The history of Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean stud poker was invented in the mid-1980s on the Caribbean island of Aruba. It began to be played on cruise ships and gradually spread to casinos around the world. It differs from other poker games as it is played against the casino which acts as banker. Instead of playing for a pot, the winning hands are paid out at fixed odds. There is also no bluffing involved. In order to win, you have only to beat the dealer’s hand. The other player’s hands do not affect the outcome of your bets.

 

The game
The object of the game is to win by having a five-card poker hand that ranks higher than the dealer’s. Each player makes an ante-bet and is dealt five cards face down. The dealer receives four cards face down and one card face up.

Players then look at their cards and have the option to play or fold. If a player folds, his ante-bet is lost. If a player decides to continue, he must then make a further bet of double his ante-bet.

The dealer’s hand is then revealed. He must have an ace and a king or higher in order to play his hand. If a player’s hand beats the dealer’s, the ante-bet is paid at evens. See the below Table for the odds for the second bet. If the dealer does not have at least an ace and a king then a player is paid even money on the ante-bet and the additional bet is void (not lost). If, however, the dealer’s hand beats the player’s, both bets are lost.

One pair or less           1/1 (even)

Two pair                      2/1

Three of a kind            3/1

Straight                       4/1

Flush                           5/1

Full House                    7/1

Four of a kind               20/1

Straight Flush               50/1

Royal Flush                  100/1

 

If the dealer and the player play the same poker hand, the remaining cards are taken into consideration. If all five cards are equal, the hand is void (the bet is not lost). Neither the ante-bet nor the additional bet is paid. The type of suit makes no difference to the hand.

The disadvantage of this game is that you are relying purely on luck. There is no skill involved. You do not have the opportunity to bluff. In poker games where you are playing for a pot, you are still able to win even with a poor hand but with Caribbean stud poker, if you have a poor hand, you stand little chance of winning.

The minimum odds in this game are evens. In a normal game of poker with, for example, seven players, you would have odds of at least 6/1 and quite often a great deal better. The odds paid for the additional bet are also poor compared to the chances of achieving them. Odds of 100/1 are paid for a royal flush, yet your chances of being dealt one are 649,739/1. The only advantage you have is that you know how much each game is going to cost you.

Caribbean stud poker should be played only for amusement purposes. If you want to win money, you are better advised to play games where you are contesting for a pot.

 

Caribbean stud strategy
Caribbean stud poker has a house advantage of 5.26 per cent. By playing the following strategy it is possible to cut the house advantage to about 2.6 per cent. You need to decide whether to play or fold your hand. You should fold if you don’t get a minimum hand of an ace and a king.

Players should raise when they hold any pair or an ace and a king. With some hands you need to match the dealer’s up card to reduce the possibility that the dealer has a pair.

Player’s hand        Dealer’s hand                  Action
Lower than A K                                      Fold
Any pair              Any up card                 Raise
AKQJx                Any up card                  Raise
AKQxx                Must match one card     Raise
AKJxx                 Must match one card     Raise
A K 10 xx            Must match one card     Raise

The $1 progressive jackpot bet is extremely difficult to win. It is not worthwhile playing until the level of the jackpot exceeds $263,000.
 

Sic Bo

Sic bo is based on an ancient Chinese gambling game and has been adapted for casino play as a banking game. The game is played with three dice. The winning numbers are those uppermost on the dice.

Players bet on the combination of numbers thrown. Bets can be made on individual numbers, pairs, triples (three of a kind) or combinations of any two or three of the dice. The house advantage varies between 2.78 and 33.33 per cent depending on which bets are made and where the game is played.

The delaer will anounce ‘place your bets’. Players place their bets on  the layout on the box marked with the desired outcome. For example, if you want to bet on big, you simply place your chip in the box maked big. The dealer will announce ‘no more bets’. The dice are shaken. The dealer announces the winning numbers and the winning bets are paid out.

 

Types of Bet
There are 50 bets that can be played. The bets can be divided into seven different types.
 
