Best Odds Guaranteed
What is Best Odds Guaranteed?
Best odds guaranteed is a type of promotion typically offered on horse racing and greyhound racing. When you take a bet on an early price on a race, and the bookmaker then changes the odds on race when setting the Starting Price (SP) on the day of the race, then the bet will pay out at whichever odds are more favorable.
This can work both ways – the odds could improve on the day of the race, meaning that you are not punished for choosing to take an early punt on your chosen runner. Alternatively, the odds could get shorten, as word gets around, and you are rewarded for spotting a favorite early on. Crucially, in either scenario, you are better off.
The effect of all of this is to encourage punters to take out early bets on a race, increasing the total number of bets made, potentially resulting in more profits for the bookmakers. So, as you can imagine, bookies involved in the racing markets are keen to this promote this offer.
BOG: An Example
Let us take an example to illustrate this. You spot a horse called Seabiscuit running in the 3.30 at Newmarket, and put £20 on him, the day before the race at 5/1. By the time of the race, the Starting Price has shortened to 2/1.
Even though it has returned at much shorter odds of 2/1 the fact that we have taken a price earlier at 5/1 means our payout is much bigger. If we had not taken the price our return would have been £20 @ 2/1 + our original stake £20 back making a total of £60.
But because we backed the horse at 5/1 we now get a return of £20 @ 5/1 + our original stake £20 back making a total of £120.
A difference of £60 for taking an earlier price.
So what happens if you take an early price and it drifts out and returns at larger odds. Well, let’s have a look at that.
You have backed a horse at 3/1 in the morning but it drifts out and returns an SP of 9/2. Using a £20 stake again and because we took a price of 3/1 our minimum return if the horse wins is £80.
But now comes the fun part because it has returned at 9/2 the bookmaker will payout at the larger odds of 9/2 giving us a return of £110. An extra £30 just because of the best odds guarantee that we get from the bookie.
Which Bookmakers Offer The Best Odds Guaranteed?
Betfair €/£100 Bet Bundle
Betfred Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bets + 30 Free Spins
Ladbrokes Bet £5 Get £20 Free Bets
Coral Bet £5 Get £20 In Free Bets
Paddy Power £20 Money Back As Cash
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets On International Racing
Why should I use Best Odds Guaranteed?
BOG is a major weapon in the arsenal of any successful punter. It can add significant amounts of returns to any of your existing bets when used correctly. This is why it’s important to study form and plan in advance and look for early prices on races.
Keep your eyes out for this offer, and be sure to make the most of it whenever you are betting on horse racing or greyhound racing.
Are there any restrictions I should be aware of on BOG?
Yes, there are key restrictions you should be aware of on this fantastic promotion. Bookmakers claim they are keen to stamp out any fraud or misuse of their betting accounts, so payouts on this offer are at their discretion.
Some bookmakers exclude the offer from Lucky 15, 31 & 63 bets, while others do not, so you need to check the specific bookmaker, and their terms. There is usually a maximum payout limit, which is usually a significant amount. For example, Paddy Power set its maximum at €50,000.
There can be other terms to be aware of, so you should always check with your bookmaker to get the full details before placing a bet.
What about the timing of Best Odds Guaranteed? Does it Matter?
Timing matters. BOG is executed slightly differently by different bookmakers. Some offer it from the day or night before the event, some offer it from 7 am, 8 am or 9 am on the morning of the event, and others offer it up to midday.
It’s important to check the specific bookmaker you are betting with, compare the different bookmakers to ensure you get the best odds at the best time.
What is Best Odds Guaranteed Plus?
Best Odds Guaranteed Plus is an offer made by Ladbrokes, which improves upon the original, by going one step further. In this version of the offer, if you take out an early bet on a horse at say, 10/1 and it changes to 11/1 before the race, Ladbrokes may agree to pay out on the bet at 12/1, depending on the rules they have set out before the event.
The exact official list of price boosts can be found on the official Ladbrokes site.
Recent Changes to Best Odds Guaranteed
When the 2018/2019 National Hunt racing season concluded in April, two of the biggest horse racing bookmakers made significant changes to their best odds guaranteed promotion – to make it less favorable.
William Hill will now only offer the promotion on the day of the event. Paddy Power will offer the best odds guaranteed from 8 am on the day, instead of offering it when the prices are released.
Other bookmakers major bookmakers like Bet 365, Betway, Coral, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power’s sister company Betfair have yet to follow suit.
This is why it is important to shop around, comparing odds and offers, to get the best possible deal.
Keep tuned to Bookie Rewards so we can keep you informed of all the latest developments and offers in betting.