Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Biggest Obstacle to Your Horse Racing Handicapping Success

Just how difficult is it to make money betting on thoroughbreds or harness horses? It is extremely difficult, almost, but not impossible. You can find many reasons for the difficulty including, the high takeout, or vig., too many variables, race fixing, the weather, trying to beat insiders who have information you don't have, and then, there's you. As hard as it may be to admit, you may be sabotaging your own success at the horse races.

There are common mistakes that humans make whenever they try to do something that is difficult. Sometimes they relate to the person's past and his programming. It may even go back to childhood. While no one wants to look for a Freudian reason for missing the daily double, it is possible that the reason you missed it is rooted in your subconscious mind.

Is years of psychoanalysis the answer to becoming a great handicapper? Probably not. Though it may help to review your behavior and thought processes in order to identify problems with your decision making and problem solving. We all have these quirks and kinks that we have to work out, not only when it comes to picking winners and actually coming out ahead at the track, but also in all other areas of our lives.

So how do you apply this to your horse racing handicapping? You have to start by paying attention to your decision making and judgment and write things down, starting with the reason you make a bet and the reason you don't make a bet. Why did you choose to wager on the 3 at 5-1 odds rather than the 6 at 2-1 odds? How did that work out for you?

Decision making is a two part process that is evaluated by the final outcome. First you gather your facts or data and secondly you make a decision after weighing the facts. The quality of the information and the skill in decision making will determine the outcome which you can then evaluate for efficiency. If you make five wagers at the races today and lose $50, even though you had a winner, then that is all information that you must evaluate in order to arrive at a conclusion.

If you see the same reason written down over and over and it leads to a losing bet, guess what, you've identified a problem with your decision making. The "why," of the decision is at the heart of your behavior and thought processes and where the real answer to your success or failure lies. You may say, "I bet on the 3 even though I thought the 6 would win because I don't like to bet on favorites."

Why don't you like to bet on favorites? Is it a monetary decision or does the real reason lie closer to the fact that you don't like to feel like you're following the crowd and you want to feel smarter than most people? If so, then why do you have the need to feel smarter?

While this type of self searching may be very uncomfortable for you, until you overcome the reason for that feeling which leads to losing bets, you will never be a winner. This was just one example. You have to do your own research by writing things down. Sometimes it also helps to talk to another handicapper and listen to what you are saying. It is a form of cheap psychoanalysis that often works. That's the reason that barbers, bartenders, and hairdressers are often good counselors. They listen and you hear yourself talk and find out how you feel about things, often to your own surprise.

If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://horse-racing-handicapping.co/ and get the truth about betting on horses and winning. Bill Peterson is a former race horse owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill's horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill's handicapping store.


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