The Internet not only revolutionized the ability to bet online, but also the ability to communicate with like-minded bettors. Sports betting forums offer lively give and take where bettors discuss their predictions about games and help one another decide on profitable bets. Additionally a cottage industry of tipster sites has sprung up where inexperienced bettors can, for free or a fee, receive previews and tips for upcoming events. Free sites are generally affiliated with online bookmakers and finance their service by introducing new customers to their preferred online bookmakers.

Many popular sports betting forums exist, but the quality of the forms greatly depend on the members.

Horse race betting

There are many breeds of horse used for racing but Thoroughbred racing is the most profitable. Most of the links below pertain to Thoroughbred racing but the information is often applicable to the other breeds. In addition to Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, Arabians and Standardbreds (aka Harness horses, trotters and pacers) are also raced.

Thoroughbred horse, breed of light horse more properly known as the English running horse. As its name implies, it was the first pedigreed, or “thoroughbred” horse. It originated in England from crosses between imported Turkish and Arabian horses and existing English lines and has since been exported around the world. As the fastest of all horses—it can achieve a speed of just under 40 mi (64 km) per hr for a distance of a mile (1.6 km)—the Thoroughbred has held undisputed reign as king of horse racing (except for the quarter-mile sprint; see quarter horse). Its temperament is racy and nervous. Thoroughbreds average over 16 hands (64 in./160 cm) in height, weigh around 1,100 lb (500 kg), and have a leggy appearance. They may be any color but usually have white markings.

Standardbred horse, breed of light horse developed in the U.S., primarily for harness racing. The foundation sire was an English Thoroughbred imported in 1788; his progeny were bred with other breeds, especially the Morgan, to produce speedy trotters and pacers. The Standardbred's height is 15–16 hands (60–64 in. [152–163 cm]); its weight is 900–1,000 lb (410–450 kg). Colour varies, but the most common is bay. “Standard” refers to a requirement imposed in 1871 that, to be registered, a horse must meet certain standards of speed (e.g., trotting a mile in 2.5 minutes).

If you love racing, you'll love the online versions of the two major Thoroughbred periodicals The Blood-Horse and The Thoroughbred Times. There is also an online version of The Daily Racing Form. Both Equibase and Thoroughbred Sports Network are great resources for Handicappers, providing a database of past performances, entries, race results, tip sheets and handicapping newletters. (You won't want to give up your printed versions just because they're online.)

If you are interested in owning or breeding race horses, many states have their own Race Horse Owners and Breeders Associations. Joining your local association is strongly advised. They offer important advice and information (usually free) and the valuable incentives of owners and breeders awards.

If you are primarily interested as a spectator or handicapper you may wish to visit the sites of the Race Tracks near you. Most have general information, racing schedules and coverage of current events. Many tracks run meets for a specific breed of horse and also mixed meets, such as those run during county fairs, in which races for different breeds race on the same day. If you don't know the names of the tracks, you can view Thoroughbred Tracks by State, Harness Tracks by State or Greyhound Tracks by State.

Racing is a very speculative venture. Learn as much as you can prior to investing in the racing industry. The TOBA horse ownership page has some excellent information for new owners. The TOBA is more applicable to the upper echelons of ownership (and racing) and require a greater amount of capitol than the average person can invest.

It is possible to get involved as an owner for a minimal investment with a horse that competes regionally rather than nationally. Racing Partnerships are an excellent way to get involved in racing with a minimal investment, reducing the financial risk and increasing the probability of being profitable.

One thing that is true in life and betting is that experience is vital. It takes many years of hard work and learning from every bet to get to know every factor which has an effect on a horses' performance.

Harnass Racing

Each year in North America, over 30 million people attend harness racing events. The Standard Bred is by far the fastest horse in harness, and the most popular trotting/pacing breed.

Harness racing is contested on two gaits, the trot and the pace. Trotters move with a diagonal gait; the left front and right rear legs move in unison, as do the right front and left rear.

Pacers, on the other hand, move their legs on one side of their body in tandem: left front and rear, and right front and rear. This action shows why pacers are often called "sidewheelers." Pacers account for about 80% of the participants in harness racing, and are aided in maintaining their gait by plastic loops called hobbles, which keep their legs moving in synchronization. Trotters are more popular in Europe while pacers are more popular the North America.

Today, there is a large concentration of harness racing tracks in the Northeast and Midwest United States. Virtually every major population center in these areas boasts one or more harness tracks. The sport is also popular in Florida

Here we are going to explain briefly some of the things which can help improve betting performance:

A formbook - is always an advantage (the Racing Post website is also very handy).

Speed Figures - are very important! Create yourown personal formbook and notebook.

Contacts - Receive information about gambles hours before they happen through a very small network of contacts including occasional bookmaker information. Also it is vital to know if unraced horses are expected to win ,not trying or just no good. This information can be used to take advantage of bookmakers who price up every race each day.

Track Knowledge - there is a huge variety of different tracks in the UK and you would be surprised how many times a horse will run well only to get beaten at a short price next time simply because of the differences between the courses.

Experience - the experience to know what is needed to win every type of race and the ideal horse who fits the pattern.

Breeding - often important on extremes of going or a step up in trip.

Specialize - there is just to much racing and you can`t master it all. You must specialize by narrowing down the population of horses you're interested in backing. Generally I stay with flat hdcaps and All Weather racing.This is where my best results have come over long periods of time.

Staking - We could recommend a few systems to you but use 2 - 10 pts service which works well and helps follow the motto the 'bigger the value the bigger the bet'.

Value - Compare the bookmakers price. The bigger their price is the more thel stake. Sometimes find value by using a negatives list of certain horses, trainers and jockeys try to avoid backing favourites where possible although often on horses at 4/1 and they start favourite at half the price.

Confidence - a big factor for success is confidence and I always look to maintain a healthy strikerate of winners. When backing horses myself and advising others to stake hundreds of pounds it is important to know that there is little chance of a long losing run and with this knowledge every bet can be staked with confidence.

You need to get to know other clever punters, form a link and improve your knowledge. Then you can bounce ideas off each other. With the right connections it is possible to make racing pay a second wage for you, more so now with tax free betting widely available there has never been a better time.

There are many bookmakers on the internet and knowing the best places to bet is very important not only for feeling your money is safe but also to maximise your returns on winning bets. Getting the best value prices is important and there are bookmakers out there where you have a chance of making extra profit than you would with other bookmakers.

Some bookmakers put restrictions on successful accounts so it's not worth bothering with them after a short amount of time but below are the internet bookmakers I like most.

William Hill is a traditional name in bookmaking and is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. They give decent odds on a wide range of events and there is often plenty of value to be had in there early price markets. I usually bet with Hills most days of the week and maintain a high standard they have live afternoon shows which is quick to update with the handy refresh button.

Having accounts with the above bookmaker will give you a choice of some of the best odds on offer for betting and will give you greater returns on winning bets. We recommend the above account which will take you a step further in betting in a more professional manner.