Betting at Royal Ascot

The simplest way of betting at Royal Ascot is over the internet, and indeed by far the majority of bets are placed this way, but if you are lucky enough to be able to visit the event, there is nothing like participating in a little on course betting too.

If you are not used to betting on course, then it can be a little intimidating until you have gained some experience. The last thing you want (especially at Royal Ascot, where everybody else appears to know exactly what they are doing) is to make a fool of yourself by getting things wrong. In fact there is nothing to it.

First chose your horse or horses. That is by far the hardest part to get right, but it doesn't really matter if you are only betting for fun. If you know nothing at all about horses, then chose from the one that looks best, the favourite, the one that gives good odds, or the one with the irresistible name. None of these will provide you a reliable winning strategy, but they are as good as any for a fun day at the races.

Next find a bookmaker who has a shorter queue if you are in a hurry and you want to get to the bar before the race starts, or with a longer queue if you would prefer a bookmaker who is offering better odds. Alternatively you can compare the odds of the various bookmakers and chose the one that will maximise your potential winnings.

Walk firmly up to the bookmaker and state clearly the name of your horse and your bet. Say either "To win" if you just want to bet on your horse winning or "Each way"if you want to bet on a win and a place. As an example, a £5.00 bet to win will pay out only if your horse wins. £5.00 each way will cost you £10.00 and will pay out full odds on a win plus a return of your stake, and a fraction of the odds if your horse is placed. The details of this depend on the number of horses in the race.

See, there is nothing to it really. Just jump in at the deep end and you will find that you will float.