Ante-Post Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing fans who may be looking to get ahead of the game often utilise ante-post betting, a unique wagering option that allows for bets to be placed well in advance of a race day. While this approach tends to offer the potential for odds compared to race day betting, it also comes with its own risks as the bets stand whether the selected horse actually competes or not. As a result of this, understanding how ante-post horse racing betting works is especially essential, with these markets being available across a number of major events here at BoyleSports.

What Is Ante-Post In Horse Racing?

To put things in the simplest terms possible, ante-post betting refers to placing a wager on a horse race long before the final field of runners is actually confirmed and declared. These markets often become open months in advance of the races in question, giving bettors a chance to potentially lock in early odds and prices before they shift based on form, market movement and injuries. For big events such as the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National, ante-post betting is very popular.

Unlike your more traditional race day betting, these horse racing ante-post bets do not include non-runner protections. As a consequence of this, this means that if a chosen horse does not end up running, the original stake placed previously is still lost. 

How Does Ante-Post Betting Work?

When ante-post horse racing betting, bettors choose a horse before the official racecard has been declared by the race organisers. The odds available at the time of placing this ante-post bet are subsequently locked in, meaning that even if the price happens to shorten or increase closer to the day of the race, the bettor will still retain the odds of their original selection.

Several different factors actually influence ante-post horse racing betting markets, with recent race performances being one of the most notable ones. Should a runner have a strong showing in any preparatory races leading up to the main event, the odds of the runners may be reduced due to these prior horse racing results. If any trainer or jockeys are confirmed for an event, this often sees their horse entries attract betting interest, something which may alter market odds. The same goes for any injury news or withdrawals, as a reduced number of participants can affect the odds similarly. 

It is worth noting that, with all these contributing factors, many ante-post horse racing betting markets still offer each-way options. Even if the horse finishes within a number of specified positions, this could potentially still result in a return on the original bet. Despite this, the number of places covered in the ante bet may differ from race day terms, with this being something worth bearing in mind.

Ante-Post Horse Racing Odds

Since ante-post horse racing odds can change drastically over time, bettors could track market trends over time. This may highlight good value selections well ahead of time, especially if the price of a selection is higher than it would usually be for a runner on race day. As events draw closer, though, the ante-post odds will often reduce quicker as more development comes to light, with odds typically being at the highest as soon as the ante-post horse racing markets become available.

What Type Of Races Are Available For Ante-Post Horse Racing Betting?

If you are curious as to what types of races ante-post horse racing betting is applicable to, there are a whole number of events in which these markets are available. Most major horse racing meetings, particularly the prestigious ones with high-profile contenders, have ante-post options.

If you are a fan of Cheltenham Festival betting or Grand National betting, these national hunt races have ante-post options. The same goes for a plethora of other major meetings like the Irish Gold Cup, the 200 Guineas, the Epsom Derby, the Dubai World Cup, the Kentucky Derby, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Scottish Champions Chase, just to name a few, with there being an abundance of other races in which ante-post horse racing betting could be utilised.

Ante-Post Horse Racing Betting At BoyleSports

Ante-post horse racing betting is available for all the races we have just mentioned, plus a whole myriad of others right here at BoyleSports, with all of these boasting competitive, early prices on the most major races in this sport’s calendar. All of the horse racing racecards which have these options available also come hand in hand with additional insights into the race, live updates on the chosen event and even live streaming options on the day of the race should you wish to watch along in real time.

From the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting markets, all the way to The Lincoln ante-post options, there are plenty of these opportunities on our platform should it be a preference.