Last Updated on May 15, 2023 by Terry Lynch
Talking about Ireland and not including the nation’s love for horse racing is an incomplete story, as the sport is as old as the country itself. And with this love for horse riding comes betting.
Gambling has been a part of Ireland’s culture since as early as 110 BC, and this continues in modern times, and the most prominent form is horse betting. The only difference now is that betting has grown past being a pastime activity for its participants. As minute as it might seem, gambling on sporting activities is a major part of Irish entertainment and traditions.
Horse betting is a pretty big deal; hence it is important to be aware of all the necessary information about the sport. New to horse betting? This is your chance to become an experienced horse racing gambler. However, if you are experienced in the field, this article has just what you need to step up your horse betting game.
The History of Irish Horse Racing Betting
Let’s start with the historical background. The Irish, right from the beginning of time, have been known to be great sports enthusiasts; and along with sporting activities, they also love gambling. It didn’t take long for them to merge these two activities and begin a tradition that has lasted for centuries.
It started with horse racing in the 16th and 17th centuries, then known as match races, organised for noblemen to race against each other. The winner of the race earned himself the bragging rights of being the fastest horse rider.
As time went on, these matches became more organised as the participants and spectators were always eager to see who the next victor amongst the riders would be. Then came an upgrade of the sport from the monarchy – King Charles II (The Merrie Monarch), who, in addition to sponsoring the events, also introduced the King’s Plate races. This race involved grand competitions, and afterwards, the emerging winning horse became something of a hot cake in the breeding market.
As the sport grew, the need for a regulatory body arose. This need was finally met in the 18th century with the creation of the Society of Sportsmen at the Rose and Bottle Inn in Dublin. This body underwent restructuring and announced a change of name from the Irish Jockey Club, which it had adopted some years after the body was first formed, to the Turf Club in 1784.
The regulatory body of horse racing is now known as the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. The Irish love for this tradition is yet to die as they continue to race, even on a global level.
The Best Horse Racing Betting Sites Ireland Have to Offer
There are many bookmakers offering horse racing betting sites in the country. However, the best bet for any punter, especially a beginner, is to look for the best. Here is a list of the top websites to help with your selection.
- Boylesports
- Bet365
- Betvictor
- Ladbrokes
- Ireland Best Casinos
- Betway
- Coral
- Tote
- Betfair
- Live Score Bet
What Irish Horse Racing Betting Entails
Horse racing is a huge sport in Ireland, and along with it comes betting. Spectators have long found it exciting to predict the winning horse and make money while doing it. However, it is not a straightforward feat; choosing the horses doesn’t make them the winners. As a mere spectator or a punter actively placing a bet, you need to understand how horse racing works and how you can best use the information you’ve learned.
Horse Racing Betting Ireland: Cards
Theatre performances have programme cards or pamphlets, and similarly, horse racing has horse racing cards. This card gives you a preview of the event; the horses running, their weight, their records, and everything you need to know about the horse. However, this is not the only function the racing cards have.
The sole purpose of the race cards is to help customers pick their runners based on the statistics of past performances. The card contains these details in the form section next to the horse’s name.
The form, otherwise known as the current performance section, is the most important part of the racing card. Here you will find all the information in numbers and letters needed to choose a runner at your discretion. Be sure to choose your runners from among the horses that have form, as the ones that don’t are either the younger horses or ones that have no prior experience on the field.
There are certain letters to look out for in the form and the horses’ finishing numbers. The letter C means that the horse has previously won a race at the course. D means the horse has won over the same distance as the current race. BF means the horse is a beaten favourite.
The Irish Horse Racing Betting Market
Every sport has its market, the people it targets, and the people it hopes to reach. As a punter, you must understand this to place the most appropriate bets. There are two main categories of this market available, and they cut across a majority of the types of horse racing betting Ireland is famous for:
The System Bets Market
This betting market involves effective strategic planning using several wagers. A good percentage of these system bets require high stakes and can be very intimidating for new punters. Hence, they shouldn’t get into this system without proper knowledge and planning.
