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Pros And Cons of Antepost Betting

Date: 10/13/2022

As we race towards the end of 2022, followers of Thoroughbred horse racing have some exciting fixtures on the horizon. The end of the year is always a hectic time for steeplechase racing in the UK and Ireland, with some huge events crammed into just a few weeks. The drama and excitement of the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National, and the sun-drenched courses of the summer Flat season are now a distant memory. It's time to dive into the deep end of drenched turf, cold spectators and electric racing.

Sports fans are beginning to set their sights on this year's renewal of the world-famous and increasingly popular King George VI, with the leading bookies that allow betting on horse races offering odds on the winner through their antepost book. It's already a competitive market with the biggest names vying for positions. The trading team continues to tweak its prices in a desperate bid to find the right favourite while creating a market bettors want to get involved with. It's a balancing act for the sportsbooks, but a great time to be a bettor. There's so much value around.

In this article, we have enlisted the help of a horse racing enthusiast and gambling industry expert who brings readers up to speed on the King George VI Chase. There are still several weeks, and soccer's FIFA World Cup stands between us and race day, but there's no harm in getting in early to secure the value. Let's take a closer look at how the market is set up and where the value can be found.

Why bet antepost

Why would anyone bet on a horse race that is still weeks or even months away? It's true, antepost betting isn't for everyone, and even if you knew you were backing a good thing at a decent price, would you be willing to have your stake tied up for a while? For most casual bettors and followers of horse racing, it's not worth the hassle. It certainly seems that way. But it's a key tactic for the professionals amongst us, the profitable bettors who make a habit of beating the bookies on their favourite sport.

The earlier you bet on a race, the better your odds will be. It's as simple as that. If you strike your bet on the antepost market and get odds of +2000, for example, and your friend bets on the same selection on the day of the race, they'll likely get +1200 or lower. The reason for this is when you are betting antepost; you're taking more of a risk. Your horse needs to avoid injury, pass the various stages of declarations, and then win. Whereas when betting on the day, you know your pick is in the running and will start the event. Therefore, there is less of a risk posed to your stake.

Gambling early does give you a crack at improved odds, but you could place a bet on a runner that loses its chance to contest the race. Anything can happen in the time between you placing the bet at great odds and the off. And the major risk is if your pick doesn't run, you lose your stake. That's why many bettors looking to get in early wait for the Non-Runner No Bet promotion to be released by bookies. When this comes into effect, all stakes on horses that don't run will be returned to you.

King George VI Chase

Returning to our earlier example of the King George VI Chase run at Kempton during the festive period, we find Allaho as the early favourite. All leading bookies involved in antepost betting agree this is the runner to beat, and he stands head and shoulders above the competition, certainly when it comes to odds. Allaho is close to half the price of others in the main list, and from there, it's anyone's guess where the challenge will come from.

Other names to keep in mind when looking to make your bets on this event include Bravemansgame, Lhomme Presse, Galopin Des Champs, A Plus Tard and Ahoy Senor. There are dozens of names on the list, but the pack will be trimmed between now and December.

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