 
Individual number
This is a bet on one particular number being thrown on any of the three dice. The numbers 1 to 6 inclusive can be played. For example, a bet on number 4 will win if a 4 is thrown on any of the three dice. If more than one 4 is thrown, the bet is paid out at greater odds. The bet will lose if no 4 is thrown. The odds paid depend on how many dice the selected number appears on. If the number is thrown on one die, odds of evens 1/1 are paid. If the number is thrown on two dice odds of 2/1 are paid. If the number is thrown on all three dice odds of 3/1 are paid. The house advantage is 7.87%.
 
 
Double
A double is a bet on two particular numbers being thrown. For example, a bet on 3 and 5 will win if 3 is thrown on one dice and 5 on another. All combinations of numbers are marked on the betting layout. Odds paid are 5/1.The house advantage is 16.67%.
 
 
Totals
The winning numbers on all three dice are added to find the total. For example if 6, 4 and 2 are thrown the total will be 12. Bets made on number 12 would win and all other bets on the totals would lose. Any total from 4 to 17 can be played. The odds depend on how easy or difficult it is to throw a total. They start at 6/1 and go up to 60/1. The house advantage varies as dIfferent casinos pay different odds. Bets cannot be made on scores of 3 and 18 as these are triples. If a score of 3 or 18 is made all bets on the totals lose.

Total          Odds     House advantage    
4 or 17     60/1     29.1%    
5 or 16     18/1     47.2%         
6 or 15     14/1     30.56%    
7 or 14     12/1     9.72%                
8 or 13     8/1       12.5%                
9 or 12     6/1       18.98%                
10 or 11   6/1       12.5%                
   
 
Small or big
Small is a bet on a score of between 4 and 10. For example if the 3, 4 and 2 are thrown the total is 9, which would be a winning bet. Big is a bet on a score of between 11 and 17. For example, if 6, 5 and 3 are thrown the total is 14, which would be a winning number. Bets on small or big lose if a triple (three of a kind) is thrown. The house advantage is 2.78%.

 
 
Triple of a particular number
A triple is the same score on each dice. For example, three fives or three fours. A particular triple is a triple made with one particular number. For example, if a triple of three fours is played, the bet will lose if three fives are thrown. The odds paid on winning bets varies. At odds of 150/1, the house advantage is 30.09%. At odds of 180/1, the house advantage is 16.2%.
 
 
Any triple
Any triple is a bet on any three of a kind. For odds of 24/1, the house advantage is 30.56%. For odds of 30/1, the house advantage is 13.89%.
 
 
Any pair
Any pair is a bet that two of the dice will have the same score. For example, a throw of 3, 3, 5 would win. For odds of 8/1, the house advantage is 33.33%. For odds of 10/1, the house advantage is 18.52%.
 
 
Betting layout
The betting layout is divided into four rows. The bottom row is marked with the single-number bets. The next row is marked with the two-number bets. The following row has the bets on the total of the three dice. The top row has the big and small, triple and double bets. The payout odds for each bet are marked on the layout.
 
 
Strategy
There is no strategy to predict the winning numbers; players simply rely on luck. The best bet to make is the big or small bet as this has the lowest house advantage. The worst bet to make is any pair, that has the highest house advantage.
 

Three Card Poker / Progressive Poker

Three card poker is a banking game. The house advantage is less than 3.5 per cent. There is no strategy involved with three-card poker, the player simply decides how much to bet. Three-card poker consists of two games that are played either separately or together – three-card ante/play and pair plus. It is played with a standard pack of 52 cards. With the pair plus game the aim is to make a ranking poker hand that is paid out at fixed odds.

With the ante-bet the aim is to make a three-card poker hand that beats the dealer’s hand. The dealer needs to have at least a queen high to qualify .

The dealer and player are both dealt three cards. Pair plus bets are paid out according to the payout odds.

 

Ante and play
Players can also place an ante-bet against the dealer. After the cards are dealt, they can place a play bet equal to the initial ante-bet.

As only three cards are used, the rankings are not the same as traditional poker. A straight ranks higher than a flush. Aces rank both high and low. There is also no mini-royal flush.

