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Today, in America, betting is a multi billion annual industry, providing large tax revenues to the United States Government. This is probably the main reason why many forms of betting have been authorized in 48 out of 50 states. Horse betting is a legal activity, catching the attention of many people of different professions, financial status or ethnic background, all fascinated by the money, adventure and excitement offered by horse racing.

Many people practice horse betting as a sport, thus being a form of recreation for them after long oppressive hours spent in an office, deprived of the freedom that can be granted through horse racing. Wagers are placed for fun, but the prize money, in case there is a winner, is never enough, making the bettor feel confident and in good spirits. Although done only for fun, horse betting should follow some basic rules that any bettor has to be aware of in order to enjoy horse racing. Statistics show that half of the adult American population enjoys horse betting quite frequently, but it’s entirely up to them to apply these basic rules or simply trust their luck.

Never bet more than you can afford! A simple rule, easier said than done though. Many of the horse race bettors fall for this trap: at one point, either winning or losing, they are tempted to bet amounts they cannot afford. Don’t do that yourself! The only way you can enjoy the experience of betting on your favorite horse, either at the horse racing track or online, is to know from the very beginning exactly how much you can afford to lose. Betting a larger amount of money, especially when you are loosing, it’s a sure routine towards having your trust and self-esteem pressed flat by the iron of deception.

Don’t try to be a wise guy! Often, in the betting fever, you might get persuaded to “rely” on your friends’ recommendations, on how much, or what to bet on. Most of the time you’ll end up disappointed. It’s better to trust your instincts and make a smaller profit than to earn nothing or even lose. Learn the mechanisms of horse betting, find out how difficult it is to choose a potential winner in the horse racing world. Last, but not least, learn to enjoy the moment when you are rewarded for your wise bet. In order not to fail, you have to do some research on the horses’ previous performances, age, breeding, characteristics, jockeys and, why not, weather conditions. You can do this by visiting websites such as horse-info.net. Horse betting agencies take into account all these aspects when deciding the stakes. It is equally important to know all the imponderables of horse racing and predict how they might affect your chances of winning.

The pedigree of the main competitors in horse racing is a relevant piece of information, especially in the case of popular prestigious horse races such as Kentucky Derby. You can read books or access dedicated websites, such as horse-info.net, offering plenty of news, details or tips on horse racing. In horse betting, an important clue to consider is the number of races each horse runs per day. Sometimes, horses run in several races during the same day and they get tired. This might slow them down if not even make them lose the race. Another good advice is that the horse racing track is not the place to be misogynistic. Don’t underestimate female jockeys, as lately they’ve done wonders.

Amelie Mag
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/horse-racing-a-form-of-recreation-84319.html

It's completely un ethical…..ive read numerous articles where they're like "it was only a minor shin splint" is'nt this obviously caused by the trainer exhausting it..? and then after barbaro's ankle shattered? how has this not been addressed? does anyone agree with me? i can't belive no one's fighting to ban horse racing.

Its people like you, that pissin' an moanin', that ruin the world…………………..

One of the oldest sports in America that has got everyone hooked is horse racing. There is no doubt in mind that a lot of people find joy and excitement just by watching the race. On the other hand, there are also those that found that they can really double their money just by choosing the best horse. But then, if you are one of those who have little money to spare, this is not something that you should venture into.

Like any other kinds of gamble, you can never be too sure if the horse racing result will be in your favor. Those who have been betting in this sport for long have realized that anything can happen especially if you do not consider some important factors related to horse racing.

If you are intent on winning your bet in horse racing, you have to educate yourself on how the entire sport works. Below are some of the things you need to consider about horse racing.

1. The chemistry behind the sport.

Betting on a certain horse is not only about choosing the one that you think is strongest or fastest. The first thing you have to do is to know the idea behind the race.

Have a basic understanding about the many rules and strategies of the game. Your first concern should be the horse you will put your bet on. If you do not have any idea about these horses, the best thing to do is find a horse racing magazines with the latest review on the horses that have already competed.

Through these magazines, you will read about which horses are among the favorites of those who are placing their bets. Most often than not, you will also see statistics that tallies the number of winnings of each horses.

