What Is Royal Ascot?
The first race was held at Ascot in 1711 and was organised by the monarch at the time, Queen Anne. This was the foundation for the Royal Ascot meeting, which would later be endorsed by King George III. Over the years, it has grown into a huge festival of racing.
Of the entire race meeting, the Gold Cup is arguably the most important race. It was started in 1807 and takes place over a distance of two miles and four furlongs on the flat. There have been several horses over the years whose names are synonymous with the race. Yeats is the runner who has won it the most times, with four consecutive wins between 2006 and 2009.
Placing a Bet
When you visit for the first time, picking a horse and placing a wager can seem confusing. People will be talking about favourites, form, and a host of other factors. However, you just need to pick the horse you think has the best chance of winning, based on your own knowledge.
There are two ways to place a bet. The first is to have a phone handy with a mobile betting app. Another way is to place a bet on the course, with one of the many bookmakers situated around offering prices. When using both, fractional odds such as 5/1 and 11/2 are used. The first number is the amount you will win, and the second number is how much you need to wager to win that amount.
Of course, you don't have to just bet on the winner. A placepot bet is a great way to choose a few across all the meetings in the day. They just need to place in the top three horses, or four, depending on how many are in the race. These are best done online, as many bookmakers at the course won't take more complex bets such as this. However, the popularity of these has resulted in many online providers also having horse-related games on their websites, such as Virtual Horse Racing. This allows you to bet on races determined by a random number generator, so the fun can continue even after you have visited Ascot.
What to Wear at Royal Ascot
Racing has become extremely popular in recent years. This has been down to several factors, including its availability as a spectator sport on streaming platforms. As a result, Royal Ascot now has record numbers of visitors, with each getting dressed up to the nines. If you want to impress, you need to look sharp.
For men, suits are the order of the day. Tweed and country fabrics are always in vogue, but even the black-tie dinner suit can work well. The third day of the festival is Ladies Day. and prizes are handed out for the best dressed. Elegant and classy are the way for women, with items such as dresses and hats.
You will need to book Royal Ascot in advance. Don't forget accommodation and travel either as they book up quickly. Once you have this, check the horses running and settle back for a great day at Royal Ascot.