 

Rankings of hands
1 Straight flush
2 Three of a kind
3 Straight
4 Flush
5 Pair
6 High card
 
 
Payout Odds:
Pair                   1/1
Flush                 4/1
Straight              6/1
Three of a kind   30/1
Straight Flush     40/1

Playing tips for Video Poker

Progressive games offer the best value because they give you the opportunity to win a larger jackpot than flat top games.

The overall return for a game is usually expressed as a percentage. With some games it is possible to get a return of over 100 per cent if they are played over a long term. Look for a game that has already accumulated a large jackpot. In order to win the jackpot around 45 hours of fast play is required. This requires a bankroll of several thousand coins. If a large jackpot has already accumulated it will be possible to win it in a shorter time.

Always play the maximum possible stake as a smaller bet pays out lower odds. The maximum possible bet it usually five coins. A jackpot with five coins inserted pays on average 4000 coins. With only one coin inserted it pays around 250.

Learn the playing strategy for video poker. This differs from traditional five-card draw because with video poker there is no bluffing involved. Strategies like keeping a kicker to a pair are not correct for video poker.

Master jacks or better before graduating to other games. Jacks or better is the simplest game to learn.

Make sure the strategy you use is the correct one for the game you are playing. Games with wildcards like deuces and joker wild are more complex and require a different strategy to jacks or better.

Play slowly and carefully while you are learning. Hands like straights are not always immediately obvious, as the cards will rarely be displayed in the correct ascending or descending order. Don’t forget that in a straight an ace can be used as a high or a low card.

 

Basic strategy for jacks or better
Here is a simple strategy for jacks or better that is suitable for beginners:

1 Hold any hand of a straight or over in the ranking.
2 If four cards to a royal flush are held draw one (including to a winning flush).
3 Four cards to a straight flush or a flush – draw one.
4 Three of a kind – draw two.
5 Two pair – draw one.
6 Pair – draw three.
7 Three card royal flush – draw two.
8 Four card straight – draw one.
9 Three card straight flush – draw two.
10 Two high cards J, Q, K, A – draw three.
11 Three high cards (jack and over) – hold two of the same suit. If different suits, hold the two lowest high cards.
12 Four card straight – draw one.
13 High card – draw four.
14 Nothing – draw five.

 

Deuces wild strategy
The strategy depends on how many deuces are held:

Four deuces – draw no cards.
Three deuces – if no royal flush or five of a kind – draw two.
Two deuces: with four of a kind or better do not draw; with four cards to a royal flush – draw one; other hands – hold the deuces and draw three.
No deuces: hold any royal flush, straight or flush.
Four cards to a royal straight, straight or flush – draw one.
Four of a kind – draw one.
Three of a kind – draw two.
One pair – draw three.
Three cards to a straight flush – draw two.
Same suited high cards 10, J, Q, K – hold two.
Nothing – draw five.

 

Kings or better joker wild strategy
The strategy depends on whether or not you hold a joker.

Joker held
Hold hands that are three of a kind or higher.
Hold four cards to a royal flush.
Hold any four-card straight flush and a four-card flush if it includes K or A or both.
Hold three cards to a royal flush.
Hold a paying pair of high cards (king, ace).
Hold any three cards to a straight flush.
Hold any four-card flush without king or ace.
Hold consecutive four-card straights.
If none of these, hold the joker.
 
No joker held
Hold all paying hands.
Hold a four-card royal flush.
Hold any four cards to a straight flush and any three cards to a royal flush.
Hold four cards to any flush.
Hold any pair of twos to queens.
Hold any three cards to a straight flush.
Hold any four-card consecutive straight.
Hold two cards to a royal flush if one of the cards is a ace or king.
Hold unsuited king and ace.
Hold king or ace alone.
Hold two suited royal flush cards lower than king or ace.
If none of these, draw five.

Types of Craps Bet

There is a wide range of bets. Try to familiarize yourself with themand learn where they are placed on the layout before you play.

