Weird and Amazing Facts about Horse Racing

Horse racing is a thrilling and fantastic game for many people. But as there is money involved, it becomes a great sport for betting enthusiasts. Getting to know the amazing facts about horse racing can make you peep into the all-new world of stallions. 

How it started and a few records?

For the successful horses, the owners would pledge their lives. Yes, they can earn more on stud than on the racecourse, and $100 million is involved in horse racing every year. It all started with the chariot races of Rome, and they are the organized form of horse races, from where today’s horse races are derived. These races trace back to 4500 BC in Central Asia. 

• To date, there is no record that a horse more than 18 years of age has won the race. 
• A racehorse on an average weighs 1000 pounds, and the recorded that is lowest for a jockey is 49 pounds. 
• The highest aged jockey was Levi Barlingume, who raced till 80 years of age, which was until 1932. 
• Humorist was the winner of the Epsom Derby in 1921 that ran with only one lung.

Big-hearted horses have more chance to win 

You will also be excited to know about the organs of the racing horses. Yes, only the horses with large hearts have a great chance to win, compared with the rest of those who have smaller or average-sized hearts. 

If you are one of the groups who thinks that horse racing is not very animal-friendly, and they have stopped putting money in it. You have options to participate in other sports or you can play casino games at Betfair to get the same thrilling experience. 

Slow or fast? 

If you are looking for something funny then here is some amusing fact for you. Time is significant when it comes to winning a race. In 1945, the recorded time for winning that is the slowest of all time was set. Never Mind II, the horse refused to move from a fence, and the jockey had no other go, but to abandon the horse. But, to his joy, all the runners of the race had either been disqualified or fallen. So, he rushed back to complete the 2-mile race in 11 minutes and 28 seconds. This means he would have been at leisure. 

Facts about different breeds

Most of the time, you will find that the thoroughbred horses are chosen for their speed, agility, and determination. They had Arabian ancestors and were produced in England. The Arabian racehorses that raced more than 1000 years ago are of just ½ the size of the thoroughbred horses. Compared with these, the quarter-bred horses that are specially bred for quarter-mile races are smaller and less muscular. For harness racing, the standardbred horses are used. They are best suited for trot than gallop racing. 

Dangers associated with horse racing

While it can be seen a great sport, no one can deny that many times horse racing involves the fatal end of the horses on the racecourse, with broken spines. Horses are also killed because of the use of drugs that are meant for improving speed but are illegal and restricted. Thousands of former racehorses end up at slaughter beds. Even younger horses say of ages 3 and 4 are made to risk their lives on tracks.

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given

**KNOW THE BEST HORSES IN TRAINING (BEFORE THEY RACE!)**

How Do You Win at Slots?

Ask a casino owner where they make most of their revenue and you will hear them say: ''Slots'' In fact, most casinos make about 70% of their money from those technological one-armed bandits. 

True the arm has gone to be replaced by a button but basically, punters can't get enough of online slots. 

Take a look at Casumo's welcome bonus to get 200% up to £50 + £20 free spins.  

For all you slot players out there, you may have one question to ask.

How do you win at slots?

What strategy should your everyday punter use?

Is it possible to make a living from playing slots? To be fair, I haven't met anyone who makes a living but that doesn't mean to say people don't make betting on slots pay. 

Take a look at these secrets:

1# Bankroll management

It's an old adage, but bet what you can afford to lose. If betting £100, then you are wise to bet at a lower level unless you really want to chance your luck with high-priced spins. Basically, bet to your budget.

2# Connect play lines to... costs 

Whether playing live or online, play lines matter. 

Take  a look at what this expert had to say on the subject: 

''A common mistake slots beginners make is to consider pay lines relevant only when it gets on how to build a winning spin and calculate a number of coins won, while where pay lines matter the most – again – is the calculation of your slot machine’s actual cost. 

True, if you sit at a 25 pay lines slot and you bet only on 5 of them you can simply forget to hit one of those absurdly large payouts and see a six-figures jackpot coming to fatten your bankroll.

