What Does SP Mean In Betting? | What Does SP Mean In Horse Racing?
There are several betting terms around being used at bookmakers and if you are interested in horse races, we are sure that you have heard the term “SP” before. Have you ever wondered what does SP mean in betting? Well, we answer this question for you in this guide: We will explain SP betting meaning and what does SP mean on a betting slip.
When used right, SP betting can offer better odds for your bets and give you an actual advantage. Whether you play a straight, forecast, or Tricast bet, you can take advantage of SP betting odds. Without further due, let’s start our guide and answer the obvious question first: What is SP betting?
What does SP mean in betting terms?
Alright, let’s start with the SP betting definition and let you know what does SP mean in betting? This is a term you will see in almost all horse racing betting sites at mobile bookmakers so this question is usually asked like “what is SP in horse betting”. While it is commonly used in UK horse racing betting, you can also see this term used in dog races too. SP meaning betting is simple: It means “starting price”.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in 21 November 2024 – Updated List
How do they set betting SP values?
We answered what is SP in betting question above: You now know what does SP stand for in betting. Let’s talk about how the starting prices are set too. This may sound weird but there is an actual commission for this job, based in London and called “The Starting Price Regulatory Commission (SPRC)”. They are setting the rules for calculating SP and regulate them. According to these rules:
7/1
12/2
12/2
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
11/2
5/1
7/1
12/2
12/2
6/1
AND
6/1
6/1
6/1
1/2
5/2
7/1
12/2
12/2
6/1
And 6/1 is the shortest price here, so it is the SP for this race. This method is similar to calculating the median, although it is slightly different, but it has big differences from lucky 15 bets. And there you go: You have learned how do they calculate horse betting SP figures. Note that this SP horse racing calculation method is used for dog betting (greyhound races) too.
When should you take SP on betting?
You learned the betting SP meaning at live betting sites and saw the advantage it can offer you: In some cases, SP betting can give you much higher odds. So when should you prefer SP odds and when should you prefer ante-post odds? Is there a scenario where SP betting would be a better choice?
As we mentioned above, it is not possible to know with certainty whether SP odds will be better or worse than ante-post odds. Bettors who like to research and want to achieve the highest possible winning potential by comparing odds generally prefer ante-post prices at the best sports betting exchanges. SP betting mostly appeals to casual bettors who do not have time to research and want to make a simple bet on race day and try their luck. So how good SP betting will be for you depends a bit on your betting habits.
In addition, if you are sure that ante-post odds will change significantly, SP betting may be the better choice. A horse shown as a favorite will have low ante-post odds. Also, before placing any bet, read out article about horse racing being fixed, you will learn a lot from it.
However, if you think this will change and see odds shortening, you can get better prices on the race day by choosing SP betting. In any case, the “best odds guaranteed” option will be the best choice you can make: Our recommendation is to place an ante-post bet and choose this option to ensure a better payout should SP odds increase.
Best odds guaranteed and Starting Price
What is the Betfair SP?
Betfair, the famous betting exchange platform, also offers starting prices for horse races with a lot of promotions. However, it calculates them differently, that’s why it is called “Betfair Starting Price” (BSP).
➤ There is no margin for profit: Betfair will determine the SP by balancing bets from customers who want to back and lay.
➤ Since a profit margin is not included in these calculations, you will always get better SP prices at Betfair.
➤ Take a look at our Betfair trading strategies article to learn more & get some tips.
SP betting tips & tricks for beginners
Tip
👉 The best sports betting exchanges such as Betfair will always offer higher SP prices in this sense. For SP betting, we recommend that you choose platforms such as Betfair, not traditional bookmakers.
👉 Whatever you decide, don’t forget to use the bonuses of online bookmakers. You can use risk free bet offers for ante-post and SP betting and learn how they work without any risk.
FAQ about SP betting
This means short “starting price favorite”. Simply put, it means the favorite horse (the horse that is expected to win the race) when SP odds are announced.
Betfair does not take a profit margin into account when calculating SP betting odds. The calculation is made by balancing bets from customers who want to back and lay, that’s why they are almost always higher.
It means the same thing: starting price. However, instead of horses, greyhounds are used. As mentioned above, SP betting is available in dog races too, not only horse racing.
If you think that the ante-post odds will be higher than the pre-race odds in any case (i.e. if you are sure that the prices will decrease on the race day), SP betting will not be a good choice.
Get the best SP betting odds
There you go: You have now learned what does SP mean on betting. More importantly, you have learned how to use SP in betting, whether it is horse racing or dog racing. And since you learned SP betting term in detail, it is time to make some practice: Take a look at our lists of best odds bookmakers and best sports betting exchanges, pick one, and create your account today. Get the best betting on SP odds and win big: Good luck out there!