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Ascot, Betting at the horce racing, Bookmakers, Cheltenham, Each way, Flat racing, Gambling, Gentleman's guide, Gold Cup, Hennessy Gold Cup, Horse racing, How to bet, Jumps racing, National Hunt, Newbury, Newmarket, Place, Point to point, Racing Post, Royal Ascot, The Morning Line, The open, Tipsters, to win, Tote
Whether it be a point to point in the depths of winter or top hat and tails at Royal Ascot, nothing sets a gentleman apart from the crowd like the ability to be able to place a wager and understand, whilst being understood by the on-course Bookmaker. Here I shall offer a few tips on how to get the most out of a day at the races, ideally profitably and without looking like a novice.
The first thing to note is you MUST have an idea what you will back in each race before you get there. Buy a racing post and read it! At weekends this is made much easier, ‘The Morning Line’ on Channel 4 is a great way of finding information on the days racing and certainly don’t overlook social networking, accounts such as @getyourtipsout will give you a run down the card from many different tipsters. Simply compare and contrast the information, within an hour you should know what you are backing, the jockey’s name, and roughly what odds it should be. This will all become important information later.
The next step comes when you arrive at the track, but before…and this is very important, before you have a drink. Get a list of non-runners from a betting office window, and ensure none of your selections have been withdrawn. I guarantee nothing is more infuriating than queuing for a bet for 10 minutes, getting up there and realising your horse has been scratched. Once that is done, sit back, have a drink or 2 and do nothing until around 30 minutes before the first race.
30 minutes before the first race is action stations. Go out onto the track and find the Bookmakers, a gentleman who understands gambling never uses The Tote. First compare your selections to the bookies boards. Have the prices changed? If the odds are bigger i.e. you were advised at 14/1 and the price is now 25/1 this indicates a lack of confidence in the horse, however a horse advised at 14/1 but now running at 7/1 would show a great amount of interest in it. Keep in mind at this point that if a horse is priced at shorter than 5/1 it is pointless to back it each way as it placing alone will return you very little profit, also at this point remember that an each way bet costs you double, as it is actually 2 separate bets, £10 each way will cost you £20, very important as you will look like a fool when you accuse the bookmaker of over-charging you. You must also find the number of the horse you have selected; nothing will anger your bookie more than having to hunt through 21 horses to find you ridiculously named Steed.
To re-cap, at this point you have your horse, you have your stake and you know whether you are backing it each way or to win. You now approach the bookmaker, and this is critical, you tell him how much you are staking, your terms i.e. win or each way and then the number of the horse you have selected. The bookmaker will give you a ticket, CHECK THE TICKET BEFORE YOU WALK AWAY, this is very important; the bookmaker will not remember you out of the thousands of race goers he serves that day.
Make a mental note of your Bookmakers name and location and go away transaction complete; enjoy the race and probably another glass or two. Unrolling your racing post you will find the colours your horses jockey is wearing which should make following the race easier. Another note here a rolled up racing post also makes an excellent weapon for beating wasps away from jugs of Pimms on warm days.
Amid the excitement of the race it is easy to confuse which horse actually won, you are advised to wait for the course announcer to give the full result of the race before you join the queue to collect winnings. It often takes 5 minutes for the bookmakers to get results in and be able to pay out so don’t be in too much of a rush it whiffs of desperation slightly. When you get to the front of the queue give your bookmaker your winning ticket, he will probably confirm the amount he pays out before tearing up your ticket and giving you your winnings, refrain at all cost from gloating on your win, this is not becoming and will have you ear-marked as a Wally by the bookies.
A cautionary note here, drinking often leads to confusion at the races. Refrain from arguing with the bookmaker, he uses very complicated computer programs that calculate wagers, you will be wrong, the computer will be right, you will look foolish.
Et voila, my little guide from years spent involved in racing, on the best way to place a wager with an on-course Bookmaker. Please gamble responsibly and never with money you cannot afford to lose.
This article was written by Luke Tripathy (@Tunnellingluke) for An Aspiring Gent.