What is an Ante-Post Bet?

The world of sports betting throws up plenty of unexplained terms that bettors need to get used to, from ‘acca’ and ‘free bets’ to ‘yankee bets’.

And one such term that new punters will commonly see is ‘ante-post’. But, what is an ante-post bet? Ante-post betting might seem a complicated term, but in reality it is one of the more simple terms associated with betting.

Simply put, an ante-post bet is a bet placed before the start of the event – whether it be a football match, horse race or an entire tournament.

Below, we’ve compiled all you need to know about ante-post betting, from a breakdown of what is ante-post betting to all the betting rules regarding ante-post bets.

So what is an ante-post bet exactly? Essentially, an ante-post bet is simply a bet placed before the start of an event.

Traditionally, these bets were placed at least one day before the start of an event, and were commonly used in horse racing – ante-post means ‘before the post’, and refers to the starting post in horse racing.

An ante-post bet is usually placed well in advance of an event starting – for example, ante-post horse racing bets are often placed before punters even know the confirmed participants.

Betting sites offer odds well in advance of many events, including notable horse races such as the Grand National or the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Bettors can seize on these markets to get larger odds than you may find on the day of the race.

This is slightly different in football, although the principle is the same – one example of a famous ante-post football bet is when Leicester won the Premier League, with ante-post odds as high as 5000/1 before the season began.

In ante-post betting, markets are produced well in advance of an event, in the weeks or months before it occurs or begins.

Horse racing betting sites will often provide odds for major races for the following year in the immediate aftermath of the previous iteration of the meet.

Ante-post betting often provides more favourable odds due to the increased risk and uncertainty – for example, if wagering on a horse race, the participants may not be confirmed yet.

If betting on football, you may know for certain that a team will be participating in a league, but you won’t know the transfers they make or whether they’ll lose their star player.

Punters simply place an advance bet on the winner of an event – whether that be a match or a horse race – or a specific eventuality, such as a certain team to get relegated or to win the league.

Ante-post betting is a term most commonly seen on horse racing betting sites, with an ante-post bet previously seen as a great way to find value on a race market.

Nowadays, established operators and new betting sites are wise to the tips, so odds can change drastically in the days leading up to a race.

Nevertheless, ante-post betting obviously remains the most popular form of wagering on horse racing, and horse racing the most prominent sport for making an ante-post bet, due to the nature of racing and the inability to bet while the race is ongoing.

Ante-post bets ahead of big events are extremely popular, with Cheltenham Festival ante-post odds often produced within hours of the previous race finishing.

Grand National ante-post bets are very popular too – even among punters who don’t regularly bet on horse races – and still offer good value, though it can pay to bet just a couple of days, or even hours, before a race, rather than say a week or two in advance.

Remember that the closer it gets to a race starting, the lower the odds will be on many of the horses, so it can be beneficial to find the sweet spot between time before the race and the shortening of odds on each runner.

But what is ante-post betting in other sports? This type of bet is even more straightforward outside of horse racing, as more factors – such as participants – can be established further away from the beginning of an event.

Notable ante-post markets in other sports include the winner of tournaments and leagues in football – for example a bet on the Champions League or Premier League winner before the season even begins – or wagers on the winner of tennis or golf majors and grand slams.

These markets can offer good value on occasion, as you can get a fairly good picture of the sporting landscape before betting on the winner of a tournament – for example, you can see how Man City are performing in the league for a good few weeks before the Champions League begins.

Remember, though, that ante-post bet odds on football betting sites can change quite drastically – a string of good performances for Real Madrid may result in bookies lowering their odds on ante-post betting for the Champions League, for example.

The main advantage of an ante-post bet is that there are better odds in advance of an event, and you can secure value before the market shifts. If you have decent knowledge of a market, it is a good opportunity to target certain horses or teams while the odds are better, with the aforementioned example of Leicester probably being the most extreme example of this!

In terms of simple enjoyment, an ante-post bet often gives punters a chance to engage with an event on a longer timescale, for example if betting on a team to win the league or be relegated.

If the bookie offers a cash-out on your bet, it can also be a good chance to grab a ‘win’ if a team is performing well up to a certain point of the season. For example, you may bet on Liverpool to win the Premier League and they may be top at Christmas – if you felt like they weren’t going to go the distance, you could potentially cash out for a tidy sum.

In terms of risks, there’s the obvious risk associated with the different variables in a team or individual performance. For example, in an ante post football bet, a team or player’s form, various injuries, the potential sale or acquisition of players and various other factors can drastically affect the outcome of your bet.

One of the main risks to ante-post betting comes in horse racing, as an ante-post bet non runner will often result in your bet losing. However, some bookies run an offer where your stake is returned if your horse doesn’t run - this is referred to as ‘non runner no bet’, and it is a key ante-post horse racing betting market.

With all wagers, there is always a risk to consider before placing your bet. So only lodge your bet if you’re comfortable with the conditions laid out by the bookie.

The main tip to use before making an ante-post bet is to do your research. Look up form and the previously mentioned variables, try and understand the market, and make sure you’re aware of the risks involved.

For example, if you’re making an ante-post Cheltenham bet it is good to have knowledge and understanding of the progression of horses, depending on whether the race is a hurdle or chase.

In football, the research is a little more obvious – it may include looking at the teams before the season, from injury and suspensions records to player sales, signings and even general fatigue.

As always, take a look at different betting websites and betting apps in order to find the best value and odds available for ante-post bets, and be sure to look at terms, such as whether they offer a non runner no bet wager.

Remember that no matter how much you know about a sport, gambling is only a form of entertainment, not a way to make money. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Sports betting can be addictive, so please take steps to remain in control of your budget. Make use of responsible gambling tools offered by betting sites, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

The same applies whether you’re using betting sites, casino sites, slot sites, poker sites or any other form of gambling. It’s particularly important not to get carried away by free bet offers or casino offers, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

Should you wish to seek help for gambling-related issues, there are several charities and healthcare providers who offer support and information:

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