Betting Basics - Horse Racing Festivals

The pinnacle of horse racing events are the festivals. Whether it is national hunt festivals such as The Dublin Racing Festival, The Cheltenham Festival or flat racing’s Royal Ascot, nothing beats seeing the best horses do battle. Unlike traditional race meetings, festivals take place over a number of days. Betting at racing festivals is incredibly popular and for those interested in having a bet, BettorMind has some great advice on how to enjoy betting at racing festivals responsibly.

The Festival

Before having a bet at a racing festival, you should make sure you are aware of some key information about the festival. Things such as, how long does the festival last? How many races are there?

For example, the Cheltenham Festival takes place over 4 days, Tuesday – Friday. Each day of the festival has 7 races resulting is 28 total races.

This information is important when it comes to budgeting for the festival. You need to consider what races you would like to bet on and how that will impact your budget for the week or month.

Ante-Post Betting

Unlike traditional race days, some people will look to place bets on racing festivals well in advance of the event. These markets are referred to as ante-post betting. Players will be looking to get larger odds on a horse to win at the festival by betting weeks or months before the event. This can often mean you get greater odds on a horse given how early you are backing it.

It is important to understand the conditions of your ante-post bets. Unlike placing a bet on the day of racing, if your ante-post selection does not run in the event, your bet will be classed as a loser and your stake will be lost.

As the festival approaches some bookmakers will make their ante-post markets non-runner no bet events. This means if your horse does not run in the race, you will get your stake back. This normally happens around 4-6 weeks before the event.

The Races

Racing festivals are the pinnacle of racing. It is a time where the best of the best take on each other to be crowned champions. Prize money on offer at festivals is usually significantly higher than regular race days throughout the year.

This means the racing is extremely competitive and will often attract large fields. This makes betting on the races challenging and is something you should take into account before having a bet.

BettorMind Advice

Research – When betting on racing festivals, your research is really important. Whether this is looking at previous results or listening to preview podcasts all of this information can help when it comes to placing a bet. Whatever your source of research be sure to use this as part of your own decision-making process.

Staking Plans – With most racing festivals taking place over a number of days it is important to have a good staking plan set up to ensure you can stay within your budget. You should consider the total number of races and your betting budget for the festival. You can then allocate an amount per bet which ensures you have the opportunity to experience all the races you wish to bet on and your budget is used effectively over the festival.

Horse racing festivals are exciting whether you make it to the racecourse or are watching at home. If you are having a bet during a racing festival, take a look at our advice on the key things you should be considering and how you can enjoy your betting responsibly.