Probably most members know about value bets, but for any that don't, there was a good overview on ITV racing which I recorded, so here it is word for word (it's not my explanation, it's Richard Hoiles').....
Defining Value
Obtaining a bigger price than the true price of an event actually happening.
So what do we mean by that? Well the simplest way to explain it is with the flip of a coin.
A single flip of a fair coin has a 50% chance of hitting heads and a 50% chance of hitting tails (50/50). So in racing parlance evens money each of two, the odds 1/1 (even money). So if somebody offered you bigger than even money (1/1) for a single toss of a fair coin, say they offer you 11/10 or 5/4, you should back that irrespective of whether or not you think it's actually going to be a head or a tail, you may of course still lose, it maybe the reverse of what you backed, but over time, if you were getting 11/10 for a single toss of a coin you would win money.
So how do we apply that to an event where there's more than two outcomes? Obviously in most horse races there are more than two runners and a lot have several plus. Just to give you a feel for the percentages, I've expanded to two tosses of the coin.
Head or Tails?
2 Heads - 3/1 - 25%
2 Tail - 3/1 - 25%
1 Heads + 1 Tails - Evens (1/1) - 50%
Total - 100%
Above you can see the various permutations or outcomes. If you flip a coin twice you have the chance of hitting 2 heads, 2 tails, or 1 head and 1 tail. For 2 heads, you have 1 successful outcome and 3 unsuccessful outcomes, for a total of 4, so 3 out of 4 or 3/1 (or 25%). This is because there are 4 possible outcomes, heads or tails the 1st flip and heads or tails the 2nd flip. Obviously the 2 tails is exactly the same. But for 1 head and 1 tail, you could have head tail, tail head, 2 successful outcomes out of a possible 4, 2 out of 4 or evens (1/1) (or 50%).
To be continued...., sorry I've been distracted and it's taking longer than I thought, it's only a 4 minute video but the sound quality is naff so can't upload....
Defining Value
Obtaining a bigger price than the true price of an event actually happening.
So what do we mean by that? Well the simplest way to explain it is with the flip of a coin.
A single flip of a fair coin has a 50% chance of hitting heads and a 50% chance of hitting tails (50/50). So in racing parlance evens money each of two, the odds 1/1 (even money). So if somebody offered you bigger than even money (1/1) for a single toss of a fair coin, say they offer you 11/10 or 5/4, you should back that irrespective of whether or not you think it's actually going to be a head or a tail, you may of course still lose, it maybe the reverse of what you backed, but over time, if you were getting 11/10 for a single toss of a coin you would win money.
So how do we apply that to an event where there's more than two outcomes? Obviously in most horse races there are more than two runners and a lot have several plus. Just to give you a feel for the percentages, I've expanded to two tosses of the coin.
Head or Tails?
2 Heads - 3/1 - 25%
2 Tail - 3/1 - 25%
1 Heads + 1 Tails - Evens (1/1) - 50%
Total - 100%
Above you can see the various permutations or outcomes. If you flip a coin twice you have the chance of hitting 2 heads, 2 tails, or 1 head and 1 tail. For 2 heads, you have 1 successful outcome and 3 unsuccessful outcomes, for a total of 4, so 3 out of 4 or 3/1 (or 25%). This is because there are 4 possible outcomes, heads or tails the 1st flip and heads or tails the 2nd flip. Obviously the 2 tails is exactly the same. But for 1 head and 1 tail, you could have head tail, tail head, 2 successful outcomes out of a possible 4, 2 out of 4 or evens (1/1) (or 50%).
To be continued...., sorry I've been distracted and it's taking longer than I thought, it's only a 4 minute video but the sound quality is naff so can't upload....
