Wagering is as much of horse racing as the oat bag. Without it racing would be a state fair attraction at the most. With the many introductions of quick mathematical computations comes the never ending wide array of ways to wager on each race.
Sixty years ago it was win, place, show, across the board, daily double, exacta and trifecta. Today that list has become very creative with the late double, pick 3, pick 4, pick 6, Quinella and Derby Futures bets.
Terms like wheel, key, straight, over and with are all used when bets are coming into the cashier. The next time you are waiting in line, take a moment and extend your listening antennae to the front of the line and how fast some of these bets are made. The cashiers, most of the time, keep right up with it like a courtroom stenographer at a divorce hearing.
The best bet to make in horse racing is one that you are comfortable with and one in which gives you the best chance of winning. Some rules of thumb, don’t place too many different bets because you are betting against yourself, always check your ticket and your change before leaving the window and never tear up a ticket after a race, there might be an objection or an inquiry.
And finally, only bet what you can afford to lose and only bet big when betting with the track’s money.
Wagering is as much of horse racing as the oat bag. Without it racing would be a state fair attraction at the most. With the many introductions of quick mathematical computations comes the never ending wide array of ways to wager on each race.