From your reading, you will have an idea which horses are best to bet and which ones to avoid.

2. Survey the horses and the racetrack personally.

Aside from reading the reviews, it is also advisable to personally check out for yourself the horses that will be competing. You can do this by visiting the racetrack early on when it is already open to the public.

SEE if your favorite horse looks good and well conditioned on that particular day. Watch out all the horses’ movements and check if they are in high spirits and are capable of running a good race.

While there, you can also check out the racetrack itself. Do an analysis of the whole scenario. From your perception, you will be able to tell the initial result of the race just from looking at the place it will be held.

3. Money you can afford to lose.

Horse racing is a gamble. And just like any other gamble, money can be lost in an instant. Always bear in mind that in this game, there are always winners and losers. And you can become one of the losers.

Be sure that the money you gambled in horse racing is something that you can afford to lose. Even if you feel that you are on a winning streak, luck can change course any minute. As long as the race is not yet over, anything can happen and your money is still on the line.

Bear these considerations in mind. Once you have educated yourself well and is prepared to accept the consequences of your actions, then it is time for you to enjoy horse racing.

Warren Peters
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/are-you-ready-for-some-horse-racing-action-132312.html

I dont really understand about, what fast, good, dead, heavy, slow and sand mean in reference to horse racing. I am assuming that fast means that the track is hard and that heavy means that it is boggy and wet though im not sure. Any help is appreciated.

I think this gives a good explanation of the definition of the various track conditions:

http://www.ultimatecapper.com/track-conditions.htm

That said, it's important to note that because there is no standard for track composition in terms of sand, silt, clay, loam, organic matter, and every track is different, each track plays differently. To cite one example, the track at Aqueduct has a high sand content because the dates run at Aqueduct are typically the wettest times of the year. So the track superintendent finds it beneficial to have a lot of sand in the track to assure fast drainage. The result is that when there has been a lot of rain, the main track at Aqueduct can be like a wet beach– it packs down and gets harder. You may get faster times on such a track than when the surface is rated "fast".

Churchill Downs historically has had a high clay content in the track surface, with the result that the track can be very cuppy at best of times ("cuppy" means that when a horse strides on it, the hoofprint forms a "cup" on the surface of the track; it has depth, and it holds its shape rather than immediately crumbling) and can be really sticky and tiring when it gets wet.

A lot depends, too, on how the track superintendent deals with rainfall. At Santa Anita and Hollywood Park in the pre-synthetic days, the superintendents had enough time in most cases to get out the heavy roller equipment and "seal" the track before rain came. Basically when they seal the track, they're rolling and compacting the surface so that instead of water penetrating and making the track muddy down deep, the water just runs off the surface and drains away. Of course, the problem with this is that even when they opened the track surface in preparation for the day's racing, there was some compaction and the track would tend to get harder. During some of our rare wet winters, the track superintendent would sometimes have to close the track to exercise in order to do deep harrowing and conditioning of the subsurface and base after the track had been repeatedly sealed.

With synthetic surfaces, I think everyone, including the people who manufacture and install them, is still on a learning curve of what has to be done to keep the track consistant and safe in all kinds of weather.

From a handicapping standpoint, the important thing to remember is that each track is unique, and that you have to become familiar with what the weather conditions do to the the individual track surface.

Author: Max Redd: www.ReddRacing.co.uk

There are currently four all-weather tracks in the UK, with a further course in development in Essex. This year there will be £5million in prize money on offer for the all-weather season, so racing promises to be the most competitive and exciting yet. Max Redd takes you around the venues, and reveals his key tips and advice for making a killing when betting on horse racing on the sand.

All-weather racing often receives the same response from horse racing fans as Marmite gets from lovers of toast – you either love it, or you hate it!

Admittedly, the opportunity to watch low-grade horses running on the sand at a February meeting at Southwell may not have the same allure as the Gold Cup on Ladies Day at Ascot in the height of summer. But that is no reason for all-weather snobbery. In fact, the UK all-weather racing scene is going from strength to strength. And this is good news, hopefully, for punters who endeavour to grind out a profit betting on races run “on the beach”.

