Matched betting on horse racing
Welcome offers get you started. Racing is what keeps you earning. There are races every day and racing promos every day, and with the right tools each one takes a few minutes.
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Why racing is the long game
It never stops
Metro, provincial and country meetings run every day of the year, so there is always a race with a promo attached.
It works on existing accounts
Racing promos are for existing customers. Once your welcome offers are done, this is where most ongoing profit comes from.
It keeps accounts healthy
Regular racing bets look like normal punting. Mixed with mug bets, they help your accounts stay open for promos longer.
The racing promos you’ll use most
Bookies run these in different forms every week. The details change, but the approach stays the same.
- Money back if 2nd or 3rdYour stake comes back as a bonus bet if your horse runs a place but doesn’t win. The most common racing promo, and the one in the example below.
- Bonus back on a raceGet a bonus bet back if your horse loses a nominated race, usually a feature race on a Saturday.
- Odds boostsA bookie price lifted above the market. When the boosted price beats the Betfair lay, you lock in a small profit.
- Big race day offersCarnival and Cup days bring extra promos across most bookies, which is why spring is the busiest time of the year.
A worked example: money back if 2nd or 3rd
You back a horse for $50 at 6.00 with a bookie running a 2nd or 3rd refund, and lay it at Betfair at 6.20. Commission is 5%.
The bets
| Back at the bookie: $50 at 6.00 | $50.00 |
| Lay at Betfair: $48.78 at 6.20 | $253.66 liability |
| If the horse wins | -$3.66 |
| If the horse loses | -$3.66 |
If it runs 2nd or 3rd
| Result of the bets | -$3.66 |
| $50 bonus bet refunded, converted at about 75% | +$37.50 |
| You finish ahead | +$33.84 |
Example odds only, not a current offer. Unlike a welcome bonus, a refund promo isn’t locked in on every bet: most of the time you lose a few dollars ($3.66 here), and when it runs 2nd or 3rd you finish about $34 ahead. If a horse like this places about 1 time in 4, that averages +$5.72 per bet, so over many races the refunds more than cover the small losses. That’s why racing rewards volume, and why fast tools matter.
Is this refund promo worth it?
Enter the bet and your best estimate of the chance of a 2nd or 3rd. The place market is a good guide.
Speed is everything on race day
Racing odds move in the minutes before the jump. Checking every bookie against Betfair by hand means missing the best prices.
🔒 Members see this live
HorsePower compares bookie racing prices against Betfair in real time, right in your browser, so you can find the best back and lay in seconds.
See how HorsePower worksYour racing toolkit
HorsePower
A desktop browser extension that shows the best bookie price and the Betfair lay for every runner, updating live. Standard covers 20 bookies, Plus covers 80+.
About HorsePower →Racing Matcher and race bot
Racing Matcher is the mobile-friendly racing oddsmatcher for when you’re away from your desk, and the Discord race bot posts opportunities as they come up.
Compare plans →Racing promo database and course
The racing promo database shows what’s running each day, and the horse racing course walks you through every promo type step by step.
See the courses →Questions people ask
Is matched betting on racing risk-free?
Not on every bet. With a refund promo you lose a few dollars most of the time and win a bonus bet some of the time. Over many races the refunds more than cover the small losses, so the profit comes from volume rather than any single race.
Do I need a Betfair account?
Yes. You lay your horse on the Betfair Exchange so the result of the race doesn’t matter, and you need enough in your account to cover the lay liability.
Which Bonusbank plan do I need for racing?
Standard includes HorsePower Lite on 20 bookies and the racing promo database. Plus adds full HorsePower on 80+ bookies, Racing Matcher and the Discord race bot, which is where the racing volume is.
Can I do racing on my phone?
Yes, with Racing Matcher on Plus and above. HorsePower is a desktop browser extension and is the faster option when you’re at a computer.
When is the best time for racing promos?
Saturdays and the spring carnival, which runs from September to November and builds up to the Melbourne Cup. There are promos all year round, but big race days bring the most.
Get set up before the next big race day
Start with the free course, then add HorsePower and the racing promo database when you’re ready for daily racing.
Free beginners course · No credit card needed · Takes 2 minutes