Ben Adams

The Bet Builder Finder is here to revolutionise the way you tackle <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-bet-builder">Bet Builder offers</a>.

These offers, worth around £300 in value each month, have often been overlooked because of the time and effort required to find suitable bets. But not anymore.

With the Bet Builder Finder, available with <a href="https://outplayed.com/pro">Outplayed Pro</a>, finding and laying Bet Builder bets is faster, easier, and more profitable than ever.

This powerful tool automates the entire process, saving you hours of manual effort and maximising your returns.

Whether you’re aiming to qualify for offers, make the most of free bets, or find hidden value, the Bet Builder Finder turns complex and time-consuming tasks into a quick and simple process.

Say goodbye to the struggle of Bet Builder bets and hello to an extra £200–£300 monthly <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting">Matched Betting profits</a> using these popular bookmaker offers!

Now let’s explore how this tool works and why it’s set to become your go-to for Bet Builder betting.

Bet Builder bets are a customisable betting option offered by many bookmakers, allowing you to combine multiple markets from the same match into a single wager.

You can think of Bet Builders as a personalised accumulator where all your selections are tied to the outcome of one event rather than multiple matches or events in the way a normal <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-an-accumulator-bet">accumulator bets</a> works.

For example, with a Bet Builder, you could create a combination like:

For this Bet Builder to win, all three selections must be correct.

If just one fails (e.g. the match ends in a draw), the entire bet loses.

Bet Builders have grown increasingly popular because they allow bettors to craft highly specific bets tailored to their insights or preferences.

However, unlike traditional accumulators - when using Matched Betting - laying Bet Builder bets at&nbsp;<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-betting-exchange">betting exchanges</a> can be tricky since exchanges don’t have dedicated markets for these custom bets.

Some combinations can be used where it is possible to lay Bet Builder bet.

For instance, in the example above, “Liverpool to win,” “Under 3.5 Match Goals,” and “Both Teams To Score – Yes” corresponds to a single correct score: Liverpool 2-1.

The Bet Builder Finder takes the complexity out of Bet Builder offers, making them faster, easier and more profitable to complete.

Historically, these offers were avoided due to the time needed to find and match suitable bets. This tool changes that, allowing you to maximise value effortlessly.

With the Bet Builder Finder, what was once a time-consuming process becomes a quick and reliable way to unlock consistent monthly profits.

The Bet Builder Finder is a powerful yet straightforward tool to use.

If you're familiar with <a href="https://outplayed.com/products/oddsmatcher">oddsmatching software</a>, you'll feel right at home with this tool.

Find The Perfect Bet Builder Combinations In Seconds

The Bet Builder Finder searches for Bet Builders that match your specific offer terms, such as eligible matches, minimum odds and minimum selections.

It identifies the best options for qualifying bets, free bets and bonuses.

Once you’ve selected a bet, the tool shows you the exact combination of bets to build at the bookmaker, the estimated odds, the&nbsp;exchange lay odds and the corresponding lay market to cover your bet.

This allows you to quickly identify the best available Bet Builder bets at any bookmaker.&nbsp;

By automating the most time-consuming parts of Bet Builder betting, this tool makes sure you'll find the best value bets quickly and accurately.

You can also save your bets within the tool for easy tracking and management.

This can be done by clicking the "Store" button in the calculator and it will save in your "My Bets" section.

The Bet Builder Finder (available with&nbsp;<a href="https://outplayed.com/pro">Outplayed Pro</a>) is a game-changer for anyone looking to simplify <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-bet-builder">Bet Builder offers</a> and turn them into a reliable source of extra profit.

Its ease of use, speed and ability to maximise value mean you can confidently take advantage of Bet Builder offers without the hassle they’ve traditionally involved.

By automating the process of finding suitable back and lay bets, the Bet Builder Finder saves you hours of effort and ensures you always place the best possible bets.

Whether you’re placing qualifying bets or free bets the software does the heavy lifting for you.

The Bet Builder Finder: Simplify And Maximise Your Profits

Simon Thatcher

Blackjack is a very popular card game played worldwide, particularly in casinos.

Although the rules are simple - get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over 21 - there's a fascinating amount of depth to it.

