Betting Horse Racing Online
So you don't live anywhere near a racetrack. No problem! Today,
betting horse racing online at tracks around the world has never
been easier. The sites we'll talk about are well-established,
legal, secure, and can provide much of the same experience you
would get if you were at the track...without leaving home!
The basics of betting horse racing online are fairly
straightforward. Typically, you register with one of these
sites, make a deposit, and your winnings and losses are credited
or debited from your account. Some betting horse racing online
sites require the payment of a monthly subscription fee that is
often waived if your betting exceeds a certain amount per month.
Since you are betting horse racing online live, all the race
conditions, types of bets, and so forth are exactly the same,
although some sites do not pool their bets with the pari-mutuel
pool. You can watch the odds being updated as they are on the
track, with minimal delay. With some sites, your bet is added to
the overall betting pool, along with all other wagers from
around the online world and those made live at the track. Some
of these sites even allow you to wager and check results via
cell phone text messaging.
Betting horse racing online has three drawbacks. First, watching
live races on a tiny window on your computer leaves much to be
desired. While you watch and listen to the same feed that is
being broadcast on the monitors at the track and OTB parlors, it
can be difficult to see. If you are a serious handicapper, one
option is to install a satellite television system in your home.
Dish Network broadcasts TVG and Horse Racing TV. These channels
are not available on most cable systems, and free equipment
deals may be available for first time subscribers. Monthly rates
for the Dish Network are $40-$50 per month.
The second drawback is that with anything else on the Internet,
you are at the mercy of your hardware and software. Some betting
horse racing online sites, for example, work with Internet
Explorer, but not Firefox or Netscape browsers. A slow computer,
or one which has frequent problems, may not be the best system
for accessing these sites, especially if you are interested in
watching the races live on your computer.
Lastly, some people find that betting horse racing online can be
an overall unsatisfying experience. Being part of the action as
it occurs on the track is exciting! Wagering online is close,
but not quite the same. For some people, the inability to handle
the cash makes for a lesser experience than that at the track.
Plus, some handicappers also enjoy watching the horses live,
especially when the horses are in the paddock area receiving
their saddles and making their way to the track. Regardless, if
the convenience of betting online, and the ability to bet at
multiple tracks around the clock sounds appealing, then betting
horse racing online may be for you!