Horse racing may not be too popular a viewer’s sport. But, it does have a large following at sports shops and online sportsbooks. Not only that, but it is one of the oldest sports in the world, so people have been wagering on it for millennia.

Because sports betting has been around for such a long time, strategies regarding the practice have formed. Among them are the betting systems that make horse racing betting a bit more strategic of a pastime. In this article, we would like to focus on said systems and explain how they work.

What is a Horse Racing Betting System?

As you can probably imagine, a horse racing betting system is a predetermined set of rules, that helps you make a selection when at the tracks. When using a system, betting enthusiasts must create a methodology for choosing their wager based around logic and reason, rather than any nebulous gut feeling.

A betting system can be something as simple as managing your bankroll, but it can also be quite a bit more complicated. Of course, at the end of the day, the point of all of these strategies is to help players manage their money, minimize any losses, and potentially maximize a win. So, without further ado, let us take a look at some of the most popular horse racing betting systems.

The Fixed Odds System

Among the more experienced punters, pari-mutuel odds are the most common way to wager. The problem with pari-mutuel betting is volatility. In other words, the price fluctuates up until the very start of the race. This could have a detrimental effect on new players, who don’t know much about the industry. That is why, fixed odds are a much better choice for amateurs.

Fixed odds let you lock the price in at the point that you’ve placed a wager. Targeting fixed odds markets also ensures that players will get reliable returns, at a consistent pace. We’d highly recommend newbies start out with fixed odds. Once you have enough experience and you feel confident in yourself, you can test out pari-mutuel wagers, if you feel so inclined.

Place Laying System

Usually, in horse racing, punters are going to be “backing” a horse. In other words, they are going to be wagering in favor of a horse to get the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th spot. That is how most betting shops operate, both online and offline. However, there are also some markets that allow you to place “lay” bets. Lay wagers are the opposite of backing bets.

In other words, a lay bet is a wager placed on a horse that you don’t think will place in the top four. One could say it is an “anti-bet” of sorts. For lay bets, you are going to want to target races that feature multiple horses, as there is a bigger chance that one of them won’t end up in the top four that way. Look for races with at least eight equestrian athletes if you want to put this system to use.