How to Bet Daily Doubles And Rolling Daily Doubles
What is a Daily Double and Rolling Daily Double?
The daily double started as a gimmick for tracks to draw bigger crowds to the first two races of the day, and keep fans in attendance for the final two races. The bet is now offered at most racetracks in the form of "rolling daily doubles" and is offered in any consecutive race sequence. The object is simple: to select the winners of two straight races. The bet is appealing to players who prefer multirace wagering and those who find it less messy to handicap winners than decipher which runner might clunk up for second or third. The payouts often range from steady to generous, making the bet a popular staple at North American racetracks.
Daily Double Basics
Picking a single winner can be challenging enough without the additional burden of picking back-to-back winners. For this reason, the "straight double" would usually pose a daunting task for even the most seasoned handicapper. Such a bet would require a player to select just a single horse in say, the fifth race with another single in the sixth race. While this bet could be made for a flat minimum investement of just $2, a player would likely not feel confident in cashing the ticket unless both runners were heavy favorites. There may be times when a straight double would make sense, but the bet is usually played using multiple horses - what is referred to in horse racing as a "double wheel. The term "wheel" simply means using combinations of runners in multiple legs or positions of a wager. Let's consider further how to create an effective daily double wheel.
Betting the Daily Double as a Wheel
In many instances, a handicapper can confidently identify a standout runner in a single race. Frequently, however, such runners tend to be sent to post an unappealing odds. Instead of tossing the horse based on low returns, or sitting the race out as many bettors are prone to doing, creating value with the standout horse within the context of an exotic wager like the daily double is an effective strategy. In fact, the double is ideal for this type of wagering scenario. Let's say the 6-horse in race 8 looks like the strongest play of the entire day, but the runner is being sent to post at odds of 3/5. A quick glance at the following race - race 9 - reveals that only three runners in a ten-horse field - the 3, 7 and 9 - appeaer to have a logical chance of winning. By singling the standout 6 horse in the first leg of the double and using the 3,7 and 9 in the next race, a bettor might create value using nothing more than logical opinions. A $2 daily double wheel 6 with 3,7,9 would cost $6. Depending on the horse's odds in leg 2, the bet would generally pay $15-$20 - a much better investment than betting $6 on that 3/5 shot!
Bet the Daily Double Online!
* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!
