Why compare horse betting odds?
No-one can guarantee the horse you back will win, but what we can guarantee is you’ll have the best odds on the horse you choose! Comparing horse betting odds increases the value of your win. Let’s pick a horse – we’ll name him Sunny Days!
Sunny Days is running in the 2:45pm race at Epsom. Before we back him, we need to ensure that we get the best odds for him. One way of doing this is scouring every betting site you’ve heard of. As you can imagine, this is time-consuming. By checking his odds using betting.net’s horse betting odds comparison we can compare thousands of betting sites in seconds, ensuring that the best horse racing odds bookies have to offer are just a click away. The benefits of using our comparison are huge. You have peace of mind that you’ve scored the best betting odds and without having to research extensively.
The most important reasons to compare odds with Betting.net
Many newcomers may be surprised to learn that horse betting odds can vary dramatically depending on the bookie you choose. Bookies are money-making enterprises. Odds, whether they’re for horse racing, formula one or are political betting odds are designed to give the bookmaker a little edge over the bettor. One of the ways they do this is by manipulating their odds. Bookmakers use complicated calculations to ensure that they stay solvent, and the margin that they use to calculate odds can be changed according to their needs. This means, to keep up with them you’ll have to use every tool at your disposal. With our odds comparison, you ensure that you keep ahead of the bookmakers by using speedy technology to find the best deal possible.
When comparing odds you’ll be able to check the current odds and look back over odds changes over the past several hours. Doing this can give you an insight into how the betting market perceives a horse’s potential performance. A horse who’s odds have shortened suggests that more people are backing him. A horse who has had his or her odds lengthened may have done so because of an underlying factor such as injury, weight or because bettors are not as confident in its ability as they were earlier on in the betting.
Online vs offline, Which is the best for you?
But I like to bet offline using bookmaker shops! Why should I check odds online?
Quite simply, because bookmakers put their best deals online. When looking for the best horse racing odds, Formula 1 odds or any other type of odds, it’s important to compare as many sources as possible before you place a bet. Using an odds comparison checker allows you to check hundreds of bookies in one go, making the process simple.
When betting online there is also no need to manually fill in a form and take it to the counter, eliminating the potential for user or bookie error. And if you win, there’s no need to take a betting slip back to the shop, your funds are paid directly into your betting account.
Many online bookmakers also add bonus deals to special horse events to sweeten the pot. These can include favourable odds and free bets on certain races. It’s always worth looking online to compare odds to see if you can increase your potential wins.
The history of betting odds in horse racing, from ancient kings to modern man
Betting on the horses was popularised in the 1600s by King James I after he established Newmarket as a royal resort, complete with horse racing games. In the UK, horse racing is known as ‘The Sport of Kings’ for this very reason.
Horse Betting odds – the figures associated with a horse’s potential to win – weren’t used in everyday horse racing until around a century ago. These are decided based on a number of factors, including its form, its weight and a jockey and trainers reputation. There are three different ways to display these odds, these are decimal odds, fractional odds and American odds.
Decimal odds explained
Decimal odds are a simplified way of writing the potential odds for a horse winning. To use a simple example, let’s imagine a horse was listed as 1.98. This means that should the horse win, the bettor will receive £1.98 for every £1 they bet. For a £10 bet, this would net £19.80, plus the original £10, too.
Decimal odds are commonly used throughout Europe, although fractional odds tend to be more common in the UK.
Fractional odds explained
Fractional odds are written as two numbers, with the first representing how many coins a person would receive back for one coin wagered. Example fractional odds are 10/1, 12/1, 5/1. In these examples, a successful bettor would receive £12/$12/€12 for every £1/$1/€1 spent.
American Odds explained
If you’ve ever used a football odds comparison, chances are you’ll already know about American odds. These are sometimes known as moneyline odds. These are common in America, but are also used in Canada, too. They are represented by a – or + figure. Underdogs will always have a + figure, favourites may have a – figure.
Examples: +500, -400, +800.
If a horse has a + figure, this represents the return to the bettor. So, for example, if you staked $100 on the +500 horse and it won, you would receive $600 in total – your $100 stake and $500 winnings. With a minus figure, this represents how much you have to stake to win $100. So the -400 example would need a bettor to wager $400 to receive an extra $100 if the horse wins.
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How to calculate odds
Different bookmakers will weigh up a horse’s performance in different ways, hence the variation in odds. With the speed in which the best horse racing odds are calculated, it’s vital to keep ahead of the game. Siesta at your peril! Use an odds comparison tool, like the one found at betting.net to ensure you get the best horse racing odds bookies have to offer!
How to calculate the expected value
A bookmaker prices a horse based on their probability of winning a race. You calculate the odds of a horse winning a race by dividing 100% by the horse’s value. 2/1 has a value of 3 (2+1), so 100 divided by 3 gives you the horse’s chance of winning. This equates to a 33.3% chance of winning the race. A horse with 4/1 value has a 20% chance of winning a race (4+1=5. 100 divided by 5 is 20)..
How are horse racing odds calculated?
Horse racing odds for today or any other day are calculated using a combination of computer technology and information from form experts, from people who have access to the stables and from private handicappers. This information, and a bookie’s knowledge of the trainers and jockey’s reputation, the race record and more are all compiled and sent to computerised software, which calculates the odds for a bookmaker.
Tried and tested odds betting strategies
There are lots of odds betting strategies out there, and finding the right one for your own needs can be tough. That’s why we’ve detailed two of the most popular betting strategies – arb betting and matched betting – to give you a helping hand.
