The Only Way to Beat the System Is To Use the System

Guest post written by Paul Micelli

The concept of the handicapping system used in the horse racing industry can at times appear quite baffling, and to the novice punter, it can seem to be beyond the grasp of even an aspiring Einstein.

However, the handicapping system can help users reap modest to big rewards if they do their homework correctly. The return to the punter can be greater than that of the reward to the “bookie.”

Usually when a horse wins a race in the UK on any of the tracks, regardless of the running conditions, it will have its official rating increased by a few pounds; however there is a “but” in the equation.

The official handicappers’ panel will only be looking at the official ratings once a week, so immediately after a favorable win, savvy trainers will enter their steed into another handicap race (or two or three) before the official figures are released and the horse has had its official rating reviewed. Therefore for at least one race, maybe more, it will run off its old handicap mark. 

To successfully use this betting “system,” for want of a better word, it is best to follow it from a Tuesday to a Monday, as the official mark up or down for a horse happens on a Tuesday. Any horse winning a race on a Tuesday has six days in which to race on its old handicapping mark, which means the returns will be better. A horse that wins a race on a Monday will have its mark changed the following day and there’s no opportunity to capitalize on the handicapping system.

Before placing any money on a horse, follow the winners over the course of a month using this method. Remember the odds of a return reduce as the days pass over the week.

Once a pattern emerges, start using this method to beat the bookie and beat the handicapping system.
As well as following this system, try an “each way” bet on the horses you are placing wagers on. The return is a little less but the chances of winnings returning to the punter, rather than the bookie, is increased. And any system that beats the system and weighs in favor of the punter has to be a good thing.

It is not a fool-proof system, nothing ever is, and the knack is not to bet large sums of money. A good suggestion is to start with a fiver or a tenner on an “each way” bet, and see how it goes.

But the one thing that can be guaranteed is that if applied correctly, a genuine return will be made. 

The system cannot be broken; however, if one can use a legal method of using the system to one’s advantage to beat the bookies, it can not be a bad thing.

Try it out and see what the outcome is; you may be in for a pleasant surprise.