For all of you horse racing fanatics out there, here’s some good news: The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that pari-mutuel wagering on horse races in the state is legal. This includes tracks such as Gulfstream Park, Calder, and Saratoga, as well as off-tracks such as satellite tracks like PGA National and the Trump National Dunes. The ruling brings joy to horse racing fans across the country and allows them to place wagers on their favored sports teams, even if they aren’t residing in Florida.
One subject that you’ll hear plenty about from now on are the supplemental betting options that will be available at your state’s horse racing tracks. For example, let’s say that you’re attending the Calder Race Track in Florida and have wagered $2 on the favorite horse, Charming Harry. If that horse wins, you’ll collect $4 on your wager. Now, let’s say that during the race, you spot an alternative horse that you’d like to bet on. In Florida, you have the option of placing a wager on that horse as well, known as a “supplemental wager.” What this means is that there will be more than one choice for you to place your wager on: either Charming Harry or the alternative horse.
This is how it works: If Charming Harry wins the race, you’ll collect $4. If the other horse wins, you’ll collect $2. So, although it’s unlikely, you could end up losing your $2 wager. However, you’ll still win $2 from the other horse, making the overall outcome positive for you.
The reason why this is called a supplemental bet is because it “supplements” your initial $2 bet on Charming Harry. In other words, if you’d like to bet more on the outcome of the race than what is allowed by law, you can always place a supplemental bet. This will not change the outcome of your initial wager; it will simply allow you to have more than one option for the winnings from the race.
Finding Out Which Additional Choices Are Available
To figure out which additional betting options are available at your state’s horse racing tracks, you’ll have to do some research. Fortunately, the folks at OddsShark.com have done much of the work for you and compiled a full list of the available choices for any given race, along with their odds. Just visit that website and enter your zip code to find out exactly what is available at the racetrack closest to you.
On the site, you’ll also find a complete list of all the major betting options at each track, as well as helpful charts that display the payout odds for each choice. This way, you can easily figure out which options are the best ones for you based on your personal preferences. Remember: the best odds are always available to you at the places that handle sports betting. In other words, the bigger the better!
Visit OddsShark.com to access their incredible database of odds, which includes all major racetracks across the country. In addition, you can sign up for their free newsletter to have their upcoming events and promotions delivered straight to your inbox.
More Than One Option Is Best
One of the most important things to consider about the supplemental betting options at your state’s horse racing track is how they work together. In most cases, these options will be placed in addition to your original wager and will not decrease your overall odds of winning. Hence, the more options you have, the better your chances of hitting the jackpot.
Here’s an example of how it works. Say that you’ve placed a $2 wager on Charming Harry at the Calder Race Track and that this horse comes in first. Your total winnings from the bet will be $4. Now, say that you’ve got a hunch that the next horse to cross the finish line will be Red Hot Roger. If that horse hits the wire in first, you’ll collect $2 from Charming Harry and win $2 from Roger. So, in this case, you’d end up with $6 in total winnings, which is a profit of $4.
The bottom line is this: Just because a horse has not turned in a winning performance yet, it does not mean that you should not bet on it. Sometimes, a horse will unexpectedly lose and you’ll end up collecting even more money than you wagered on. This is why it’s always a good idea to have multiple options available, so that you can choose the one that gives you the best odds of hitting the bonus ball.
Even in the instance that the horse you’re rooting for comes in last, you’ll still win if you follow the right procedures. For example, you’ll have to wait for the results to be posted before you can make a final determination of winnings. In many instances, tracks will allow you to lay off a portion of your winnings to be eligible for the bonus ball. This is called “half-pot betting” and is common practice at most tracks around the country. If you’re lucky enough to hit the bonus ball, you’ll win an additional amount based on the size of your initial wager. This way, you’ll always come out ahead in the long run.
Horse racing is a game that has been around for centuries and is extremely popular in countries such as Great Britain and Ireland. As more and more states allow for legal wagering on horse races, the options available for bettors will expand exponentially, allowing for more ways to win. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a sports enthusiast looking to place a wager on the next big event, you’ll have your pick of the litter when it comes to choosing the winning horse based on the results of the race.