But try not to forget our first slots tip, as betting on all the 25 lines of trying to hit the jackpot will cost you considerably more than just going for a handful of those aiming to a more modest win. So, once again, what does your balance say? Can you really afford all those bets at once? ''

3# Don't be a slot player stalker

This isn't going to happen in your living room. However, if you go to a brick-and-mortar casino you will notice a lot of gamblers are playing. Like they have some kind of formula which means they win while you are like some newbie finding your feet. 

In actual fact, they are looking for what they term ''hot'' or ''cold'' slots. The hot slots being ones that haven't paid pay for a considerable amount of time, while the cold being those which have given someone a bundle of love (cash). 

Here's the thing you need to know. 

It's a lie

Modern-day slots don't work like that. It's all very random. If they pay out big, it doesn't mean the next spin will not go one better.   

4# Go for the maximum bet 

When you have loaded your slot with money you have to make a choice: 

The amount of money you will play on each bet. 

The point being that betting £1 four times is the same as one £4 bet. Although costing the same in total, they have different consequences. 

Our expert quote: 

''That is because online slots generally offer identical payouts whether you bet 1, 2 or more coins – changing only the multiplier you will have to multiply your winning by. Bet one coin and you will multiply your winning by 1x; bet two coins and the multiplier will be 2x; three coins and you will go for 3x and so on.''

Good luck. 

How Gambling Killed Kenny Uston

Ken Uston was a professional gambler with a love of blackjack. Born in New York in 1935, his mother a native of Austria and his father a Japanese migrant businessman.

Uston went to Yale University at the age of 16, then studies an MBA at Harvard. He had varied jobs including Senior Vice President at the Pacific Stock Exchange. 

He enjoyed playing blackjack at weekends and read Thorp's Beat the Dealer becoming a genius card-counter. 

In 1983 Blackjack Forum interviewed Uston. He said he became fascinated by blackjack and its strategies after meeting professional gambler Al Francesco in a poker game. Francesco had launched the first ''big player'' type of blackjack card counting team and recruited Uston to be his main team player. A team of card counters would wait until a table became extremely positive and the ''big player'' would place big bets. Uston was promoted as the ''big player''. He later co-authored a book called The Big Player which effectively barred Fracesco's team from playing in Las Vegas. 

In 1978, Uston started his own profitable blackjack team. He was soon barred from casinos in Atlantic City. In 1979 he filed a lawsuit claiming casinos did not have the right to bar skilled players.

''In Uston v. Resorts International Hotel Inc., 445 A.2d 370 (N.J. 1982), the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that Atlantic City casinos did not have the authority to decide whether card counters could be barred absent a valid New Jersey Casino Commission regulation excluding card counters. To date, New Jersey casinos—by statute—are not allowed to bar them. In response to Uston's legal victory, Atlantic City casinos began adding decks, moving up shuffle points, and taking other measures to decrease a skilled player's potential advantage. ''      

Uston adopted a number of disguises to continue playing blackjack. He had an aggressive, flamboyant playing style. 

In an article in Blackjack Forum, Arnold Snyder describes playing with Ken Uston at Circus Circus Las Vegas near the end of Uston's life. He states that Uston was disguised as a worker from Hoover Dam and got away with spreading his bets from table minimum to table maximum on a single-deck game. Since this took place at a time when card counting was well understood by casino executives and managers, and since the primary clue by which casinos detect card counting is a card counter's "bet spread" pattern, most card counters would also consider Uston a genius of disguise, and/or "card counting camouflage".

Uston went on to write Million Dollar Blackjack detailing his winning techniques.

He was the subject of a 1981 segment on 60 Minutes, and in 2005, he was the subject of the History Channel documentary, "The Blackjack Man"

On the morning of September 19, 1987, Ken Uston, age 52, was found dead in his rented apartment in Paris. The cause of death was listed as heart failure.

How Do I Use Betfair While In The USA?

It's great to go on holiday. Even better the chance to visit West Palm Beach, Florida. All parts of the state are beautiful and there is plenty to see and do. 

But there's a problem. I love UK horse racing. In fact, it is my business to follow the Flat racing season. Also, I need to place bets on the betting exchange. I have a Betfair and Betdaq account. So what's the problem? Have you ever tried to access the betting exchanges while on holiday in the US? If you have, you will know what I'm talking about. 

