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UK HORSE RACING BETTING ADVICE

HANDICAP RACES: I recommend you only bet on handicap races, this is a type of race in which the weight each horse has to carry is individually allotted according to it's past performance to make the chances of all horses in a race more equal.

RUNNERS MINIMUM: Try to avoid betting on races - Flat and National Hunt - with 5 or less runners as these tend to be won by a very short priced favorite and will give a poor return for your money unless it is part of a multiple bet, such as a Double. However, if the favorite is a decent price (2/1), for example, then needless to say, it is worth betting.

RUNNERS MAXIMUM: I also try to limit my horseracing betting - both Flat and National Hunt - to races with 15 runners maximum. If you are tempted to back a horse in a race with a larger field of runners, such as the Grand National, always opt for an Each Way bet instead of a straight win to improve your chances of success. For a detailed explanation of Each Way betting (including video), and other horse racing bets please see types of bet

COURSES I AVOID: I never back horses running at Brighton, Goodwood, they are my bogey courses, never giving me any winners. Fortunately, with over 50 other racecourses to choose from I can easily live with the disappointment at not being able to find winners at those racecourses. So if you have had successive losers at a particular course(s), try backing horses running at other racecourses, you may find that your luck changes.

RACES TO AVOID: You should always try to reduce uncertainty in your race selection, so avoid betting on "Maiden" races and "Apprentice" races. "Maiden" races are for horses with little race experience which have never won a race. Although there are some talented apprentice jockeys, this type of race can be unpredictable, as illustrated in the photo - below - of an Apprentice jockeys race at Kempton on the 18 March 2008, when Sol Rojo (14/1) ridden by Josephine Bruning won by 16 lengths. Because the other horses we're so far behind when Sol Rojo passed the winning post Josephine hadn't realised she had won and completed another circuit of Kempton. The other jockeys were all subsequently suspended for 10 -12 days for incompetence in allowing Sol Rojo to build up an unassailable race lead.

BETTING SHOPS: If you prefer visiting betting shops to place your horse racing bets. I recommend avoiding the shops run by the large UK betting chains such as Ladbrokes and William Hill, they do not always offer the best betting prices. Personally, I have found the small independent bookmakers offers better odds on horse racing. For example, if you place a Lucky 15/31/63 bet at many independent bookmakers and only have one winner - they will pay treble the odds - whereas Ladbrokes and William Hill pay out at double the odds for one winner.

BETTING ONLINE: There are many advantages to betting online: better prices, greater range of sports to choose from, bonuses and other incentives for new and existing customers. If you intend to bet online, please make sure the site you are visiting has a secure server. Always look for "https" in the address bar of the betting site (the "s" denotes a secure site) . You should never enter financial information on any site which does not use a secure server. Some betting sites require you to fund a betting account by credit card, but a few, including Betfair, will let you fund a betting account by transferring funds from a Paypal or Neteller account if you prefer not to reveal your credit card details online.

BETTING PROFITABILITY CALCULATION: This is used to calculate the net percentage (%) profitability of your betting activity and is commonly known as the Return On Investment (ROI). The ROI is calculated by dividing your total GBP winnings by the total staked (GBP) and multiply by 100 to find the percentage profit. Example calculation: GBP55.75 / 197 * 100 = 28.2%.

CASH OUT: Gives you greater control over your betting activity by allowing you the option to take a guaranteed profit or cut your losses - you decide. Available on each-way bets and horse racing accumulator betting.

MOBILE BETTING: If your place of employment blocks online betting sites or you do not have easy access to a betting shop then mobile betting could be the ideal solution. All the major betting companies including Betfair, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power offer mobile betting to their clients. Just download the free Android or IOS mobile version of your favourite betting site.

FREE BETS: Many online bookmakers sites offer Free Bets as an incentive to persuade new customers to open an account. However, some of them stipulate that you must first bet must be a minimum of GBP25 in order to have your account credited with a Free Bet of equal value. If you like the idea of a free bet - who doesn't - but don't wish to spend as much as GBP25 on your first bet I recommend you search for bookies free bet.

STUDY: Even if you only bet at weekends, try to learn as much as possible about the horses you are backing, their jockeys and trainers. As well as familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of different racecourses, Newbury, for example, suits the bigger long striding horses, whereas Kelso suits the smaller nippier horses. Be aware of the effect of the draw, it can give some horses a significant advantage in certain flat races at certain courses, at Newcastle, for example, in races over 5f,6f and 7f, high numbers are favoured UNLESS the going is soft, when low numbers are then favoured. And heavy going in a race can sometimes result in a surprise winner - even a rank outsider passing the winning post first. Try to watch ITV Racing on Saturday afternoon. And for an expert in-depth coverage of UK horse racing, betting news and analysis I strongly recommend visiting the Racing Post.

CAUTIOUS BETTING: The best horse racing betting advice I can offer is to never bet more than you can afford to lose. You are not going to win all the time, so don't waste your money chasing a losing streak. I remember watching the 2005 Cheltenham Festival on TV and one of the presenters was talking to a racegoer who had 17 losing bets in a row! So take a disciplined approach to betting, and hopefully, you will have fewer losing bets which will help to make your horse racing betting more profitable and enjoyable.

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