1. #1
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Laying horses in US Horse Racing -> Can you make living out of it?

    I've noticed that unlike UK Horse Racing, in the US they show you the odds until the last moment and everytime there is a horse that started with odds of like 30-1 and gets to 70-1 or more then it is for sure one that isn't going to win.

    Now unlike bookies with other sites like BetFair you can lay that horse (bet against it, bet that horse won't finish 1st) and for every £1,000 approx that you invest you can make easily between £5 and £10 profit.

    Do it 100 to 200 times you break even.
    Keep on doing it and you're gonna start making £5 every race where there is a 'loser' horse (at least £50 a day easily, 5% of your £1000 starting balance) ... but the question is it for life?

    Now this is where I'm stuck... I don't know the horse racing in the US so well but it seems like the horses with odds updated on the screen of 70-1 or more about 1 minute before the race never ever win, correct?? Unless if you guys perhaps have examples where this theory was a failure?

    Please advise.

  2. #2
    jjgold
    jjgold's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 07-20-05
    Posts: 388,190
    Betpoints: 10

    They can win every once in a while, I faded a 14-1 the other day at Aqu and the fukkin horse won

    You lose a few of those bets and your buried

  3. #3
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by jjgold View Post
    They can win every once in a while, I faded a 14-1 the other day at Aqu and the fukkin horse won

    You lose a few of those bets and your buried
    Hmm.... yeah, I agree you can lose on 14-1 horse, but not on 50-1 horse that has odds going up to 70-1 and above about 1-2 minutes before the race starts - I take it like a stock market, the odds go up because no one expects him to win, so he cannot make sny surprise neither, so it's good money to go against such a horse, no? I mean in Betfair I can easily make £5 on every horse like this (easily find 200-1 odds to lay against him). It's 0.5% of your bank - the question is if it's risk free in your opinion or not? Has anyone tried such a system before?

  4. #4
    jjgold
    jjgold's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 07-20-05
    Posts: 388,190
    Betpoints: 10

    nothing is risk free

    How much does lets say 5k get you laying on a 70-1 shot?

  5. #5
    dfberger23
    dfberger23's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 11-08-10
    Posts: 5,069
    Betpoints: 406

    Sounds like a good way to get buried.

  6. #6
    madmaxx
    madmaxx's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 03-14-07
    Posts: 3,289
    Betpoints: 40

    The problem with this system is that there are not enough horses in the U.S. right now so your 70-1 shots will be limited. You might find 1 per day at the California tracks and maybe 3-4 at NY tracks on a weekend. I see 60-1, 70-1, 80-1 win all the time at Mountaineer but most tracks will not have enough horses to find these huge longshots.

  7. #7
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by jjgold View Post
    nothing is risk free

    How much does lets say 5k get you laying on a 70-1 shot?
    £5k ?

    pfff...

    let's say 'worse case scenario' you will get about £20 after Betfair commission.
    But normal case it should be around £30-£50

  8. #8
    str
    Nothing's easy
    str's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 01-12-09
    Posts: 9,988
    Betpoints: 68557

    With all the simulcast money that comes in and because a good amount of that comes from the 3 minute handicapper playing multiple tracks at the same time,the favs get hit hard as a rule ,as do the speed horses. Many a legit 8 or 12-1 shot , can go off 20-1 or better.Always monster value in that range as most players will skip over mediocre form without analyzing long enough.
    Bottom line is: You get out ,what you put in.

  9. #9
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by madmaxx View Post
    I see 60-1, 70-1, 80-1 win all the time at Mountaineer
    If that's the case my system won't work, thanks for sharing this info!

  10. #10
    mikemca
    Update Status
    mikemca's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 03-10-10
    Posts: 10,047
    Betpoints: 98

    I imagine 1 loss will hurt I didn't look thoroughly but I found 1 within the 1st 5 dates I looked up at parx

    10th race - Parx Racing At Philadelphia Park - November 23, 2010
    6 Indian Promise....144.00.....43.20......24.00

  11. #11
    jjgold
    jjgold's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 07-20-05
    Posts: 388,190
    Betpoints: 10

    I notice a 8-1 shot at track can go off about 20-1 at betfair, it seems like unreal value if betting to win

  12. #12
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by mikemca View Post
    I imagine 1 loss will hurt I didn't look thoroughly but I found 1 within the 1st 5 dates I looked up at parx

    10th race - Parx Racing At Philadelphia Park - November 23, 2010
    6 Indian Promise....144.00.....43.20......24.00
    Indian Promise --> 144.00 pfff... thanks for listing it, yep, my system won't work, but at least I tried....

