What Is Best Odds Guaranteed and How Does It Work in Ireland?
Horse racing prices move like a busy betting ring: quietly at first, then all at once. Best Odds Guaranteed gives eligible punters some protection when that movement happens after a bet is placed.
The idea is simple. If you back a horse at an early price and the Starting Price turns out to be bigger, a qualifying bookmaker may settle the bet at the better price. That can make a noticeable difference to returns, especially on busy race days when markets move sharply before the off.
Terms vary between operators, so it is worth checking which races qualify, when the promotion applies and whether any stake limits are in place. Our horse racing betting guide explains the basics, common betting markets and what Irish punters should look for before placing a bet.
What Does Best Odds Guaranteed Mean?
Best Odds Guaranteed, commonly shortened to BOG, means an eligible winning horse racing bet is settled at the better of:
- The price taken when the bet was placed
- The official Starting Price, known as the SP
If you back a horse at 4.00 and it wins with an SP of 5.00, the bookmaker settles at 5.00. If the SP shortens to 3.00, you keep the original 4.00 price. BOG does not improve a losing selection or guarantee a profit. It only changes the odds used to settle a qualifying winner.
Best Odds Guaranteed protects the price, not the prediction. Your horse must still win or satisfy the relevant each-way terms.
How BOG Changes a Payout
Consider a €15 win bet placed at decimal odds of 4.00.
Without BOG, the first winning example would normally return €60 at the accepted price. The concession adds €15 because the larger SP is used.
Which Irish Racing Bets Usually Qualify?
There is no single universal BOG rule. Every bookmaker sets its own race coverage, activation time, minimum stake and exclusions.
Common qualifying conditions include:
- UK and Irish horse racing only
- Bets placed after a stated time on race day
- Early-price or board-price selections
- Win and each-way singles
- Bets placed before the race begins
- A minimum cash stake
Some operators require customers to opt in before betting. Others apply BOG automatically to eligible selections.
Bets That May Not Receive BOG
Ante-post bets, in-play wagers and free bets are commonly excluded. The same may apply to forecasts, place-only bets, boosted prices, token-funded wagers, international racing and bets placed before the daily qualifying time. Cash-out can also affect eligibility or settlement. Always open the promotion terms and confirm that the bet slip displays the BOG marker before placing the wager.
Does BOG Apply to Each-Way Bets?
It can, provided the bookmaker includes each-way betting in its offer. An each-way wager contains separate win and place bets, so check how the concession affects each part and which place terms were accepted. Extra places and BOG are different promotions. A bookmaker may offer both, only one or neither on a particular race.
Is Best Odds Guaranteed Good Value?
BOG is useful when a horse drifts before the off because the bettor keeps the stronger settlement price. It should still be treated as a secondary benefit rather than a reason to back an unsuitable selection. Compare the original odds, each-way conditions and available places before focusing on the promotion. The best concession cannot rescue poor value or careless staking.
