How to Pick a Winner in Horse Racing

Horse racing is one of the world's most popular sports, which has been the case for generations. In the United Kingdom, the Cheltenham Festival in England was first run in 1860 and is as popular today as ever. Millions of dollars are wagered worldwide on the outcome of the top races, with fans following from the race track, on television, or through modern live-streaming apps.

Horses running on grass.
Photo by Julia Joppien on Unsplash

Racing is as popular in Singapore as in Saudi Arabia, Australia, the United States, and England. There's always an exciting race about to start somewhere in the world, and you can predict the outcome from anywhere and at any time, thanks to the best online betting apps. But how do you pick a winner, and what is the proven gambling strategy to help you profit from every race?

In this article, we give readers all the information and advice they need to become sensible horse racing bettors. The information on this page may lead you toward winners and profits from your horse racing betting. But the aim is to create more intelligent, knowledgeable, and successful bettors. The more you know about horse racing betting, the luckier you'll be when making your predictions.

Forget a Winning Strategy

That's right; you can forget anything you've ever heard or think you know about horse racing and a winning strategy. It's a fantasy. There's no such thing as a guaranteed profit when betting on this sport. Yes, you can do a few things to improve your strike rate, but if you're searching for a sure-fire winner, you may as well take a metal detector to your nearest beach and hope to find a dinosaur's gold teeth. It's nonsense.

Anyone claiming to have a winning strategy for horse racing betting is a liar and could be attempting to scam you. It's a trick used by the many social media tipsters and so-called experts that pose a danger to your funds and even bank details. If they had a guaranteed way to beat the bookies betting on horses, wouldn't they keep it quiet while betting from a sun lounger somewhere? We think so.

That's not to say everyone with a tip or prediction is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. There are ways and means to get your hands on some practical information and maybe even the odd snippet of info from an industry insider, but steer clear of the guaranteed winner or betting strategy brigade.

Horses racing on grass.
Photo by Philippe Oursel on Unsplash

Research Is Key

Take matters into your own hands and research as much as possible before making predictions or placing bets on a horse race. It's impossible to do too much studying or know too much about a race. Only when you have all the information should you consider parting with your hard-earned cash and placing a bet on racing.

The stats and trends are a great place to begin your research. Study the last five runnings of a famous race, like the Kentucky Derby, and look for a pattern. Is there a common theme with the winners' age or trainer? Perhaps a certain jockey has enjoyed success in recent times. This information will help you narrow down the field.

Studying the form, stats, and trends isn't a guaranteed way to beat the bookies either, but it will improve your chances. If you're correct and call the winner, all the glory is on you. If things don't go to plan, there's no one else to blame, and you can be happy you did the work and made an educated guess.

Insist on the Best Odds

Every bet you place on horse racing should be at the best odds possible. There are lots of bookies around, and the odds offered differ slightly. The margins may be small, but they soon add up and could impact your profit/loss at the end of the year or season.

To find the most generous odds on each bet you make, visit a betting price comparison app. There, you'll see the odds every major sportsbook offers on your pick, with the highest offer in bold. That's the bookie you should trust with your stake. This is known as the market best price, a habit of successful and profitable gamblers.