To find out about the history of blackjack, how to use Basic Blackjack Strategy to optimise your play, card counting and more, make sure to check out this <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-play-blackjack" target="_blank" title="">How To Play Blackjack Guide</a>.

This article will focus on some of the probabilities involved in blackjack, from how likely you are to bust if you’re dealt another card to the likelihood of winning a hand.&nbsp;

You’ll also find out how blackjack compares to sports betting, in terms of the bookmaker or casino margin, and why you might sometimes be better to wager on blackjack rather than sports when completing <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting" target="_blank" title="">Matched Betting</a> or <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/why-you-need-to-do-casino-offers" target="_blank" title="">casino offers</a>, if both are an option.&nbsp;

It's worth mentioning that you don’t need to understand any of this to get the best possible return from blackjack.

Outside of using advanced systems like card counting, following Basic Blackjack Strategy reduces the casino’s edge as much as possible to give you the best long-term results.&nbsp;

At the same time, having some insight into the workings of blackjack, and how likely certain outcomes are, can help you understand why Basic Strategy works.&nbsp;

This can give you a greater enjoyment of the game and give you more confidence when playing blackjack.&nbsp;

One of the interesting features of blackjack that sets it apart from many other casino games is that it involves skill as well as luck.

You have to decide how to play the hand you’re dealt, and your choices affect your long-term returns.&nbsp;

The good news is that, over the years, an optimum strategy for playing blackjack has been developed. This is known as Basic Blackjack Strategy.

To make things even easier, you can use a <a href="https://outplayed.com/calculators/blackjack-strategy-calculator" target="_blank" title="">Blackjack Calculator</a> to tell you exactly how to play for any situation.

Following Basic Strategy takes all the guesswork out of playing blackjack since there will always be a single correct way to play your hand, no matter what upcard the dealer is showing

This maximises the Return To Player (RTP) of blackjack, which is around 99.5% assuming you always use the correct strategy. This is a very high RTP for a casino game.

The terms odds and probability are often used interchangeably. However, like many English words, they both have a range of meanings depending on context.

In terms of the title of this article, the word ‘odds’ will mostly be understood to be the same as probability, so it could equally have read “What is the probability of winning blackjack?” This is a fairly informal but commonly used meaning of the word 'odds', and different to the word's use in betting.

Later on, we’ll also have a look at how probabilities in blackjack relate to actual betting odds, but first, let’s look at the difference between probability and betting odds.

Probability is how likely something is to happen.

Probability is calculated by dividing the number of desired outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes.

This can either be left as a fraction or evaluated as a number, which will always be between 0 and 1. Multiplying by 100 converts this into a percentage.

To show how this works we can calculate the likelihood of different totals when rolling two fair dice. The diagram below shows the probabilities of rolling all possible totals from 2 to 12.

There are 36 different possible totals when rolling two dice, so we’ll always be dividing by 36 to work out the probabilities.&nbsp;

Since there's only one possible way to roll 12 with two dice (each die needs to land on a 6), the probability of this outcome is 1 in 36 (1/36 or 2.8%).&nbsp;

The most likely total when rolling two dice is 7. This is because there are 6 different ways to roll a 7, which is more than for any other total. The probability of rolling a 7 is therefore 6 in 36 (6/36 or 16.7%)

Here are some other probabilities that can be worked out in the same way:

Looking at all different possible outcomes and counting up how many 'desirable' outcomes there are can be a useful way to work out probabilities.&nbsp;

The same principle can be used to work out some probabilities in blackjack, as we'll see later.

In betting, odds are used to show the ratio of winnings to stake. The three main types of betting odds are fractional, decimal, and American.&nbsp;

In the UK, fractional odds are usually used for betting.

Fractional odds are calculated by dividing the potential winnings by the stake.

For example, if you bet on Bournemouth to win at odds of 5 to 1 (5/1), you'll make £5 profit for every £1 staked if they win.&nbsp;

In Europe, as well as in <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting" target="_blank" title="">Matched Betting</a>, decimal odds tend to be used.

An easy way to convert from fractional to decimal odds is to divide the first number by the second number, then add 1. For fractional odds of 5/1:

You can find out more about betting odds <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-are-betting-odds-determined" target="_blank" title="">here</a>.

