RacingBetter News
	Sunday 9th February 2020

What New Bettors are Looking for in Horse Racing Bookies

We have all been new to something in our lives and that’s as much the same with betting as anything else.

While beginners need to learn the ropes before placing bets, help is also at hand for those of you out there with a passion or interest in horse racing. What do new bettors need to look out for with bookmakers when it comes to this particular sport?

This is our brief guide to horse racing betting for newbies. There is a lot of choice out there in the online marketplace, so how do you know who to put your bets on with in the first place?

The bookies offer you welcome bonuses exclusive to new customers to try and entice you into opening an account with them. If you are new to betting, then you shouldn’t just sign up for the first bookmaker site you come across. Instead, it could pay to do a little research.

Pick a known brand

Some brands in the betting industry stand out more than others. Paddy Power are known for their boundary pushing, cheeky PR style whereas other bookmakers such as Coral and BetVictor take different approaches.

Choosing one or more of the known brands that also include Betfair, Ladbrokes and William Hill to have a betting account with means you can rely on them in a few key areas. The matter of creating a safe and secure gambling environment is paramount to these businesses and their reputations.

Using a big bookie also means that there is more likely to be 24/7 customer service in case you need help with anything. It’s easy to be taken in by advertising whilst watching a sports event, but the established brands do the most business rather than more obscure websites.

All major bookmakers operating in the British Isles have to take horse racing seriously. Only football enjoys more betting interest from the British and Irish public these days, and a brand of bet365 or Betway’s standing taps into that with what they offer.

Nothing compares to you – How to do an odds comparison

There are many odds comparison tools and sites you can visit online to see where the best prices can be found. Everyone wants to feel like they are getting a bit of value in their bet, whatever it is they have placed a wager on.

In horse racing, it has to be said that most major brands simply follow what the exchanges dictate. It is like that with most, but not all on-course betting in the ring at racetracks. You will occasionally see that one bookmaker wants to take a favourite on and push the price out a little.
As a newbie, you need to know how odds work in the first place.

Fractional prices remain popular with horse racing in the British Isles. Odds of 4/1 say you will win £4 for every £1 you stake on a bet.

Unless using a free bet or bonus token, you always get your stake back, so the total return on such a bet would be £5. A bookmaker that put the same horse forward at 7/2 isn’t offering as much value as ones who have it at 4/1. They would be a brand to avoid betting with on that particular horse race.

Popular racing offers

If you’re going to bet regularly on horse racing, then you need offers and promotions to match. Things that come as standard in the British Isles include non runner no bet (NRNB) and best odds guaranteed.

While non runner no bet is mainly promoted by bookies for big events like Cheltenham, best odds guaranteed (BOG) won’t be available until at least final declarations for a race are known. In fact, most bookies only offer BOG on the day of the race in question.

If you like to hedge your bets and back horses each-way, that is for a win and a place as two wagers in one, then bookmakers offering extra places will be of interest. Certain brands have a better reputation for doing this than others so, like every market, it is one that you can turn to your advantage.

Odds and/or price boosts that eke out a little bit more value than the competition are obviously attractive too. If a horse is fancied at 5/1, but your bet is boosted to 11/2, then there are more potential winnings in the offing.

Should you place a certain number of bets each week, then a Free Bet or Loyalty Club can give you extra bonus rewards. There are commitments you have to make to be a regular punter with these, but you can be rewarded for sticking with a certain bookie. New bettors need to consider all of this.