Horse Racing

Horse racing has long been a pastime of the British - ever since the first horse races in the UK in the early 12th Century, when English knights returned from the Crusades with Arab horses, right up to today. Thoroughbred horses, the type we use in horse racing even today, were created by breeding these Arab horses with British horses. Having a flutter at the horse racing tracks has long been a tradition among the British, with the nobility and royalty well known for their love of the races, as well as the average Joe enjoying a bet or two! Horse racing is regulated today by the British Horse-racing Board, which became the main governing authority for horse racing in 1993.

How To Bet

Bets can be placed on horse racing either online, at a bookmakers or even at the grounds where a horse race is taking place. There are several terms and types of bets used in horse racing, which include:

Betting Stake - This is your wager, the amount you are betting.

Each Way - An Each Way bet is a bet that the horse you have chosen will come first, second or third in the race. In some smaller races, an each way bet may just be for the first and second bet, due to the smaller amount of horses running. In large races such as the ever-popular Grand National, there may be even more horses included in an each way bet - often paying out to horses that come third, fourth or even fifth in an Each Way bet.

To Win- This is a bet that the horse you have chosen will win the race, and come first. These bets give out the most prize money, but nothing is won if the horse finishes with anything but first place.

Horse Racing Tips

When it comes to tips, horse racing is one of the sports in which you are spoilt for choice. Every day articles and tips are printed in newspapers and magazines by top (but sometimes not-so-top) horse racing tippers - with some of these tippers often offering "insider information." You should never had to pay for a tip on the races, except possibly with a pint in a pub, as good advice is often offered freely by lovers of the races. When doing your horse research yourself, take a look at a horses history - has it won recently, where did it place? Check the horses best conditions when it runs, does it prefer soft or harder ground, and does it do well in poor weather? Finally, compare the conditions at the race you are betting on with the conditions the horse does it's best. All these things are essential when picking a serious winner, but there is still a great deal of luck involved, as anything can happen in horse racing, and it often does! Of course, some may argue that half the fun of the horses is going on impulse and picking a horse just because of the jockeys colours, or because it has a name that tickles your fancy - and, you never know, it may even pay off to bet on the outsider with it not being uncommon that the underdog places well, and lands a impulse better a tidy sum!