If you play blackjack using perfect Basic Strategy, you'll achieve an average <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-does-rtp-mean-in-gambling" target="_blank" title="">Return To Player (RTP)</a> of around 99.5%.

This means that for every £100 wagered, you'll get £99.50 back on average, losing just 50p.

Due to variance, you're unlikely to lose exactly 50p from wagering £100.&nbsp;

Sometimes you'll end up in profit and sometimes you'll lose money, but your average long-term loss will be 50p per £100 wagered.&nbsp;

This means that when playing with Basic Strategy, you'll almost (but not quite) break even over time.&nbsp;Due to that 0.5% casino edge, the longer you play, the more you'll lose on average. However, it’s possible to turn the tables on the casino by taking advantage of <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/why-you-need-to-do-casino-offers" target="_blank" title="">casino offers</a> to give yourself the edge.

Since you pretty much break even over time when playing blackjack it's tempting to assume that the chances of winning a hand must be slightly less than 50%.&nbsp;

However, the situation is a little more complicated for a few reasons:

A net win is where you make an overall profit from a hand of blackjack.&nbsp;

This takes into account all money staked on the hand after doubling and splitting and all money returned in winnings.

Calculating the probabilities of a net win, push, or loss is complicated, but ambling expert Michael Shackleford, also known as the <a href="https://wizardofodds.com/site/about/" target="_blank" title="">Wizard of Odds</a>, has worked them out and presented them <a href="https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/variance/" target="_blank" title="">here</a>.

The mathematical technique used to calculate these probabilities is called combinatorial analysis.&nbsp;

This basically goes through all possible scenarios to work out how likely you are to end up in profit, break even, or lose money overall on a hand of blackjack.&nbsp;

Here's a table showing the probabilities:

If your hand results in a push you make no profit or loss, so it’s interesting to look at the probabilities ignoring pushes (i.e. when you break even after the wager is settled).

Here are the probabilities without including push results:

You can see this mentioned in <a href="https://wizardofodds.com/ask-the-wizard/blackjack/probability/" target="_blank" title="">this discussion</a> on the Wizard of Odds site.

To work out the Win probability in the second table you can divide the first table’s Win probability by the sum of the Win and Loss percentages, then multiply by 100:

Win Probability (excluding push) = (42.43 / (42.43 + 49.09)) x 100

Win Probability (excluding push) = (42.43 / 91.52) x 100 = 46.36%

Loss Probability (excluding push) = 100% - 46.36% = 53.64%

As you can see, the probability of a win is significantly lower than 50%, even though your actual long-term probability of ending up in profit is very close to 50%.

This is largely because some of those 46.36% of wins will be paid out at 1.5 times your stake, when you win with a natural / blackjack.&nbsp;

The probability of being dealt a blackjack depends on the number of decks used, but is around 4.75%.&nbsp;

Again, this information can be found <a href="https://wizardofodds.com/ask-the-wizard/blackjack/probability/" target="_blank" title="">here</a>.&nbsp;

Doubling and splitting also affects the probability of a net win or loss.&nbsp; 

In blackjack, the aim is to beat the dealer.&nbsp; Here are two ways to achieve this:

One situation where you can easily work out the likelihood of going bust is if you’re drawing one more card to a hard hand.

&nbsp;A hard hand is any hand that doesn’t contain a flexible ace (an ace that can count as either 1 or 11 in that hand).

&nbsp;You can read more about hard and soft blackjack hands and flexible aces <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-play-blackjack" target="_blank" title="">here</a>.&nbsp;

To simplify the maths, the probabilities below were worked out assuming the dealer is using an infinite deck, where the proportion of each different value of cards is always the same.&nbsp;

For example, there are four aces in a deck of 52 cards, so aces make up 4/52 of a deck. This will always be the same proportion if you assume the deck is infinite.

Real-world casinos obviously don't use infinite decks (they tend to use a much more reasonable 4 to 8 decks).

The effect of this is that the proportion of different cards in the deck, known as the deck composition, changes as cards are dealt.&nbsp;

As a result, the probability that your hand busts if you have a certain total also changes.

Nevertheless, these probabilities give a reasonable guide as to how likely you are to bust depending on the total value of your hand.

The same method used to calculate dice probabilities earlier is used again - divide the number of 'desirable' outcomes by the total possible number of outcomes.

