The Benefits of Playing Horses from Home
From John Hawthorne: June 2015

Since the mid-1990s, punters have had access to casino gambling from their homes through online gaming sites. Over the years, poker rooms were added. Finally, horse and lottery players got their chance in the early to mid-2000s. Today, there are plenty of opportunities for punters to bet on horses from anywhere they can find an Internet connection. Not only do online sports/race books offer horse wagering, but there are a few excellent dedicated horse racing sites that provide great punting opportunities as well.

Benefits From Playing at Home

Some punters like the feel, smell and sounds found by attending the races in person. The problem is that it's not always convenient to get to the races on a regular basis. The ability for punters to play the races from home has brought about a number of unexpected benefits.

1. Access to the Best Races and Best Tracks in the World - While simulcast wagering has certainly increased the number of races punters can play when at the race track, it doesn't come near to the vast punting opportunities provided by playing horses over the Internet. Most online wagering sites now offer a menu of racetracks that are located all over the world. If a punter is sitting on his couch in Melbourne, they will have the chance to watch and punt on races from Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai, North America, South America, Europe and every nook and cranny of Australia and New Zealand. By the numbers, that represents hundreds of punting opportunities on a daily basis. As a horse player, that has to be considered a dream come true. Because of this unparalleled access, online punting deserves most of the credit for making horse racing a true international spectacle.

2. Easy Access to Punting Tools - Along with access to races from all over the planet, online punting has opened the door to punters being able to get their racing forms and Cox Plate form guides right on their computing devices. That saves on trips to the store or track to get those much needed handicapping tools. In fact, some online sports/race books and dedicated horse racing sites will offer free racing forms, expert selections and other handicapping tools just for punting through the site. What punter doesn't appreciate free handicapping information?

3. Rebates and Loyalty Programs - Anything worth doing is worth doing for money. When a player opens an account with an online sports/race book or dedicated horse racing site, they immediately become eligible for free bets and rebates on amounts wagered. On some sites, rebates can go as high as 8% of the amount wagered, though 3%-5% are would be considered the average. Also, amounts wagered can earn loyalty points that can later be exchanged for future benefits like free bets or consumer goods.

4. Up Close and Personal - The carnival atmosphere on Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup day is great way to enjoy a day at the races with family and friends. For avid punters, the inability to see the horses up close and personal is a handicapping problem. A lot of information about a horse's condition and mental attitude can be gleaned by actually seeing the horse on the track, which isn't always possible at the race track. Dedicated racing sites stream live racing from all over the world. In addition, they typically follow the horses from the saddling paddock to the starting gate. This provides a great handicapping advantage for astute punters. The next time you want to play the horses, you might want to sign up for an account with an online sports/race book or dedicated horse racing site and play from home. Imagine purchasing your Cox Plate form guide online, tuning into the races online and watching the Cox Plate online, all without having to leave the comforts of home.

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