How to Play Horse Racing

Going to the racetrack for a day of horse racing can turn into a profitable experience if you can learn how to handicap the horses. Handicapping is the process of studying the horses in a particular race to see if you can identify the winner. Handicapping goes beyond picking a horse because you like the name or the color of the jockey's silks. Handicapping is a skill that can make you a lot of money if you are good at it.

Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a handicapping sheet. You will need to buy a program that has the past performances of all the horses. The most influential handicapping program is produced by the Daily Racing Form. The Daily Racing Form has been in existence since 1894. It is sold at all racetracks and can also be downloaded from their website.

    • 2

      Study the career records for the horses. Your handicapping program will give the career records for the horses in each race. A horse who has proven to be capable of winning on a regular basis would be a better bet than a horse who rarely wins.

    • 3

      Check the speed figures. Look at the previous race times for each horse. A good bet is a horse who is consistently fast, or one who improves each time out.

    • 4

      Look at the horse's recent races. Try to spot a horse who finished in the top four of his or her last three races, rather than one who has consistently been near the back of the pack. Your handicapping sheet will also show what type of trip the horse had around the track. For example, if the horse stumbled out of the gate, or was bumped by another horse at the top of the stretch, this would excuse a poor race.

    • 5

      Place your bet. You can place a Win, Place, or Show bet. A Win bet means your horse must win, a Place bet means your horse can finish first or second, and a Show bet means your horse can finish first, second, or third. There is a $2.00 minimum bet at most racetracks. Good luck!