Pass (win) line
Win bets must be placed before the come-out roll. They cannot beremoved or reduced after the point is established. It wins if a 7 or 11is thrown on the come-out roll or if a point is made. It loses if craps(a score of 2, 3, or 12) is thrown on the come-out roll or if theshooter fails to make a point. Odds of even money
(1/1) are paid on winning bets.

 

Don’t pass (don’t win) line
This is the opposite of pass. The bet must be placed before thecome-out roll. After a point is established it can be reduced orremoved. The bet wins if craps is thrown on the come-out roll or if theshooter fails to make a point. It loses if 7 or 11 is thrown on thecome-out roll or if a point is made.

A lot of casinos bar one of the craps numbers, usually either 12 or2, to give themselves a bigger house advantag. If a score is barred itis shown by an illustration of two dice in the don’t win section -twoones if 2 is barred and two sixes if 12 is barred. If a score is barredit is void (neither wins nor loses).

Effect of a sequence of throws on the pass and don’t pass bet:

Throw     Score     Pass bet     Don’t pass bet
Example 1     1st           7          wins           loses
Example 2     1 st          6*
2nd          5
3rd           5
4th           2
5th           6**       wins           loses
Example 3     1st           6*
2nd           5
3rd           4
4th           7**       loses          wins
Example 4     1st           3(craps) loses          wins

* point established
**point made

 

Come and don’t come bets
These bets allow players who miss the come-out roll to bet. They aresimilar to pass and don’t pass bets. The difference is that they can beplaced on any throw of the dice after the come-out roll. When the betis placed, the next throw of the dice becomes the first throw for thebet.

The rules concerning the win/loss are the same as the pass line. Ifa 7 or 11 is thrown the come bets wins and don’t come bets lose. Ifcraps is thrown the come bets lose and the don’t come bets win. Anyother number thrown establishes a point. If the point is made the comebets win and don’t come bets lose. However, the score need not be thesame as for the pass bets. Scores of 2 or/12 may be barred for don’tcome bets.

If for example, a come bet was placed on the third throw and thescore is 6, the come bet will win if another score of 6 is thrownbefore a 7 or 11.  When a come or don’t come bet is placed, the dealerwill move the bet to the box of the score required. Come bets cannot bereduced or removed after a point is established. Don’t come bets may beremoved or reduced after a point is established.

 

Odds bets
These are additional bets that can be made once a point has beenestablished. You must already have a bet on pass, don’t pass, come ordon’t come. The bets are paid out at the true mathematical odds and areworth playing as the house advantage is reduced. However, casinos limitthe amount that you can bet. Some allow a bet of up to the amount ofyour original wager, others allow you to bet double the original wager.Odds bets can be reduced or removed at any time.

On the come-out roll, come odds bets are ‘off’ but may be called ‘on’ by the player and don’t come odds bets are ‘on’.

 

Place bet
This is a bet on the individual scores of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. It winsif the score selected is thrown before a 7 is rolled. These bets can bemade at any time. Place bets are ‘off’ at the come-out roll unless youcall them ‘on’. The bets can be increased, decreased, removed or calledoff at any time. ‘

 

Buy bet
Buy bets are similar to place bets except that a 5 per cent commissionis paid when the bet is placed. The bets are then settled at the truemathematical odds. An easy way to find 5 per cent is to halve theamount of your bet and move the decimal point one place to the left.The bets may be increased, decreased or removed at any time and thecommission adjusted accordingly each time.

If your buy bet wins and you leave it on again, you need to pay anadditional 5 per cent commission. Buy bets are automatically ‘off’ onthe come-out roll, but may be called ‘on’ by the player.

 

Lay bets
Lay bets are the opposite of buy bets. If a 7 is rolled before thenumber on which a lay bet is wagered, the wager wins at true odds. Thewager loses if the number on which a lay bet is wagered rolls before a7 is rolled.

For a lay bet, the 5 per cent commission is charged on the amountthe wager could win (not on the amount wagered as with buy bets). So,if you place a £40 bet on 4, the winnings would be £20 (£40 at 1/2 =£60, £60 – £40 stake = £20). Commission payable is 5 per cent of £20 =£1. You would
therefore need to pay £41.

