Betting on a horse race in South Africa is a popular pastime of both serious punters as well as people who are more casual and just get involved on popular race days. There are a number of ways in which one can place a bet, ranging from actually going to the track to making use of an online betting site.
Track Days
Going to the race track is still a popular way to place a bet with a a large amount of the South Africa population. Especially well attended on famous races, tracks can offer a carnival like atmosphere with different food, drink and even high fashion. Wagering at the track allows you to get up and personal with the horses and the jockeys. The horses are paraded around a ring before running down to the line to begin the race. Looking at the horses close up can help to give you an idea on how they will run in the upcoming race.
Track days are often very full of people, however. It may involve standing in long queues to place a wager with a bookie. Bookies at the track may have different odds to online sites, so it worth shopping around to find the situation that suits you the best.
Online Betting
Placing a bet on a horse race can now be done online. Benefits of this are that you do not need to leave your home to place a bet. It can be done from the comfort of your favourite armchair or even at the pub with a group of friends. There are a large number of sites which offer betting on a horse race in South Africa. Different sites will also offer different odds on horses as well as races. Having a look at a number of sites before settling on particular one is a good idea.
To find a betting site for a horse race in South Africa, use your search engine on either a computer or a mobile device. Mobile betting can be done anywhere as long as you have a suitable internet connection. Many of the sites are optimised to runn specifically on a mobile device.
Know Your Statistics
Statistics on horses, trainers and jockeys are all available online. Many of the betting sites will have full race records including track conditions as well as distances. Knowing how each horse has performed in the past and over what kind of ground is a good way to predict how they may perform in the race you are placing a wager on. Detailed pedigrees are also available for those who know a bit about bloodlines and which ones have been successful in producing winners.
It is always worthwhile to do your research before going ahead and placing a wager on a race. Even if you are a rather casual bettor, who only places wagers on weekends or just for fun, knowing your horses and trainers is imperative to a successful wager. Going in blind may result in a less than ideal experience.