If you have a hard total of 11 or lower (for example a 6 and a 5), you can't bust by drawing one extra card.

The highest value cards are all worth 10, so if you're dealt one, you won't bust and your hand will be worth the highest possible total of 21.

If you were dealt an ace, you’d score this as 1 point to take your total to 12, rather than choosing to bust by adding 11 points.

At the other end of the table, if you're foolish enough to hit when you have a hard total of 21 (for example a 6, 7, and 8), your hand is certain to bust.

If you have a hard 14 (for example a Queen and a 4), your hand will bust if you're dealt an 8, 9, or 10 value card.

Four out of every 52 cards is an 8, four are 9s, and 16 are 10 value cards (the 10s, jacks, queens, and kings).

This means that 24 out of 52 cards (24/52) will lead to you busting, which is a probability of 24/52 or 46.2%.

What Are The Odds Of Winning Blackjack?

Stephanie Sorrell

If you’re a relatively new <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/sports-betting-guide">sports bettor</a>, you might have found yourself a bit baffled by the odds types available from most betting sites. It’s the norm in the UK for bookies to default to fractional odds, as they’re the traditional odds type for Brits, and therefore the type most of us are most familiar with.

You might have heard, though, that decimal odds can be easier to work with, and be wondering about how to go about using them. It’s worth taking the time to learn how to use decimal odds, especially if you’re <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting">making money through Matched Betting</a>, which relies on easy <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">comparison of odds</a>.

In this article, we’ll talk you through everything you need to know about using decimal odds, including how they correspond to fractional odds, how to calculate your return, and why you might prefer to use them.

In betting, odds represent the amount someone can expect to win if their bet is successful. High odds indicate high profits, and a smaller chance of the bet winning, while low odds indicate lower profits, but a higher chance of the bet winning.

Because of this, odds can also be looked at as a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-implied-probability">representation of probability</a> - though you shouldn’t assume that nothing but true probability determines the odds on an event. Bookies also have a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-are-betting-odds-determined">profit margin on the odds they set</a>, and adjust them according to betting volume, not just likelihood, meaning that you can’t rely on odds to tell you how likely something is to happen.

There are three main types of odds used in the UK: fractional, decimal and moneyline, with fractional and decimal being by far the most commonly used.

The traditional odds format in the UK, and the one you’re likely to first encounter when you sign up with a bookie. Fractional odds indicate the amount you will win depending on your original stake, with the first number showing your winnings, and the second your stake. For example, odds of 2/1 indicate that for every £1 you stake, you’ll receive £2 in winnings if your bet is successful.

Decimal odds are also known as European odds, as this odds format is most popular on the continent. Decimal odds are the most straightforward; they come in the form of a number (often with decimal places, hence the name), which you multiply by your original stake to get your total return. For example, odds of 3 (the equivalent of 2/1 in fractional odds) indicate that you’ll receive a total return of £3 if you bet £1 (£2 in winnings plus your original stake).

Moneyline odds are also known as American odds, as they’re used predominantly in North America. Compared to decimal or even fractional odds, they’re quite confusing, as they use two different formats depending on whether your bet has a better or worse chance of winning than 50%.

For a favourite (a selection that’s got a higher than 50% chance of winning), the odds indicate the amount you have to bet in order to win £100 (or, as they’re more commonly used in the US, $100). For an underdog (a selection that’s got a lower than 50% chance of winning), meanwhile, the odds indicate the amount of profit you’ll make if you bet £100.

For example, +200 odds means that if you bet £100, you’ll make £200 in profit if your bet wins. -200 odds means that you need to bet £200 in order to make £100 in profit if your bet wins.

If this sounds confusing, that’s very understandable - but don’t worry, you’re very unlikely to have any need to understand moneyline odds if you’re betting in the UK.

How To Calculate Your Return With Decimal Odds

Calculating your return is really easy with decimal odds - you simply multiply your stake by the odds in question. We’ll use a couple of examples to illustrate this:

1. You might decide to bet £20 on a draw between Ipswich and Crystal Palace in their upcoming match, at odds of 3.4.

Your total return is your £20 stake multiplied by 3.4 - so £68. This would be £48 in winnings plus your original £20 stake.

