
Author:
Greg Likens
Last Updated:
05/10/2022
Topic:
Betting Guide
Topic:
Betting Guide
There are a lot of different betting strategies you can use in order to optimize your betting experience. One popular option is a pick 3 strategy that works. A pick 3 is a slightly exotic betting option that can add a lot of value to your betting.
In this short pick 3 strategy 2022 guide, we will take a close look at what exactly a pick 3 is, explain how you can put together a pick 3 strategy to win and give you some top tips for implementing your pick 3 betting strategy.
In simple terms, a pick 3 involves choosing the winner of three separate horse races (these are often consecutive races, but that is not mandatory) on the same race card. But whilst a pick 3 bet covers three separate races it is considered to be one single bet. As such, pick 3 bets are put into one separate pool. Winners are paid from the total money in this pool. This makes pick 3 a form of pari-mutuel betting.
The minimum stake you can typically use for a pick 3 is $1 and there is no each-way option you can take. In order to win, all three horses must win their respective races.
Because a Pick 3 strategy requires all three horses to win, the simplest method is to just pick the three favorites and hope they all win. Favorites win in about 1 in 3 horse races, so it is entirely possible that all three of your selections finish first, giving you a far better return than if you had just placed three individual bets. However, the best pick 3 strategy that works is to spread your bets.
Spreading requires you to choose more than one horse in at least one of the races. Obviously this means you will have to place more than one bet and therefore have to spend more money. But it does give you a much better chance of winning at longer odds.
One of the three races in the Pick 3 has a clear and obvious favorite, whilst the other races have two or three potential winners. Having studied the form and done your research, you have identified the race numbers of potential race winners as:
This means you have four potential options for your pick 3:
Whilst placing a $1 pick 3 bet on each of those options will cost you $4, it will greatly increase your chances of winning all three races. All you need is for horse 5 to win the third race and then any combination of horses 2 and 9, and 1 and 4 to win the other two races.
The leg 3 horse is known as your single and should always be the horse you have the most confidence in.
Not only does this pick 3 betting strategy give you a much better chance of winning from your pick 3 bet, but it can also give you some extremely long odds winners.
The method outlined above is the most common strategy for pick 3 betting, but there are pick 3 options you can try:
Hopefully, you now have a good understanding of what a pick 3 betting strategy is and how you can use a pick 3 strategy that works. Now it’s time to assess the advantages and disadvantages of pick 3 betting
You can enhance the odds on a favorite
Some horse races have clear and obvious favorites. Unfortunately, these horses are often only available at very short odds and there is little value in betting on them. By using a pick 3 strategy you can bolster the odds on the favorite by incorporating other horses into the bet.
You can find some huge payouts
Combining your bet into three races can lead to some extremely large payouts. For example, if the prices of the three winning horses are +100, +400 and +400, a $1 bet would return around $50. Even if you have to place a selection of $1 bets in order to land on this winning combination, you are still getting a very good return on your investment.
You can bet using small amounts
The high payouts involved in pick 3 bets, means that you can make excellent profits on very small wagers. As the above example shows, you can make fifty times your stake, despite all three winners being available at short odds. This makes pick 3 betting a great option if you have a small budget.
Horse racing is very unpredictable
A large part of the appeal of horse racing is that anything can happen. Long odds winners are relatively common and there is never a guarantee that the favorites will win. Unless you cover the entire field, pick 3 betting requires the favorite or one of the fancied horses to win all three races.
You could fall at the first hurdle
Even though your bet covers three races, if you fail to win race one, your pick 3 is over. This makes the result of the subsequent two races completely irrelevant. If you place single bets on each race you retain an interest throughout the meeting.
Pick 3 can be complicated
Working out the merit of each pick 3 option can be tricky. You need to weigh up factors such as the number of horses per race you need to bet on, which horse is your single and how much you want to stake. Finding the sweet spot for each pick 3 bet requires plenty of practice.
There is a lot to consider with pick 3 betting, so to help you out here are our top 5 expert tips:
Finding a pick 3 strategy that works can be a great way to find winning bets, but here are some more of the best sports betting strategies you could use:
This requires you to place bets whilst an event is progressing. You need to look for high value in the betting markets and identify the best time to place bets. This is a high-risk versus reward betting strategy.
Arbitrage betting takes advantage of the differences in odds between sports betting operators. You place bets to cover all possible outcomes, using the best operator for each option. By doing this you can guarantee a small profit regardless of how the event plays out.
Matched betting is similar to arbing. It requires you to back and lay the same bet in order to take advantage of promotions offered by operators. It is a virtually risk-free method of betting but can give you a steady income. For more information on this, read our matched betting explained guide.
Using a pick 3 betting strategy can be a fun way to bet and it can lead to some excellent returns. But to achieve those returns, you need to carefully follow our tips and successfully implement the strategy.
The best way of doing this is to take your time, read our guides and research the betting fields. You are unlikely to find your perfect strategy straight away and you are unlikely to hit a winning streak with your first few bets. But keep the faith and look at how you can adapt your strategy for each pick 3.
Most importantly of all, always remember to gamble responsibly, set your budget and stick to it. Never stake more money than you can afford to lose. Good luck!