However, the system has its soft points that are easily accessible when the concept is broken down and time is taken to properly understand what it is all about.
The Straight Bet Market
The straight bet market is far less complicated than the systems bet market. It is the ideal environment for any horse racing beginner to gain the necessary experience. The terminologies here are pretty simple. Here are a few examples;
- Place – in bets like these, you win if your runner comes in first or second place.
- Show – this means the same thing as place, only that in the show, your chosen horse is allowed to come in third, and you still have a win.
- To Win – this is exactly what it is; if your chosen horse wins, you win.
- Each-Way – this holds a slight difference to the place bet, but it is the same concept, only that here you have to place two wagers. On these wagers, one is to win and the other to place. The best part is that these bets have different payouts for whatever results emerge.
Types of Irish Horse Racing Betting
There are so many types of Irish horse racing betting that sometimes it can get quite overwhelming. We understand this pain, and we have put together a short list to help you make the most of the betting options and your bets by showing you the ropes around the types of horse racing betting.
- Single
- Double
- Treble
- Accumulator
- Trixie
- Patent
- Yankee
- Lucky fifteen
- Canadian
- Lucky 31
- Heinz
- Lucky 63
- Super Heinz
- Goliath
- Alphabet
- Flag
- Super flag
Rules to Keep in Mind When Horse Racing Betting Ireland
Bets will be void if the following happens:
- The race is declared void
- The race is abandoned
- The race is moved to a different venue
- There are no finishers
- The race distance was changed from the initially advertised race distance
- The horse is a non-runner
- The selection is balloted out
- The horse dies during the race, hence it is not for the selection to win at the time the bet was placed
FAQ
What Is the Easiest Bet to Win in Horse Racing?
What this means is that the punter has to pick the first two winning horses in their precise order. If you place a bet on two runners that turn out to be correct but in the wrong order, the bet becomes void and unredeemable.
However, there’s a safety net to this risk. The exacta bet box allows room for you to manage this by giving liberty to choose more horses that you think will come in first or second place. Either way, if your bet wins, as long as it is in the right order, you get paid.
The exacta allows you to bet on two first finishers in a race in exactly the right order. These bets are usually the easiest to make as they require a minimum of $1-$2 on the exacta horse race bets.
What Is the Best Bet to Place in Horse Racing?
This is especially good for the newbie punters that don’t have much experience in the sport and are not huge risk-takers. With the show bet, you have full risk coverage, but they usually have the lowest odds.
And because the earnings will be paid from the show betting pool, the payout on the first, second or third runner will be the same; the returns, however, are much lower.
As there is no big financial risk, with a show wager, you won’t make as much either. However, it is still the safer option since it offers the greatest chance of a win.
How to Bet on Horse Racing for Beginners
Mistakes will no doubt be made, and money will be lost because it will all be to fine-tune the necessary skills and sharp intuition. Hence, it is better to upscale your bets as you grow; this way, you will understand the principles of horse racing and make better predictions of the winning runner.
As time goes on, experience and confidence will grow, and delving into the bigger bets will be a step higher on your punter journey. But do not be in haste to make money quickly with horse racing without learning how it works. Always remember that betting is no doubt a game of chance, and you can have a chance in your favour by adequate planning and not irrational decisions.
What’s the Safest Bet in Horse Racing?
As the each-way single is two bets, one to win and one to place, this bet ensures that you are betting on one outcome rather than multiple outcomes like in the accumulator bets.
The advantage of getting a single bet is that it can be used on a favourite with low odds. And in the case of an accumulator bet, it presents a greater chance of scoring a win, though it might not always be favourable.
Author
Online Casino and Sportsbook expert with 18 years' experience. Shares information for online casino and sports betting players and all visitors to IrelandBestCasinos.com on the latest and best sportsbook and online casino news. A leading expert in the iGaming industry.
Location: Newbridge, Ireland
Interests: Poker, Sports Betting, Online Casino
