Take a look at the form

Before each race, most horses present themselves in the paddock, often completing a lap. This is when you should pay attention to the horses’ form and condition.

Those that sweat excessively or behave nervously will not perform at their best during the race.

On the other hand, look for energetic horses that do not waste too much energy before the start.

Check their results

Another important thing is to see how each horse has performed in previous races. Of course, this is not the final determinant contributing to predicting the winner.

However, it will give you an idea of whether the horses are in good shape or not. Remember to check all horses and not just the one in which you plan to trade, as it may be that a horse that has performed brilliantly in previous races and is undervalued by the current market.

Reliability

Reliability is a fundamental condition that a betting exchange must meet. Therefore, you must consider it before setting up an account.

By ensuring that the exchange is verified, reliable, solvent, registered and licensed, you can be sure that the trading of horses or any other sport will be completely safe, that funds will not disappear from the account, and that the winning bets will be correctly settled.

Liquidity

Oh yes, this is also a critical factor. Liquidity allows us to place bets at lightning speed, which refers to the amount of money available on the market.

The larger it is, the higher the amounts that can be matched, and there will be more exciting odds on offers.

This is an essential aspect because during live or pre-match horse racing, in the absence of adequate liquidity, we will not be able to trade anything on the market.

Range of Markets

The range of markets is not as important a factor as the two above but is also relevant if you want to bet on the 2 Places, Without Favourite, AvB, Forecast or even Rainbow Colours To Win By Over 2 Lengths markets.

In addition, the range of markets also refers to the number of horse races available on a given betting exchange. The more markets, the greater the possibilities, so look for an exchange with a broad offering.

Commission

Commissions cost more the larger the amount traded on a sports exchange.

As a reminder, a commission is charged by all legally registered sports exchanges in return for providing a platform on which members can trade.

They are charged only on winning bets, varying between 2% and 5%. This means that the lower the commission, the more money is left in the trader’s pocket.

Welcome Bonuses

Welcome offers are an indispensable part of most traditional bookies and sports exchanges.

In the case of betting exchanges, there are even special promotions just for horse racing, which allow you to claim extra cash for fulfilling specific requirements.

The promotions are well worth noting as they can sometimes double or even triple our initial bankroll and improve it.

Betfair Betting Exchange

No one needs an introduction to this exchange. Founded in 2000, Betfair is the market leader – the giant leads the way in every aspect and has won countless customers’ trust.

As a result, they provide the best offers regarding the availability of different markets and profitable odds and liquidity.

Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus at Betfair allows you to claim £30 in free bets for placing a £10 back or lay bet. To claim it, you need to create a new account using promo code ZBGC01.

The next step necessary to qualify for the promotion is to verify your phone number and then deposit funds for at least £10.

The final step involves placing a £10 bet at minimum odds of 1.5, and that’s it!

Remember, you have 30 days to complete all the steps after registering your new account.

Advantages and disadvantages of Betfair Exchange

Pros	Cons
The largest number of markets	Bank card withdrawal fees
The best liquidity	Premium Charges
Excellent odds
Choice of commission level
Live streaming & no cash-out suspensions

Betfair is irreplaceable mainly because of the vast availability of markets and liquidity, and as we know, these two aspects are crucial when choosing the best sports exchange.

In addition, this exchange is excellent for trading horse racing and many other sports such as football and tennis.

So Betfair tops the list and is unlikely to be threatened for a long time.

Smarkets Betting Exchange

Smarkets cannot be excluded from the top list of the best horse racing exchanges.

This exchange has evolved over the last few years and proudly takes second place in the list thanks to various improvements and enhancements.

This is due to the continuous expansion of the range of products, including the horse racing markets.

Founded in 2008, the exchange has managed to gain the trust of many players and strives to compete with Betfair.

Welcome Bonus

The welcome offer at Smarkets has remained the same for a long time, and it includes two options – one of which is commission-free for 60 days, while the other is a so-called cashback of up to £20.

1. 0% Commission for 60 days: COMMFREE
2. £20 cash refund on losses: SMK20

Please note that a deposit of at least £10 is required to qualify for the promotion.

Advantages and disadvantages of Smarkets Exchange

Pros	Cons
A sufficient number of markets	Lack of live-streaming
Good liquidity	No promotions except the welcome offer
Well-designed statistical graphs	Lack of third party software
Fixed 2% commission rate

Trading in horse racing is very much about using both the Betfair and Smarkets exchanges.

This is why setting up an account on the Smarkets exchange will be an excellent choice if you plan to bet on the sport.

This way, you can better view the markets and benefit from the most attractive odds, as the race is often available on both exchanges.

If you do not have an account on Smarkets yet, we recommend opening one.

Matchbook Betting Exchange

Their offer is mainly aimed at players in the horse racing markets, but they are still far from the top due to their average liquidity.

Nevertheless, if you can operate on multiple exchanges, Matchbook Exchange will be the third on the list of betting exchanges where it is worth trading.

So while we cannot maximise the markets to our advantage due to poor liquidity, we will very often find the most attractive prices there, allowing us to boost our bankroll a little.

Welcome Bonus

The Matchbook welcome bonus looks to be the most favourable offer of all the sports exchanges featured in this overview.

So let’s take a look at what it consists of!

• Cashback up to £30 – Promo Code: MATCHBOOK30 – Grab a free bet of up to £30 for your first losing bet! To qualify for the promotion, you need to make a deposit using a credit or debit card and place a bet with a minimum odds of 1.80.
• 0% Commission For 90 Days – Promo Code: COMMFREE90 – The most crucial point here is that a deposit must be made using a credit or debit card to qualify for the promotion. The 90 days is valid from the date of account opening.

Advantages and disadvantages of Matchbook Exchange

Pros	Cons
Attractive welcome offer	Average number of markets
iOS & Android App	No additional promotions
Easy navigation	Average liquidity
Fully licensed to operate in UK

Matchbook is a solid alternative to the previously mentioned exchanges.

Moreover, it is also the best for the welcome bonus, which is worth taking advantage of even if you don’t plan a more extended adventure with this betting exchange.

While the liquidity and availability of online horse racing exchange are not encouraging, it is worth having money there if only for the possibility of catching attractive odds placed by novice traders.

Pick a strategy

Choosing the right strategy right from the start will allow you to keep your losses to a minimum. This will help you prepare your stakes and limits and set your bankroll and the goals you plan to achieve with the strategy.

It will be essential to familiarise yourself with your chosen strategy from A to Z before you place your first bet to know precisely when to exit the market at a profit.

Use free tools

Free tools are not just trading software. There is also live audio coverage, which often starts before the race begins.

Read also: Pre-race trading guide

You will hear a lot of interesting information there, such as the form of the individual horses or predictions that will help you decide on the upcoming bet.

In addition, use the free websites where you will find a range of statistics on the horse you plan to trade.

Understand the time lag

Before committing to trading a race in progress, be sure you understand how much of a time lag the streams you’re seeing are in real-time.

I’m sure you’ve seen the odds drop dramatically, and after a couple of seconds, you realised why it was happening. But, of course, it’s because of the delay in the stream, so watch out for it!