Your access to the site will be blocked!

Annoying. You may question why this is the case. America has a very different view of gambling than other countries. To be fair each and every country has its own little ways. Many prohibit gambling full stop. The main problem with the US is that they are interested in looking after the bandwagon which is known as Las Vegas. No wonder the city in Nevada is synonymous with gambling. The Strip. The shows. The casinos. The lobbyists who are paid good money to make sure that potential wad of cash goes into the pockets of the few.

I think the only state in America where you can access Betfair is New Jersey. However, that's not much good if you are in Florida or any other state for that matter. 

So what do you do? 

You may have heard people using VPNs which help disguise where you are accessing the internet and website. However, this isn't legal and it has been known for Betfair to suspend people's accounts because they realising they are breaking the law of the land. 

Another alternative may be to use Team Viewer. This still may be illegal but it would probably be very difficult to prosecute. Team Viewer allows you to access another computer even from a different country. So you could have a laptop switched on in the UK and access it in Florida. So technically you are using your laptop at home. It makes life easier. It is also a lot easier to access all those things on your laptop at home because it's not practical to carry your desktop and monitor across the pond! 

Anyway, it is a way to gain access to your Betfair account as long as you have wifi. 

Don't be restricted.

Personally, I phone my brother in the UK to place bets for me as it is both legal and easy to work. 

Is Matched Betting Risk Free, Can I do it?

Gambling is for losers, or is it? We hear so much about how gambling causes so many issues for many people around the world, but many are hooked, and consistently are down on their investment.

So what if I could tell you that is you step back, don't be so hasty, and plan your bets, you could then always be beating the bookies, sound good?

Well, there is a form of betting that will work for you, it's not necessary to win huge amounts of a short space of time, but to build small smalls that collective over time turn into big amounts each month.

So what is this, I hear you ask, well it something called match betting.

What is matched betting?

I’ve tried explaining the concept of matched betting to some people I know, but I it always a little difficult. Fundamentally, match betting is not that close to gambling in general; this is because it take advantages of the free bet offers that many booker makers make. The idea is you take advantage of the free bet offer by a bookmaker;

You then bet on all possible events of the outcome, with you free bets and any small deposit you made, so if it is a horse racing, you would bet on the horse or bet against it (Lay bet).

Now that's a loose explanation, but it gives you an idea in a nutshell. The main thing from this is that you really can't lose, as long you use a trusted matched betting tool, which will not only guide you to where to find your free bets, where to bet but will work out and store a history of all your matched betting bets & balances.

There is an article on the theguardian.com, which touches further on the subject.

Is matched betting for anyone?

In one word, yes. Anyone, whatever age or experience can make money from matched betting. Patients and having some spare time is the only ingredients you need, and of course a computer and an internet connection.

Students & matched betting

With students, are you one now reading this thinking, hmm, I could really make a quick buck here, I know I use my student loan!

Wait, there is always a risk, be it small or losing when matched betting, this is mainly down to a lack of understanding and rushing into it with a desperate need to make some extra cash for the weekend. If you put it to theory matched betting itself is risk-free!

I would recommend that, as mentions earlier on in this post, that you, find a matched betting service that offers free support & guidance, video tutorials, and allows you to find free bets easily plus monitor and track what you are doing.

Many of these matched betting service websites, offer free accounts, plus the option for more premium options, which cost around £15 per month.

So while matched betting is risk-free you do have to invest a small amount each month in making sure, once you are organised, have the best direction possible and have quick access to all the possible free bets open to you online.

Debating Betting Odds: What's the Shortest Price You'd Bet?

Betting. It's a subject that has fascinated the everyday gambler to the greatest philosophers. I wonder if many readers have heard of Pascal's Wager? 

Pascal's Wager is an argument in apologetic philosophy devised by the seventeenth-century French philosopher, mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal (1623–62). It posits that humans all bet with their lives either that God exists or that he does not. Pascal argues that a rational person should live as though God exists and seek to believe in God. If God does actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss (some pleasures, luxury, etc.), whereas they stand to receive infinite gains (as represented by eternity in Heaven) and avoid infinite losses (eternity in Hell).

