How to Bet on Horse Racing in India
- Find a betting site that offers horse racing – To engage in online horse race betting, the first step is to locate a betting site that offers the market. This involves knowing the top reputable operator sites that you can sign up with. You can find such sites in the toplist above.
- Register and claim bonus – Most top online betting sites offer welcome bonuses on sign up. All you need to do is sign up and register with your identification details. You then must make your first deposit to claim your bonus.
- Click in on “sports” and choose “horse racing” – Once your betting account is live and funded, simply locate your desired market which in this case is horse betting. Most betting sites have a search bar where you can search for your market.
- Place your bet – The next important step is to choose your wager amount. I for one don’t like exposing my whole bankroll and it is advisable you don’t as well. After choosing your bet amount, click on the bet button to successfully place your bet.
- Wait for outcome – This next step is the waiting game. At this point there’s really nothing much you can do rather than just wait for the outcome. The outcome will have a higher percentage of being favorable if you properly do your research before placing your bet.
Popular Horse Racing Events in India
Just like most racing sports, horse racing boasts several events for your viewing and punting pleasure. All year round, there is never a shortage of racing excitement, from the popular Indian derby to the beloved guineas. Below, we will discuss the most popular racing events in India.
Indian Derby
Coming first on the list has got to be the Indian derby. This is the biggest racing event in India for four-year-old ponies and fillies. The Indian derby is held in February, precisely on the first Sunday of the month. If you are a horse racing lover, the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai is where you want to be.
The Mahalaxmi Racecourse is 2400 metres round with a capacity of over 5500 attendees. The Indian derby lowest wager starts at 10 rupees.
The prize pool could go as high as 30 million Indian Rupee. To be a winner, you can place your bet with one of the reputable sites like Betway.
Bangalore Derby
Another racing event sitting pretty on this list is the Bangalore derby. This event is held at the Bangalore racecourse on the second Sunday of July, every year. The horses allowed in the race are usually Indian horses of 4 years old or more.
The Bangalore racecourse is built with a round track of 1950 meters in length. Spectators usually are around 1500 and even more at times. This racing event has a prize pool of 10 million rupee.
You can place your bets on Bangalore Derby with RaceBets.
Indian St. Leger
Another event held in Pune is the ST Leger racing event. This usually holds on Sundays in September. The race length for grade 1 St. Leger races is 2800 meters long.
This race event has a prize pool of ten million rupees. Bet365 offers wagers on this event.
Indian 1000 Guineas
The India 1000 Guineas is another event worth mentioning. This racing event is held on a Sunday in December. According to rules, 3-year-old fillies alone are permitted in the race and it’s never a dull moment.
The 2400 meters Mahalaxmi Racecourse hosts this prestigious event, with the race length spanning 1600 meters.
The prize pool for this event could go as high as 44 million rupees. Betway offers great odds on this event.
Indian 2000 Guineas
This is like the English 2000 Guineas race. This 1600-meter-long race comes up on a Saturday or Sunday in December. The Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai is where you want to be to enjoy this event.
The prize pool for this event is 46 Million Rupees, and you can also wager on Betway.
Best Tracks to Bet on Horse Racing in India
The beauty of horse racing betting won’t be complete without a complementing racetrack. In this section we examine the best racetracks India has to offer for the enjoyment of the sport.
Hyderabad Race Club
The Hyderabad Race Club operates one of the most prestigious racecourses in India which was built in 1968. This racetrack is equipped with two racetracks, the 2250 meters sand monsoon track and 2150 meters tarn bark winter track.
This track has hosted famous races including the Deccan Derby and the Nizam’s Gold Cup.
Bangalore Turf Club
This racecourse was founded in 1928. It boasts a 1950 meters long round track with four curves. This 1500 capacity racecourse plays host to the Bangalore Derby event every July.
Mysore Turf Club
This 2000-meter-long racecourse plays host to numerous races from August through October. Known for its exclusivity, it was built in 1920. The Mysore turf club plays hosts to Mysore race events.
Royal Western Indian Turf Club
The Royal Western Turf Club was founded in 1800. They are known to host the prestigious Mahalaxmi racecourse.
The Pune Racecourse
The Pune racecourse is a 3200-meter round turf track built in 1830. A lot of racing events like the Pune derby and Independence cup are held here from July to October.
Biggest Horse Racing Events in the World
All around the world, horse racing is loved among millions. This has given rise to a lot of big and glamourous racing events. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest events around the world.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky derby is held on the first Saturday in the month of May in Kentucky, USA. The Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville hosts this 2,000-meter race which has a prize pool of $3,000,000.
This is arguably the biggest and most famous horse racing event in the world. As a horse racing fan, this should top your wishlist of lifetime experience.
Dubai World Cup
The Dubai world cup is another famous racing event held on the last Saturday of the month of March. This 2000-meter race is hosted by Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, UAE.
The Dubai world cup boasts a prize pool of $12,000,000. I call this the pride of the middle east.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Back in France, we have one of the most famous European horse races. The Prix de l’Arc de triomphe comes alive on the first Sunday in October at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.
This 2400-meter-long race has a whooping $5,600,000 in prize money.
Breeder’s Cup Classic
The Breeders cup classic plays host to different racecourse all over America and Canada each year. This 2000-meter race with a prize value of $6,000,000 comes up in November, precisely on the first Saturday.
This race is unique in that there is no fixed venue for it, it practically tours North America.
Sheema Classic
The last but not the least is the Sheema Classic, held in Dubai, UAE. The Meydan Racecourse welcomes as much as 80,000 horse racing lovers on the last Saturday in March.
The 2400-meter-long race has a prize value of $6,000,000.
Horse Racing Betting Strategies
Horse racing betting is quite technical but easy to achieve. Experienced gamblers know that some strategies are needed to give you that edge. Here are some strategies you can use:
The Points Horse Racing Betting Strategy
It’s true that numbers don’t lie, points strategy simply tries to score the horses previous performances using points. To use this you have to score the horse over its last 3 races. Use the following point system:
- If the horse has won a race: add 5 points
- If the horse has placed 2nd in a race: add 3 points
- If the horse has placed 3rd in a race: add 2 points
- If the horse has placed 4th in a race: add 1 point
- If the horse won placed over course: add 2 points
- If the horse won placed over distance: add 3 points
- If the horse won placed over distance and course: add 4 points
- If the horse has been a beaten favourite: add 2 points
The maximum score a horse can get is 24. Simply add the points and see what result you get.
Your money will naturally be wagered on the horse with the highest points. Trust me, this works.
Dutching Betting Strategy
If you want to minimize your risk to the barest minimum, the dutching is the way to go. This is quite tasking and involves a lot of calculations unlike the point system.
This strategyinvolves you betting on all the possible outcomes to make profit no matter how small. You are practically spreading your risk to minimize them.
A good search online will give you sites that offer calculators for this system. Although this system minimizes risk greatly, it’s not completely bullet proof. If a new underdog to the race wins the race, you stand a big chance of losing all your wagers. But you are rest assured that this will work 90% of the time.
Value Betting
Every good gambler should know how to find value on a bet before taking them. In horse racing, bet value can also be known. Sometimes, odds offered by bookmakers do not necessarily translate the value of the bet.
An underdog with a fantastic odd doesn’t necessarily mean it will be successful and therefore has low value.
Simply put, value betting involves you knowing when a given bet is undervalued by the bookie. Experienced gamblers take advantage of this oversight to cash in the odds. This involves quite some experience.
Horse Racing Betting for Beginners
Rules
In a horse race there are certain rules that guide the game. Below are some rules:
- Flat races (no hurdles) must start from the stalls.
- Jump races (with hurdles) must start from the stall gate. Sometimes, a flag can be used as a start signal.
- All Equestrians (horse riders) must ride their horses to the maximum to win the race. This reduces any possibilities of race fixing
- Riders must practice safe riding to avoid accidents during the race.
- All set courses must be adhered to and set hurdles (Jump race) jumped accordingly to finish the race.
- A race is only finished when the finish line is crossed.
- To complete the race, a rider must cross the finish line on his horse.
- Starting the race before the start signal is given results in false starts and the race is restarted
Indian Horse Racing Odds Explained
Reading horse racing odds is not rocket science, it’s so simple anyone could understand it. Odds generally are what determine the returns you will make on your staked wager if it’s successful. In horse racing betting, odds can either be fixed or tote. Below is an example of odds you will come across:
- Odds 8/2 implies for every 2 rupees invested; 8 rupees returns are expected. A bet of 2 rupees gives 10 rupees
- Odds 1/4: means For every 4 rupees you wager, you will get a payout of 1 rupee if you win.
