Guide to Betting

Backing horses is part of the Irish psyche and woe betide anyone who questions the validity of the pastime. 

Having a bet is part of the enjoyment of the day and it adds to the excitement of watching the races. The beauty of betting is that you don't have to invest much money to have a great day out. You can spend as little as €1 on the Jackpot or Placepot, which, if you get lucky could net you thousands of Euro. Of course, you don't have to win to enjoy the day but it is a good feeling all the same, especially if you have won more than your friends, making you feel so superior; at least until the next race...However, the rule is that the person who has won the most money must buy a round of drinks!

Betting Options

There are two betting options at the racecourse:

TOTE  

The Tote is a pool betting system where all profits go back into Horse Racing.

The money put in to this pool is divided by the number of winning units to get a dividend, less a % which goes directly back into Irish Racing. There are screens located at the Tote windows which will give a guide as to what the dividend will be on a specific bet before the 'off' of each race.  The minimum stake to bet with the Tote is only €1!    

Bookmakers

This type of betting is also very straightforward. Having decided which horse you fancy, you can go into the betting ring and scrutinise the various bookmakers' boards. There will be differences in their prices so look for the one who's giving the best price for your horse. When you find the best odds you can declare your stake, the horses name and the price on the board. You will then be issued with a ticket which you must present to collect the winnings. Your stake is also returned with your winnings.

How To Bet On The TOTE

You can go to a manned Tote window each time or purchase a cash voucher from a Tote Service Outlet and use the Touch-Tote machines. Leaflets are available at the counters which describe the many types of Tote bets but the best ones to start off with are.

Win -  Pick a horse to finish 1st.

Place - Pick a horse you think will be placed. If there are 5-7 runners your horse can finish 1st or 2nd; 8+ runners your horse can finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd. In handicap races with 16 or more runners, the Tote also pay 4th place.

Each way - This popular bet gives you both a win and place on a horse. eg,.€2 each way on a horse totals €4. If the horse wins you collect win and place dividends.

Exacta -  Pick 2 horses to finish 1st and 2nd in specific order.

Reverse exacta -Select 2 horses to finish 1st and 2nd in any order.

Trifecta - Pick three horses to finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd in the correct order. This bet is available on all races with 8 or more declared runners.

Daily Double - Available on all Irish race meetings, you have to pick the winners of races 5 & 6 to win.

Jackpot - Your aim is to select the winners of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th races. You can pick more than 1 horse in each race. Mark your selections on the special Jackpot playslip and hand it to the operator before the 3rd race.

Placepot -  Your aim is to select a horse to be placed in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th races. You can pick more than 1 horse in each race. Mark your section on the Placepot payslip and hand it to the operator before the 1st   race.

Pick Six - The "Tote Pick Six" is a six leg Jackpot type bet which will be available at one Irish race meeting every Sunday. It will also be offered at major festivals such as Punchestown and Galway. The aim is to pick the winners of races 1 to 6.

€2 is the minimum stake on win and place bets. €1 is the minimum stake on the Exacta and Trifecta. 50c is the minimum stake on the Jackpot, Placepot and pick six.  €5 is the minimum stake for the Daily Double.

Betting on the Tote couldn't be easier. If you go to the Tote window have the following information ready for the operator:

• The race meeting
• The race number
• Amount of money
• Type of bet
• Number of the horse

After placing the bet you will receive a ticket with all the details on it. Make sure they are correct. When your horse wins present the ticket to collect your winnings. Remember, if you have been too busy socialising in the bars and restaurants and didn't have time to scrutinise the form or the horses then ask the operator for a Quickpick or press Qpk on the Touch Tote facility and the machine picks a bet for you. Your more studious friends will be flabbergasted when this bet wins. For more information about the Tote log onto www.thetote.com

How To Bet On The Bookmakers

Win - Pick a horse to finish 1st.

Each way - Win and Place bet. The place price is 1/4 or 1/5 of the win price.

Without the favourite - With this bet you get reduced odds but two chances to win.

1. If your horse wins the race.
2. If your horse finishes 2nd to the favourite.

Whichever way you choose to have a bet have fun doing it!

How To Pick a Winner, that’s the €64,000 question. Unfortunately there is no short answer to this but if you follow the advice below you can tip the odds in your favour.

