UK & Ireland Horse Racing

When it comes to horse racing, there is no greater fan than those found within the UK and Ireland. Horse racing is an absolute passion, and you only need to look at the social impact of the Grand National each year to see how the sport resonates on a national level.

We are, of course, going to be discussing all things related to horse racing. We will be focusing on betting within online casinos, how to bet, what events you can bet on, and present you with some handy tips.

If you are new to the horses or nags, as they are referred to, then this is the perfect place to start. We will give you a simple insight into all the fields of betting that you need to know about to get started. We will even present the top sports betting sites that are open to UK and Irish players.

Horse Betting Tips

Now, before you sprint off into a sports betting website like BetsinIreland.ie, there are a number of things to consider when it comes to horses.

Now for most people that experience horse racing for the first time, they will confess to picking the horse solely based on how cool the name of the horse is. If it’s not the funky name, then it’s the jazzy colours of the jockey that are enough to sway the decisions of the overly enthused punter.

Fun as the process is, you are unlikely to succeed unless you are incredibly lucky, but luck will only take you so far in the world of sports betting. The huge appeal of any form of sports betting is the analytics that goes into it. Stats, form, health, the weather, the ground, the venue, there are many nuances that come into play that need considering. Only then when your decision is made, can you hope that the horse you’ve chosen, in this case, is lucky enough to complete the race.

So, what tips are there to help you new punters begin betting on the horses?

The Jockey

Remember, jockeys win races, not the horses! Now, it might sound like an odd rule of thumb given that there are no horses strapped to the backs of jockeys, which would be a spectacle in itself.

The role of the jockey is hugely important and that is why they are there in the first place, otherwise, the sport would be no different from greyhound racing, with the exception of the obvious size differences.

When studying the jockey, you need to know their history. Winning and losing stats are vital, when they last raced, and are they in shape? Then you need to look at their overall experience with the horse they’re riding and the track they will be riding on.

The logic is exactly like that of motorsports, you have drivers and cars, their relationship is vital to the race’s outcome. If a new driver signs to a new team, they will need time to become familiar with how the car drives and handles.

This is not to say that within horse racing the animal is not as important, it is, but the horse is not alone in the race and oddly, many new gamblers forget this detail.

The Tracks

The grounds on which horses run are not entirely the same. Yes, all grass is green but there is more beyond this that makes the tracks integral to the performance of the race taking place upon it. The quality of the ground run on can be soft or hard, as an example. Some horses benefit more than others when it comes to these varying qualities. Then you have the length of the track which is run as another consideration to make. The different surfaces combined with how they react to the weather is not something a first-time gambler would even think to mull over when deciding what bet to place, but this is the difference when it comes to the successes made from horse race betting.

This information is all out there, and yes, it all takes time and dedication to research, but what you put into it, you get out of it.

Types of Horse Racing Bets

As with all sports betting, there are many types of bets which can be placed. For a new beginner to all of this, note that it is not just about betting on which horse and jockey comes first in a race.

Here are some of the popular betting options supplied by online bookies that you can bet on:

• Win: This is the one you are more familiar with. picking the outright winner of the race.
• Place: This bet allows you to cover whether the horse will finish in first or second place. Given the chances of winning are greater, the odds are lowered.
• Show: If a top-two finish is still too nervy for you, then the Show bet covers a top-three spot to return winnings.
• Heinz: This is a massive betting combo that covers 57 individual bets in one single bet. This covers six bets in total with six different horses and races. From the selection, the bet will cover those individual races, double betting, trebles, and as an entire accumulator. Now, if you don’t win all six races, four or two may still come in, keeping the bet slip alive.
• Exacta: Correctly predict the first and second place horses in order and you will be rewarded with the brilliant odds of this betting option.

Major Upcoming Events

There are many races that happen every day in the horse racing category when betting online, but the major events are found in the UK and in Ireland, here are the biggest events of the year that you need to be part of to help you learn more about the world of horse racing.

• Autumn Racing
• Epsom Derby
• The Grand National
• Belmont Stakes
• The Irish Derby
• Royal Ascot
• Cheltenham Gold Cup
• Queen Mother Champion Chase
• The Irish Oaks
• Irish 2,000 Guineas

Experiencing these races will introduce you to the very best horses in the sports and with them the top jockeys. These are perfect events to help you study and learn from.

Know Your Jockeys

Knowing your jockeys is important and there are a number of great ones still playing on the racing circuit.

Introduce to your learning the likes of James Doyle, Christophe Lemaire, Maxime Guyon, Frankie Dettori, Zac Purton, James McDonald, and Ryan Moore.

Now, these are some of the biggest names out there and placing a wager or two on them to win would not go amiss. It can be a real advantage knowing who’s on the horse more than anything else.