Horse racing has a close relationship with betting and bookmakers contribute towards the sport’s levy fund. Having a bet can add an extra element of fun when you’re watching horse racing, especially for those who go to the races. There are many types of bets you can place on horse racing so we’re going to take a look at some of the most popular.
Inarguably the most straightforward bet type, a single is one selection which you place a bet on win only or each-way. This is the most popular type of bet for casual punters, who only bet on races like the Grand National.
This is where you select two horses from different races and combine them into one bet. The positive to this is that the potential returns are bigger but both horses have to win in order for the bet to land.
There’s also an each-way variant which is often used when horses are available at bigger prices. It splits your bet into two parts; a win bet and a place bet.
The number of places is dictated by the type of race and the number of runners. It’s important to note that the place bet is a fraction off the odds of the win bet (usually a quarter or a fifth of the price).
If both horses win, both bets are successful and profit is returned for the win and place bets, if they both place, the win bet loses but the place bet is successful.
These are some of the most popular bet types as the potential profit can be significant and the stake can be fairly small. Usually when a punter fancies a number of short-priced horses who aren’t worth backing individually can be combined into an accumulator.
The more selections added to your bet, the more the odds are multiplied. However bigger accumulators come with more risks because more successful outcomes are required. Willie Mullins Cheltenham accas and Aidan O’Brien multiples at Royal Ascot are very popular!
This is a special type of multiple where you make four selections and they combine 15 separate bets into one. These are split into four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold accumulator.
Only one horse needs to win in order to start making a profit but multiple winners increase the returns. For example, three winners means three singles, a treble and two doubles have landed and that usually generates a healthy profit.
Another option is a Lucky 31, which follows the same principles as a Lucky 15 but you pick eight selections instead.
A forecast is when you place a bet on who will come first and second in a race. So with a forecast bet in which Kauto Star and Denman are predicted to finish first and second in the Gold Cup, Kauto Star needs to finish first and Denman second.
This can also be done as a reverse forecast, where if the two horses chosen do finish first and second, your bet still wins regardless of what order they finish in. With this applied, Deman can finish first and Kauto Star can finish second and the bet still wins.
A tricast works identically to a forecast with the exception that you are predicting who will finish first, second and third. You may also place a reverse tricast bet.
There is plenty more advice and guidance on betting and types of racing bets available to you here. Check out our other pages for information on:
