HORSE RACING SPREAD BETTING EXPLAINED
Winning Distances
This market, as the name suggests, is our prediction on the total of what the winning margins of each race will be at a meeting. The maximum winning distance for a Flat Race is 12 lengths while a National Hunt Race is 30 lengths. This also applies should only one horse complete the race. Distances under a length are recorded as follows:
Short Head = 0.1 of a length
Head = 0.2 of a length
Neck = 0.3 of a length
Half a length = 0.5 of a length
¾ of a length = 0.75 of a length
Example:
At a jumps meeting at Aintree, we might price total winning distances at 64 - 69. As it had been raining non-stop for the previous two days, you might decide to place your spread bet high at 69 for £2 per length (heavy ground can lead to big winning distances).
In the end the winning distances resulted in 78 lengths.
Had you gone high at 69 you would have won 9 times your stake.
(69 – 78) x your stake = 9 x £2 = £18
If winning distances had resulted in 52 lengths, the same horse racing spread bet would have lost you 17 times your stake.
(69 – 52) x your stake = 17 x £2 = £34
Individual Race Index
This spread betting market is about the performance of horses in individual races, awarding points according to where they finish. The points structure varies according to how many runners there are in a race. For races with up to 12 runners the points may be as follows:
1st = 50points
2nd = 25points
3rd = 10points
Any other place = 0 points
Races with over 12 runners taking part could be:
1st = 50 points
2nd = 30 points
3rd = 20 points
4th = 10 points
Any other place = 0 points
This market gives the spread betting enthusiast the opportunity to back or oppose a horse, something which a traditional fixed odd betting market does not offer.
Example:
In the 2004 Derby we priced North Light at 9 - 12 points reflecting our belief that he might finish in the frame. If you fancied him to do well, you might bet high at 12 for £2.
He went on to win the race and therefore was allotted 50 points.
Had you gone high at 12 you would have won 38 times your stake.
(50 – 12) x your stake = 38 x £2 = £76
If North Light had not finished in the frame he would have been awarded 0 points so the same bet would have lost you 12 times your stake.
(12 – 0) x your stake = 12 x £2 = -£24
Match Bets
We pick two horses in a race and predict what the distance between them will be when they cross the line. All you need to do is place your online spread bet. The maximum distances for the purpose of these bets will be 12 lengths in a Flat race and 15 lengths in a National Hunt race.
Example:
In the 2004 Oaks, we pitted Ouija Board against Sundrop in a match bet. We made Ouija Board favourite to finish ahead of Sundrop by between 0 - 1 length.
If you thought Ouija Board was a far classier filly you might have gone high on Ouija Board over Sundrop at 1 length for £5 per length.
In the end Sundrop trailed in 12 lengths behind.
Had you gone high on Ouija Board at 1 length, then that horse racing spread bet would have paid off to the tune of 11 times your stake.
(12 – 1) x your stake =11 x £5 = £55
If, however, Sundrop had finished 5 lengths ahead, the same bet would have lost you 6 times your stake (5 lengths plus the 1 length you bought at).
(5 – -1) x your stake = 6 x £5 = -£30
NB: It does not matter where the horses finish in the context of the race; it is the distance between them that counts.
Favourites Index
Have the horse racing betting experts got it right? How will the favourites perform in each race at a particular meeting?
A favourite is awarded 25 points for winning, 10 points for finishing second, 5 points for third and 0 points for any other place.
In the event of a race starting with joint favourites, we take the favourite as being the horse with the lower race card number.
Example:
At an Ascot jumps meeting, our favourites prediction might be 56 - 60 points.
If you had a good look at the form and decided that the favourites should perform better than we predicted you might bet high (buy) at 60 for £2. In the end two of the favourites won, two came second while one ran on into third. On the basis of our scoring system, the result (make up) was 75.
Had you gone high at 60 you would have won 15 times your stake.
(75 - 60) x your stake = 15 x £2 = £30
If the favourites index had resulted in only 50 points, the same bet would have lost you 10 times your stake.
(60 – 50) x your stake = 10 x £2 = -£20
Racing Post Favourites Index
This is based on the same principle as the Favourites Index but the favourites are those printed first in the betting section below each race card in the Racing Post.
Again these horses are awarded points as follows: 1st=25points, 2nd=10pts, 3rd=5pts, any other place=0pts. If there are joint favourites the first named horse in the Racing Post will be deemed to be the favourite.
Example:
In a race meeting at Lingfield, our opening prediction for Racing Post Favourites might be 66 - 70.
If you studied the Racing Post and believed their favourites were better than we thought you would bet high (buy) at 70 for £2. In the end two of the Racing Post favourites won, but none of the others were even in the frame. On the basis of our scoring system, the result was 50.
Had you gone high at 70 you would have lost 20 times your stake.
(70 – 50) x your stake = 20 x £2 = -£40
If the Racing Post favourites index had resulted in 85 points, the same bet would have won you 15 times your stake:
(85 – 70) x your stake = 15 x £2 = £30
Jockey Index
In each race meeting we will offer spread betting markets on how we think an individual jockey will perform. This is similar to the favourites and heavyweights markets with 25 points awarded for a winning ride, 10pts for second, 5 points for third and 0 points for any other place. If for any reason the jockey on whom the bet was made does not ride his intended mount in a race, but the horse still runs, then the horse still counts as if it had been ridden by the “named” jockey.
Example:
At a meeting at Epsom, Jamie Spencer has six rides. We might predict that he would score between 41 - 44 points (based on the scoring system above).
If you viewed his rides as particularly strong and believed he might have two winners with a good chance of others finishing in the frame you would bet high at 44 for £2 per point.
1st Race = Unplaced (0 pts)
2nd Race = Unplaced (0 pts)
3rd Race = 3rd (5pts)
4th Race = 1st (25pts)
5th Race = Unplaced (0 pts)
6th Race = 1st (25pts)
Total result = 55
Had you gone high at 44 you would have won 11 times your stake.
(55 – 44) x your stake =11 x £2 = £22
If Jamie Spencer had only managed one winner all day, his result would be 25 points which, with the same bet, would have lost you 19 times you stake.
(44 – 25) x your stake = 19 x £2 = -£38
Section 10: Cricket Spread Betting
