Betting on the Durban July
Horse racing is a very popular pastime in South Africa, and these events manage to attract many spectators whenever they occur. Of all of the many horse races that are held over the course of each year, however, the Durban July is by far one of the best-attended.
Experienced bettors may well be very familiar with this Thoroughbred horse race, which is raced once a year, on the first Saturday in July. It has been going since 1897, and takes place at Durban’s Greyville Racecourse in KwaZulu-Natal. The horses compete on a turf track, and horses of any age can take part.
A Rose by Any Other Name
The Durban July Handicap started off its run known as the Durban Winter Handicap. By the year 1928, however, someone cottoned on to the fact that this Kwazulu-Natal city does not, in fact, have to endure any kind of cold, no matter what season it may be. After a number of name-changes, it became known as The Vodacom Durban July Handicap in 2002, after the mobile phone operator became the race’s main sponsor, and this is how its title stands today.
The Durban July takes place over a distance of 2 200 meters, a modification from the original 1897 racecourse length of approximately 1 600 meters. The purse for the winner is an eye-watering R4.25 million.
Available Bets for the Durban July
There are two horse racing betting types that are the most popular for horse races the world round, and the favourites for punters are no exception: Win; and Place bets are the first choices for both experienced bettors, and those more recently arrived at this fun pastime that increases the overall enjoyment of an already very entertaining event.
Win bets will ask you to make a selection on which horse you feel is most likely to win the race, and, depending on your choice, you stand to make incredibly significant returns on whatever amount of money you make use of to place the bet.
If you are a little less sure as to which horse and jockey will take the top position, the Place bet is a good option in mobile horse betting. This asks you to predict which horse will finish in the placings for the race, and the number of horses which qualify for payouts on these bets will depend on the number of runners taking part in the race. Five runners or less will disallow place betting; six to seven runners will let you make Place bets on the first and second comers; between eight and 15 runners permits first, second and third Place bets; and more than 16 runners will accept Place bets on the first; second; third; and fourth positions.
The Durban July makes some very exciting betting opportunities available to those interested in laying wagers, especially for South Africans. The sites recommended have been selected specifically to make the best odds and markets available at any point in time available to you, and, thanks to how popular this race is, some of the most elite and specialised online sporting books are able to provide you with the services you require. Browse the ratings and reviews available and start having fun!