Horse racing was practised by the tribes of central Asia who are said to have been the first people to have domesticated the horse. It has also been called the sport of Kings. Horse racing is a sport which involves two or more jockeys racing horses over a distance. Some racing will include racing certain types of breeds, obstacle races or racing on different surfaces. Betting on horse racing generates a large amount of money around the world.
Types of horse racing include flat racing where the horses race around a track. Jump racing is also known as steeple chasing and during these events horses race over various obstacles. Harness racing is horses that trot while pulling a driver in a light weight cart. Endurance racing involves horses racing over longer distances usually from about 40 to 161 kilometres. Some breeds of horses will excel in different disciplines and are bred specifically for that purpose, for example the Arabian and Paint breed are used for flat racing.
Types of Bets
There a range of different bets to choose from. A straight bet such as a win is betting on one horse to win the race. A show parlay bet can be fun. This involves each bettor contributing to the pool and one person makes the wager. The horse with the most votes becomes the horse to win. A place bet means that the horse must come first or second. A show means that the horse must finish first, second or third.
An exacta is choosing the horse that will win and the horse that will come second. There is also an exacta box and an exacta wheel which allows for different combinations of first and second place. The trifecta is selecting the horse that will win as well as the horse that will come second and third. There are variations of the trifecta, namely the box, key, full wheel and part wheels which offers variations of the trifecta bet. The superfecta is choosing the first four horses and also has the variations namely the box, key, full wheel and part wheel. The daily double is choosing the winning horse in two consecutive horse races. The quinella is similar to the exacta box where bettors must choose the horse that will finish first and second, but the winnings with this type of bet will vary. A pick 3 is choosing the winning horse for three consecutive races and a variation of this bet is the part wheel which offers a variation of this bet.
Understanding the different horse racing bets and being knowledgeable about the sport will be the key to successful betting.
Online Betting
Online horse racing betting can be done online which is convenient for bettors who are unable to make it to the horse racing event. There are many online sports betting sites to choose from and bettors can look around for one that offers a good range of horse racing events, good odds and most will throw in a welcome bonus for first time bettors. These sites should be licensed and regulated and make use of good security especially when it comes to their banking transactions. Opening an account should be a simple process and the sports book may ask for some sort of identification and proof of residence.