2. As more of a fan of horse racing, you place a bet of £15 on Sedbury, a relative long shot, to win the 18:00 at Wolverhampton, at odds of 17.

At odds of 17 a win isn’t hugely likely, but if your horse did make first place your total return would be £15 multiplied by 17 - £255. This would be £240 in winnings plus your original £15 stake.

3. You decide to have a punt at a horse racing accumulator, opting for the favourites at four races at Plumpton. This combination results in odds of 63.67, and you opt for a £5 stake.

In the event that all four of your horses win their races, you’ll make a total return of £318.38 - your £5 stake multiplied by 63.67*. This means you’d receive £313.38 in winnings plus your original £5 stake.

*In this particular case, the actual odds are 63.675, but they’ve been rounded down by the bookie in your betslip.

It’s important to bear in mind that the calculation is a bit different for free bets, especially if you’re Matched Betting. As a general rule, your stake is not returned if your free bet wins, meaning that your calculation to work out your return is a bit different.

For example, let’s imagine that your £20 bet on Ipswich v Crystal Palace was placed with a £20 free bet, rather than with £20 of your own funds. To work out your return, you still multiply your stake by the odds - but having done so, you deduct your original stake to get your return:

Your return from this free bet would therefore be £48 if your bet went on to win.

How To Calculate Implied Probability From Decimal Odds

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-implied-probability">Implied probability</a> is, as it sounds, the likelihood of an outcome implied by the odds from a bookie. With just a little familiarity with decimal odds, you’ll start to get an immediate feel for the rough probability of an outcome from the odds you see.

After gaining a little experience of sports betting, most people will be aware that decimal odds of 2.0 mean that something has a 50% chance of happening - and they can therefore immediately gauge that anything with odds lower than 2 is more likely than not to happen, whereas something with odds higher than 2 is much less likely to occur (according to the odds they see - don’t forget, the <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-are-betting-odds-determined">bookies do manipulate odds</a> to maximise their profits).

The great thing about decimal odds is that it’s incredibly easy to work out the exact implied probability of any odds. The formula to use is simply 100/odds, which gives you the percentage chance of your selected outcome occurring.

For example, for decimal odds of 4.0, you would do the following calculation:

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to avoid maths altogether (and really, who wouldn’t?), most <a href="https://www.aceodds.com/bet-calculator/odds-converter.html">online odds converters</a> will immediately calculate the implied probability for you.

Why <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-are-the-best-odds-for-matched-betting" target="_blank" title="">Decimal Odds Are Best For Matched Betting</a>

No, you certainly don’t have to! If you’re a casual sports bettor, and especially if you’re not Matched Betting or using other value betting strategies, you might be more comfortable sticking with fractional odds if you’re already familiar with them. That said, if you are Matched Betting, you’ll definitely have an easier time if you’re using decimal odds, so we strongly recommend that you do so.

You should find an option to select your odds format on any bookie’s website. This may be in the Settings section of your account, all the way at the bottom of the page in the sports section, or sometimes near the top of your screen. Some bookies may have a wider range of odds formats than the main three, but you should always see at least fractional and decimal options.

Fractional odds may be the traditional format in the UK, but decimal odds are infinitely easier to use - and having reached the end of this article, you ought to be pretty expert in using them by now!

Whether you just place the odd sports bet for fun, use Matched Betting as a side hustle or strategically use value betting for profit, using decimal odds will make your life simpler and easier - with no real downside at all. Why not get started with decimal odds by <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting">having a go at Matched Betting</a> today?

How To Use Decimal Odds

Paul Trevor

How To Bet On Horses: A Beginner’s Guide

With a history dating back to Roman times, horse racing is one of the most popular sports around the globe.&nbsp; It provides engagement, excitement and an action-packed adrenaline rush.

Would the sport be as exciting and popular without <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets">horse racing betting</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets"> </a>being involved?&nbsp; Highly unlikely! The <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/sports-betting-guide">sports betting</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/sports-betting-guide"> </a>industry and in particular, betting on horses is huge these days and worth in excess of an astonishing £4 billion each year in the UK alone.

&nbsp;However, for anybody new to the horse racing scene and <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets">betting on horse races</a>,<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets"> </a>the mountain of information can really get quite daunting.&nbsp; Betting on horse racing comes with its own terminology, a deluge of different <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets">types of bets</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets"> </a>and there’s even betting strategies to consider.