 

One-roll bets
Some bets are made on just one roll of the dice:

field – for the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 to be thrown. It loses if a 5, 6, 7 or 8 is rolled.

hardways – throwing the same number on each die. Hardway four is twodeuces, hardway six is two threes, hardway eight is two fours andhardway ten is two fives. A hardway bet is for the numbers 4, 6, 8, or10 to be rolled hardway. Hardways are ‘off’ on the come out roll butcan be called ‘on’.

any seven – for a 7 to be rolled

any craps – the numbers 2, 3 or 12

craps two – number 2 (two ones)

craps twelve – a bet on number 12 (two sixes)

craps three – number 3 (a 2 and a 1)

eleven – number 11 (5 and 6)

horn – this bet is made in units of four. It is for the numbers 2,3, 11 or 12 being rolled. It is treated as four separate bets on eachnumber

horn high – the same as a horn except that there is one stake uniton each of the numbers and an extra stake unit on any of the numbersthat the player nominates. So if number 11 were nominated it would havetwo stake units on it.

History of Video Poker

Video poker is a game based on five-card draw. The software deals and displays the cards. The player bets against the casino,which acts as the dealer and the banker. The object of the game is to make the highest ranking poker hand possible. Video poker differs from most other slot machines because the skill of the player affects the outcome of the game.

A winning hand is paid a fixed return. The payouts for winning hands are displayed on the casino’s website. The higher the ranking of the hand, the greater the returns. The payouts vary depending on the casinos rules.

Video poker differs from a traditional game of five-card draw in a number of ways:
•    There is only one player so it is not necessary to beat other players’ hands.
•    It is a much faster game.
•    The payout odds for particular hands are fixed.
•    It does not involve bluffing.

 

The history of video poker
Poker has been played on gaming machines since the 1800s. In 1891 Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn began manufacturing poker card machines. They proved extremely popular and were installed in virtually all Brooklyn’s licensed liquor establishments, which at that time numbered over 3000. By 1901 the machines had been redesigned so that draw poker could be played.
In the mid-1970s video poker was invented. By 1976 the first black and white video poker machines appeared. They were superseded eight months later with a colour version. Nowadays, video poker is one of the most popular casino games.

 

Types of video poker
There are a number of different games with slight variations in the rules. The most popular games are jacks or better, deuces wild and joker wild. Games can also be played where three hands at a time are played. For beginners, jacks or better is a simpler game to play. The returns for a royal flush on some machines are fixed, on others there is a progressive jackpot, which accumulates each time a game is played.

How to play Blackjack

The cards are shuffled. In order to play, players must make an initial bet by placing sufficient chips in the betting box. The player is dealt two cards face up. The dealer also receives two cards – one face up and one face down. The dealer’s card that is not revealed to the players is called the hole card.

Players judge their chances of beating the dealer with the cards they hold and the card shown in the dealer’s hand. The cards you have compared to the card in the dealer’s hand will determine what you do next. You have several options. You can stand (take no further cards); take more cards to try to improve your score (hit); split your cards into two hands by making an additional bet; or you can double your additional bet. With some online casinos there will be a time limit for you to make your decision. If you do not act within the time limit, it will be assumed that you want to stand.

You can take as many cards as you like to improve your score, but if your score exceeds 21, you lose and your cards will be cleared away. Your bet loses and will be removed. You still lose even if the dealer’s hand exceeds 21. A tie or standoff occurs only if both scores are equal and do not exceed 21. Once you are satisfied that you have sufficient cards to beat the dealer’s eventual score, you should ‘stand’ (take no more cards).

After the player’s hand has been dealt with, the dealer’s hand is played. There are rules that determine the dealer’s action. If his score is 16 or less, he must take a card. If his score goes above 21, he has lost and all winning bets are paid. Once he reaches 17 or over he must stand (he can’t take any more cards). If the player has beaten the dealer’s score, he is paid. If you tie with the dealer, your bet is a standoff (not lost). If your score is lower, you lose.

 

Options
Depending on the initial value of the cards dealt, you have several options available to you. 