Pascal's Wager was based on the idea of the Christian God, though similar arguments have occurred in other religious traditions. The original wager was set out in section 233 of Pascal's posthumously published Pensées ("Thoughts"). These previously unpublished notes were assembled to form an incomplete treatise on Christian apologetics.

Historically, Pascal's Wager was groundbreaking because it charted new territory in probability theory, marked the first formal use of decision theory, and anticipated future philosophies such as existentialism, pragmatism and voluntarism.

Source: Wikipedia

I guess most of us who like a flutter aren't musing if we should back heaven or hell unless they are the names of two greyhounds in a race at Wimbledon. Perhaps we should! 

However, it is interesting to consider the logic of Pascal's wager because have you ever questioned the types of bets you choose? Making the right or wrong bet could well be the difference between winning and losing. 

You could be a budding philosopher.

I'm sure you have been chatting with a friend about a bet and they haven't so much questioned your selection(s) but the bet itself, especially the price. It is interesting because most gamblers are creatures of habit and often find it difficult to break or perhaps even notice they stick with a given bet which by its very nature dictates a certain mindset. Perhaps it isn't broken or in need of change.

There's one thing you can guarantee - everyone has an opinion. 

I have often placed an each-way treble and been criticised for having an even money shot perched somewhere in the three. Comments of ''Good luck with that...'' clearly showing an element of disdain or bemusement of thinking they or the royal we knows better. 

It's a tricky subject. Well, it might be. Perhaps it isn't an issue at all. Definitely ''No bet!'' It's definitely ''Bet!'' 

It's all about opinion. 

Who is to say what is a good or bad bet? I'm sure someone will be thinking, even myself included, that doesn't look a good bet. 

However, how do we measure any bet? By one criterion - long-term profits. If you have what many would consider the most ridiculous bet ever placed but you are in profit year on year. I'd say those laughing should, with wisdom, be laughing at themselves. Perhaps in ten years time, they will be laughing at you because you have been proven to be a loser.

If I placed a £50 each-treble on:

2:30 Romford: He's Lucky 4/1
4:50 Chester:  That's Too Short 1/1
6:00 Goodwood: Icing On The Cake 7/1

Who likes or dislikes the 1/1?  Without know the horse, form, tipster quality....which way the wind is blowing that day. I can guarantee a number of people will be citicising the even-money jolly. 

''Each-way even money? That must be wrong! 

One-fifth of the odds 0.2 for a place. 

Criminal!!!!!!

But what about the man who bet a place on Betfair at the same odds? What about the gambler who bets at 1.01 in-running?  

It's a matter of debate. Perhaps, when it wins, you'll say that's one hell of a god bet. 

At the end of the day if you are in long-term profit isn't that the true test of whether a bet is correct win or lose.

Feel free to comment. 

The Worst Place for Gamblers to Commit at Crime

Underage gamblers beware. 

A New York man hit the headlines winning an undisclosed slot machine jackpot whilst playing at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. 

However, things turned sour when he forfeited his winnings and was then charged with underage gambling.

Most US states prohibit players under 21. Needless to say, Pennsylvania law requires a person to be over 21 to gamble in casinos, much to the annoyance of Rong Lin of Fresh Meadows, New York, who was aged just 20.

Mr Lin tried to get past the state laws by using fake identification to enter the casino, playing the slots. Although the amount of his winnings have not been revealed, if it had been less than $1,200 he would likely have been able to collect the money and leave without much fuss. However, above that threshold a casino worker is automatically summoned to deal with an Internal Revenue Service form related to paying taxes on winnings, and a player must provide identification during the process.

Apparently, at that stage a casino security manager then became suspicious over the validity of his identification leading to a state trooper being called out and confirming Mr Lin had been using false identification.

Commenting on the whole incident, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board spokesman Doug Harbach, said: “We say all the time, casinos have got to be the worst place to go to commit a crime. It’s just not a risk people should be taking. They report this kind of thing right away. For these individuals to think they’re going to get away with something like this, they’re wrong! And there’s criminal charges attached to it and you could end up with a record.”