Fear not! This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about placing bets on horse racing.&nbsp; It will cover things to consider before placing a bet, the types of horse racing bets, how to place the bets and understanding the <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">betting odds</a>.

It’s important to know at least the basics of betting on horses before you start.&nbsp; Believe it or not, this can make a massive difference to your betting selections as you gain more experience.

The minimum you’ll see when looking at any race will include the following information:

The amount of different <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets">types of horse racing bets</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets"> </a>available in today’s betting markets is phenomenal.&nbsp; For simplicity, let’s put them into three main categories:

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">Betting odds</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds"> </a>are effectively the chance or probability a horse has of winning a race.&nbsp;

The higher the odds, the less likely a horse is to win a race. However, don’t assume the bookies have got it right as there are plenty of occasions when punters have bagged big profits on outsiders winning races.

Whilst the odds indicate the probability of something happening, it’s not always a true representation of it.&nbsp; In order to make profits, bookies skew the odds to their advantage so keep that in mind when looking at your horse selections.

The majority of people are used to seeing odds as fractions.&nbsp; However, the bookies provide the facility to change the odds format if you prefer. So, what odds formats are there?

If you get confused with converting odds or switching from fractional to decimal, you can use the <a href="https://www.aceodds.com/bet-calculator/odds-converter.html">odds conversion table</a><a href="https://www.aceodds.com/bet-calculator/odds-converter.html"> </a>provided by Aceodds.

Not only are betting odds indicative of a horse’s chances of success, they also determine how much money you could win.&nbsp; For example, if you bet £10 on Horse A at odds of 8.0 (7/1) and it won, your returns would be £80. This includes your original stake so your profit would be £70.

Obviously, you want to find the best odds on the market.&nbsp; If you have picked a horse you fancy to win, it’s worth looking at odds comparison sites like <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/">Oddschecker</a>.<a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/"> </a>&nbsp;They will provide you with a list of bookmakers and the odds each of them are offering on any given race.

The above example is for an afternoon race at <a href="https://www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk/">Musselburgh Racecourse</a>.<a href="https://www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk/"> </a>&nbsp;As you can see, the odds for each horse are provided for over twenty bookies.&nbsp; If you wanted to bet on ‘There’s No Limit’ then the best odds are 8.0 (7/1) and are available at Bet365.&nbsp; The other bookies have already dropped the price on the same horse.

Now, you might not want to open accounts with every bookie (unless you’re <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/is-matched-betting-worth-it">Matched Betting</a>),&nbsp;but using odds comparison sites can at least identify which bookies are offering the best odds.

If you’d like to get a more in-depth understanding of betting odds, read our <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">Betting Odds</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds"> </a>article.

There are two main types of horse racing in the UK, Flat and Jumps.&nbsp; Of course, this is horse racing and nothing is that straight forward.&nbsp; Within each of these two categories there are different types and classes of races.

As you might have guessed, there are no jumps/hurdles in this type of race, just horses running on a flat track from start to finish.&nbsp; As with the two race types (flat and jumps), the Flat races are also split into two with half the races being Handicaps and the other half being Stake races.&nbsp; The list below should help provide a little more clarity:

Group races are the better known types of race and the crème de la crème of the racing world.&nbsp; They are split into three classifications, Groups 1, 2 and 3.&nbsp; Group races run throughout the racing calendar to provide races covering different distances at different race courses.

Listed races are one step below Group races and have similar handicaps applied.&nbsp; Listed races are used for those horses trying to break through into the Group level racing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, make no mistake, Listed races are still considered to be Class 1 races making them great horse races to bet on.

Handicap Races

Most horses compete in Handicap races at some point. After every race, a team of handicappers assess each horse and allocates an official rating.&nbsp; This will go up and down based on their performance in each race.

From there, based on the rating a horse has, a weight handicap is given.&nbsp; Each rating point is equivalent to 1lb.&nbsp; For example, if a horse with a&nbsp; rating of 88 carries 9st 4lbs, a horse with a rating of 90 will carry 9st 6lbs.

Flat Handicap ratings are capped at 110.&nbsp; If a horse has a rating above 110, they then have to move up to Listed races or Group races depending on their rating.

