How to Bet on Underdogs in Horse Racing
Most bettors back favourites. That's precisely why favourites are often poor value. In pari-mutuel betting, the crowd sets the odds — and the crowd consistently overestimates well-known horses and underestimates the ones nobody's talking about. That's where the opportunity lives.
Betting on underdogs in horse racing isn't about hoping for a miracle. It's about identifying horses the market has mispriced and backing them at a price that reflects their real chance. Done with discipline, it's one of the most effective long-term strategies in horse racing.
Why Underdogs Offer Real Value in Pari-Mutuel Betting
In a fixed-odds market, a bookmaker sets the price and you take it or leave it. In pari-mutuel betting, the odds are produced entirely by where the money goes. If the public piles onto one horse, every other runner drifts — regardless of merit.
This creates genuine inefficiencies. A horse can have a legitimate chance of winning and still be available at 20-1 simply because the crowd hasn't noticed it. That's not luck — that's a market gap, and smart bettors look for them deliberately.
How to Spot a Worthwhile Underdog
Not every longshot deserves your money. The ones that do tend to share a few characteristics.
Improving form — A horse that has been finishing closer to the front across its last three or four runs is building momentum. If that improvement has come against decent competition, it's a serious signal that the public may not have picked up on yet.
Class drop — A horse stepping down from tougher company into an easier race is one of the most reliable underdog angles in racing. Past results at a higher level may look unimpressive, but the relative drop in class can make a horse significantly more competitive than the odds suggest.
Conditions switching in their favour — Some horses are specialists. A horse with a strong record on soft ground that's been running on fast surfaces has a form line that doesn't tell the real story. When conditions flip back to what suits them, the market often hasn't adjusted.
Trainer and jockey intent — Certain trainers run horses to build fitness before targeting a specific race. When that target race arrives, the horse may still be available at a big price because the previous runs looked ordinary. Knowing a trainer's patterns is a genuine edge.
Late market move — A horse drifting in the betting is usually being ignored for a reason. A horse that was 25-1 two days ago and is now trading at 14-1 without obvious explanation is attracting informed money. That movement is worth investigating.
Underdog Betting Strategies That Actually Work
Overlay hunting — This is the core of value betting. If you assess a horse as having roughly a 10% chance of winning but the market has it at 5% (around 19-1), you have an overlay. Bet enough overlays consistently and the maths works in your favour over time, even with a low strike rate.
Exotic wagers — Underdogs can be particularly powerful in exactas, trifectas, and pick-based bets. Including a live longshot in an exacta with a stronger selection costs little but can return significantly. If your underdog runs well without winning, these bets can still pay.
Targeting smaller pools — Weekday racing and regional tracks attract less betting volume. In thinner pools, a single well-placed bet on an underdog can be less impacted by late money distorting the market. Less public attention often means less efficient pricing.
Bankroll Management for Underdog Betting
Underdog betting means accepting a lower strike rate in exchange for bigger returns when you land. That requires a specific mindset around money management.
Keep individual stakes small and consistent — typically no more than 1-2% of your total bankroll per bet. A losing run of ten or fifteen bets is entirely normal in longshot betting and shouldn't change your staking. The returns come in concentrated bursts, and you need to be in the market when they do.
Track every bet. Log the horse, odds, stake, and result. Over time, patterns emerge — certain race types, distances, or conditions where your underdog selections perform better. That data is more valuable than any single winner.
Final Thoughts
The bettors who make underdog betting work aren't gamblers chasing big prices for the thrill of it. They're analysts identifying gaps between a horse's real ability and what the market is offering. Patience, process, and disciplined staking are what separate occasional lucky wins from a genuinely profitable long-term approach.
MyWinners gives you the live odds, form data, and race analysis to do this properly. The market inefficiencies are there. The work is in finding them consistently.
Place bets at app.mywinners.com, or download the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS here or Android here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered an underdog in horse racing?
Any horse with higher odds due to low public support in the pari-mutuel pool — the key distinction is between a horse that's genuinely weak and one the market has simply undervalued.
How often do underdogs win in horse racing?
Favourites win roughly 35% of races, leaving the majority of results going to longer-priced runners — which is exactly why identifying the right underdogs is worth the effort.
Is betting on underdogs profitable long-term?
It can be, but only with a disciplined value-based approach — the goal is finding horses whose real chance exceeds what the odds imply, not simply backing big prices for the return.
What are the best bet types for backing underdogs?
Exactas and trifectas work well for live longshots, while across-the-board Win/Place/Show bets spread risk — the right choice depends on how confident you are and the size of the price on offer.
Can I bet on underdogs at MyWinners?
Yes — MyWinners offers full pari-mutuel wagering with live odds, form data, and race analysis to help you identify and back genuine underdog value.
