has anyone tried Betting on Favorites?

[stefan084]

i thought i would have seen a post on this. of course i've seen positive feedback. it has seven rules for placing favorites. has anyone actually tried this yet? it seems feasible to grind out small profits. any help would be appreciated

[jw]

I assume this is a system of some kind?

Sounds like a way to slowly drip money to your bookmaker rather than give it to him quickly

[stefan084]

I assume this is a system of some kind?

Sounds like a way to slowly drip money to your bookmaker rather than give it to him quickly

probably, but doesn't everyone who bets on horses use some kind of system? i'm thinking about getting into this whole horse racing thing so any suggestions on how to start would be great

[stefan084]

the actual name is How to Place Bet on Favorites for a Living

[jw]

Personally I do bet mostly favorites. I just pick my spots carefully and make sure that I get what I consider to be fair value for the horse based on my interpretation of the horses chance in the race.

I don't think there is any hard and fast rule when it comes to handicapping the races ... its more a case of trail and error and error and error and error until you find something that works for you. ... and eventually you will ...

Some people like to handicap based on pace/speed .. some on Jockey/trainer combo's/angles .. some stick to two or three tracks and get to know them well, others like to handicap based on a horses Bloodlines ... there is no one thing that will work for everyone.

Some people will bet win only - others will bet 80/20 win/place - others swear by pick 3's/4's/6's or daily doubles or exacta's ...

Personally I like high strike rates and lower returns over the high returns and lower strike rates .. keeps me interested. The most important thing is to have discipline though. Don't bet on a race just to have something to watch - if there isn't a horse you think gives you value in a race - leave it and go to the next one ....

Paper trade for a while. Pick one track a day and study the cards before racing - watch the races - then go back over the cards after the race to see which horse won and why it won.

Do this for a few weeks and then decide if you can spot any patterns .. if you can - great - keep going and fine tune ...

Good Luck.

[stefan084]

Personally I do bet mostly favorites. I just pick my spots carefully and make sure that I get what I consider to be fair value for the horse based on my interpretation of the horses chance in the race.

I don't think there is any hard and fast rule when it comes to handicapping the races ... its more a case of trail and error and error and error and error until you find something that works for you. ... and eventually you will ...

Some people like to handicap based on pace/speed .. some on Jockey/trainer combo's/angles .. some stick to two or three tracks and get to know them well, others like to handicap based on a horses Bloodlines ... there is no one thing that will work for everyone.

Some people will bet win only - others will bet 80/20 win/place - others swear by pick 3's/4's/6's or daily doubles or exacta's ...

Personally I like high strike rates and lower returns over the high returns and lower strike rates .. keeps me interested. The most important thing is to have discipline though. Don't bet on a race just to have something to watch - if there isn't a horse you think gives you value in a race - leave it and go to the next one ....

Paper trade for a while. Pick one track a day and study the cards before racing - watch the races - then go back over the cards after the race to see which horse won and why it won.

Do this for a few weeks and then decide if you can spot any patterns .. if you can - great - keep going and fine tune ...

Good Luck.

very good info--thanks

[mproud1]

i thought i would have seen a post on this. of course i've seen positive feedback. it has seven rules for placing favorites. has anyone actually tried this yet? it seems feasible to grind out small profits. any help would be appreciated

You would need to watch the place pool relative to the other horses, otherwise it would be just like show betting. The place payout on big favs is often 2.10 just like the show pool.

[DennisT]

mprould! is right! Bet favorites to win olly. Being an exacta player always box the fav with your second choice. If you think the horse is good enough to place the horse should be just as capable of winning. Luck to you.

[turfnsport]

Betting favorites won't work unless you are very patient and VERY good...the takeout will eat you alive...think VALUE, not favorites.

[jw]

Betting favorites won't work unless you are very patient and VERY good...the takeout will eat you alive...think VALUE, not favorites.

... unless you play at an exchange .. and beat the tote price by 10-40% ....

[madmaxx]

I'm at the OTB at a local casino almost every day. The most profitable guy there only bets heavily on the favorites to place/show and rarely places a win bet. He plays about 3 or 4 horses a day and leaves. Real asshole of a guy but it seems to work for him...I just don't have the patience.

[turfnsport]

... unless you play at an exchange .. and beat the tote price by 10-40% ....

Correct..if you are going to try a system with nothing but favorites, I would use an exchange, you would have a better shot of success.