Understanding The Post Time Favorite and How to Bet in Horse Racing

When you are wagering money to bet on horse racing and you put your money on the favorite, it is important to understand, what are your chances of winning? And how often will the favorite win?

It has been seen when individuals bet on horse racing, that people often over-bet on long shots while they under-bet on favorites. One reason for this anomaly is the tendency of bettors to put their money on horses that are non favorites, so that they can recoup their earlier losses from bets in horse racing. Research has shown that favorites have relatively better chances of winning when it is the last race in the day.

There are many ways a horse can lose, but the hard part is getting the horse to the race day in perfect health. Take the example of last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, I'll Have Another. Many horse racing lovers were shocked to hear that one day before the Belmont Stakes, the horse had developed tendonitis. This ended his Triple Crown chances, and the thoroughbred had to eventually retire from racing entirely.

Let's face it, the favorite will not win the race most of the time. In fact, it has been said that favorites win only one race in three. Therefore, most bettors are their own enemies when it comes to placing a bet for horse racing. They will bet on the wrong horse in the wrong race. When placing a bet in horse racing, you need to be more flexible in your outlook and not just focus on traditional handicapping methods. Here your knowledge will give you an advantage. Racing involves different elements and you will often need to specialize.

If you like to bet on horse racing, our horse racing picks package can tell you which horses we expect to have the highest chances of winning. You can buy these packages online through our website. Or if you would like to learn more about understanding the post time favorite and how this affects betting on horse racing, buy our e-book.

How Can the Favorite Lose in Horse Racing?

When it comes to placing a bet, horse racing enthusiasts must know that horses have a form cycle and this is connected to their fitness. A horse's form will peak over time, and it doesn't matter what class it is running in.

Handicappers reassess a horse every time it races. Look at the horse's number for the last few races. If you want your horse to win when placing a bet in horse racing, it may have to improve on its last time, when it may have already peaked. But you should also know that a horse's old form should not be taken for granted. If a horse hasn't raced for over 28 days, you will have to re-access its condition. You will likely want to stay away from placing a bet on that horse, even it’s the favorite coming into a race, unless it has displayed that it is capable of performing even after the break.

Another factor to consider is that sometimes a favorite may not have been given adequate rest after its last race and it may bounce back into the pack in its next race.

More Horse Racing Scenarios Where the Favorite Might Lose

When there is too much competition in the race, the chances of the favorite winning decrease further. Some horses may be matched evenly when it comes to ratings and form. The course may be highly testing and the race conditions may not suit all the horses. Therefore, favorites don’t win these races many times. Many handicappers and bettors disregard this fact when placing a bet for horse racing and so even before they place their bets, the odds are against them.

Those interested in betting on horse racing, should know that in thoroughbred stake races, the favorite's chances of winning are about 33%, while that of the second favorite is 20%. The third favorite will win about 14% of the time.

Learn More About Placing a Bet on Horse Racing when Considering the Post Time Favorite

If you want to know more about placing a bet in horse racing while considering the post time favorite or you are interested simply in learning more information about how to bet horse racing contact our horse racing experts or purchase our e-book.