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Wagering 101 with Stan Bayless
Wagering 101 is an opportunity for people to receive advice about wagering on horse racing. Also, patrons can ask questions about horse racing in general and get details on how to read the program. The sessions are held Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the grandstand across from the Club Rewards Center.
Bayless has served as the Wagering 101 handicapper for six years and has been a part of Hoosier Park since 1995, where he worked as a harness trainer. When wagering at Hoosier Park, the traditional minimum bet is $2. There is no maximum bet. For those who are starting to wager on horses, Bayless believes that “bet to show” is the best way to begin wagering on races.
Bayless supplies the “Best Bet of the Night” and the “Longshot of the Night.” The Best Bet of the Night is where Bayless picks the horse that he feels has the best chance to win that evening. Before each race, he chooses his favorite horse for every race, and out of his favorites, he selects the horse that has the best chance to win. When determining the selections for the best bet, the combination of the driver and the horse play a role when making his decision.
On the other hand, the Longshot of the Night is when Bayless selects a horse, usually with four-to-one or five-to-one odds, to win a race that evening. As of April 26, Bayless’s Best Bet of the Night percentage for Standardbred racing is 73.33%, with 13 out of his 15 selections finishing in first or second. Bayless’s Longshot of the Night standing is at 18.75%, with three out of the 16 selections finishing in the top three.
Along with the Wagering 101 sessions, Bayless produces the morning line odds and the comments in the program, which are below the lifetime standings of the horse.
“I enjoy the Wagering 101 sessions at Hoosier Park,” said Bayless. “The most satisfying part for me is that people thank me for my advice on the horses they should bet on for a race.”
