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Betting with a Bookmaker

The prices are displayed on the Bookmakers Board. Once you have decided which horse to back, the trick is to shop around with different Bookmakers to find the best odds available. A horse showing $3 is considered more likely to win than one showing $21. A $10 bet at $3 would provide a return of $30 and $21 would return $210.

To place a bet with a Bookmaker, you will need to give him the following details:-

  • The name of the horse.
  • The type of bet (eg: Win, Place or Each Way)
  • The amount you wish to invest.

The Bookmaker will give you a Betting Ticket which you present to the Clerk if your horse wins.

The following types of bets are available:-

WIN This is the same as the Tote and your selection must finish first.
PLACE This is the same as the Tote and your selection must finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
EACH WAY This is the same as the Tote and is a combination of a win and place bet. The place bet is ¼ of the winning odds provided there are eight starters. This can vary if there are fewer than eight starters.
4 PLACED HORSES BETTING Bettors select a horse from each of 4 races displayed on the bookmakers' board on which each runner's win price is displayed. The odds are added to achieve bet value.
FIELD AGAINST FAVOURITE Bookmakers may offer odds to win to cover all of the horses in a field apart from the horse displayed at the time on the Bookmakers betting board as the shortest priced runner.
FAVOURITE-OUT BETTING Bookmakers may bet on a race whilst excluding from that betting the odds on the favourite.
HEAD-TO-HEAD BETTING Bookmakers may offer odds on the chance of one horse being placed above another horse in the finishing order.
FEATURE BETTING You can bet on certain big race doubles such as the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup.
SPORTS BETTING You can bet on sports events on which a Bookmaker elects to field.

Bets are not paid until declaration of correct weight which is approximately five minutes after the horses pass the finishing post.