Although a day at the races is supposed to be one of the most enjoyable pastimes around, unless you know your way around a sportsbook, choosing a horse to bet on can be angst-inducing at times. From the history of the breeder and the track record of the jockey to the course layout and the weather conditions, there is a seemingly never-ending supply of variables you need to take into account when trying to choose the winning horse. What’s worse, is that the most successful punters seem to rely on insider information to make their choices, which doesn’t work in your favor!
But how exactly do you go about choosing the right horse to bet on without having to load up your NJ sports betting app? Is it all pure luck and intuition, or is there something more methodical at play? And, more importantly, are there any sure-fire signs you can look out for to help you make the right bet? In this article, we will give you a brief overview of a couple of the main things you should take into account when you are trying to choose a horse upon which to put some money.
Check the race card
Although it might sound like an obvious piece of advice, you would be surprised how often rookie bettors overlook the race card! That is a big mistake,because the race card, more often than not, is the best source of information on a particular horse. In particular, if the form figures show a majority of first, second, or third place wins, that is a good way of predicting a decent future performance. The race card will also tell you what distances and at which tracks that horse has won races, which will also allow you to make a better choice.
Know your trainer
Although not necessarily the most important factor, the trainer and stable in question will generally have a significant impact on a horse’s chance of success in a particular race. Knowing how many winning horses a trainer has produced in the past will generally indicate the future success that a horse is likely to enjoy.
Survey the paddock
Although it is often overlooked in favor of the race card and the other statistics you might look at, surveying the paddock is often one of the best sources of information you can use. It is always a good idea to quickly scan the paddock to check the temperament of the horses and how well the jockeysseem to be handling them. If a horse looks agitated or out of form in the paddock before the race, it might indicate a poor performance is likely.
Who or what is the best source of information?
You might have been hoping that there was simply one trusted source you could use to give you a never-ending supply of the most relevant information to make your betting decisions. Unfortunately, that is not the case! You should always be extremely cautious not to rely on just one source of information. Instead, you should look to take in tips and information from as many sources as possible. That will give you a much better chance of pickinga winner!