Staking Strategy & Discipline

I wonder what Staking Strategy & Discipline mean to you as someone who bets? It is an interesting subject although you may consider if you are not one of the 2% of gamblers who make their betting pay does it matter? 

I would suggest it does. Why? Because no one wakes up one morning to find they are a professional gambler. They make a transition which takes time. It might be a stepping stone to understanding and proficiency. 

This article was inspired by one of my blogging friends, Jerry Banks. His website Jerry's Best Bets featured a post forwarded by Peter Sackville. I don't know Peter but you may enjoy his informative read by clicking on the link above. 

One thing to note is that whether you bet for fun or for a living any gambler can have a run of losers. It is these times which often make or break you because if emotion takes over it can be oh so easy to chase losses. [Not me]

His article emphasises the importance of strike rate and how this matter. This relates to value. If your bet doesn't have value then you are doomed to lose whatever your win rate. 

A great staking plan can ''Skyrocket your betting bank and help protect it.''

Sackville goes on to question the level stake approach insisting that to make a return you have to be very good at choosing your selections and picking winners. 

He details that instead of the level stake approach that it is much more beneficial to bet the cumulative approach of 5% of your betting bank or 2.5% each-way. This is arbitrary and you may bet 3% or even less depending for example.  

What is the advantage of this style of staking? It's simple. It means you bet less money when you are losing and your bank goes down but you bet more when you hit those winning streaks.  

This is a simple format which used long term can help. 

From my perspective, this information details one of the major points of success or failure and that is discipline. 

How many punters do you see in the betting shops and they have no idea whether they are winning or losing? A tenner in the slots, an each-way bet here, across-the-card double there, trap 6 at Romford... 

It is important to keep a record of your bets. Considering the main part of my betting is done via the exchanges it is simple to see. It is something that shouldn't take any consideration if you just have an account and use it without betting from your pocket. [You can but keep a record]

If you lose continuously - stop betting. If you can't stop betting...find professional help or at very least talk to someone. 

I have found discipline is very important to my betting success. In fact, I can't get across how much difference it makes. I have many guidelines to help me make the right decisions rather than acting on the spur of the moment. That often leads to dire decisions. I've made plenty of bad decisions my time even with being careful. But these valuable lessons, if learned, actually help you to find the right road to success. 

This is one reason why I suggest if you are interested in betting professionally you never bet for fun. Why? Because you are likely to have many bad habits when you bet for fun. If these spill over into your professional bets you face an uphill struggle. That's why from a psychological point of view you should look at positive reinforcement. Keep following good procedures until they become habitual. 

It is the reason why I often go to a race meeting and don't bet. In fact, it is usually the case that I don't have anything of interest on a course because I bet selectively and within my niche which is two-year-old racing. 

The thing to remember is that your approach or discipline is most likely to be different to mine, your mates or perhaps everyone else on planet earth. It doesn't matter. Because it should match your personality, understanding and goals. It is your discipline.

The difficult part of discipline is the appreciation that there will be times when a guideline shouldn't be followed. Because, as with all aspects of life, very few things are black or white...but an endless misty grey. 

It is important to learn and you hone your skills. However, I would suggest that you take baby steps rather than giants leaps and don't push too hard because it can destroy your knowledge and confidence. 

Confidence is something that grows with experience from a foundation of discipline.    

Horse racing is a game of research

There are many sporting events out there that rake in millions and millions in gambling revenue every year. Football, in particular, stands out amongst the crowd with it being so big in the UK and across Europe.

But while football becomes increasingly unpredictable, throwing off seasoned ‘experts’ left right and centre- who saw Leicester winning the BPL and Portugal winning Euro 2016? Horse racing allows for a more measured and informed bet. After all, you don’t know what is going on in Football player’s heads, what has happened at home or at work with the team, a horse, should be easier to read.

Thus, Horse racing isn’t such a game of chance like other sports betting and your run of the mill standard gambling. It’s not like a game of roulette, for example, where winning consecutive rounds reduces your probability of success, it’s a game of skill, research and rhythm.

