The Safest Bet in Horse Racing Handicapping

Do you know what the safest bet in horse racing is? Maybe I should clarify what I mean by safe. When I write the safest bet, I mean a bet that has the highest expectancy of winning and the least of expectancy of diminishing your bankroll.

One doesn't necessarily equal the other and you will understand what I mean if you've been betting on horse races for a while. Just because you hit a winner quite frequently with a bet, it doesn't mean it won't diminish your bankroll and just because you have a bet that won't quickly diminish your bankroll doesn't mean you will cash on that bet frequently.

Some people may choose the show bet as the safest bet. The show bet, particularly on the favorite, is a bet with a pretty high rate of coming in, but there are all kinds of favorites. There are luke warm favorites at fairly high odds, like 5-2 or even 3-1. Those types hit the show payoff much less frequently than the 2-5 favorites.

Horses at extremely low odds, like 4-5 or less, often pay to show, but the payoff is often rock bottom because there is a negative pool. If you earn a nickel on a dollar with these types, you are lucky and then factor in the occasion horse that disappoints and you will soon be asking, "Where is the profit?"

Using Dr. Z's formulas, you may make a small profit on these types of high percentage bets, but you will have to risk a lot to get a little. I'm not knocking Dr. Z or his bets, he already proved they work, I'm just saying that you will have to make very large bets and risk a lot of money for a small return.

One of the problems with show betting is that breakage takes a piece of you three times. That's a heck of a price to pay. In the long run, taking a shot at win bets on those 2-5 runners may be the way to go, but statistically, you will still be a loser in the long run.

So where is a safe bet? There is no truly "safe" bet because placing wagers on horses is risky and that is why they call it gambling, however, there are safer bets. My favorite bet is to find a horse that has done what is being asked of it and is the only horse in the race who gets a check mark in each of the following criteria...

1. won at the distance before
2. won at this class level before
3. raced within 30 days and was within 2 lengths of the winner at the finish
4. won at this level and distance with this jockey and trainer
5. is racing against 3 year olds and up

This is an absolute gold mine of a bet. Doesn't come along that often, but when it does it is amazing how often the horse isn't a favorite.

For my money, it is the safest bet in horse racing and with all the tracks available through simulcasting, you should be able to find enough bets to make your days profitable.



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