What is in-play betting in horse racing?
Horse racing is a spectacle: some of the world’s most powerful animals show off their extraordinary speed and stamina. The horses jostle for positions whilst the jockeys try and execute a perfectly-timed sprint to the finish.
Predictions and forecasts are difficult to place. You might think a certain result is on the cards, but all it takes is one charging horse to come through the pack and claim an underdog status.
The quick-paced nature of the sport is perhaps why the horse racing in-play betting market is such a popular option. It gives bettors the choice to monitor the events of a race before deciding which horse to back.
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In effect, the power is handed back to you. This means that if a particular race is too close to call before it begins, you can instead opt to bet in-play, which helps shed light on the potential outcome.
Horse racing is a sport that rewards those who have the inside track on the horses who are running. What better way to get the inside scoop than by observing the opening moments of a race before betting?
Top in-play horse racing strategies
- 1: In-play horse racing strategies for beginners
If you’re just getting a feel for horse racing live betting, then it’s important you have a strategy. To begin with, you should never go into a race with the expectation of betting without first knowing which horses are tipped to win.
Look at the latest outright odds before a race begins. This way, you’ll be able to make informed decisions on what might happen as the events unfold instead of being drawn into responding to every development during a live race.
Yes, in-play horse race betting is an ever-changing landscape, but you still have to have a good grasp on the chances of certain participants winning so you don’t get blindsided.
- 2: Live betting horse racing expert strategies
If you’re an experienced bettor, then you will know the benefits of having an in-play horse racing strategy. To successfully make the right call during a live race, you will need to do a comprehensive background check on all of the participating horses, jockeys, and relevant trainers.
To truly understand how a horse will run over the course of a live race, you first need to know a bit about the style their trainers are famous for. On top of that, you should adopt a strategy by looking back on previous winners of a particular race to see how a certain horse performed in times gone by.
Armed with this information, you will be able to avoid betting on a specific horse that has taken an early lead but has a history of fading away before the end. Conversely, you will also be using any pre-race research to take advantage of a horse surging out in front that is famed for its ability to keep its winning pace up until the finish line.
As soon as you see that happen, you can lock in your in-play live bet on the horse in question winning, safe in the knowledge that this swashbuckling contender will produce a lung-busting run all the way to the finish line.
What is value betting in horse racing in-play?
Above all, any live-betting horse racing strategy is designed to make the most of higher odds that weren’t available before the race started. Put another way, in-play horse race betting is a good way of identifying a value bet.
But what is a value bet? The answer is simple: a value bet is a bet that is placed on an outcome with odds that are favourable compared to the actual probability of the outcome occurring. In other words, it is a bet that has a positive expected value and is likely to be profitable.
For example, if a horse that was expected to be a strong contender at the start of the race falls behind early on, its odds to win may rise significantly. However, if you believe that the horse still has a good chance of making a stirring comeback, then you may consider placing a value bet on the horse at those longer odds.
Similarly, if a horse is leading comfortably but its odds have not shortened significantly, you may spot an opportunity to place a bet on the horse to win as the odds may not fully reflect its chances of winning.
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