on a wet track. These might seem inconsequential at first, but, for instance, an American-bred horse will more likely favour a dry track due to the dryer conditions in the USA. It’s for this reason that it’s a good idea to first learn about the horse, find out what conditions it likes to run on, and see how they’ve reacted to bad weather in the past.

Lay Offs

In the racing world, a lay off applies to a horse that has not participated in any event for at least 45 days since his last race. This Is important because the long that a horse remains laid off, the lower its chances of having a successful race once it gets back on the track, which can have a direct impact on the success of any bets put on that horse. Conversely, it’s a good idea to find out whether the horse has returned from a lay off recently, as they tend to improve significantly after their first race coming off of a lay off period.