To win big in horse racing you have to do the research. There is so much to take into consideration when it comes to betting on the gee-gees. The racers past form, the jockeys, the strengths and weaknesses of the horse and the condition of the course all factor in to the potential success of your bet.

One great way of getting to grips with all the ins and outs of the races and the events in question is to physically attend and get speaking with experts and other horse racing aficionados. It’s this social element that can also help you better learn potential tips and rumours about certain racers and riders which could greatly affect the outcome of a race.

It’s important in any aspect of gaming to keep your head especially when nothing appears to be going right for you. Don’t bet angry and make sure that the bets you are placing are made when you are in control and thinking straight. Nothing upsets a professional gambler more than suffering certain patchy spells and even losing streaks, it can knock their confidence and wind up letting them make thoughtless bets and losing more than they originally intended.

Horse racing is the ideal way in which to better understand various elements that can affect the outcome of a bet that you place. The races themselves are fast, frantic and fun and it’s very easy to get lost in the excitement of race day. But the skills that you can attain from betting on horse races can seriously help develop your skills and intuition to become a better gambler.

Emotion: The Gambler's Enemy

Bookies rely on emotion to fill their coffers. Think about the big race meeting for example the pageantry, the noise, the carnival atmosphere. Do you think that this evolved by accident? It’s all engendered to create a mob mentality, to get people going with the flow. Logical methodical thought is the bookies enemy. Someone who is having a good time, caught up in the party atmosphere, or indeed they may be scared that they’ll lose the weeks housekeeping if their ‘sure thing’ doesn’t come in. In either case, emotion rules, logical thought and planning doesn’t get a look in.

Professional gamblers, who by definition take a different approach, are regularly banned by bookies up and down the country. Bookies don’t like to lose, and they lose to professionals who don’t play the game by their rules. 

So what’s the trick? Are some people just born cool? Almost certainly. However, being ‘cool’ is a trick that can be learned. A basic understanding of body mechanics and mental control are all that’s required. When people get emotional, whether happy, sad, excited or scared, the way that the blood flows around the brain changes subtly. Without making this a lesson in biology lets just say that those parts of the brain that deal with emotion are most active during these times. However, the problem for us is that these parts of the brain claim the majority of the available resources, energy, oxygen etc. This deprives other parts of the brain and consequently they don’t work as well until the situation redresses and a balance is achieved. This includes those parts of the brain that deal with logical thought and communication, which are separate from the emotional centres. So how to we create that balance ourselves so that we stay in charge of our own brains? Learning a simple process of self hypnosis calms the mind/body system and switches off or calms down unhelpful emotional responses. There follows a set of specific instructions on how to use basic self hypnosis techniques to achieve this, you’ll probably be amazed at how simple it is, and that you probably already know how to do it. You just didn’t recognise it as self-hypnosis.

Start by taking three very slow deep breaths, in through the nose, hold for a mental count of two, then exhale slowly via the mouth without forcing, almost like a sigh. Make the out breath longer than the in breath. Its important when doing this to relax the tummy muscles so that you fill your lungs to the bottom. Most of us breath to the top our lungs, which is shallow breathing. This type of breathing actually predisposes us to an emotional reaction. Slow deep breathing on the other hand is associated with calm.

Once you have calmed your breathing down then you can begin to use the power of your imagination through visualisation exercises.

Imagine yourself being calm and focused. You are not affected by noise, or pressure, or atmosphere. You are about to make a rational decision. You’re going to place a bet on a horse which has a reasonable chance of winning. You’ve either decided this yourself, based on totally logical factors, or you’ve taken advice from someone you trust. You don’t care what the horse’s name is. Nor do you care about any other extraneous factors. You are making your decision based on factors such as past performance, the going that day and the jockey.

Of course physical and mental preparation are only part of the skill set needed to beat the bookies. Professionals make best available use of the skills of other professionals. Once you have mastered the necessary self-control and are no longer controlled by your emotions you make better decisions. I would like to thank Neil for his comment on Twitter: illusion of control: Why gamblers throw dice harder when trying to for a higher number and softer for a low.