Arizona horse-race betting
Learn the basics of horse-race betting in Arizona! Including the types of bets you can place, the best strategies to use, and the top Arizona horse race operators to sign up with.
- Arizona horse-race betting
- Horse-race betting online Arizona
- Best Horse race betting sites in AZ
- Types of horse-race bets to place in Arizona
- Best strategies for horse-race betting in Arizona
- Understand horse stats for horse-race betting AZ
- Pay attention to horse condition before betting on races
- Consider who trains and rides the horses
- Understand how racetracks affect performance
- Look to tip sheets for additional help
- Keeping your betting pool small
- Boxing in your bets
- Wheeling for easier bets
- Arizona off track betting
- FAQ horse race online betting Arizona
Horse-race betting online Arizona
Betting on horse races online in Arizona is a new take on an age-old tradition. To do it well, you need to understand the many aspects of horse-race betting, including the types of bets you can place and the best strategies when starting.
Online horse betting in Arizona
Choosing the right online horse betting in Arizona platform will give you plenty of valuable lines to wager on, and it will ensure your wagers are well-protected. Creating a firm foundation for your time spent online horse-race betting in Arizona should be lucrative and enjoyable.
Best Horse race betting sites in AZ
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Types of horse-race bets to place in Arizona
Understanding the basic types of horse race bets you can place will help you know what you are looking for and which opportunities you are prepared to wager on.
Win bets
A win bet performs as it sounds: you bet on the horse you believe will win the entire race.
In these wagers, your choice needs to take first place. If this happens, you will split the winnings with any other bettors who chose the same option.
Show bets
A show bet is another straight bet, but this one gives you the most flexibility to win your bet.
In this type of bet, you select a horse to come in the top three, and you do not need to specify. This gives you a better chance of winning, but your payout will be much less.
Many new bettors start with show bets until they can consistently pick up on a winner.
Place bets
Place bets work in the same way as show bets, but you lose the chance of winning on a horse that comes in third. Place bets will only payout on horses that finish first or second.
Across the board bets
Across the board bets are a useful tool in stacking your wagers. They cost more to start, but you can unlock a larger payout if you win.
There are a few ways these bets can play out (apart from a loss).
By choosing a horse that places first, you get paid for a win bet, a show bet, and a place bet.
A horse that places second gets you a payout for place and show.
Betting on a horse that places third puts you under your wager amount, but you still get the winnings for show.
These can be great for increasing your winnings on horses you have great faith in placing first or second.
Consecutive races (parlays)
A parlay is a tiered wager that requires you to win all parts to win the bet. Losing just one can cost you the entire thing.
Betting on consecutive races can pay much more than on a single race, especially when you wrap the wager up as a parley. This is because you need to determine who will come in first for many consecutive races, and the price goes up as more races are involved.
Parlays are not a great choice for consistent habits, and beginners should stay away from them until they get straight bets down.
Race order bets
There are a few variations of race order bets, such as trifectas, superfectas, and quinellas.
A trifecta requires you to decide which horses will place first, second and third. With a superfecta, this progresses to predicting fourth place as well, but quinellas change it up.
In a quinella, you decide which two horses you believe will place first and second. This wager allows the two to place in any order as long as they snag the first two finish positions.
Best strategies for horse-race betting in Arizona
These basic strategies give you a better chance at winning the bets you want to place on horse races in Arizona.
Understand horse stats for horse-race betting AZ
Betting on horse racing in Arizona involves a different player than in other sports, and you need to understand how to interpret horse statistics to place bets accurately. In addition, things like personality and temper can play into performance, along with any limitations the horse is known to have.
Common stats you will see laid out include:
- Pacing
- Preferred starting position
- Average speed
- Condition
- Finishing position in any recent races
Looking at the horse’s lineage and training routine can tell you how prepared they are in certain races, and when a horse is making its racing debut that may be all you have.
Pay attention to horse condition before betting on races
You can look to recent history for any indications on horse condition, but checking in on the horse yourself before placing any wagers will give you the best opportunity to bet accurately.
If you are familiar with the horse’s behavior then you can check for any inconsistencies that might indicate injury or agitation. Even being more nervous than usual can affect their race performance.
The best opportunity for this is during the post parade, but many racetracks are moving to include paddock cameras so bettors and viewers can check in before the race.
Consider who trains and rides the horses
Jockeys and trainers may not have much bravado around their names as the horses they work with, but they are key players in race performance. You may not notice it offhand, but the top ten jockeys tend to stay in those positions, and they rank in the top 90 percent of all races.
Jockeys are the ones communicating with the horse on the track, and this can prove to be a strong pairing or it can lead to dismay.
Jockeys also show a preference for starting position, so looking at this alongside the horse’s leads you to a more informed wager.
Trainers are the ones who orchestrate the work leading up to the race, and their schedules and instruction can also lead directly to wins or losses. Therefore, learning what a trainer tends to include in their routines can give you a better idea of horse performance.
