When you look up an upcoming horse race, you’re likely to see a “post time” alongside other relevant race information. But what does post time mean in the context of horse racing?
Simply put, post time is the time that the race is scheduled to begin. The “post” in post time refers to the horses being in their starting positions, or posts.
Post times are listed in racing programs to inform fans of when they should be ready trackside or in front of their TV to catch a certain race. You’ll often hear racetracks announce post times periodically to remind bettors to make their wagers in a timely fashion.
Photo by MJ Boswell
Post Time Rules
For bettors, there’s another important reason to know the post time of a race — no further bets can be placed on a race once it has reached its post time. Bettors must be aware of the post time to ensure they place their bets before the cutoff.
Bets placed after the post time are illegal. This rule dates back to pre-television and radio days when information traveled slower and scammers would try to sneak in wagers after the post time before the official race results were released, a practice known as “past posting.”
They’d place their bets with information that other bettors did not have access to, often including the outcome of the race (typically as passed on by an accomplice ahead of an official announcement), resulting in past posting being considered a form of cheating.
Past posting was much more feasible prior to modern communications technology.
Timing Bets Around Post Times
Timing a bet around the post time can be tricky. Odds can shift throughout the day, especially as more individuals place their bets. As the odds at post time are used to calculate payouts, bettors need to keep an eye on the clock. Generally, placing bets around 10 minutes before post time allows for an informed wager without pushing too close to the cutoff.
This 10-minute rule of thumb is flexible; if betting in person, one must consider the number of other bettors trying to place wagers at the same time and ensure they’ll get to the window in time. If betting online, you may need to account for technical difficulties when submitting your wager and place it earlier, just in case it gets rejected or betting is cut off slightly early.
Want to learn more about horse racing terminology? Check out our Horse Racing Glossary for a quick guide to all the terms you need to know to keep up at the track.
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Get Key Info With Green Sheet Racing’s Tip Sheets
If you want to make sure you get your bets in before the post time, it’s essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the race and its competitors. With Green Sheet Racing’s tip sheets, you’ll have all the essential info you need right at your fingertips to place a well-informed wager. And now, Green Sheet Premium offers access to premium daily and weekend tip sheets to help you level up your betting strategy.
