HobbyCapping: Handicapping, Wagering, & Watching Horse Racing In The 21st Century

HobbyCapping: Playing the Ponies for Fun and Profit

Once upon a time, not all that long ago, betting and/or watching horse racing involved going to the local track. Or for some people, such as in New York, at OTB – Off-Track Betting parlors. Then there were illegal bookies. Maybe you get paid. Maybe you get arrested, ripped off, or worse.

You would make your selection: Win, Place, or Show. Later innovations included the Exotic bets, which involved predicting multiple entries. The first category is selecting the order of finish in a single race (Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta). The second is selecting the winners across multiple races. This includes the Daily Double and the Pick Three, Four, Five, and Six, along with various derivatives.

As technology advanced, simulcasting began. Bet the beam. Suddenly, you were not limited to the races at your local track. You were not limited to only playing when the track was running. You could play more tracks, and play when it was convenient to you.

With the advancement of the Internet, even more possibilities for participation became available. In the mid 90s, as the Internet became more publicly available, the first sites began. As the years passed and the technology progressed, the sites became richer and more capable. Live video of the races and video replays on your screen of choice. Past performances and other handicapping data, both free and paid, only a few clicks away.