How to Bet on the Ponies

 How to place a bet on the Ponies

This all changed when Kate proposed to me and we became a horse racing-loving couple. Rick Surwilo (my father-in-law) had taken his family to the racetrack when he was a teenager. This was before the advent of casinos and lotteries. Horse racing was the only legal form. It was also a very different experience. His family had a home in Connecticut and he loved to take his kids and wife to the Green Mountain Race Track in Pownal. It is only a few miles south of there. They would set up lawn chairs near the finish line. Grandpa Surwilo would then take everyone's orders, and relay the bets to them.

Kate and I met when we were first dating. One of our first and most romantic dates was when she took us to Tulsa's racetrack. We had a blast betting on horses and snuggling up in the bleachers during a storm.

Kate and her husband got married, and after that, our parents would take us to horse races every other year. Sometimes, they even gave us little money to wager with. Rick's father had passed away long ago, but Gram Surwilo-every inch the stereotypical Italian grandma-loved to go to the ponies and place bets just as she had in the past in Vermont.

These outings were very enjoyable with my extended families and I enjoyed placing some bets. However, I confess that I had no clue what I was doing. I picked the horses whose names I liked most.

So I jumped at America's Best Racing's offer to me a few months back to go see the Spiral Stakes in Turfway Park in Florence and get lessons on betting on the ponies. Kate and me had a great experience and learned so much. Although it is more complicated than I imagined, betting on horses can be a lot of fun.

Today I will be sharing some of my basic knowledge so that horse racing novices can take advantage the wonderful spring weather to go down to their local track (or the Kentucky Derby!) They feel like they know what to do.

Why should you go to a Horse Race?

However, you might be interested in racing on the track. Maybe you are thinking, "That's something grandpa used too, but I don't want to do it."

Horse racing at the highest levels is a great experience. I am not a fan of any other gambling and don't see the point in spending my time in a dark, smoky place. Horse racing is what I love. It's entertainment, an experience and an outing. I love being outside. I love that it has a lot history and tradition. Overall, it doesn't matter if I win, or lose, I still have a lot of fun.

If you're looking to take your whole family to a football or basketball game, you can expect to pay $400 for tickets and food. A racetrack admission is often free. You can place a minimum wager on each horse race for $2 and bring your own food. You can spend the afternoon and evening watching amazing animals at their best. You can do all of this without spending more than a day at the movies.

You won't be disappointed if you find a date that is unique and affordable.

Horse Racing Bets: Types

When you place a bet on the ponies, there are two kinds of wagers available: straight wagers or exotic wagers. Straight wagers are the best option for beginners. These are easy and affordable. Simply pick one horse that will come in first, second, and third. For a straight wager, the minimum bet at most tracks is $2.

Exotic bets allow you make multiple wagers on multiple horses with one wager. Exotic wagers are usually more difficult to win than straight bets. They also require a higher level of skill and knowledge regarding horse picking. But exotic wagers have a higher return than straight ones.

Straight Wagers

A straight wager is only for one horse.

WIN- Your horse is the one who will win. If your horse finishes first, you win.

PLACE- If you place your horse on the "place" track, you are betting that he will finish first or second. You will get the money if your horse finishes second or first. You will get less payout for placing a bet than a win wager but you have the option to cash in if the horse finishes in the top 2.

SHOW- This is where you bet that your horse will finish first, second or third. Although you may have a better chance of winning than placing or winning, the show bet pays significantly less than a place wager.

ACROSS BOARD- If you place a wager across the board, it is a wager on your horse's potential to win, place, and show. Because it is three different wagers (win, show, and place), an across-the board bet is known as a "combo-straight wager". An across-the board bet costs more than a simple win/place/show. Because you're placing three $2 wagers, a $2 across the board wager will cost you $6. You will win the place, win, and show money if your horse is first. Your horse will finish second and you will get place and showmoney. If your horse finishes in third place, you get the show money. Because of their high cost and lower profit potential, across the board bets are not usually a good choice.

PLACE/SHOW, WIN/PLACE - A cross-the-board wager in which you make multiple straight bets on the same horse. A win/place bet is where you are betting on your horse to win and place. If your horse wins, you will get both the win and the place money. If he finishes in second place, you only collect the place money. Place/show betting is where you bet that your horse will place or show. If your horse finishes in second place, you get the place and show money. If he finishes in third, you just get show money. You can place multiple bets on your horse, so a win/place or show is more expensive. A $2 win/place betting will cost $4 as you are placing $2 on your horse winning and $2 on your horse placing. How to Master Horse Betting