1. The pictures on digital TV channels are delayed and anybody at the race course, or with a friend at the race course, will have an advantage over you. Always be aware of this and avoid betting a horse just before it jumps a fence!
2. If the racing is on terrestrial TV IE Channel 4 or the BBC, then make sure you are watching via your aerial and not your satellite or cable box. Otherwise you will be seconds behind the rest of the traders.
3. Although the experts on TV can remember all the colours in a race they have years of practice behind them as well as support staff and a computer feeding them data. Start out by focusing on just one runner in each race. Decide who you think will win before hand and follow the progress of that horse. Bet if your horse is still in with a chance in the closing stages of the race.
4. Be aware that lots of traders close out their positions in running. If a big player has backed a horse at 4.0 and it is now trading at say 1.3 why would he wait for the result. If he has bet £1,000 at 4.0 his bet is a risk of £1,000 to win £3,000. If he lays the 1.3 for £1,000 his resulting bet is a risk of £0 to win £2,700. Which would you prefer? This is why when a horse gets to a very small price you will see it blip to a larger price. When the big trader tries to lay his £1,000. He won’t get it all at 1.3 so he has to type in a larger price to scoop up all available back money.
5. Think about using a similar strategy to item 4 yourself. IE make selections before hand that you think will run prominently and go on to win, then lay them off and lock in profit. A lot of horses trade at below 2.0 and go onto lose. Some trade at 1.01 and lose.
