​Matt B., a veteran from Long Angeles County, California asked:  Does your book talk about low-risk, almost guaranteed return in horse race betting? If not, do you know of any other non-horse gambling where I can find low-risk, almost guaranteed return?
First, I would like to thank Matt for his outstanding service to our country!  ​I’m glad that he uses the word “almost” because the truth is that there is NEVER a guarantee in horse race betting.  There is ALWAYS a minimum amount of risk that is involved regarding making a profit.  If there is ANY book that claims there is a guaranteed return in horse race betting, then, it’s a BIG LIE!
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Yes.  I provided several answers in my book:
  • To play a bet safely, I would strongly recommend playing a “Show” bet.  A person has three chances of winning: the selected horse must come in first, second, or third position.  On the average, a Show  bet pays $2.60 for a $2.00 bet.  Therefore, a $20 Show bet would return $26.  It’s not a bad return for a semi-safe bet!
  • On the average, a favorite wins about one-third of the races.  A favorite means that the public believes that a certain horse has the best chance to win in a race.  It is just a perception (or educated guess) and doesn't mean that it is always true.
  • There are so many factors that a bettor must consider when selecting a horse: weather conditions, track surface and condition, apprentice vs. regular jockey, new vs. experienced trainer, amount of weight carried by a horse, horse’s past performance in a similar race, moving up or down in class, race distance (shorter/longer/same distance), getting out of the gate properly, getting a clean trip vs. getting stuck inside the rail, between horses, etc.
  • Learn to read the racing form: It's a very informative tool and shows horses’ past performances.  A legend is provided so that you know what certain areas mean.  After reviewing and analyzing the details, you will be able to make more informed decisions.
  • The art of horse race betting is developing your own style, selecting your own horses, and implementing your own methods and strategies that work best for you! In my book, I empower you to develop these skills!
​Bob Wilson asked:  Can you explain the simplest way what odds mean? Once example would be 7 to 1 and 1 to 7 and so forth?
Thank you Bob for being the first person to ask a question on my website! Odds refers to percent of chance that a horse is going to win a race; odds are expressed as a ratio.
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​7 to 1 Odds
Let's suppose that you played a $2.00 Win bet on a horse that is 7-1 odds.
  • ​​Think of 7-1 odds as "7 divided by 1".
  • Win price is calculated as follows: [$2.00 x (7 divided by 1)] + $2.00  =  [$2.00 x 7] + $2.00  =   [$14] + $2 = $16.00
  • If your horse wins, you will get $16.00.
  • ​Win price is always fixed; i.e., above formula is used.  Prices for Place & Show bets are dependent on which horses come in second and third, and based on their odds.

​                         Win price = (Amount spent x Odds of a horse) + Amount spent

1 to 7 Odds
Odds of 7-1 and 1-7 can be confusing for anyone!  Let's clear it up:

Let's suppose that you played a $2.00 Win bet on a horse that is 1-7 odds.
  • ​Think of 1-7 odds as "1 divided by 7".
  • Win price is calculated as follows: [$2.00 x (1 divided by 7)] + $2.00 = ($2 x 0.14) + $2.00 = $0.28 + $2 = $3.28
  • Pennies aren't used for payouts.  You will get the nearest rounded amount: $3.30.
  • ​Typically, 1-2, 1-5, and 1-9 odds are displayed on a tote board.  In U.S. and Canada, the odds of 1-3, 1-4, 1-6, 1-7, and 1-8 are never displayed!​