Doubling
You may double your initial bet. Rules vary as to when you can double so always check first. Whether or not doubling your bet is a wise move depends on the dealer’s score.

Splitting
After two cards have been dealt, you have. the options of splitting them into two separate hands. An additional bet equal to your initial bet can be made. If two aces are split into two hands, only one extra card can be taken. If you split two aces and then get a 10-value card – this is not blackjack as you can only have blackjack after two cards have been dealt. Instead, you have a score of 21.

Insurance
Insurance is an additional bet you can make if the dealer’s first card is an ace. Here, you make a further bet equal to half your original stake. If the dealer gets blackjack, your original bet loses but your insurance bet is paid at odds of 2/1. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose the insurance bet, but your original bet is paid at even odds.
If you have blackjack and the dealer has an ace, you will be asked if you want to take insurance. When you take insurance, the outcome is the same whether the dealer has blackjack or not. Your net winnings are even money. Some casinos automatlcally pay you even money as soon as you take insurance. It is generally more advantageous for the player to not take insurance as there is a greater chance that the dealer will make another score and not get blackjack.

Odds paid
If both the dealer and the player have the same score, the bet is a standoff (not lost).
If a player wins with a score of 21 with his first two cards only (blackjack) the odds are 3/2.
If the player beats the dealer on any other score, the odds are 1/1.
Insurance pays 2/1.

 

Where to place bets
The table is marked with boxes where bets can be placed. These may be rectangular or round (see Figure 7.1). You can bet on as many boxes as you like, up to the table maximum. You can either play yourself or bet on other players’ hands. Chips must be placed in the correct position:
•    for single bets, chips should be placed in the box
•    for split bets, chips should be placed on the line of the box
•    for doubled bets, chips should be placed behind the original stake
•    for double split bets, chips should be placed behind original stakes on the line.

What is Blackjack?

Blackjack is a card game played with several decks, commonly four, six or eight. Standard 52-card decks are used. It is based on the game of 21 (pontoon). Rules may vary in different casinos, so always check them before you start playing. You play only against the dealer who plays for the casino. The other players’ hands do not affect your game. To win you need to beat the dealer’s hand up to a score not exceeding 21. It is played on a semi-circular layout. The software shuffles and deals the cards, pays out winning bets and collects the losing bets. The cards are usually shuffled after each game.

Told you it was a brief article! 🙂

Deciding which Horse to Bet on

Deciding which horse to bet on in a race is not easy. Many factors influence the outcome of horse races. These include things like the jockey, the weight carried, the condition of the ground and the distance of the race. This makes betting on horse racing both interesting and challenging. A gambler needs to use his skill to assess the likely winner and or placed horses from a field of between two and up to 40 runners.

Even after taking into account all the different factors some aspects of horse racing are unpredictable. No matter how carefully you have assessed a horse’s chances of winning, something can go wrong that will affect the outcome of a race. In national hunt races, horses can be brought down by others. Horses may slip on wet ground. The weights carried by the horse may be lost in the course of the race, causing the horse to be disqualified. Even the jockey’s actions may result in a horse being disqualified. Races are run at a fast pace with the jockey making split-second decisions. His actions can result in other horses being impeded, which may lead to disqualification. In his eagerness to make a horse win, he may use his whip more frequently than is allowed under the rules.

A great deal of the information that you need to consider when assessing a horse’s chance of winning is given by the race cards printed in newspapers and programmes. The format varies depending on the publication. To save space a lot of abbreviations are used. Take time to familiarize yourself with what all the abbreviations mean.
The analysis of all this information is very time consuming. In recent years computer programs have been developed to process this information. Using a computer can cut down on the work. There are many different programs on the market, all offering different features, so it is worth shopping around for the best deal.

There is now a wealth of information available on the internet. The amount of information is almost overwhelming. Lots of online racing magazines, horse racing websites and tipsters services now exist. Many provide up-to-date analysis of all the statistics like the performance of favourites, the influence of the draw, the top trainers, the top jockeys and pedigree information.

Spread Betting

Spread betting started about 25 years ago and was used as a way to speculate on the financial markets. Bets were placed on how much the stock exchange would go up or down on a certain day. This form of gambling has been adapted for betting on horse racing.

