Horse Racing Betting in the Philippines Made Easy for Beginners

The Philippines has a colorful horse racing tradition. According to historical records, horse racing started as a recreational activity in 1867. The sport was initially available to the members of the society’s elite. But as years passed, horse racing became more popular and widely available in the market. Horse racing betting became a staple activity too, which helps boost its popularity. Today, local punters don’t just join the excitement in watching the races unfold. There are regulated bookies too that accept real money bets.

Brief History of Horse Racing in the Philippines

It was in 1867 when the first horse races were witnessed in the country. The owners of racing horses and the races were primarily reserved for the moneyed class of the society. This was evident in the establishment of the Manila Jockey Club in 1867, the first racing club in Southeast Asia. Since it was a social club, horse betting was not yet practiced. The races were simply social activities where members can watch the action and socialize with members.

It was only in 1935 when the club became a ‘business’ due to the passage of the Philippine Legislature Act No. 4130. In 1937, another club was established, the Philippine Racing Club. This was also the time regulated horse racing betting became available.

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Types of Bets to Use in Horse Racing Betting

Just like in other popular sports, you can play straight bets and exotic bets. For each type of bet, you are offered a wide array of choices. If you’re just starting in horse betting, it’s highly recommended that you start with the straight wagers. These types of bets are simple and easy on the pocket. In horse racing betting, a straight wager requires betting on a horse that will come in first, second, or third. The exotic wagers in live horse racing, on the other hand, entails combining multiple bets on different horses in a single wager. Think of this bet type as your accumulators in other forms of sports betting.

Compared to straight wager, your exotic wagers in horse racing betting are tougher to win. Also, they require advanced skills and knowledge in reading and analyzing the horses. However, the payouts for these bets are bigger. For this reason, experienced punters and enthusiasts prefer the exotic bets over the straight wagers.

Examples of Betting Types to Play

Before you sign up and follow horse racing in the Philippines, check out the following examples of bet types. All these bet examples are listed on the official website of the Philippine Racing Commission.

  • Win. Under this betting arrangement, you’ll pick the winner of the race.
  • Place. Here, you need to be specific in placing your bet on a specific horse racing result. If you want to play this in horse racing betting, you can pick the horse that will end up the first, the second, or the third.
  • Forecast. For this bet type, you will put your money on the first and second finishers of the race in its correct order of arrival.
  • Daily Double. To make this bet, you will put your money on the first place winner only on two identified consecutive horse races.
  • Daily Quinella. Compared to the Daily Double, the Daily Quinella allows you to bet on the first and second place winner in any order, for both races.
  • Trifecta. If you’re feeling confident in your selection, then we recommend that you play the Trifecta when participating in horse racing betting. Here, you need to predict the first, second, and third place finishers of the race in the exact order of arrival.

On top of these popular bet types, bookies will also allow you to place your bets on a Quartet, Pentafecta, Super Six, and the Winner Take All. Often, the types of bets you can play will depend on the sportsbook or betting shop. Make sure you review all bet types available on the site before you place your money.

horse racing betting

How to Place Your Wagers in Betting Shops or Online Bookies

Now that you’re aware of the popular bets to play in horse racing betting, you can now visit a local bookmaker or place your wagers online. If you’re visiting a bookmaker shop that’s situated on-site, there are a few things you need to remember to complete the horse racing betting experience.

Once you’re at the counter, you need to provide the teller with the following information:

  • Race number
  • Type of bet you want to play
  • Amount of wager
  • Horse’s number

For example, you can say ‘Race no. 4, Win, Php 100.000 on horse number 5’. This means that you’re betting Php 100.00 on horse number 5 to win first place in race number 4. The teller will provide you with a ticket that you should keep. You’ll need it when you win and claim your payout.

Placing your bet in an online sportsbook is fast and convenient. Assuming that you already have an active sportsbook account, you need to log in first to your account. Proceed to the sportsbook section and select ‘Horse Racing’ as your preferred sport. From here, you will be presented with betting lines that represent the matches and their odds. Simply click on a betting line that you want to bet on. Your selection is instantly reflected on the ‘Bet Slip’. Just specify the wager you want to play and click approve.

horse racing philippines

Horse Racing Betting Tips and Strategies

Your success in horse racing betting depends on several factors. If you’re planning to bet on horse racing Philippines, the first thing you’ll need to cover is quick research. Find information about the races, the track, and the form of the jockeys. Look for horses that are consistently in the top three of most races. It’s a good predictor of future performances in the race.

When it comes to betting, we recommend that you test different types of bets. Although straight bets are easier, learning about exotic bets can offer you bigger payouts.

Finally, check out the horse racing betting odds published online. Odds are helpful to punters since they can tell you the likelihood that a specific outcome will happen. Also, the betting odds are used to calculate the payout. The better the odds are, the higher your chances of collecting lucrative payouts in case you win.

FAQs

Is it legal to bet on horse racing in the Philippines?

Yes. The government regulates the horse races in the country and it also monitors horse racing betting on-site.

What are the popular types of bets I can place in horse racing?

Two of the most popular bets you can play in bookies are Win and Place. In Win, you’re predicting the winner of the race. With a Place bet, you’re predicting the exact position of the horse at the end of the race.

How can I start betting on horses online?

To bet online legally, you should register an account with an offshore licensed sportsbook. Once the account has been confirmed, you can now top-up your account and place your bets.