In many respects, this sounds a ridiculous question.
People must bet to win. But when you consider that most punters lose when betting on the races you have to question what are the other reasons beyond making money from your daily gamble.
I'm not sure the exact percentage of punters who make their betting on the horses pay. It must be a small percent. They do so by being better than most layers, whether bookmaker or random bloke playing the exchanges.
So if it isn't for the money why do people bet?
Often for the buzz. You go to the races and it adds a bit of fun to proceedings, especially if you back a 100/1 winner. It does happen. In fact, if lady luck walks your way, you can win a fortune with a small win accumulator.
I know you won't be betting like this or very unlikely to win but did you know if you had a £1 win accumulator of 20 even-money favourites, you would be a millionaire.
So many people bet for the buzz. Betting for fun can be just that but it can lead to problem gambling and ruin people's lives. For that reason, I would always say to be careful when betting and question your reasoning for doing so.
Boredom is another reason why people bet. In this computer age, you can bet on your laptop, mobile phone or just walk to the bookies. Whatever suits you can place a bet (often) far too easy.
Whether you bet for fun or profession it pays to build your knowledge before getting stuck in with real hard cash.
