Harness Racing Bets - A Sure Thing

In the world of sports betting, a harness race may be the closest to a sure thing. While the odds may seem crazy at times, the reason for a sure thing is because of the gaits that the horses run. It isnâ??t the fastest horse that wins the race, but the strongest horse with the most stamina. The horses are hitched to two-wheeled racing carts called sulkies. There are two types of gaits; pacing and trotting. It is these gaits that force the horse to run at an even gait, instead of racing at breakneck speeds which will tire them out very quickly with the weight they are carrying. The jockey must constantly keep his horse under control so its natural instincts do not cause it to run wild. The other reason for such precise control is to keep the horse on the inside strait to reduce time, and also because the sulky can be easily tipped over at high speeds.

The two kinds of gaits; pacing and trotting are what mainly determine what kind of race you will see. A pacing gait is when the horse moves in a lateral two beat gait where the horse moves his legs in a right then left pattern, causing a slow, but evenly paced walk.

The trot is a much faster gait, usually getting up to speeds of five to ten miles per hour on average. In the case of the trot, it is a two beat diagonal gait of the horse where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. The leg motion is timed as right front forward, then left hind forward, then left front forward, and then right hind forward.

Betting on these races takes knowledge of the horseâ??s previous performance and some knowledge of its stats. With the knowledge of the horse you want to bet on and some knowledge of the competition, you can usually figure out who the winner is going to be. You also need to know what the length of the race is. In Australia the races are usually one to two miles, while in North America almost all races are one mile. In Australia they use the metric system; in America they use the Old English system. This doesnâ??t actually cause much of a difference in either country, since Australia converts the results in Old English for the sake of international stats.

Harness Racing Bets

Harness racing is a type of horse racing in which a horse runs with a simple two wheeled cart attached. The rider uses the cat instead of sitting directly on the horse. Harness racing is a common sport found in Australia and it is popular to bet on. Harness racing bets can come in several different forms.

The types of Harness Racing Bets

Like traditional horse racing, harness racing bets can come in a large number of different fashions. The style picked when making harness racing bets affects the persons odds of winning and the amount of payout they will receive if they do win. Some of the most common types include the following:

1. Straight Bet: The straight bet is the most common and type of bet. It is also considered the simplest type of bet. In this type of bet a person picks the horse they expect to win and place money on it. If they win their payout is based on how much money they bet with and the odds that were placed on the horse at the beginning of the race.

2. Place: If a person uses this type of bet they stand to win even if the horse comes in second. Using a place bet is a safer method for betting but it reduces the payout.

3. Show: Harness racing bets made using the show method allows the person to win if the horse comes in first, second or third. Like Place betting it increases the odds of winning but at the cost of reducing the payout.

4. Pick 3: In the pick 3 style of betting a player picks three horses for each of the next three races. If they succeed they win. This style of betting is one of the riskiest styles of betting but also offers one of the highest payouts for success.

5. Pick 6: Pick 6 is almost identical to pick 6 but in this style the player must select the winners for the next 6 consecutive races. This is also an extremely high risk style of betting.

6. Superfecta: The superfect style of harness racing bets involves the player picking the four horses and exactly what order they will come in. It does not require the player to pick the first, second, third or fourth spot. This is often considered to be the highest risk style of betting but it has a high payout.

Harness racing has been an integral part of American history from time immemorial. There are tracks which specialize in harness racing, which were opened for the first time in the mid-1800s. Although harness racing events were held as early as 1825 at various county fairs and events all over the country, it is only in the mid 1800s that it began to enjoy the status of a real sport. It didnâ??t take long for the public to wake up to the wonder of harness racing. By the late 1800s, this form of racing had become one of the most well acclaimed forms of horse racing in the country. Today, harness racing is found flourishing in county fairs as well at race tracks all around the United States. It has a large fan following in countries like Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.

There is a single breed of horses called Standardbred, which are the only variety of horses which can be used for the purpose of harness racing. Most of the Standardbreds are brown or bay, but they also come in black, gray, chestnut and roan shades. Standardbreds are majestic creatures, with a great temperament. It needs to be understood here that the horses trained for harness racing are pretty different from the ones which participate in derbies. These horses are more apt for trotting and pacing than galloping. But do not underestimate their capability because of the lack of speed in the sport. These horses need to be intelligent and very tactful in the races, because even the slightest margin of error might lead to a disastrous result at the tracks.

Because of the multifaceted aspect of harness racing, it enjoys an appeal which can be appreciated by the masses. Along with racing, the harness race tracks have also become hubs of sports betting, where millions of harness racing fans pour in, to support their favorite steeds.
There are several races that harness racing fans look forward to every year with great anticipation. Of these, The Hambletonian is the most famous harness race. It is named after the foundation sire of the Standardbred breed, and this race for trotters is held on the first Saturday of August every year. It is an event which is awaited with great anticipation, and lots of money is spent in arranging for this event each year. The competition is one of the best platforms this sport can ever have in order to showcase its merits.