Horse betting is one of the most challenging activities for someone with a penchant for gambling. Those addicted to this activity spend hours betting on the horses, handicapping the races, and researching the race methods. However, if you are a newbie, you will find getting into horse stakes quite perplexing. But once you get familiar with the system, wagering on horses is simple fun.

Here are some basics on Horse Bets that will help you make a start.

Starting A Horse Bet

Starting a bet and knowing how much money to place is the initial challenge that a newbie faces. First, it is important to know the type of wagers that go around.

Win - The word 'win' means picking the horse that you expect to win the race. If the horse wins, you win the bet.

Place - When you place a bet to 'place', the horse must finish either first or second. Though your stakes are lesser than 'win', it is still a good Horse Bet.

Show - 'Show' is a conservative bet when the horse finishes either first, second, or third. That's a profitable wager, if chosen wisely.

Across the board - Here you place the bet in all the three positions. You are lucky, if the horse wins, because you collect the booty of all the three bets. If the charger finishes second, you show the bet and collect 'place'. If the stallion finishes third, the rules permit you to collect only the show bet.

Once you are familiar with the above, it is up to you to decide your risk appetite. Nevertheless, it is prudent to keep aside a fixed amount for Horse Betting, and not wager on the money that you want to take home.

Some Exotic Online Betting Stakes

There are many forms of exotic bets that are more complex than the basic 'win', 'place', and 'show'. Here are some examples.

Exacta - Here you pick the first and the second places in that order. Playing in multiple combinations is a very popular mode.

Quinella - The rules of Quinella are that you must pick horses that finish first and second. You win the bet if one of the horses finishes either first, or second.

Daily double - Here you must pick the winning horse in two successive races. The rules allow multiple combinations. That is, you win if each of the horses wins either of the successive races.

Superfecta - In Horse Betting, superfecta means that you select the horses that finish first, second, third, and fourth, in that order.

Some people believe that understanding the horse racing system is a pushover, and some magical formula exists for making a quick buck by handicapping and Horse Betting. The fact is, wagering on horses is complex and needs some practice, and a bit of intuition. There is an axiom that says - all systems work well for a period, and then profits start falling. You may spend a good part of your life betting on horses, and yet remain in the red. The keyword for success is to master the mental game to be a winner in Horse Betting.