Beginners Guide to Horse/Greyhound Racing
Once you experience the thrill of a day at the races, whether it is a horse race meeting or a greyhound meeting you will soon want to go to another one. Going to the races has to be one of the most pleasant ways to spend an afternoon or evening, as most of the racecourses and race tracks are in open countryside this ensures, if nothing else, you will get plenty of fresh air, whilst sunshine cannot be guaranteed!
Should you have never been to a racecourse or race track before then have a quick read through our guide to horse and greyhound racing below. It will enlighten you to all there is to know about this enjoyable pass time, so try and pencil a day into your diary to go and visit one of these venues, should, what you are about to read interest you further.
Horse Racing
There are literally dozens of horse racecourses dotted around the UK, and as such with races now held every day of the week, you will usually find one or two local to yourself, the races are run either during the afternoon or in the summer many racecourses have evening horse race meetings.
There are two different seasons in racing; one is the Flat season, which is commonly held in the spring and summer, whilst Jump racing is held during the autumn and winter months. The differences between the two, are, that at a Flat race meeting, the horses simply run around the track, and at a Jump meeting they run around the track but have to negotiate hurdles and fences as they make their way around the track!
When you arrive at the racecourse, you will find they will charge you an entry fee, however there are several different enclosures inside the racecourse, and as such, you will need to decide whether you want access to the cheaper areas, or the more expensive areas. The former is ideal of you want the ability to wander around the main betting areas and pop into the many different bars, cafes and restaurants. If you have a special occasion to celebrate, then the more expensive areas of the racecourses have better seating arrangements and often give you access to the better viewing areas.
Sports Betting Shops at the Races
You will find two types of bookmakers at a racecourse: you will have the type who are situated at the front of the stands and have a board on which they display all of the current odds. To place a wager with them, you simply hand over your money and take the odds offered. You will then be given your betting slip and can sit back and cheer your horse on, knowing in advance how much you stand to win should that horse get past the finishing line first.
You will also find a Tote style betting pool is available, and this works slightly different to the standard bookmakers, as all money placed on the race via this Tote service is entered into a pool. Once the race is over, the money in the pool is divided up between the number of winning tickets and a dividend is declared, if you have picked the winning horse, you will receive your equal share of this pool as winnings, based on how much you wagered.
The beauty of visiting a horse racecourse is that you get to see your runners in the flesh so to speak, plus you will also get to meet the jockeys, owners and trainers of the horses. So if you fancy being sociable, and like the hustle and bustle of racing in its barest form then a day at the races will be for you.
There are often special events held immediately after the race meeting has finished, with rock and pop festivals often being held in the summer months, plus many racecourses have children’s entertainment available during race days, so the kids will be entertained and amused whilst you get to place a few bets and have a pint!
Greyhound Racing
There are quite a few greyhound racing tracks around the country, and whilst not the most popular of sporting events, if you do have a spare afternoon or evening, they are a great way of passing some time, and offer tremendous value for money.
You will often pay a small one off admission fee which will give you entry to the greyhound track, a free drink and even something to eat, so if you are on a budget, they are an ideal way to get out of the house and have a gamble live and in person.
You will find that most greyhound races are run with just six dogs, and this gives you a one in six chance of actually picking the winner, and much like at a horse racecourse you will be able to place a wager either directly into the Tote pool or with one of several on course bookmakers. Part of the fun of betting in person on the greyhound track is to stand back and view each bookmaker’s board, then rush to place a wager on the one that is offering the best odds for your selection!
As greyhound tracks are much smaller than horse racecourses you will find, that no matter where you stand or sit, you will have an excellent view of the track, and as your entry fee will give you access to all parts of the track, you can wander about at will.
The only word of advice we should give you is make sure you wrap up warm, more so if you are going in the evening as it can get quite cold out there if you are visiting the track in the winter months! You will also find no formal dress code at a greyhound track as opposed to some areas of a horse racecourse, so you can dress up as you see fit, without any of the airs and graces required!
Make sure you sign up to the greyhound tracks e-mail newsletter, as this is a great way to get reduced, or even free entry into that venue on certain days of the week, then keep your eyes peeled for emails from the tracks, as they are always offering special promotions to get you to visit again and this makes for even greater value.