The four venues in the UK that currently stage all-weather flat racing are Lingfield Park in Surrey, Wolverhampton in the Midlands, Kempton Park near Heathrow, and Southwell in Nottinghamshire. However, this year that list will be boosted to five because a new track is opening at Great Leighs in Essex.

Forget the forecast

The all-weather horse racing championship kicks into gear just as the traditional flat racing turf season comes to a close in the autumn. The 2006-2007 all-weather season gets under way in November and culminates in a grand finale at Lingfield Park in March with the running of the Winter Derby. With around £5 million in prize money, jockeys’ and trainers’ championships up for grabs, and opportunities for horses of varying levels of ability, this season should be the most competitive ever staged in the UK.

So which jockeys, horses and trainers should we be following on the all-weather, and how can racing at one artificial track differ compared with that at another? Hopefully, if you follow this abbreviated guide you will soon be on course to make some serious dosh from the sand!

It may boast a catch-all monicker, but all-weather racing actually differs slightly at each of the four venues which currently stage the sport in the UK. This is a factor well worth being aware of before you decide to have a bet at a particular track. With the exception of Kempton, the courses are left-handed. Racing at Wolverhampton and Southwell takes place around lozenge-shaped tracks, while Lingfield’s configuration is more triangular. I will expand upon the significance of this a bit further on.

One fundamental point you need to get to grips with early on is how the actual racing surface differs from one course to another. Two types of sand are currently used. All-weather races held at both Wolverhampton and Lingfield are now run on a material called Polytrack, which is a kind of rubberised sand which minimises the impact of ‘kickback’ – the effect the horses produce as they thunder over a loose-topped sandy surface. Polytrack’s consistent nature means that most races can be run at a good pace, so when having a bet at Lingfield or Wolverhampton it’s worth remembering the importance of backing a horse which will see out the trip.

With that in mind, it would be less of a concern for a horse with good form over 12 furlongs at these two courses to get stepped down to race, say, over 10 furlongs. But it may be more of a problem for a horse which has been doing well over, say, 6 furlongs if its next challenge was to run over a mile or further.

Horses for courses

However, a different racing material known as Fibresand is employed at Southwell. Generally speaking, this produces a more demanding surface compared with Polytrack. If all-weather racing at Wolverhampton and Lingfield is similar to running on the equivalent of fast going on turf, then Southwell’s Fibresand is closer to a turf equivalent of racing on soft or even heavy ground.

Take note of this factor when a horse which has performed well at Wolverhampton or Lingfield is then asked to contest a race at Southwell – even if the distance is the same. Before having a bet in this instance, you should be happy the horse will see out the trip on this different surface.

Lingfield’s sharp contours and relatively short finishing straight mean it tends to favour horses who can race up with the pace (or ‘handily’) rather than long-striding gallopers who need time to wind up their run. The layout of the track means that horses drawn in double figures tend to be at a disadvantage for races run up to a mile. Low-drawn horses who can race handily should enjoy a definite advantage when it comes to sprint races over the minimum trip of 5 furlongs.

It’s a similar story at Wolverhampton. Once again, horses drawn low in 5 and 6-furlong races usually have an advantage. It’s difficult for horses to swing wide into the straight without compromising their chances. But for race distances over a mile or more the impact of the draw diminishes rapidly.

We’ve already heard that the racing surface at Southwell is different to the other tracks and this means the kickback is far more pronounced here than elsewhere. The next time you go to the beach, get someone to throw handfuls of sand in your face and see how much you like it! For that reason, Southwell tends to benefit horses who can race ‘prominently’ or who are described as ‘strong travellers’ because they will avoid as much kickback as possible.

Sticking to these guidelines for all-weather betting should help you take a little more cash from the bookies’ satchels than the average punter. Happy punting!

About the author: Max Redd has been making a living betting on horse racing for over 10 years. He runs the Redd Racing betting advisory service which offers members a FREE trial and a 60-day money-back profit guarantee. Find out more at http://www.reddracing.co.uk

Max Redd
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/key-tips-for-allweather-horse-racing-96602.html