A beginner’s guide to betting on the Hollywoodbets Durban July

When you invest in the outcome of a sporting event with a bit of a flutter on who you think’s going to take the match, the thrill is somehow elevated. The same goes for horse racing with this week’s Hollywoodbets Durban July; the race ups the ante every year and attracts record betting. But navigating sports betting, and in particular horse racing, can be daunting for wager virgins.

Horse racing bets and terminology can feel like stepping into a maze of jargon and complex options, but with a little help and deciphering, and a lot of luck, informed choices can edge anyone a wee bit closer to a possible win.

Betting

Fixed odds betting is probably the best bet when you’re a novice. A fixed win basically means that you are betting on a horse to win the race. Here, odds against whether the horse of your choice will make it past the post, first, are presented by bookmakers.

So, for example, a 16:1 price on a bet means that if your horse wins, you will get sixteen times your wager back in winnings.

Yet, such long odds make it likely that your pony might be an outsider. Odds like 1:1, which is even money, or 1:14 which would mean you could only win back bucks in fractions of a Rand. Indicate shortened chances of winning.

Then, there are the other types of bets unique to horse racing. These are priced based on live betting into a pool of money, called the Tote, where what you stand to win and the odds of doing so are governed by the amount of money that people are betting on a particular horse to achieve a particular place, like first or second, in the race. This is a lice market that changes all the time.

Here you can bet on fixed places, in other words, betting on which horse will come in first, second and third. An Open Win or Open Place bet is a flexible betting option where the odds can change right until the moment the race starts while an Eash Way bet means you could bet on two horses, which can either come first or second in the race, a Swinger is a bet you take on any two horses, but both must finish in the top three in any order.  An Exacta bet fixes these positions.

Fancy a more exotic bet?

More exotic bets like a Trifecta or a Quartet challenges punters to pick the top three or top four horses to finish a race first, in the exact order. You can also “box” these bets, meaning that your place selection can complete the race in any order between first and third for a trifecta or first and fourth in a quartet.

Even more far out, high risk and high yield bets include the Jackpot, which means that you need to correctly predict the winners of several races and a Pick 6, the winners of six consecutive races. A Place Accumulator is a bet on several horses across several races to achieve places. You can also create Fixed-Odds Multiples, so for example taking a bet on the outcome of various races based on fixed odds that you bet on.

The Lingo

Now, if you don’t speak Punt or Horse, make sure that you get some of the lingo right, too. Your stake is your bet or your wager. Boxing any bet is to up your chances by a bet not being order past the post dependent. But it pays less.

And then, when commentators or bookmakers speak about track conditions, a fast track means that its hard and dry which is typically the best kind of racing condition while a Good Track is firm, a bit wet, but still all good.

A soft track is good, downgraded while a sloppy is as it sounds, a bit muddy and wet and not ideal. Turf, of course, means grass, which is what most races in South Africa are run on.

A handicap is a race in which horses carry different weights based on their abilities, and this tends to even out the competition somewhat. A jockey, of course, is the rider of the horse.

A trainer, the person who trains the horse and the owner or owners, as there can be multiple owners of a single horse, owns the horse. Blinkers are the eye covers that horses wear to focus their vision straight ahead.

Choosing a Horse

For the average punter and the virgin better, choosing a horse can feel like a shot in the dark. Like pinning the tail on the donkey, really.

And unlike other sport where bets are usually made based on performance and fandom alone, horse racing is a bit of a science. But there are some basics to check out.

Study the Form Guide, as they call it and look at the horse’s recent performances in other races.  A consistent performer is often a safer bet and a horse that’s won on a similar track and distance, a likely contender, too.

Also check the rider. A skilled jockey can make a significant difference and you can cross reference their track record quite easily on readily available literature online or in print, usually on sale well before race date at outlets.

Do your research

Closer to the day of the race it would be good to check track conditions and how the horses that you fancy have performed, previously, in such conditions. The credentials of the trainer also come into play. Do they train winners or run losers?

Check the weight of the horse, because in a feature race like the Hollywood Bets Durban July over some distance, a lighter horse with a lighter jockey can be a significant advantage.

Fixed odds are also a good place to check out what the bookmakers are saying about a particular horse.

Then there are the less scientific ways to select a possible winner or bet on a dud. Consult a psychic, many have claimed over the years to have called the July winner, you can of course, also just close your eyes and drop a pencil on a name, and hope for the best. Some people swear by betting simply on the numerology of a name or, for that matter, whether the horse is cute or not.

Whichever way, bet responsibly and don’t go and wager your kids’ school fees on a sure win, because there is no such thing. Betting must be a fun activity that enhances your race day, played responsibly at every turn.