The progressive staking strategy is a well-known horse race betting system which consists of making a series of different bets at varying odds with the same stake, so that the risks undertaken are offset by the other bets (or lays). If done correctly, it can be a successful way to bet on horses.

For this system to work best, you need to choose a race which is going to be as close as possible, with a number of possible winners in the field. Key to this then is choosing the right race, which should not be too long in distance – a mile or less – because that favours a tight contest as the stamina of the horses is not a factor. Then the number of horses entered into the race and their odds should be viewed.

The number of horses competing should be at least seven, with at least four of them having odds of less than 10/1. This implies that the betting market is expecting a close race, which means there are options to make a number of bets.

It is easy to carry out this horse race betting strategy. The punter needs to make three different bets on all participating horses and with the same stake. The quotas chosen for this strategy are 3.20. 2.50 and 1.80 which, even at the shortest odds – 1.80 – offers enough possibilities for the bet to generate an interesting return. Whilst the system can be used for betting on winner, it offers more possibilities with each-way betting where you are staking money on a horse being placed.

Some betting firms, like Betfair, offer the option to bet against all the horses in a market. If you visit their site and choose the tab “Make bets”, you can then click on the “All against” selection to see the fee and the stake. It is important to remember that, for the system to work successfully, the amount bet must always be the same in each of the three instalments or quotas.

Once the odds and the stakes have been secured, the player should then click on the “Save” button, so that the system holds all your bets once the race has begun. Then click “Send” to launch your bets. Repeat the process with the other quotas mentioned above, ensuring that each horse has three different bets against it.

After that, everything is down to luck and how the horses run on the day. With a short distance race, there is a better chance that several horses will be in contention coming into the final straight, which would fit the strategy and ensure that several of the bets would be realised. It would also help if the favourite were not to win, as the odds would be better for the punter and would help generate returns enough to offset their losses.

Success with this horse bettingstrategy is not guaranteed, of course, and whilst some consider this the best staking plan for horse racing, the plan is dependent on the order in which the horses finish and their starting odds. If those with the shortest odds are placed, then you will tend to lose, but the longer the starting prices for horses that win or are placed, the greater the possibility to make good money from such a bet.

So, if you watch horse racing online or at the course itself, and if you feel confident enough, why not give it a try?