Betfair Horse Racing UK An Opinion

I have been using the fabulous Betfair betting exchange for many years and this is the only platform I use. I very rarely use bookmakers but that is my choice. I have been developing Betfair trading strategies manual and automated using the excellent Bet Angel software to automate everything from placing back/lay trades to edging my position in a race since 2007.

I feel that looking at the Betfair decimal odds for any UK horse race it gives me a realistic view of a betting market especially in UK horse races. It is an  or condensed view of a race from many people and organisations opinions using this platform. Horse racing is my main sport that I concentrate on and I tend to focus on UK handicap horse races especially AWF – all weather flat races.

Betfair Betting Market What Do I Look For

In a UK handicap horse race, I look for the following decimal odds patterns in no priority order,
1.    Top 3 in the betting market and look at the decimal odds spread. If the spread of these top 3 in the market is tight i.e.
3.0
3.5
4.1
I leave the race alone as the Betfair betting market has the top 3 in the betting with a reasonable chance of winning the race. In other words, the betting market is undecided. The percentage book value will be high for these top 3 so the winner should come from these 3 horses.
2.    If the favourite in the betting market is less than decimal odds 3.0 and the 2nd favourite has decimal odd greater than 5.0 then I home in on the favourite and look at the horse form for this favourite to qualify the horse has a bet.
3.    If the favourite for the race is decimal odds 5.0 or greater I leave the race alone.
4.    Finally, if I have an odds-on favourite for a race i.e. less than decimal odds 2.0 or evens in old money, I will lay the favourite subject to me checking the horse form of the favourite to check if this horse can get beaten.

Conclusion

I always ask for larger decimal odds pre-race off when backing horses in a Betfair racing market and keep in-play, why would you not?