Scared to make mistakes when betting on the Caulfield races? Who wouldn’t be? When there’s money on the line, you should be doing your best and making every effort to place smart bets.
When you’re first starting out, it’s easy to make mistakes, but the good news is that it’s there are a few that you can easily avoid just by heeding this article.
1. Overlooking the barrier draws
Given the track’s tight turns, the draw plays an important role in Caulfield races. When horses race at Caulfield, certain barrier positions can present a unique advantage depending on the distance of the race. Likewise, some positions can also pose a disadvantage to the rider. Generally, horses that draw a wider position must cover more ground, especially on the corners. Thus, you must consider the barrier draws before placing a bet.
2. Betting on hype
It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of betting on a horse praised in the media or by other bettors without considering the odds or doing your own research. Ideally, a thorough analysis of the horse’s overall fitness, past performance, and proven track record on the Caulfield track should all play a part in determining what horse you bet on.
3. Ignoring the track conditions
One of the punters’ biggest and most common mistakes is ignoring race-day track conditions. Track conditions can be affected by several different factors, particularly the weather and drainage. Should it rain consistently the days before the event, the track might be muddier and softer, which could impact the heavier horses’ ability to perform. Some horses excel on a wet track, while others need a firmer, dry track to perform. Thus, the track conditions can significantly impact the horses’ daily performance. So, check the track conditions before the race and make your bets.
4. Ignoring the jockey and trainer statistics
If you’re looking to place a safe bet, the combination of a skilled jockey with an experienced trainer should never be overlooked. Often, we see punters not even considering these factors. Some jockeys perform extremely well at Caulfield because they know the track and are more confident. You may find that certain trainers have strong track records at Caufield, too. Thus, it’s important to consider these individuals, too.
5. Chasing their losses
We often see this mistake in punters who are approaching sports betting the wrong way. Sports betting can be extremely fun and rewarding, but it can also be unhealthy if you aren’t disciplined enough for your financial detriment. Bettors who chase losses often use more money than they should without guaranteeing a win.
As you can imagine, the more you do this, the more money you’ll likely lose. Unfortunately, this often lands people in difficult financial situations and can also be the cause of addictions to gambling. Instead, setting a bankroll with a manageable budget and your monthly salary is the way to go. If you lose a planned bet, don’t try to win your money back; move on to the next bet and play another day.
6. Betting without a strategy
You might hit the jackpot going in blindly and betting on whoever you like, but that’s a 1 in 100 chance. The wiser approach would be to create a betting strategy, planning what Caulfield races you want to bet on, using the odds and tips to select the bets and how much you can afford to bet with them. Punters who use form analysis, value betting, and market trends in their betting strategies usually have a better track record of success than others who don’t.
7. Ignoring the odds
Finally, ignoring the odds would be a huge mistake. We often see newbie punters doing this. Before every race, bookmakers throughout Australia display the odds and other statistics that reflect their predictions based on the data for the outcome of that race. Simply put, they’ve done most of the intensive research for you already; you simply need to consider what they’ve said and decide.
One thing to remember is that bookmakers usually have slightly different odds on their platforms. So, to better understand the playing field, check what the odds and tips are from a few bookmakers.
Always consider the latest tips before betting on Caulfield races
As you can see, it’s fairly easy to make a mistake when betting on Caulfield races. However, the more research you do, the greater your chances of winning are. That’s why it’s important to always check the latest statistics on Caulfield races before and after race day. Check out the odds and tips on Ladbrokes for insights into the race day predictions and conditions.
Final thoughts
Making costly mistakes when betting on horse racing can be discouraging, but everyone has to start somewhere. However, when you’ve done your research to make calculated bets by considering the mistakes of others, there’s a higher chance of your bet landing well. So, avoid these mistakes and increase your odds of winning and your enjoyment of the sport!
