Ante Post Betting Term - What is Ante Post Betting?

The betting term Ante Post refers to bets that are placed at least a day prior to the event taking place. While its origins come from horse race betting, with the exact meaning being a bet placed before the horse ‘goes to post’, Ante Post betting can apply to all sports. 

Many bookmakers these days label their Ante Post markets as ‘Futures’. There are several common sporting Ante Post markets open at the majority of online bookmakers. 

These include FA Cup Winner, The Ashes Winner and The Ryder Cup Winner. You can also bet Ante Post on many domestic football leagues throughout Europe with markets opening one or two weeks in advance in most cases.

Betting Ante Post has positives and negatives which you need to be aware of before considering these type of bets. Let us run through the main points.

The main attraction of betting Ante Post is that you often get better odds. For instance, if you wanted to have a punt on the next FIFA World Cup. Ante Post markets already open include winner and the top goalscorer (Golden Boot). Usually, the prices are more generous now compared to on the eve of the tournament starting.

This also opens up opportunities on a sports betting exchange where you can back and lay the same selection. You can back at a high Ante Post price, and later lay the bet at lower odds to secure a profit.

Another positive of Ante Post betting is you have more time to do proper research. You can use this to your advantage by considering all of the variables.

The disadvantage of Ante Post betting is that it carries a higher risk your bet will lose. In horse racing, if your Ante Post selection is a non-runner, your bet is not void - it simply loses. The bookmaker keeps your stake. 

The same applies if you were to bet on Jordan Speith winning the Open Championship and he pulls out after the first round due to injury. The Ante Post wager is gone.

Clearly betting Ante Post has its benefits and obvious pitfalls. As a punter, the decision you must make relates to the value being offered. Take advantage of odds comparison tools to search out the best prices. 

Every fraction adds up in sports betting and it can mean the difference between a bankroll in profit and one that is only breaking even.