  13. #13
    DrunkHorseplayer
    Redskins forever
    DrunkHorseplayer's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 05-15-10
    Posts: 7,184
    Betpoints: 19593

    If you're going to invest $1,000 to make five or ten bucks then you're laying 100 or 200 to one. If you lay those odds on horses that go off at 70-1, I can guarantee you that eventually you will get buried.

  14. #14
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    ... laying long-shots blindly is a surefire way to lose BIG.

    only takes one of them to hit and your $5 and $10 profits that you have been building up for the past 6 months have all gone bye-bye ... especially when you consider that a 70-1 shot on the tote will probably be closer to 200/1 on betfair when you are laying it.

  15. #15
    Rio DiNero
    using no way as way
    Rio DiNero's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 11-03-08
    Posts: 2,010
    Betpoints: 218

    With the horse racing "tips" I get, I would have been rich by now if I could bet to lose.

  16. #16
    str
    Nothing's easy
    str's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 01-12-09
    Posts: 9,988
    Betpoints: 68557

    Quote Originally Posted by jjgold View Post
    I notice a 8-1 shot at track can go off about 20-1 at betfair, it seems like unreal value if betting to win
    Would have to determine if 8-1 was correct or 20-1 is.
    Because both prices are driven by others , you must decide and act accordingly.

  17. #17
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by jjgold View Post
    I notice a 8-1 shot at track can go off about 20-1 at betfair, it seems like unreal value if betting to win
    So perhaps we can try to go with a system to lay 5-1 horses?
    Can split £1,000 bank into 20 parts of £50 each, and use £50 on every horse.

    You need to guess right about 4-5 horses NOT to finish 1st, and allowed to make 1 mistake - if that goes well in the long term - you make money AND don't risk your entire balance neither

    What do you think??

  18. #18
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by Rio DiNero View Post
    With the horse racing "tips" I get, I would have been rich by now if I could bet to lose.
    Where can I get these tips??

  19. #19
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    Quote Originally Posted by dontknowhowtobet View Post

    So perhaps we can try to go with a system to lay 5-1 horses?
    Can split £1,000 bank into 20 parts of £50 each, and use £50 on every horse.

    You need to guess right about 4-5 horses NOT to finish 1st, and allowed to make 1 mistake - if that goes well in the long term - you make money AND don't risk your entire balance neither

    What do you think??

    You cannot win blindly laying horses .. just as you cannot win blindly backing horses ...
    Yesterday @ Beulah - the first two races were both won by 5/1 shots ... (both traded on betfair for around 8.0 or 9.0 ... so there is almost your entire $1000 bank gone in two races)

    Your username really is very close to the truth ...

    There is no "easy" way .. the best way if you are determined to go ahead with laying is to spot vulnerable favorites and lay those horses that are overbet .... you should look for an e-book called "False Favorites" and read and understand every single word of that book before even thinking about starting to lay horses.

    It will still take several hours each day of form study and evaluation .. but you can beat the system if you are willing to put in the time/effort.

    Last edited by jw; 12-23-10 at 03:04 PM.

  20. #20
    madmaxx
    madmaxx's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 03-14-07
    Posts: 3,289
    Betpoints: 40

    Im surprised it works in UK. These huge dogs win daily at Australia as well.

  21. #21
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    Quote Originally Posted by madmaxx View Post
    Im surprised it works in UK.
    It Doesn't.

  22. #22
    mikemca
    Update Status
    mikemca's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 03-10-10
    Posts: 10,047
    Betpoints: 98

    Quote Originally Posted by dontknowhowtobet View Post
    So perhaps we can try to go with a system to lay 5-1 horses? Can split £1,000 bank into 20 parts of £50 each, and use £50 on every horse. You need to guess right about 4-5 horses NOT to finish 1st, and allowed to make 1 mistake - if that goes well in the long term - you make money AND don't risk your entire balance neither What do you think??


    I am almost certain there would be a better return laying favorites in big fields while putting up much less

  23. #23
    Dirty Sanchez
    Two time SBR Academy Award winner
    Dirty Sanchez's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 03-01-10
    Posts: 16,031
    Betpoints: 26

    My dad used to always say "Horses can't read the tote board".....and I would say back "unfortunately the ass clown riding him can"....and the reason "horse racing is like juggling knives, you may catch the handle 3 out of 4 times....but the one time you miss it leaves a mark."

