How to choose the best horse racing betting site: Betting Guide

By Anthony Tomas

 

You have been preparing for the big race for months; you have been tracking the favourites, studying the form and checking updates on the course conditions. Finally, you have chosen your winner and are ready to make your bet! 

 

The only question remaining is: where?

 

That can often seem like a difficult one to answer. Anyone who has watched racing on television for five minutes will know how saturated the betting market is in the UK and worldwide; the TV coverage is sponsored by one betting company, the commercial break will have adverts for five more and even the races themselves will be sponsored by other bookmakers.

They will all be offering similar deals and features, and to make matters worse, they all have similar names; BetThis or BetThat! How are you supposed to choose the right one for you?

 

Fortunately, guides for choosing existing and new horse racing betting sites can help you find what you are looking for!

What should I consider when signing up?

To make a bet online, either through a bookies’ website or mobile app, you will have to sign up and create an account.

 

This is where the saturated market is a benefit for us because the betting companies have to fight to get us as a customer. How do they do that? By offering us nice, juicy incentives for joining them.

 

These are usually called welcome bonuses or sign-up bonuses; they are a one-off deal that you can use after you sign up. Some companies give you a free bet to use; others give you tokens after you make your initial deposit or give you money back if your first bet loses.

 

Such offers can be useful regardless of the sport, but racing fans might want to pay close attention to welcome bonuses centred around the horses. A free bet or an odds boost on the weekend’s big race shows they care about racing fans and, therefore, might have more catered to you further down the line.

What about existing customers?

Proper racing fans are not going to have their annual flutter on the Grand National and never open the app again, though, are they?

 

Therefore, you should use a betting app that rewards your loyalty and appreciates you logging in at 13:30 on a Tuesday from Wincanton.

 

Make sure you consider these features when deciding where to place your regular bets.

Best Odds

Does the bookmaker guarantee the best odds? If so, put it on your shortlist.

 

In horse racing, odds can change by the minute. If you place a 12/1 bet on the morning of the race, the same horse could be the even-money favourite by the time they go to post.

In that situation, you obviously want those 12/1 odds, not evens! Likewise, if your horse drifts out to 20/1 and then wins, you will want those long odds. With “best odds guaranteed” you will be taking home the biggest-priced winnings; however, the market has changed.

Cashing Out

Is it clear your horse is not running his usual race today? Being able to cash out allows you to cut your losses and save a bit of stake money for your next bet.

 

Not all betting companies offer cash-out options, and some reserve them for other sports. A betting site that gives you this option for at least the majority of races could be worth your consideration.

Live Streaming

We hear you. You can’t always be sat in front of the TV watching the action unfold, making cashing out tricky.

 

Thankfully, more and more betting sites offer live streaming for customers who have made even the smallest of bets, so you won’t miss a second of the race wherever you are!

 

The more racing they have to watch, the higher on the list of best racing betting sites it should be.

Offers, Bonuses and Places

These should also be high on your priority list when looking long-term for your best betting friend.

 

What kind of things do we mean?

 

Some companies might offer you a free bet on the first race of the day, cash back if your horse loses or at least finishes second. Bonuses such as odds boosts are always a welcome feature, too. Such concepts are fun and make us feel valued as customers.

Each way, backers should pay attention to the places a betting company offers. If they are offering ⅕ of the odds and only three places, steer clear! Five places and ¼ odds, that’s a bit more palatable! Different races will have different place rules, but after a few uses, you will get a feel for the site’s generosity.

Money Business

Something more general but nonetheless racing fans should pay attention to is how easy it is to make withdrawals and deposits on the app or website.

 

Can I deposit just a few pounds? How quickly do I receive my funds after a withdrawal? Is it possible to set deposit limits so I can stay in control of my gambling? These questions are worth knowing if you want a positive online betting experience.

 

How exactly you can pay is also worth noting, with different payment systems such as Visa or Mastercard, even Apple Pay or Google Pay. There’s not much point in using an app that won’t accept your card!

Happy Betting!

Hopefully, these tips can help you look past the glistening ad campaigns and “too good to be true” welcome bonuses and find the best horse racing betting site for you!

 

Image sources:
https://pixabay.com/photos/horse-equestrian-race-4811946/

https://pixabay.com/photos/horse-horse-race-race-animal-3880450/

https://pixabay.com/photos/horses-racing-jockey-sport-rider-380420/