Wagering on motorbikes is hugely popular with petrol heads around the world betting and watching all of the action from a number of events.
It can be extremely gripping and exciting to follow your favourite competitors around every turn and with an increase in betting markets available, having a wager is a great way of adding to the excitement. Bookmakers even allow bettors to wager mid-race and you can change your mind several times during the contest. Whether you’re betting on World Super Bikes, British Super Bikes or Moto GP, there are plenty of opportunities every month to place a wager. We take a look at how to bet intelligently on Motorbikes and our advice and tips will hopefully help you make wiser decisions before placing a wager:
Types of Bet
Race Winner
Easily the simplest and most popular market available is predicting the race winner. This is the usually the first market displayed by bookmakers when you visit their site. Similar to all other motorsports, this is simply predicting which rider will cross the line first. Most events have a crowded field and it can be hugely unpredictable hence some of the larger prices available.
Occasionally, favourites will start at a prohibitive price. It is not uncommon for popular riders to dominate the market but alternatives can be found. If a rider is priced up at short odds, it usually means the remainder of the field become larger and this allows each-way betting to come into play.
Most bookmakers will offer 1/5 of the odds for the first three riders home however it’s always advised to check before placing a wager. This means that your chosen participant could come third and have a disappointing afternoon but you will still make a profit. When betting each-way, it is always best to look for larger prices as this will help increase returns.
To place an each-way bet, your stake will be split into two. However, if you aren’t keen on that, there are many other markets which may be preferable.
Podium Finish
If you fancy a rider to finish in the top three, you don’t just have to bet each-way on the race winner market. Podium Finish market is available on a large amount of races and this is simply predicting the rider to finish in the top three.
This is a great way of finding competitors who may not have the quality to win the race but shouldn’t be far behind. Some riders perennially occupy the places and these are the ones to look for.
Head to Head
This is a great market which permits you to simply focus on just two drivers. The head to head market offers bettors the chance to predict whether Rider A will finish ahead of Rider B or vice versa. You don’t need to predict the race winner in this market. If you’re chosen competitor wins the race, your head to head wager will definitely have landed.
The great news about wagering in this market is that your driver could come 12th but still finish ahead of their rival. An off-day is permitted as long as their rival performs equally as poorly.
Top Six/Top Ten Finish
These will vary depending on the bookmaker but motorbike bettors can find a variety of markets which allow them to predict a driver who will finish in the top six or ten of the race. This will vary depending on the amount of competitors. Once again, this is a market in which it is advised to look for outsiders as these will offer decent returns. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your chosen driver sneak into the top ten during the latter stages of the contest.
Things to Consider
There are a number of different motorbike events taking place across the world but the most popular events are race-based and it’s these contests which are generally priced up by the bookmakers. We take a look at what to look for before placing a wager:
Weather Conditions
In some regions, weather conditions can be hugely variable. These can often have a significant effect on the outcome of any race. Teams must decide which tyres to use for a particular race but some drivers have been known to return to the garages early in order to make a change and this can skew the results.
Always consider the conditions before placing a wager and look for teams/drivers who typically fare well in wet and windy conditions. Likewise, extremely hot and tropical conditions can also affect a race.
Track Layout
In Superbikes and Moto GP, most tracks have a similar layout and riders can accurately plot their path throughout the race. However, older circuits have idiosyncrasies and aren’t always kind to certain drivers/teams. Always check a rider’s past history at a track. If you’re deciding between two drivers, it’s always best to opt for the experience, particularly if it’s a difficult track. A rider who have ridden a circuit twenty times is far more likely to anticipate a difficult corner than a newcomer.
Tough spots are present at every track but always ensure that you read up on each circuit before placing a bet. Some tracks may have corners which require riders to brake suddenly and these are likely to cause more problems for inexperienced competitors.
Also, tracks such as the Circuit of Americas have greater elevation than any other circuit and this can also be a determining factor.
Riders Who Excel at Particular Tracks
Like any sport, certain competitors will have their preferences when it comes to riding circuits around the world. Most will prefer their home track but others will inexplicably ride successfully at a particular venue for no apparent reason.
Always check a rider’s previous history at a track. They don’t have to win every time but if they routinely finish in the top ten, this could be a pattern to follow. Some participants will suddenly hit form as they approach their favourite part of the season and it’s always advised to watch out for these riders and they may be worth some investment.
Rider Wellbeing and Focus
Finally, in the age of social media, it is easier than ever before to check on your favourite riders. Most sportsmen and women will post regularly on sites such as Twitter and Instagram and there are various fan pages on Facebook too. This is a great way of getting an insight.
Most of the time, there will nothing to affect your judgement of a race however occasionally, they may reveal that they’ve been feeling under the weather earlier in the week or that they have had some travel disruption ahead of the contest. This may be a warning sign and they could be worth avoiding in the betting.
Other aspects such as becoming a parent for the first time or a potential fall-out with other riders/team members may also affect their judgement of the race and affect the outcome.
These factors should not be dismissed lightly.
