Ante Post Betting - Staking a Claim on the Future

The form of wagering called “Ante Post Betting” gets its name from horse racing. It refers to the longtime practice of choosing a winner from a field of runners as much as three months, six months, or even a year before they actually go to post—hence the term “ante post” or “antepost.”

Over time, ante post betting has become popular for wagering on sporting events, too, as bettors attempt to predict the ultimate champion of a tournament, a division, or a league, often long before the season begins. In the United States, bets taken on such long-range forecasts are called “futures.”

The single biggest advantage of making an ante post bet is the high odds that are typically available. Regarding horses, most punters wait at least until the overnight declaration stage of a race, usually after 10am on the preceding day, to place their bets. It is not uncommon to see a mount offered at 90-to-1 in ante post betting drop to 25-to-1 or even 16-to-1 at that time. Bookmakers are willing to take a greater risk to invite early stakes, and with good reason. If the horse fails to start, in most cases the bet is automatically forfeit.

In the United Kingdom, bets on horse races are governed by “Tattersall’s Rules of Betting.” The document sets forth a rather complex set of regulations for bets that are placed on non-runners. In the case of ante post bets, unless otherwise stated when the wager is made, acceptance is on the basis of “'all-in run or not” and “all-in enter or not.” That means any selection not taking part in the race counts as a loser.

Several other conditions apply as well. For example, if the race is postponed to another day and overnight declarations are allowed to stand, then all ante post bets also stand. And there are a number of circumstances that can result in an ante post bet being voided and stakes returned. Among them are abandonment of the race, change of venue, and change of running surface. Bets are also nullified if the race itself is officially declared void or if the selected horse is balloted out under Jockey Club Rules of Racing.

Ante post betting for horse races is especially popular for major events, such as the Grand National, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the biggest ante-post market of the year—the Epsom Derby. For the latter, betting begins a full twelve months in advance as handicappers study the performances of two year olds and attempt to determine which one will deliver on the first Saturday of June the following year.

Given its long historical association with horses, the bulk of ante post wagers are still placed on racing, but interest in ante post sports betting in recent years has elevated the practice to the mainstream—football markets. Ante post opportunities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup were first released in autumn 2006, long before the final 32 competing teams were known.

Ante post betting on Premier League favourites is now a regular feature of the off-season, and it is available on all English League and Cup competitions, with the outright winner being the most frequent form of wager. However, more exotic options are becoming popular, such as ante post bets on the top goalscorer in each league and which teams will get relegated.

One of the most tantalising aspects of the long odds offered by ante post betting is the ability to compare opportunities offered by the leading online bookmakers. Where one quotes Man City at 10-to-1, another may have them at 16-to-1. Shopping around is an essential aspect of ante post betting, just as timing is critical, too, because odds shift as players are traded, coaches are let go, etc.

Any contest in which a field of entrants is expected lends itself well to ante post betting. That includes all types of league sports, such as Rugby, Baseball, Basketball, or American Football, as well as individual endeavors, such as golf, tennis, cycling, and motor sports. Ante post bets can even be made on which country will gather the most medals at the next Olympic Games or who will win the Academy Award for best actor next year. All it takes is finding a book with attractive odds.