Sit in the grandstand, and feel the harness racing betting buzz as they come to line up; each waiting for that snap out of the gate at full tilt, whim sing their drivers on sleek little bikes. THIS is harness racing, a sport that melds the strength of a horse and the savvy of driving. Sure, you need some luck when betting on harness racing and any other form of gaming, but it is not only discussed above; wagering, in a nutshell, involves great information, smart decisions along with the thrill of each race.
This guide to harness race betting will give you a quick rundown of the basics about how and where to place your bets, various types of wagers available, tips for beginners as well as with more experience planning their bets.
What is Harness Racing Betting?
Harness Racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (or speed) pulling another medium called sulky; with the driver stepping on board to control, and they are raced around closed circular tracks. These horses pace on a little sulky instead of galloping, like traditional horse racing. Pacing refers to when a horse’s legs on identical sides move at the same time, while trotting involves arm-pairs opposite of each other moving in unison.
What does this have to do with harness race betting? So, these gaits result in the races becoming more tactical. This is not strictly to do with speed: we need a good rhythm, but you don’t want them running away because cantering will be auto-disqualification. Knowing these details can go a long way in helping you on where to place your bets.
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How to Place a Bet on Harness Racing?
Step 1: Create an Account or Log In
First, create a BC Game account if you’re new. Just click “Sign Up” and follow the prompts. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Step 2: Deposit Funds
After logging in, the next step is to make a deposit. Locate and click ‘DEPOSIT’ in the top left corner of the screen, then select one of all available deposit methods, including Bitcoin, Ethereum or any other currency.
Step 3: Navigate to the Harness Racing Section
Next, go to the sports betting section and select Harness Racing. Here, you’ll find a list of upcoming races, along with details on each horse and driver.
Step 4: Select Your Race and Place Your Bet So, pick your horse and lock in your wager. Perhaps you are feeling lucky and just want to bet on a race winner: But maybe you want to get a bit more risky and try an exacta. Check the form guide, make your pick and place your bet. It is as easy as that!
Types of Bets
Harness Racing Betting Types — from Basic to Exotic. We’ll break them down with explanations and examples to make everything crystal clear:
📯 Win Bet
The simplest of all — you are simply wagering on which horse will finish first. For example, if you wager $10 on a 5/1 favorite to win, and it does, then your payout is the profit of there being such odds multiplied by your initial investment so $50 plus in addition to that original $10.
📯 Place Bet
If placing a bet on the nose sounds too risky because you are not sure of your pony winning but think it will come close enough to do so, then this kind is for you. Your bet is a winner if your horse runs first or second off the pace. So, for instance, if you bet $10 on a horse to place, and it comes 2nd, then you still collect but not as much as win betting.
📯 Show Bet
With this wager, you get a win if your horse finishes in the top three. When you bet $10 on a horse to show, and it finishes third — well, here comes your payout…although not as high if this were an exacta. Show bets are ideal if you’re betting on a favorite who is almost surely going to wind up in the top three, but may not take first place.
📯 Exacta
This is a step-up in difficulty, but also a reward. You can make an exact bet where you predict the top two in order, and if they come anywhere on your ticket. For argument’s sake, we will suggest that you think Horse A should come first and Horse B to finish second. You bet an exacta on that combination. Should they finish in that order, you win – and the payoff can be substantial because of the difficulty prior to it.
📯 Quinella
Almost the same as an Exacta but different in that whereas with an exacta, you pick two horses to finish 1st – 2nd in a specific order, with this bet type, they can win or come second regardless of their position. If you have a quinella on Horse A and Horse B, for instance, it does not matter if the first place finisher is Horse A with Horse B in second or the other way around. This wager offers a lower risk than an exacta, but with potentially smaller rewards.
📯 Trifecta
Want to push it a little further? The Trifecta bet, however, needs you to get the exact order of the top three finishers right. How does a Trifecta work in horse racing? For instance, if you think Horse A will win, followed by Horse B in 2nd place and then finally Horse C taking up 3rd. What you do as a punter when betting the Trifecta market is simply choosing these three horses to run in their eventual final positions. If they finish where you predicted, the return is high, as it should be with getting three positions in order.
📯 Superfecta
One of the trickiest bets, you have to select the top four finishers in order. Suppose you project that Horse A wins, B is the runner-up, and C finishes third, followed by D in 4th. The payout can be huge if you hit it right, but the odds of winning are very low, making this a high-risk, high-reward bet.
📯 Daily Double
You have to decide the winners of two back-to-back races on this bet. You decide that Horse A will win the first race and place a daily double bet between those two horses. In this case, you win only if both horses (the one in the first race and the one in the second) come out victorious. It also adds an extra layer of interest in that you are not just waiting on ONE race, but TWO!
📯 Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 6
All these bets require you to select the winners of three, four, or six consecutive races respectively. The more swims you add, the greater risk is involved, but returns multiply quickly. So, for instance, when you bet Pick 3, you will need to select the first-place winners of three consecutive races. You are eligible for a bigger payout if all three of your horses win, the higher difficulty pays off!
Harness Racing Tips
Horses that start nearest the inside rail are given an advantage, as they run less distance on turns. Just take note of those going from beneficial inside draws.
Those shipping in off-graded stakes races tend to do well. Horses may fare better against lesser competition. But never bet a horse that has been repeatedly and soundly hammered in less competitive classes.
Obviously, the skill level of a driver plays into this. A good driver knows when to push the horse and when not to. The track record of the driver is always a must.
It will give you a good idea of how the horses are doing, show past performance, and drivers’ records. Find tracks that play towards his running style.
Horses perform differently on different track conditions. Always look to see what the weather and track conditions are prior to placing your harness racing bet.
If a horse or driver is scratched at the last minute, this changes what numbers will affect your outcome. Adjust your bets accordingly.
Harness Racing Strategies
- Handicapping by Form and Performance: Analyse the horse’s past performances, driver stats, and race conditions. Consistency in recent performances is a good indicator of potential success.
- Managing Betting Pools and Odds: Harness racing betting usually has smaller betting pools, making it easier for well-researched bets to pay off. Focus on races where you have strong insights.
- Strategic Use of Exotic Bets: Exotic bets like exactas, trifectas, and superfectas offer big payouts but are riskier. Mix safer bets with occasional exotic wagers. “Box” your exotic bets to cover multiple possible outcomes.
- Betting Against the Public: In this case, people tend to overvalue one horse. You could win big by betting on a less popular horse with solid potential when you do your homework.
- Class Drops and Rises: Horses that move up or down in class are often able to string together a series of wins. A horse dropping class, moving down in competition, and running at a similar or lower level than its previous race.
- Staying Updated: Keep your eye on any news, track conditions, or insider tips. This will help you to place the most accurate harness racing bet possible.
The Bottom Line
Betting on competitive horses has a strategy, research, and even your gut feeling. Below, we highlight some key things to consider when betting on harness racing and describe how you can use clever wagering strategies. Then, when you see those shiny horses and drivers next time going full speed around the track, secure in your knowledge of how to bet on harness racing even rooting a few into victory lane as well.