All penalties and handicaps are issued so that the races are as competitive as they can be.

Jump races are also known as National Hunt races and horses that compete in Jump racing must be at least three years old, but many start a little later.&nbsp; Jump races involve obstacles called Hurdles and Fences.&nbsp; Just to clarify, hurdles are obstacles that are at least 3ft 6in and fences are more sturdy and are at least 4ft 6in high.&nbsp; As with Flat racing, there are different types of Jump races so let’s have a look:

National Hunt Flat Races

You might have noticed the word ‘Flat’ in the title of this one.&nbsp; That’s because the horses don’t jump any obstacles in this type of race.&nbsp; Also referred to as Bumpers, these races are used to nurture horses that have been bred for Jump racing and are expected to race over fences or hurdles in the future.

Novice Hurdling

Horses that haven’t won a hurdles race take part in Novice Hurdle races.&nbsp; Once a horse wins a Novice Hurdle race, it’s allowed to compete at the same level until the end of the racing season.

This is the next step up from Novice Hurdling and horses compete in either graded or handicapped races. Horses that take part in these races are often previous flat race horses looking to move into Jump racing.&nbsp; Jump racing horses also compete in Hurdling races as practice for moving on to Chase races (Fences).

Novice Chasing

The same as the Novice Hurdling division but over fences instead. The same rules apply in terms of horse who have not won a race previously over fences.&nbsp; Once a horse wins a Novice Chase race, they can compete at the same level until the end of the current season.

Chase races are the higher level of races over fences. The rules are the same as Flat racing but instead of being in Groups, they are put into Grade1, 2 and 3 races.&nbsp; Grade 1 races include the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham-festival/gold-cup-day/">Cheltenham Gold Cup</a><a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham-festival/gold-cup-day/"> </a>and the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham-festival/champion-day/">Champion Hurdle</a>.&nbsp; Don’t be put off by the lower grade races as they can be equally as good.&nbsp; In fact, the <a href="https://www.grandnational.org.uk/">Grand National</a><a href="https://www.grandnational.org.uk/"> </a>is actually a Grade 3 Chase race.

That’s the pre-amble out the way so let’s look at how you actually place <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets">horse racing bets</a>.<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets"> </a>&nbsp;The truth is that we could be here all day if we showed you how to place every type of bet.

Therefore, we’ll just cover off the basics of <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-single-bet">Single bets</a>,<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-single-bet"> </a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-does-an-each-way-bet-work">Each Way bets</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-does-an-each-way-bet-work"> </a>and a Multiple bet.

As mentioned earlier, with a Single bet you are just picking one horse to win a particular race. This is the most straight-forward type of bet you can place in horse racing or any other sports come to that.

So, in order to find a horse to back, head to the racing section on the bookie website and decide which horse you want to back.&nbsp; For this example, we have chosen The Jukebox Man in the 1.55pm race at <a href="https://newburyracecourse.co.uk/racing/">Newbury</a>.

You just need to click on the odds of the horse you want and the bet slip will open up as below:

You then enter the stake amount you want to place and click on the ‘Place Bet’ button. That’s it, your bet is placed.&nbsp; We did say the Single bets were easy to place!

If The Jukebox Man wins, what do you get back?

You might have noticed that Bet365 boosted the price of The Jukebox Man to 5.0 (4/1). You should always keep an eye out for any <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-without-free-bets">price boosts</a><a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-without-free-bets"> </a>offered by the bookies as they can provide you with extra value bets.

The main reason Then Jukebox Man was chosen in this example was to show you the value available from Bet Boosts.&nbsp;

Remember the Oddschecker website that shows you the odds on offer from a host of bookies? Let’s have a look at the odds showing on Oddschecker when the example bet on The Jukebox man was placed:

So, at the time the bet was placed on The Jukebox Man, Bet365 had the highest odds of 4.5 (7/2), along with a handful of the other bookies.&nbsp; All the other bookies had lower odds.&nbsp; However, thanks to the Bet Boost on offer from Bet365, our odds were even higher at 5.0 (4/1).&nbsp; Based on these odds, you can see the value we are getting from the <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-without-free-bets">boosted price</a>.<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-without-free-bets"> </a>

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