Ante Post Meaning – How Ante Post Betting Works
On this page, you can learn about the ante post meaning in betting. Ante post bets are a good way of securing higher odds by placing bets well in advance of a race. But as you run the risk of losing your stake if your horse doesn’t feature, it’s worth knowing how it works and whether it’s right for you.
Ante Post Meaning Explained for Horse Racing
The term ante post in betting means placing a wager on a horse before the course’s betting market has opened. For example, when you back our horse racing tips weeks in advance of the official entries, you will typically get better odds for your ante post bets on betting favourites and notable contenders.
You are not guaranteed a run for your money with ante post bets. If a meeting gets abandoned, then no horse can win and all bets should be refunded.
AP bets are typically accepted on the basis of all-in run or not, entered or not. As such, there is a risk of losing your stake with bets on ante-post meaning it’s a good idea to think before placing them. For punters betting ante post, stakes are not returned for non runners in races.
You’ll find other exclusions noted in the specific bookie bet terms and conditions relating to ante post horse racing markets. For example, in the event your selection doesn’t take part and no Rule 4 deductions are made from winning AntePost bets. Or if a race is abandoned, declared void, or the running surface is changed.
Examples of Ante Post Bets
Ante post selections aren’t limited to major meetings. In fact, you may also find better odds for smaller races in ante post betting meaning even more options. Conversely, you can find a list of today’s runners with live prices if you don’t fancy taking on the added risk.
Nevertheless, here are some examples of this bet type you can place on prestigious horse races.
- Grand National – You can place ante post bets on contenders months out and at better prices than you get on race day. For example, you may find odds for Minella Indo to win the Grand National at 33/1 in the November before. But this price could shorten to 18/1 or less by race day in April.
- Cheltenham Festival – Alternatively, you might fancy Galopin Des Champs to win in December to win the Gold Cup at 7/2 the following March. By betting months ahead, you get better odds for this leading horse than what’s available on the day. The consensus at the time may be that the horse will be backed to even money or shorter on the day.
- Royal Ascot – You may consider Charyn at 3/1 the best of the ante-post tips in The Queen Anne Stakes. If you take a bet like this in March, you may secure top odds. But you can also lose your stake if horse injuries or other factors mean the horse doesn’t run.
Unlike starting price (SP) bets, there’s no indication of what a horse’s common price is when you bet on ante post tips. Contrary to popular belief, you may sometimes find a bigger price on the day of a race. This means horse racing results could work in your favour if you took the starting price.
How to Place an Ante-Post Bet
You can place an ante post bet on horse racing by following the same process used to back any fixed odds single. We recommend choosing a bookie from the best online betting sites. From here, you can follow these steps to get your bet down.
- Join an Online Betting Site – Make sure to choose a bookie that offers ante post horse racing bets for the horse race you want to back. Most of the top UK bookmakers have ante-post markets for the races.
- Choose Your Horse – You can look up all ante-post horse racing markets to find betting odds that suit. In addition to high-profile races like the Grand National or Cheltenham Gold Cup, you may also find lower-grade races to wager on.
- Deposit Funds – Select a payment method and add funds from your debit card or bank account. There may be other banking methods you can use to add money, but make sure these are compatible with any welcome offer you take.
- Place Your Bet – Make sure the horse’s ante post betting odds are right before adding the selection to your bet slip. You should also remember that ante post bets usually have a no-refund policy if the horse withdraws, so factor this in.
- Confirm Your Bet – You should always check your bet slip to make sure the odds and stakes are right for bets in horse racing. When all looks good, hit the “Bet” button to get your wager down.
Time is often on your side with bets on the antepost meaning you should plan ahead. Furthermore, it should be simple to justify why it deserves your stake. For example, you may like the horse trainer, pedigree, form, and suitability for the race.
Where to Find & Bet on Ante Post Odds in Racing
You’ll find ante post betting odds weeks or even months in advance at major UK sportsbooks. Sites like bet365, Paddy Power, and William Hill usually have a wide range of options to choose from. Ante post markets are popular and bookies with a focus on racing will often have plenty of choice.
Tote, for example, is another highly regarded racing bookie. We also recommend looking at sites like BetMGM and Spreadex, with these three in particular offering good bonuses. Also, it makes sense to consider free bets and other offers for your ante post selections.
Ante Post Bets Pros and Cons
We have already touched on some of the advantages and disadvantages of betting on ante post odds. But here are the main pros and cons to consider.
- Secure the Best Odds Available – You will generally find ante post horse racing odds more attractive than the SP. There is more uncertainty in the market so far out, so bookies can offer better prices.
- Rewards Horse Racing Expertise – There’s a better chance of locking in favourable prices for the horses you follow. Above all, you can use your knowledge of a prospect to secure a better potential payout.
- Ante Post Trade Betting Opportunities – Securing bigger odds on a horse allows you to trade out on betting exchanges. This may put you in an advantageous position in the lead-up to a major race.
- Significant Risk of Financial Losses – You will generally lose your stake on bets in the event of non-runners. In short, you are not guaranteed a run for your money.
- Less Information to Work With – Another major risk of ante post betting is that there’s limited information on runners so far out. This could mean overlooking information that could prove vital to a race.
- Your Selection Loses Value – This could be due to injury, loss of form, or another reason that leads to your runner missing selection. You could actually see the odds drift out which can devalue your bet.
Above all, these types of bets are about balancing risk and reward. In other words, you should always consider both sides of the coin before placing your bets. What puts some off ante-post odds is the fact that if the horse doesn’t turn up, you get nothing back.
Calculating Ante Post Payouts
The best way to work out winnings from any bet is by using calculators. We recommend our horse bet calculator as the most convenient for your use. In addition to working out potential returns on ante-post wagers, you can change odds formats and customise it to your needs.
Of course, you can also work out payouts manually. Here’s the formula for a simple bet on a horse.
- Payout = (Stake x Odds) + Stake
For example, the payout for a 7/1 ante post winner on a £10 stake is £80 in total (£80 = £10 x 7 + £10).
More Types of Odds in Horse Racing
We’ve covered the ante-post meaning and how this bet type works. However, there are additional types of horse racing odds you should know about.
- Each-Way – Unlike outright ante post wagers, each-way bets include one to win and one to place.
- Pool/Parimutuel – Winning pool bets pay out as dividends based on money staked on a horse. Known as The Tote in the UK, these work differently to fixed odds wagers.
You can also bet fixed odds multiples like accumulators and combination bets such as Lucky 15s.
FAQs
What does ante post mean in betting?
In horse racing, ante post betting means wagering on a horse well in advance of the event. We’ve covered the ante-post meaning in detail on this page.
Why take ante post odds when betting on racing?
You can often get better odds in racing when you make ante post bets. This can lead to higher payouts than if you take the prices available closer to the race.
Is ante-post betting the same as outright?
The short answer is yes, it can mean the same as outright. This is because the antepost meaning applies to other sports like football and rugby. The bookies offer outright markets for league and tournament winners before the start of a competition.
What are horse racing ante post odds?
These are fixed odds for horse racing events offered before the final lineup of a race is confirmed. Quite often, you can bet on horses set to feature on fixture lists later in a year.