Understand how racetracks affect performance
There are several factors related to the track that influence race outcomes, including:
- Track type
- Weather
- Length of the track
- The shape of the track
Horses that are familiar with dirt tracks may not perform well on turf. Weather conditions can throw off performance enough to make choosing between two favorites easy.
Look to past performances for indications of how different tracks affect finishing positions.
Look to tip sheets for additional help
You can purchase a tip sheet as needed to make sure you have all the information available to wager accurately. Even seasoned bettors use these sheets to keep everything organized and at hand.
While tip sheets do not replace your responsibility to stay current on statistics and conditions, they prove to be invaluable tools for quick decisions and reference.
Keeping your betting pool small
When you start horse race betting in Arizona, you need to make your pool as small as possible. This might look like keeping your eye on races at a single track or only betting on major events like Triple Crown races.
New bettors should stick to one type of race. Thoroughbred races are one of the most popular options domestically, but you can also zero in on steeplechases, harness races, and endurance races.
By choosing a focus, you limit the skills you need to learn when getting started. This ensures you fill out your strategies and abilities in one area and perfect that before moving on.
Boxing in your bets
Boxing is a strategy that can be used when you have a few picks that you cannot narrow down. Of course, this will cost you more to place, but you lose the responsibility of putting your picks in finish order.
Quinella boxing lets you choose three horses to place in the top positions. You will still win the bet as long as two of them finish in first and second place.
Wheeling for easier bets
You might also see wheeling referred to as keying. This strategy is used to lock in the horse that you know will place while pairing it with others to boost your chances of winning.
Wheeling costs more the most horses you add, but this also increases your chance of winning the bet. This is a great tool if you have a pool of horses you cannot decide between.
Other sports to bet on in the state:
Arizona off track betting
The off track operators we recommend for Arizona off track betting are all properly licensed for in-state operation, so you know that any bets you place are backed by legalities. Beyond this, each off track operator has a history of playing well with bettors, and you will find plenty of benefits to using each one.
Take the time to research any that catch your eye to ensure that your needs are met regarding:
- Banking options
- Processing times
- Betting markets
- Offers
Online horse betting sites in AZ
Each of these off track operators has fantastic customer service reputations, and their odds are routinely competitive. So check out what they have to offer for horse-race online betting in Arizona.
BetMGM
New customers at BetMGM AZ can use a $1,000 risk-free bet to get their start horse-race betting in Arizona. This AZ sportsbook paired with NYRA bets to expand horse-race betting opportunities with Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and harness racing at more than 200 tracks across the globe.
The sportsbook has a stellar reputation for its ease of use and promotional calendar. Not only will you be able to place horse-race bets here, but you can stay up to date with recaps and live streams of races.
FanDuel
FanDuel AZ has a unique focus on racing, and you can find all of the sportsbook’s horse-race opportunities in the “racing” section of the sportsbook. You will find extensive markets that include plenty of lines on races like:
- The Triple Crown Races
- The Breeder’s Cup
- The Pegasus World Cup
New bettors can utilize a 20 percent deposit match that caps at $500 to boost their bankroll for horse-race betting in Arizona.
Caesars
Caesars Sportsbook AZ routinely offers horse-race betting options for Arizona bettors, and you will consistently find opportunities for:
- Win
- Place
- Show
- Trifectas
The brand has a solid live-betting format that horse-race bettors put to good use, and the $5,000 risk-free bet for new customers can give you a strong leg up.
DraftKings
DraftKings AZ has plenty of options that would make it a great choice for horse-race betting in Arizona, including a fantastic live betting platform and statistics hubs that update almost instantly.
New bettors are given a 20 percent deposit match up to $1,000 to get the best start betting.
Unibet
Unibet AZ has some of the most extensive lines for horse-race betting in Arizona, following races around the world. You will find betting opportunities for tracks in Australia, Japan, Canada, Peru, Argentine, Uruguay, and the United States.
Races like the Cheltenham horse races have plenty of valuable lines, and you can use the $500 risk-free bet to start strong.
FAQ horse race online betting Arizona
Pari-mutuel wagering refers to a system in which all the wagers are pooled. The track will take a percentage from this pool to profit from the bets placed, and whatever is left over will be divided between winners of the bet. In this system, bettors do not have odds set against them, but apparent wins can be spread thin among bettors.
If you are getting started with AZ horse-race betting or want an easy opportunity, look to show bets. These are easy to understand and predict, but they only pay a small amount to winners because so many bettors flock to them.
The morning line is where the odds sit at the start of the race day. Oddsmakers set this by determining how the public will bet on the race, so they are a prediction of the public, not the likely outcomes of the race.
Horse-race betting may seem like it has lost its traction, but there are still countless opportunities available. Even if fewer people choose to wager on these races, you can benefit from a smaller pool to split winnings. In addition, online wagering makes this a much more accessible experience, and you can find opportunities on almost every race.
Start by looking at reviews for a positive majority. Once this is established, you can verify the compatibility of a sportsbook for banking methods, sports you want to bet on, and the variety of bets they offer in those sports. Then, try choosing two or more so you can shop around for better odds and betting opportunities.