Just curious

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi all,

This should probably go elsewhere, but meh.

There's been an off-track wagering place in my area for like 5 years now and I've never visited. I currently work across the street from it and I was thinking about stopping in some night after work and checking it out.

I'm not looking to make any money or start betting the ponies for a living. I'm basically interested in having a fun night, some good food, lose a small amount of money, and not look like an idiot (since I have ABSOLUTELY no clue on anything horse related).

Do you guys know of any sites I could check out to get info on basic definitions, odds, how to place bets, etc?

Thanks,
Jason

[Terry]

Don’t worry about looking foolish. The one’s who look like an idiot are those trying to pretend that it’s not their first time. A simple “I’ve never done this before” will get you more advice than you know what to do with. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

While horses can be beaten, it’s a full time occupation. You’re not likely to learn enough from reading any one book to make any difference whatever to your EV.

Just go, and have fun. Take whatever amount you are willing to risk; you “probably” won’t loose it all, but ya never know. Leave the ATM card at home; any form of gambling can bring about tilt.

Be sure to find a seat where you have a good view of the race you’re betting on.

If you’re taking a lady friend, you should definitely provide her with a bankroll for betting. If you want to see her again you should not humiliate her by having her make $2 bets while you’re betting $10 or $20. Be a high roller / big spender...even if it means you're both betting $2/race... her chances are just as good as yours. If she wins, you can take back her original stake, but insist that she keep the winnings.

The ticket writer will tell you how to make a bet; you basically just tell him how much, the number, and the position, e.g., $5 on 12 to win. You only want to place “win” bets, forget about place and show.

[Jim Easton]

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While horses can be beaten,

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They can?

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it’s a full time occupation.

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Ahh. I didn't spend enough time trying, or maybe we spent too much time drinking.

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her chances are just as good as yours.

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Her chances will probably be better. My experience is a pretty colors/lucky numbers system outperforms flawed speed analysis.

I've never been to OTB, but we used to have a blast at Louisiana Downs (years ago, before parimutual in Texas).

[HUSKER'66]

Jason, The first thing you need to do is check out www.drf.com (http://www.drf.com) . I have been playing the ponies since '97 with some success.(my best season I pulled in over $5K) This should help get you started. PM me with any questions and I'll see if I can steer you in the right direction. If I were to recommend any books for the begining player, start with anything by Andrew "Andy" Beyer.

[Terry]

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maybe we spent too much time drinking... a pretty colors/lucky numbers system outperforms flawed speed analysis.

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lol. Precisely why I suggest that Jason simply go and have fun.

Those who actually beat the horses (as opposed to those who “say” they beat the horses) tend to be people who are very knowledgeable about horses, bloodlines, stables, trainers, jockeys, etc., and who either spend a great deal of time at the track or who have very close connections there to keep up to date on recent workouts, injuries, “arrangements”, that sort of thing.

A major factor in their handicapping is also their recognition that, since horse racing is parimutuel, they are actually not betting on the horse, but are really betting against the judgement of the general public, enabling them to overtake the 25 to 30% house take.

I do have one suggestion for Jason, if you want “a system.” It is a little know fact that horse race betting tournaments are virtually always won by professional tournament players, not by professional handicappers. Here is a simplified version of their method.

Make a random bet on the first race. If they are not in first place after the race, they make a bet that will put them in first place after the second race if they win the bet, for example, if they are behind the leader by $130, they will make a $10 bet on a horse that pays 14 to one (or a $5 bet on a 28 to one shot, or a $20 bet on a 7 to one shot, see?). And etc., etc., with the following races, always choosing a bet that will put them in first place if they win it.

This simple betting scheme totally destroys the professional handicappers in the tournaments. You can easily adapt it to, well, not really give you an edge, but to give you a pretty good chance to come out ahead after a day at the track or the OTB.


PS: Jim, have you upgraded your computer? I’ve (slightly) overclocked my 3000 to try to catch you in the folding @ home race, but you still seem to be pulling ahead.

[HavanaBanana]

I was in Vegas for my first time, waiting for a pokertourney.
So I went to bet the horses.
I have studied odds and how the public bets for a long time, and I have found certain combinations to yield a better (or worse) return than average.
F.ex. in the Daily double, you do not want to bet the paired combinations (1-1,2-2,5-5 and so on) because they pay about 35% less than you would have expected.
When you play the 1-2 combination in the same race, the combinations with numbers far apart pays the most (if everything else is the same) so in a 12 horse field play 1-12 and 12-1.
I did this in Vegas and won a couplle, however it was Dogs not horses, but I didnt know that before betting /images/graemlins/smile.gif

When playing trifecta bet that a long odds horse will get 2nd, everyone likes to bet lot of horses on 3rd but better odds if it gets second.

Old british saying is that if there are two favorites in a race, bet the 3rd choice. (because people get too focused on top 2)


And remember that all players backing the favorites die broke!

[stripsqueez]

i bet on horse races for around 3 years for a living - i gave it up because it became like hard work and i lost a much enjoyed hobby

just have fun is fine advice - its what i do when i get to the track or bet on a horse these days - one simple small piece of information that may assist is to avoid betting on horses at long odds - assuming that bookmakers where you are behave the same way as bookmakers here the horses at longer odds are much inferior value compared to those at short odds - for example where i'm from a horse at 2/1 will on average win the race 1 time every 3.2 races - a horse at 100/1 will on average win the race 1 time in every 10,000 - yes, these figures are a bit of a guess, but no, they are not an exaggeration

as for the fun bit - i like to get reasonably tanked and whilst watching the race shorten the name of my horse, add a y on the end, and inanely yell out its name over the last couple of furlongs - heaps of fun

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[Jim Easton]

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Jim, have you upgraded your computer? I’ve (slightly) overclocked my 3000 to try to catch you in the folding @ home race, but you still seem to be pulling ahead.


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No, I'm colluding with my wife's computer again (notice she hasn't moved recently). I haven't decided on the upgrade yet. I initially was looking at the Athlon 64, but now I'm leaning more toward a 3 GHz P4 800. I can get the CPU and an ASUS MB with an 800 MHz FSB for a reasonable price. I'm also thinking about going SCSI.

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi guys, thanks for the info.

When I go (which probably won't be til after the holidays for money reasons) I'll be sure to post a "trip report". /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jason