The famous American sports writer Damon Runyon wrote that it was difference of opinion that made horse racing. He was right. Everybody at the races has an opinion and that’s part of the attraction of the sport; the fun involved in finding out whose opinion is most accurate, who can pick the winner.

On any given day a first time racegoer could easily pick loads of winners and experienced people pick none. Everybody’s opinion is equal until after the race is run...

How To Read a Racecard
Buying a racecard is one of the first things you should do when you arrive at the racecourse. In it you will find all the information you will require for your day at the races. Including all the runners for each race, below is a sample of how to read a horse's form.

The Form Guide
Form is basically the information you need to know in order to make the right decision on what horse to back and consists of the following:

Form of the Horse
Basically, has the horse been running well recently? It is usually best policy to bet on a horse that has good form figures: i.e. has finished in the first 4 in at least some of its previous runs. Your racecard provides details of its last 3 races as well as helpful comments concluding with a summing-up of its chance in the race.

Going
What the ground conditions are like on the course. The descriptions are as follows: heavy, soft, yielding, good, good to firm and firm. Some horses run equally well on any type of ground but many have a preference.

Distance
It’s important that the horse has run well over a similar distance to the one it’s running on the day. Though some horses are quite adaptable as regards distance beware of radical changes, more than half a mile (4 furlongs) up or down, from its previous run.

Weight
An old racing adage is that weight brings horses together. The issue of weight is not the amount the horse is set to carry but the amount it’s set to give to or receive from other horses it has run against before. A few pounds difference from a previous race can have a huge bearing on the result.

Course
We have all heard of the horses for courses theory. Well, it has an element of truth and certainly some horses do run better at particular courses because the configuration of that course suits them. Often a big, long striding horse that needs to build momentum will prefer a wide, open course whereas a smaller, speedier horse will run better on a tight, turning course.

Trainer and Jockey
Some trainers and jockeys are specialists at certain courses, particularly their local one, so bear this in mind. Check up if the trainer has been getting winners of late, if not it’s probably better to avoid his horses until they hit form again.

Jockeys are like any sporting performer, when their confidence is high they perform best so it’s good policy to follow one who has ridden winners recently.

If you want some extra information read the racing section in the daily papers. For serious punters there are also dedicated racing publications such as the “Racing Post” and “Irish Field”. Put all the above information into the pot, give it a stir, and then have a look at the horses.

The Parade Ring
In your quest to pick the winner it is important to look at each horse before the race and assess how they look and behave and what vibes you pick up from them. Here are some pointers:

‘Good Vibe’
The horse is striding around purposefully, calmly taking in what is happening.
It looks alert and focused. The horse’s coat is well groomed and it looks strong and muscular. In fact, think of how rugby star Brian O’Driscoll appears before an international match and you’re not too far off.

If it gives what is called a “bunny hop”: a small buck when the jockey jumps up, it signifies that it is feeling really well and in good form. If you see a horse do that, back it (at your own risk!)

‘Bad Vibe’
The horse is charging around pulling the arms out of its groom and generally misbehaving.

It’s loping around lazily like a labrador looking for somewhere to lie down.
The horse’s coat looks dull or its sweating-up a lot. A little bit of sweat is often a good sign but profuse sweating, especially between the legs (never a good thing in man or beast) signals an agitated, nervous horse unlikely to run well.

Going to the start.
It’s also a good idea to see the horses cantering to the start to check if it looks comfortable on the going. Horses that like soft going generally have a different way of moving to those that like good to firm going. The horse that just glides effortlessly along, flicking its legs in a fluent way will prefer good or firmer going. The horse that moves more deliberately, seeming to lift its front legs high in the air will prefer yielding or softer going.

After watching the canter to the start you now have about five minutes to place your bet.

Alternative Methods
Of course there are several other, less conventional, but often surprisingly accurate ways to pick a winner and you don’t have to tax your brain at all. These include:

Picking the jockey’s colours that match your dress.
You think the jockey is quite cute (there are many of either sex which could be labelled as such), beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The horse’s name is an anagram of your own.
And the old reliable one of closing your eyes and picking one off the page at random. Watch the look on your friends’ faces when these methods pick out a 20/1 winner.