In a fixed odds situation, your returns are guaranteed at a predetermined rate by the bookmaker.
For example, if you stake 10 rupees on a horse having 3/1 odds. It means that every rupee you stake will return 3 rupees if your wager is successful. So, your wager of 10 rupees will return 30 rupees if it’s successful.
Tote odds or pools betting is an automated form of pool betting where the odds vary. In this scenario, a group of people(pool) combine resources to wager on a race or horse. The wagers are totaled, and the returns are shared among the winners in the form of payments for their investments.
Tote odds varies with how many wagers are made and keep changing until the race is over.
Fixed odds and tote odds both have advantages and disadvantages. You just have to choose what’s best for you after weighing your options.
Betting Terms Explained
- Win – This a bet staked on a single horse to win a race. To get a payout, the horse wagered on must win the race
- Show – A show bet is a wager made on a horse to come either first, second, or third in a race
- Across the board – This is a bet format of combining a show bet, win bet and place bet on one bet ticket
- Forecast – This is betting on two horses to come 1st and 2nd in a specified order on one ticket
- Quinella – This is betting on two horses in a race to come 1st and 2nd in any order on a ticket
- Daily double – This is a multi-race wager bet in which the winner of two consecutive races are wagered on.
- Jackpot – This is a prediction of five different winners in five different races on one ticket. You get a consolation payout if only the first four predictions are correct.
- Super jackpot – This is a prediction of six different race winners in 6 races on one ticket. You get a consolation payout if only the first five winners are correct
- Tanala – This is a prediction of the first, second and third finisher in a single race. You get a consolation payout if positions of finish are switched by the second and third
- Trifecta – This is a pari-mutuel bet on the first, second and third finisher in a correct order for a race
- Super fecta – A complex selection of the win, place, show and fourth horse finisher in a race. You are wagering on the first four to finish the race in the correct order.
- Kenchi – This is a wager on a minimum of three races and a maximum of five on a ticket. A win in two of the races automatically gives a payout
- Jodi – This involves placing a win bet on two different horses in a single race. Either horses can give a payout
- Bar Bet – This is simply a bet on the favorite horse to lose the race
- Accumulator – This bet involves multiple selection of wagers on different horses in different races. All horses must win their selection before a payout can be possible
Betting Apps Where You Can Bet on Horse Racing
A good number of betting apps offer Indian horse racing markets. Most players use Bet365 for live betting and streaming of Indian horse races. Other reputable betting apps include Betway, 888Sports, RaceBets and Unibet.
Live Betting on Horse Racing
Live betting is betting while the action is unfolding. Also known as in-play betting, you get to place your bet while streaming the live race.
You must be quick with your selections as the race only lasts a few minutes. Most top-rated online casino in India offer this feature for Indian horse racing betting.
How To Live Stream Horse Racing on Betting Sites
Live streaming as the name suggests is watching the races live from the comfort of your smartphone or PC. For example, Bet365 has a live streaming option you can access once you have a funded account.
Once you have the casino app of your favorite bookmaker, you just need to click on the live streaming option. This is also accessible on your mobile devices as well as your personal computer.
FAQ
Is Betting on Horse Racing Legal in India?
Yes. Horse racing betting is considered a “game of skill” and not a “game of chance” according to Indian law.
What Is Horse Racing Betting?
Horse racing betting is wagering on the outcomes of a horse race event.
What Is the Best Site for Horse Racing Betting?
The best site for you depends on what you are looking for. It could be best odds, in-play betting etc. Betway and Bet365 and are considered some of the best in India.
What Betting Site in Indian Can I Watch Horse Racing Live?
A good number of betting sites offer this feature. Bet365 is a great option in this regard.
Where Do I Get The Best Horse Racing Odds?
Bookmakers generally have varying odds depending on the race events, you can compare odds to know which odds suits you.
Can I Deposit Rupees on Horse Betting Sites?
Yes. Almost all sites that offer Indian horse race market accept deposits in rupees.