Arb betting strategy
Arb, or arbitrage betting is where you back a horse to win at a bookies and bet against the same horse winning using a betting exchange. To work successfully, the odds at the betting exchange have to be shorter than the back odds. This may occur when a bookmaker is slow in reacting to a change of odds elsewhere in the betting market. Let’s imagine you have odds of 10.0 at a bookmaker and 9.0 at a betting exchange. You decide to bet £100/$100/€100 on the horse at the bookmaker. You need to then know how much to bet at the betting exchange, taking the exchange commission into account. The commission is 0.02 at our chosen exchange.
The calculation is used is: (back price x back stake) / (current lay odds – exchange commission)
So, (10.0×100)/(9.0-0.02), which equals £111.09/$111.09/€111.09.
Matched betting strategy
Matched betting uses a similar process, but instead of using your own cash, you use bookmaker bonus deals to cover the back bets. You back a horse and lay a bet against it at similar odds. If done correctly, the winnings from your back bet covers the losses of your lay bet.
The most popular locations for horse racing
Horse racing comes in all shapes and sizes, but few races are more exciting than the jump races. Meetings in this category include the Grand National, a yearly event which sees over 40 horses compete for first place. Then there is the Cheltenham festival, where jumps take pride of place, especially the Queen Mother Champion Chase, an ever popular Grade 1 chase just under 2 miles long.
Our Betting.net odds comparison – Quick facts
Q1. How much does it cost to use your odds comparison service to find the best horse racing odds?
You’ll be pleased to know that whether you’re looking for horse racing odds for today, horse racing odds for tomorrow or any time in the future, our service is completely free of charge. We offer it to you, our readers, to help you get the most from horse racing and find some cracking deals worth shouting about.
Q2. How does betting online compare to betting with my high street bookie?
The experience of betting with a high street bookie can be exciting, but some find it daunting to take the plunge. In addition, high street bookies can only offer you their standard prices at the time of your visit. This means you’ll get one set of odds. By using our horse betting odds comparison you can find the best horse racing odds for you without leaving your home. You may even be able to get a free bet online to cover the cost of your wager. This scenario also applies with any sports, so if you fancy a change, how about using our comparison tool to check odds on UFC or football? We do that, too.
Q3: I’m nervous about trusting new bookmakers. How can I be sure that the bookmakers in your odds comparison are safe?
We vet every bookmaker displayed on our site so only the best are passed on to you. Our rigorous testing and reviews ensure that you’re never without the information you need to judge if a bookmaker is right for you. We work in collaboration with all of our visitors, giving them the chance to provide us with their own betting experiences to further inform all of our readers.
Q4. I need horse racing odds for today. Where will I find them?
Every bookmaker displays their own odds on their website, but to check through them all would take forever! That’s where using our best horse racing odds comparison checker really comes into play. It can check thousands of odds in seconds. And if you’re not ready to place a bet right now, come back later and check the updated odds. Our odds checker works in real-time to ensure you get the most accurate odds on offer.
Q5. Can I place bets directly through your website?
Our website does not operate as a bookmaker, so unfortunately, you cannot place bets directly with us. However, we provide links to the world’s most popular betting websites. Click one of these once you’ve checked our horse racing odds for today or read a bookmaker’s review and you’ll be transported to your destination.
Betting.net – Your number one destination for horse betting
Yes, we may have sung the praises of our odds comparison checker, but we’re not just a one-trick pony. Oh no, we’ve got more horse racing information than you can shake a stick at (though quite why you’d want to, we’re not sure).
As well as our odds checker, you’ll also find our guides to the best horse racing bookmakers, which cover not only the odds you can find, but also their generous bonus deals and promotions. Then there’s our in-depth article on how betting odds are calculated. It doesn’t matter if you’re a betting aficionado or a total beginner, it’s always worth scrubbing up on your maths. Speaking of beginners, you’ll be pleased to find they’re catered for in our best for beginners bookmaker section. The perfect place to find trustworthy bookmakers that have simple layouts and odds and promotions to suit newcomers.
Our conclusion – Time to check those horse betting odds
Odds comparison is an essential part of online betting. Without it, you’ll be unable to say for sure whether you’re getting the best horse racing odds for you. Should you win, we’re sure you’d regret not checking.
An odds comparison checker checks thousands of odds in seconds. This is much quicker than checking manually, taking the effort out of your betting research.
Our odds comparison site updates its odds in real time, so whether you’re looking for horse racing odds for today, or some time in the future, you can be sure that the data provided is accurate.
Top Horse Betting Bonuses
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Horse Racing Odds for Today FAQ
❓How Do I Use the Odds Comparison Checker?
Using the odds comparison checker is simple. Just search for the race meeting you’re looking for and then click the link to the race time. A list of the horses in the race will appear, complete with the best odds for each bookmaker on display. Choose the bookmaker with the right odds for you by clicking its name. Then place your bet as normal.
🌟How often are the odds updated on the odds comparison checker?
Our odds checker scours the internet for the best odds. When a bookmaker changes their odds, we change ours. You can be assured that our odds checker is up to date and reliable when it comes to the latest odds.
🖐What do I do if I have information for you about a bookmaker’s odds?
We love to hear information on the movers and shakers in the bookmaker world. If you’ve got any bookmaker feedback that you think would benefit our readers, get in touch using our contact us page and we’ll give it a read.
🚨 Do you ever update your website with free bonuses?
While we can’t influence a bookmaker on whether they add a bonus to their website or not, we can display them for our readers if a bookie offers them. You’ll find all the latest bonuses listed in our odds comparison checker. Take a look at what deals we’ve got. Perhaps there’ll be one for you!
