| Do you like to have the odds of winning in your | | | | than 35% of the time. |
| favor when you bet on horse races? If you said no, | | | | If you want to have a better chance of winning, find |
| then there is probably something with you, perhaps | | | | out what the percentages are at your favorite track. |
| you like to lose, or maybe you just don't understand | | | | There are too many tracks to list here and too many |
| the question. It is so obvious, it does seem like a | | | | types of races. But there are statistics available online |
| trick question. But if you are betting on horse races | | | | and through the providers of programs. Chances are, |
| trying to make a profit, then you probably do want | | | | if you buy a program at your local track, it will have |
| to have the odds in your favor. | | | | some of that information available. |
| So the next obvious question is, what are the odds? | | | | Another way to learn what is winning at your track is |
| I mean the percentages of winning when betting on | | | | by following the races yourself. Some track's charts |
| horse races. Simply put, how likely you are to win | | | | are published in a local newspaper so you can easily |
| whenever you make a bet. Do you know what the | | | | have a hard copy of the odds of each winner and |
| percentages of winning when betting on the | | | | also the conditions of the race, for instance, claiming |
| favorite? many people know that the favorite wins | | | | for 3 YO Fillies, or Allowance for Horses, Colts, |
| about one third of the time, but how about the | | | | Gelding, 3 YO and Up. |
| second favorite? | | | | Keep track of the statistics for each group and you'll |
| Just because favorites win about a third of the time, | | | | soon learn which races are the most formful and |
| it doesn't mean that is the situation at your favorite | | | | easiest to handicap. Then, use the stats to find the |
| track. That percentage varies from track to track, | | | | races where betting on the favorite is more |
| race type to race type, and season to season. At | | | | advantageous and where betting against the favorite |
| some race tracks, favorites win less than 30% of | | | | makes more sense. |
| the time. In some types of races, favorites win more | | | | |