There are two main types of horse racing to bet on, thoroughbred races and harness racing. Within thoroughbred racing, there are two further subcategories called flat racing and “jump” or steeplechasing. Don’t worry, we’ll explain them all here.
Thoroughbred horse racing
This is what most people picture when thinking of horse racing. A jockey on the back of a horse going around a dirt track. The Triple Crown is run with thoroughbred horses. The racing distances range from 2 furlongs (402 meters or about once around an outdoor running track) up to 3 miles. Shorter distances are to see how fast a jockey can push a horse while the long ones are a test of stamina and the ability of a jockey to control a horse. The shorter distances are better suited for flat racing while jump or steeplechase races tend to be a bit longer.
Flat horse racing
The simplest and the most popular type of horse racing in the US. Just a jockey on a horse going around a track with no obstacles in the way. These races are built for speed. The fastest horses can complete a 1-mile race in a little over 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Jump and Steeplechase racing
More popular in Britain than in the US, although it still has a presence here. Jockeys race horses through a track with obstacles. Usually, they’re hurdles (neatly trimmed bushes and hedges) and ditches filled with water. It’s similar to the steeplechase that you sometimes see runners doing when watching the Olympics. Steeplechase horse racing is much more controlled and measured. The jockeys are technical specialists and great a managing the horses they ride.
Harness racing
In this type of horse race, horses pull a two-wheeled cart occupied by the jockey. The cart is called a sulky. Harness racing can be done at a trot or a pace (two distinct types of running that horses can do). Harness racing also involves a lot of control on the part of the jockey. Not only do they have to keep their horse running with the correct gait, they have to control their own cart and watch out for the competition. Crashes can spectacular because of the extra equipment and sometimes result in serious injury.
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Horse racing resources at online bookies
At online horse racing bookies, you get access to more than just odds and different types of bets. You find that most major horse racing bookies in the US provide a large range of resources such as handicapping, past results and replays, predictions, and even live streams.
Use these resources to the fullest to gain an advantage when placing your bets. Make informed bets if you want to win and don’t just rely on your intuition.
Live streaming
The live stream of horse races, in particular, can be one of your most important assets. It’s great for assessing track conditions. For example, if you know that a particular favorite tends to underperform in rainy, sloppy conditions, you just might be able to capitalize on some great odds by betting on an underdog.
You can usually get access to live streams as long as you have money in a sports betting account. All the big races are shown but you can also find many smaller venues that live stream to sports betting sites as well.
Handicapping
Handicapping in horse racing means that horses of different skill levels will compete in a single race. What bookmakers do is give certain horses different weights so that the likelihood of any horse winning is the same. Faster horses get bigger weights to make it more even against the slower horses, for example. As far as betting on handicapped horse races is concerned, the skill comes in knowing which horse will overcome their handicap. These types of odds options are great for bettors that follow horse racing closely.
Mobile horse race betting
Most online horse racing bookies in the US provide access to odds via a browser-based client and through a mobile app. Mobile apps have the same functionalities as browser-based clients including quick deposits, live streams, and mobile registration. You can download mobile apps via the iTunes or Google Play stores based on the operating system your mobile device uses. Mobile betting is very useful to bettors who are constantly on the go and enjoy betting and watching their favorite horses from the road.
Online horse race betting registration
Now that you’ve had a crash course on your horse race betting options, you can open a horse race betting account. (Check our bookie reviews to see what’s available in your state, including special bonuses and promo codes). Use this quick registration guide to ensure you get your account up and running without any issues:
- Visit the bookie’s website and click on the Sign-Up button, usually at the top right of the page.
- Fill out your personal details like Full name, Phone Number, Email Address, Birthdate, Mailing Address, and the last 4 digits of your SSN in the registration form that pops up.
- Create a unique Username and Password for you betting account (write these down).
- Look for a “Promo Code” field and check US-Bookies for relevant bonuses.
- Complete the registration process by reading the relevant Terms & Conditions and pressing Register.
- Use customer support if you run into any issues. Email, phone, and live chat are popular support options.
Resourse: https://us-bookies.com/bet-on-horse-racing/