Tipping a Tipster: How Blackjack Can Help you in the National Handicapping Championship
Betting on horses is a time-honored tradition around the world, but what about betting on people who are betting on horses? It’s generally accepted in gambling circles that everyone, regardless of their bottom-line, believes that they have the ability to pick a winner in any given race.
Of course, the reality is that everyone doesn’t have the necessary skills to become a top tipster and make a profit in the horse racing arena. In fact, just like any gambling endeavor, if you don’t consider certain variables, work on your skills and address any leaks in your overall strategy, the chances are that you’ll lose.
However, with so many people content to believe they have picked a winner, the 2016 Daily Racing Form / NTRA National Handicapping Championship will once again set out to determine the best bettor. According to the sportsbook Treasure Island, Las Vegas, there are around 300 entrants this year and bettors can speculate on the person they believe will pick the most winners throughout the year.
Using Casino Skills to Pick a Winner
For many, the process of betting on those betting might seem a little unnatural, but with generous odds all round it’s certainly an intriguing proposition for anyone who follows the regular season. Indeed, as well as betting on forthcoming races, such as Abu Dhabi World Cup Qualifiers, you can also put some money on the person you think will pick the most winners.
Naturally, if you’ve never bet on bettors (or horses for that matter), you’ll want to know what a successful tipster needs to consider if they want to achieve an impressive win rate. Many people who enjoy casino games entertain the thought of widening their gambling repertoire, but are at a loss for particulars. For instance, maybe you enjoy playing blackjack and now you fancy taking a shot in the horse racing world.
To give you some insight into the skills a top tipster needs and to put them into a context you might understand, we’ve taken three blackjack basics that can also help you in the horse racing arena. Hopefully, by putting these skills in a context you’ll understand, you should be able to trawl through the list of entrants in this year’s 2016 Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship and pick a winner.
Consider the Least Obvious Moves
In blackjack there are obvious moves most players know – like hitting when you have 11 – but there are also some less obvious moves and it’s the latter category that can actually make you some money. For example, when you’re playing the game in a live casino or online, the rules of blackjack dictate when the dealer must hit and when they must stand; the standard blackjack rule is that they must hit on any total below 16 and stand on any total 17+ (although this can vary, depending on the variation you are playing).
Taking this dynamic, it’s possible to come up with a strategy which encourages you to stand on totals such as 12, 13, 14 and 15. In general, standing on these totals is a bad idea because they are too low to win most of the time. However, if the dealer’s up card is a 3, 4, 5 or 6, then it’s wise to make the less obvious move and stand because their starting total will mean they have to hit in an unfavorable spot and risk busting.
Applying this concept to the horse racing world, it’s a good idea to look at a tipster who doesn’t always follow the market. Choosing a recent record breaker such as American Pharoah is likely to earn someone a win, but it will probably earn everyone else a win as well. In a competition like the 2016 Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship it will be the bettor who makes an unexpected move that could win and that’s why you shouldn’t always go for the obvious.
Consider the Dynamics
In certain settings, blackjack can have different dynamics. Although the basic rules will always be the same, the route to success can often be different. For example, in a Las Vegas casino such as the Bellagio, the minimum bet for a single hand of blackjack will be around $10. However, in contrast, if you go online and play European blackjack, the minimum bet will be $1 per hand.
Contrasting dynamics such as this will suit different players based on their bankroll, betting style and level of aggression. An aggressive bettor will want higher limits so they increase their stakes more during a rush.
Considering the dynamics is also important in the horse racing world. For example, a tipster such as Roger Cettina (priced as 40/1 in the 2016 Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship) might be an expert on US racing and events such as the Kentucky Derby, but when it comes to jump races in the UK, such as The Grand National, they may be out of their depth.
If you’re betting on a tipster, make sure both you and they know the dynamics that come into play in that particular race.
Consider Previous Form
The final blackjack skill that you can use to pick a horse racing winner is the process of considering previous form. At the blackjack table this basically means thinking about the hand/s you’ve just played and adjusting your bets accordingly.
When you check out the rules of blackjack you’ll notice that each variant, such as European or Atlantic City, uses a different number of decks. However, regardless of the total used, the previous hand will always impact on the current hand unless all the decks have just been replaced. The reason for this is that certain cards will have been removed and, therefore, the chances of a ten, for example, coming out might be higher or lower.
Taking note of this can help to increase your success rate at the table, just as it can in the horse racing world. Considering the form of trainers, such as John Gosden, as well as the jockeys and horse is crucial if you want to pick a winner. Moreover, if you’re betting on the 2016 Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, you’ll want to know how people did last year. For example, Jose Arias (75/1) was the 2014 champion, so it stands to reason that he has the skills to win the event.
Considering the skills we’ve outlined should help you boost your own tipping skills and allow you to pick a winner in this year’s Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship. Good luck!
