The Minimum Bet Explained

If you have recently started betting on your phone you might be wondering, what is the minimum bet in horse racing?

The minimum amount you can place on a single horse racing bet does in fact vary depending on the bookmaker, or at least it does in the UK anyway. 

Some UK bookmakers have set the minimum amount that can be wagered on the horses at £0.01, just one penny (1p), others have set the minimum at a whopping £2. Whilst 1p and £2 are the two extremes, most bookmakers have set the minimum bet at around 10p. 

Whilst it is hard to give a definitive amount for the minimum amount you can bet on the horse racing we can take a look at what the minimum bet is at some bookmakers, how you find out what the minimum bet is and factors that alter the minimum bet.

We also take a look at the advantages of placing small bets. 

There are a number of ways that you can find out what the minimum bet in horse racing is. 

The first way is to look at a table, like the one below, which compares the minimum bets available at each bookmaker. The issue with this method is that bookies change their rules, t&cs from time to time so comparison tables can be out of date. But will give you a rough idea I guess. 

The best way to find out the minimum bet allowed on the racing is to visit the bookies' mobile site, find the racing markets and fill in the betting slip like you were going to place a bet. Enter a low amount such as £0.01 (1p). If the entered amount is lower than the minimum bet you will get a message that reads something like "Minimum stake has not been met: 0.03".  Then you know that the minimum bet is 3p.

Placing the minimum bet allowed on a horse race has a number of advantages.

Firstly, if you love the thrill of having a bet on the horses, placing the minimum bet will still give you the exhilaration that is felt with knowing you have a wager on the horse race you are watching but you won't lose a huge amount if the horse doesn't come in first.

This is the most popular reason but there are some other reasons to bet with the minimum amount:

• Big return - If the horse you are thinking of having a punt on is a long shot, placing the minimum bet can in fact give you a big return. 
• New Bookmaker - if you have installed a new bookmaker's betting app onto your phone, one of the best ways to try them out is to place small bets. That way you can figure out if you like the app without betting lots of money with them.
• Use up bonus amounts - if you have some credits, bonuses or even winnings in your account and you want them to last as long as possible. Placing bets of the minimum amount can make a small amount go a long way especially if the bookies minimum bet is just 1 or 3p. 
• Accumulators or Full Cover Bets - if you are placing acca's or full cover bets such as Yankees, then placing a bet of the minimum amount can mean you stand to win a huge amount if the bet comes in. 

There is a chance that for some big races such as the Grand National or the Cheltenham Festival the bookies apps and sites have such demand that the bookie has to alter the minimum amount to stop their portals from being swamped by customers placing 1p bets. 

We haven't actually heard of this happening too much, but it is something to be aware of, and just make sure that you check the bookies rules ahead of any big races, so you are not left disappointed at the last minute. 

Special horse racing offers and promotions are one time that you need to take extra special care to note the minimum bet. When it comes to bookmakers promo offers, the bookies all set criteria you need to meet in order to qualify for the bonus.

Failure to place a bet that is equal to or greater than the minimum bet will mean that you don't get the bonus. It will be a shame if you met all the other requirements of the betting offer, but fail to be able to collect the bonus because of the minimum bet amount.

It is really important to read the details of the offers and terms and conditions before you place a bet. 

If you placed multiple bets and combined them into a Yankee or a Lucky 15, due to the odds of each race being combined together the potential return from a minimum bet would be huge, well much bigger than if you placed singles. But then the risks of it losing are also much greater. But if you are just betting the minimum amount some would say it doesn't matter.