Instead of betting on individual horses winning or losing, it is betting on combinations of events like how the favourites will perform at a meeting, what the starting prices of all the winning horses will be and what the winning distances will be. The spread betting company will make a prediction about a particular event. You need to decide if their prediction is too high or too low. The more you’re right, the more you win and the more you’re wrong, the more you lose. Due to its connection with the financial markets, the terms buying and selling are used. Buying is betting higher and selling is betting lower.

It has a higher level of financial risk than traditional betting. With traditional betting you know beforehand how much you will lose if your bet loses. You simply lose the amount you stake. With spread betting it is possible to have huge losses. To restrict the amount you can lose, it is possible to place a stop order on a bet.

 

Spread betting on favourites
A spread betting company will give a favourites’ index at each meeting. This index is based on a Score given to favourites that are placed in a race. The scores given can vary but as a general guide a favourite is awarded 25 points for winning, 10 points for coming second, five points for third place and 0 points for finishing in any other position. If there are joint favourites, then the one with the lowest race card number is considered the favourite.

To place a bet, you need to decide whether to bet higher or lower than the predicted score. If, for example, the predicted score is 70 and you think the likely score is higher then you bet high (buy). If you think the predicted score will be lower then you bet low.

The payout is calculated on the basis of how much higher or lower the score is.

If you bet £2 high and the result is 85 then you win 15 times your stake: (85 – 70) X your stake = 10 X £2 = £30.

If you bet low and the result is 80 then you lose 10 times your stake: (80 – 70) X your stake = 10 X £2 = – £20.

 

Jockey performance index
This is a bet on how a jockey performs in a meeting. A jockey is awarded 25 points for winning a race, 10 points for coming second, five points for coming third and no points for any other position. The spread betting firm will quote an index for each jockey at the meeting. You need to decide if the result will be higher or lower than the predicted index.

At a race meeting a jockey is predicted as having a performance of 32-34 points. You can bet higher than 34 or lower than 32.
Suppose you bet £10 lower. If the jockey’s score is 25, you win £70: (32 – 25) X 10 = £70. If the jockey’s score is 80, you will lose £460: (80 – 34) X 10 = £460.

 

Starting prices (SPs) of the winners
This is a bet on the total of the starting prices of all the winners at a race meeting. A 4/1 winner is four points, 10/1 is 10 points up to a maximum of 50/1 or 50 points so a 100/1 winner will have 50 points.
The SP prediction may be 55-58. If you predict that the result will be higher, you bet high, if you think it will be lower then you bet low.

 

Match bets
This is a bet on the distance between two nominated horses in a race. The maximum makeup on for flat races is 12 lengths and 15 lengths for national hunt. A short head is 0.1 of a length, a head is 0.2 and a neck 0.3, half a length 0.5, three-quarters of a length 0.75.

 

Race index
This is a bet on an individual horse. Bets are placed on whether or not a horse’s index will be higher or lower than the prediction.

Example

The number of points awarded will depend on how many runners are are in a race.

For races with over 12 runners:
50 points for first
30 points for second
20 points for third
10 points for fourth
0 points for any other position
Races with up to 12 runners:
50 points for first
25 points for second
10 points for third

A horse is predicted to get 13-16 points. You bet £1 higher at 16. Maximum win is £34; maximum risk is £16.

The horse finishes sixth so has no points. The difference between the price and the result is 16 – 0 = 16. Loss = £1 x 16 = £16.

 

Double race card numbers
This is a bet based on the total of the winners’ doubled race card number at a meeting. For example, if the race card number of the winners of a meeting were numbers 2, 5, 11, 7, 3, and 6, this totals 34. The result would be 2 x 34 = 68.

If the prediction had been 75-79 and you had bet £10 low (sell), the difference between the result and the prediction is 75 – 68 = 7.  Your wininngs would be £10 X 7 = £70.

 

Heavyweights index
Here the performance of the heavyweights is predicted.

 

Winning distances
Here the total winning margins for a meeting is predicted.