Best Odds Guaranteed – What it is, How to use it and Where to find it

18/06/2021 | Categories: Horse Racing Betting, Betting Offers | Published by: A C Nelson

Best Odds Guaranteed on Horse Racing Explained

Updated: 09/10/2024

This is an introduction to the Best Odds Guaranteed feature, which can be found at a few selected online bookmakers, such as Starsports and Betfred.

About B.O.G.

Horse racing in the UK is gaining popularity and you now have the ability to place bets via mobile, on the go, with a multitude of bookmakers. This means, on any given UK horse race, there is a constant flow of large and small stakes, resulting in price changes.

Therefore, there is a high chance that the price you take on a selection before the race will be different from the starting price (that’s the price of the horse when the race starts).

So if you place a bet on a horse an hour before the race and take a price of 5/1, it might still end up with a starting price of 3/1. That scenario is good for you, because your 5/1 price is locked in and you have secured a little bit of extra value by placing your bet at the right time.

However, it could go the other way. If the starting price of the horse drifts out to 7/1, you would still be left with your original price of 5/1, so you have missed the chance for extra profit, should it win.

Bookmakers recognise this and have come up with a promotional method to protect punters against price drifts in horse racing – Best Odds Guaranteed.

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What are the Best Odds Guaranteed?

Best Odds Guaranteed is a promotional concession offered by most UK bookmakers on horse racing, that allows bettors to take an early price, but still payout on the starting price if it is bigger.

Here is a made-up example:

12pm:

Faugheen 2/1

Apples Jade 4/1

Faugheen is listed three hours prior to a race starting at 2/1.

If you place a £10 bet and take that price, you’ll guarantee yourself a £30 return if he wins.

As we get nearer to the race, there is a lot of money going elsewhere, with the market suddenly favouring Apples Jade.

The bookmakers change their prices and just as the race starts, the market looks like this:

3pm:

Apples Jade 2/1

Faugheen 4/1

As a shrewd punter, you took Best Odds Guaranteed with the bookmaker you used to place your bet at 2/1.

Faugheen won the race and you were paid out at 4/1, despite taking the price of 2/1 when you placed your bet.

How to use Best Odds Guaranteed

If a bookmaker offers Best Odds Guaranteed, it is usually applied to the bet automatically, but that’s worth checking beforehand.

Also, some other ‘money back’ or ‘free bet’ promotions might disqualify you from using Best Odds Guaranteed, so again, worth checking the terms and conditions of whichever bookmaker you are using.

Many bookmakers also only allow Best Odds Guaranteed on bets placed on the day before or the day of the race.

This is to avoid huge liabilities on ante-post bets, where prices can change wildly.

Most large bookmakers offer the service of multiple bets (like doubles, trebles, yankees, Lucky 15 etc.), but again, worth checking if you use a smaller, boutique bookmaker.

If you are a regular horse racing bettor, then choosing a bookmaker that offers Best Odds Guaranteed is a smart move.

Pros of using Best Odds Guaranteed Feature

It increases the value that you can receive on a bet, giving you the best chance to return a profit.
It also removes any risk of market movements, eliminating the need to take the starting price, which would then risk a smaller return.