  24. #24
    jjgold
    jjgold's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 07-20-05
    Posts: 388,190
    Betpoints: 10

    No way betfair horse players are sharper than usa horse players as far as usa tracks

    It seems odds are always better at betfair

  25. #25
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    Quote Originally Posted by jjgold View Post
    No way betfair horse players are sharper than usa horse players as far as usa tracks

    It seems odds are always better at betfair
    ... don't have to be sharper as long as the numbers are on your side.

    The reason they are always better odds is that Track odds have a 30% over-round worked into them - betfair odds on average will put that 30% into the odds ... so on average over all horses you should get much better odds on betfair than you ever would on track ...

    As long as your typical layer is not laying all horses in the race @ less than 100% over-round - he does not have to be "sharp" .. cos the numbers will mean he will always win long-term... assuming there is enough money around for him to balance the books so that he can have an even amount of liability on each horse.

  26. #26
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Can the fact that the odds on Betfair better than others help us to find a way to make money in the long term from it??

  27. #27
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    Quote Originally Posted by dontknowhowtobet View Post
    Can the fact that the odds on Betfair better than others help us to find a way to make money in the long term from it??
    yes ... however you still need an angle ... betting blind you cannot win long term.

    Concentrate on a particular type of race, concentrate on early pace horses, on closers, on jockey/trainer combo's, on shippers, on horses that are course/distance winners, on horses that are running second or third race after a break ... whatever the angle .. try and find one that has a reasonably consistent strike rate ... and one that does not necessarily always pick out favorites ... it'll take a while .. there is no simple/easy method - if there was .. we'd all be using it

    The book i mentioned earlier will help - as I said .. you are looking for value in the race ... not necessarily for the winner in each race .. but the one that is a bigger price than its chances of winning. If you are betting value each and every time - you can win long-term.

  28. #28
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by jw View Post
    yes ... however you still need an angle ... betting blind you cannot win long term.

    Concentrate on a particular type of race, concentrate on early pace horses, on closers, on jockey/trainer combo's, on shippers, on horses that are course/distance winners, on horses that are running second or third race after a break ... whatever the angle .. try and find one that has a reasonably consistent strike rate ... and one that does not necessarily always pick out favorites ... it'll take a while .. there is no simple/easy method - if there was .. we'd all be using it

    The book i mentioned earlier will help - as I said .. you are looking for value in the race ... not necessarily for the winner in each race .. but the one that is a bigger price than its chances of winning. If you are betting value each and every time - you can win long-term.
    Betting value doesn't necessarily mean to bet on the horse with 100-1 that also is after another race and very tired etc? You can find these type of horses with also low odds like 20-1 etc?

  29. #29
    unusialsusp5
    unusialsusp5's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-18-10
    Posts: 4,184
    Betpoints: 3601

    by the second day you will get burned trying to do this. only 1 out of 3 favorites win and you will bet against the wrong horse within a couple of days. bet on horses not against them. just throw the favorite out and everything else is an overlay. you want to win the money that people lose betting on favorites especially in exactas that always pay more than they should with the favorite out of the first 2 positions. try it.

  30. #30
    GELATINOUS CUBE
    SBR's 94.4% handicapper
    GELATINOUS CUBE's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 08-09-09
    Posts: 4,534

    Sure-all-the-old-guys-at-otb-don't-do-jack-else.

  31. #31
    jw
    jw's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 10-25-09
    Posts: 3,999
    Betpoints: 6737

    Quote Originally Posted by unusialsusp5 View Post
    just throw the favorite out and everything else is an overlay.
    Not true - any horse in the race can be value - even a 1/9 shot can be value if its chance of actually winning the race is 95%

  32. #32
    big0mar
    SINGLE-DECK BLACKJACK
    big0mar's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-09-09
    Posts: 3,374
    Betpoints: 3002

    thought people only laid horses in mexico

  33. #33
    dontknowhowtobet
    dontknowhowtobet's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-21-09
    Posts: 2,896
    Betpoints: 960

    Quote Originally Posted by big0mar View Post
    thought people only laid horses in mexico

  34. #34
    carparts1000
    carparts1000's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 04-26-10
    Posts: 157
    Betpoints: 2292

    mine that bird- think it was 50-1.

  35. #35
    sweethook
    sweethook's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 11-21-07
    Posts: 12,657
    Betpoints: 10476

    cant see makin a living at it , but if you only bet on 1 horse all year at his races you can make money, say like you no the race team

123 Last
Top