What do the numbers next to a racing horses name mean?

Question

For example: 2-1

Answer 1

Well if they are next to a name, you are probably reading a program, or a list of entries in a newspaper.

You are looking at what is called the "morning line". It is an estimate by the track handicapper on what the odds at post time will be.

The morning line (or post time odds for that matter) is not necessarily a reflection of the true odds of the horse's chance to win, just how the linemaker thinks the public will bet the race.

The horse with the lowest number is the morning line favorite (2/1 may represent the morning line favorite, and that horse will most likely be the favorite at post time). Horses with large numbers like 20/1 and 30/1 are "longshots".

As soon as wagering starts being tallied for the next race (usually at the end of the previous race), the morning line sort of becomes irrelevant because the toteboard at the track will update a horse's actual odds every 90 seconds. The actual odds are a true reflection of all the money (in the win pool) being bet on the race.

As other people have answered, you get paid the odds, plus your original bet. So a $2 winning bet at 2/1 pays $6. $2 @ 7/2 pays $9. And $2 @ 20/1 pays $42.

But remember, when you get to the track, everyone might really like this horse's chance of winning, and the horse may go off at 4/5 instead of 2/1. Some races the public ignores the morning line favorite and they might go off at 5/1 or higher (happens less than the public betting down a favorite).

I didn't want to confuse you, but I wanted you to know that most of the time the post time odds are not the same as the morning line odds.

Answer 2

It's their odds of winning the race. It is mainly used by people who are betting on the race. Betting on these horses results in less money than a horse with day 12-1 odds. Because the horse with 12-1 odds is more likely to lose the race.

Answer 3

A lot of good answers so far, but the actual meaning of 2-1 is that this horse is considered to be of a particular talent level that it has two chances to lose the race and one to win, or a 1/3 probability of winning.

Answer 4

Those are the odds that are posted for each horse in a race. Horses that are "favourites" have shorter odds (2-1) while "long-shots" have higher odds(30-1)

Answer 5

They are where they have come in previous races,
Like 2 - 1 means the horse came 2ND and first in their last race.

Answer 6

Those represent the odds in that race for that horse winning, placing, or
showing. That's first,second, or third respectively.

Answer 7

So 3-5 means bet 5 win 5?

Answer 8

2-1 means for every 1 dollar you bet, you get 2 back plus your original wager. Therefore if you bet $2 to win on a 2-1 shot you will get $6, if it wins ($4 for your winnings and $2 for your original investment).

Answer 9

odds of the horse before betting time,,,,that is the track openoing odds before people start to bet and the numbers can go higher or lower

Answer 10

1