Major Horse Racing Events in 2020

With the sporting nemesis that is Covid still lurking, the racing calendar has been reduced, but there is still plenty of exciting action to get stuck into before the end of the year.

The top flat horses in Europe go head to head in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris at the start of October, with superstar Enable aiming to land the big one for a record-breaking third time.

October also sees the stars of the National Hunt season returning from their summer holidays, with all roads leading to the Cheltenham Festival in March. 

Come November, all eyes will be stateside as the Breeders Cup kicks off in Keeneland, Kentucky.

The best of the Yanks take on the best of Europe in a two-day meeting that is not to be missed.

Horse Racing Odds – What to Bet on

Horse racing and betting go together like steak and chips and there is no end to the betting opportunities that racing offers. 

Whether online, in the bookies or on course, there’s a ton of betting markets to fire into as you look to snag a big win.

Read on to get a handy breakdown of the most popular horse racing bets and hopefully we can guide you to a juicy winner or two.

Race Odds

Bookies offer prices for every single race in the UK and Ireland, every day of the week, plus action from the US, France, South Africa and Australia.

Most punters will have a bet before the race but you can also have a punt in-running if something catches your eye once the race has started and the action unfolds.

Win Betting

Horse racing betting in its simplest form – you’re placing a bet on a specific horse to win the race.

If the horse does the business, you’re a winner but if it doesn’t win, it’s time to come up with another plan.

If your horse is placed, the win part is beat but you’ll be paid on the place bet.

If your horse wins, you’re paid out on the win AND the place – job’s a good’un.

Keep a lookout though, some bookmakers offer extra places, so it’s well worth shopping about if you’re having an each-way bet.

Acca Betting

Just like footy, Accas are a super popular bet on horse racing, especially when you fancy the favourites.

This bet’s a multiple, so every horse has to win for it to land and if your luck is in, you can net a sexy return for a small outlay.

For many, a Saturday afternoon Acca on the racing is standard – get the bet on, sit back and watch the racing over a couple of pints down the pub.

Multiples Betting – Lucky/Yankee

Lucky 15s and Yankees might look complicated but you can bag a tasty payout for small stakes.

A Lucky 15 needs four selections and the clue’s in the name, it’s 15 bets – 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and an acca.

One winner will get some cash back in your pocket but any more and you could be buying the next round…or five.

Like a Lucky 15, a Yankee needs four selections but it’s only 11 bets – 6 doubles, 4 trebles and an acca.

Two winners will see you collecting but three or four winners can see a big payout – kerching.

Ante Post Betting

Ante post betting is having a bet on a horse weeks or even months before a specific race.

Many punters look to back horses for a big meeting well before race day in the hope they can nab some extra value at a big price. 

If your horse is in-form, its price can shorten as race day approaches – on the flip side though, if your pick shows poor form and doesn’t make it to the big race, your bet’s a loser.

Live Betting on Horse Racing

Live betting on horse racing has exploded in recent years – all the main bookmakers plus the betting exchanges (such as Betfair) now offer in-running opportunities.

You might be watching a race and think a horse is running well – add it your slip and get that bet on, but be quick before the odds shorten.

Odds Boosts

Horse racing is the beating heart of UK betting – the bookies are queuing up every day to offer you some tasty Odds Boosts on the action.

Make sure you check out our Odds Boost page, where we do the hard work for you by flagging the best Odds Boosts, seven days a week.