How to Make an Odds Line in Horse Racing

The morning line can be a useful tool for a bettor at the race track. This line is created by the track's handicapper, usually an employee of the track who works with the horseman, such as a groom. The handicapper looks over the horses entered in each particular race and sets the initial odds based on how that person believes that the betting public will bet on the race. The horses that he believes the bettors think will win get lower odds while horses he feels won't get much money bet on them are set as long shots. Learning to set odds lines in horse racing is not a scientific method but does require knowledge of the track, the past performances of the horses and their heritage.

Things You'll Need

  • Entry list
  • Past performance list
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Instructions

    • 1

      Review the entries for a particular race. Use past performance information that can be obtained from a newsstand or online. Maintain a file of each horse so that you can quickly refer to that horse when it is entered in a race. Look for bloodline (mare and stallion and their parents) and what type of racing the horse typically does (sprint or distance),

    • 2

      Review the past results of both the horse's trainer and jockey. See how the jockey has performed in the past during the current meet or, if the meet is just beginning, how he did at his previous track. Follow the same procedure for the trainer. Take into special account how the trainer and jockey have done together on different mounts as well as how each has done with this particular horse, if applicable.

    • 3

      Take the track itself into account. Determine if the track has a bias (horses running better in certain parts of the track, such as by the rail). Check to see what the weather has been like of late and what the forecast is for that day's racing. For example, if the area has been getting a lot of rain and it doesn't take much to change the track from firm to muddy, you would check the entry list to see if any of the horses are known to be "mudders," which would make them better choices in the bettor's estimation.

    • 4

      Check the track's recent handle take in relationship to the type of race that is being run. Stakes races (higher class of horses) tend to get bet higher than claiming (horses that can be purchased during the race) or maiden (non-winning horses) races. More money is bet on the weekend than during the week.

    • 5

      Determine a predicted order of finish for the race. Take the amount of money anticipated to be bet into account when setting the odds. Horses that are expected to finish in the top three should have lower odds than the other horses. Set the odds lowest for the horse that is expected to win. Set the expected place finisher with the second-best odds and so on through the field.