Best odds guaranteed (BOG) means racing bettors receive either the starting price or the odds they took when making the bet on a horse, whichever is bigger, for a specific race.

Best odds guaranteed is a standard perk among the best betting sites, and means that if the price on a horse shortens significantly before a race or drifts out, the punter always gets the best number available.

Our guide to how best odds guaranteed works on horse racing betting sites, why it’s only available for horse racing and greyhounds and what happens when you place an each-way bet or the selection is a non-runner.

Below are the betting sites offering best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish racing. We’ve split the bookies up based on when the horse racing betting offer becomes active on their platform.

Bets placed before the BOG start time will not be covered.

8am

9am

10am or later

The price comparison in best odds guaranteed is between the price taken when the bet was accepted and the starting price returned at the off, with the wager settling at the bigger of the two prices. What the starting price actually means is the odds on the horse when the race goes live. Horse racing odds are volatile and ever-moving.

For example, a £10 win bet taken at 3/1 returns £40. If the horse drifts to 4/1 at the off, BOG pays at 4/1 and returns £50, stake included. If it shortens, you're still paid at 3/1. You can't get a worse price than the one you took, though the bet can still lose.

The BOG process is all automatic, so the punter does not need to do anything except enjoy the potential extra winnings, without worrying about lesser returns.

Horse racing is the main sport with a published starting price for every race, which is what makes the comparison possible. Football and most other sports settle at the price taken, so the same guarantee can't really be offered.

Some greyhound betting sites extend BOG to greyhounds, so check the terms. Most restrict it to UK and Irish racing, and some add big meetings abroad. It's always worth reading the T&Cs.

BOG applies to qualifying races automatically, with no opt-in, box ticking or code. The conditions are about bet type and race rather than stake, so a small win single normally qualifies. Many bookmakers apply BOG only from the morning of the race, so an early or antepost price may not be covered.

Check the terms for the sport and meeting rather than assume every racing bet is covered.

BOG applies to the win part and the place part separately. The place price is a stated fraction of the win price, and both parts are compared against the starting price and paid at whichever is bigger.

Place terms vary with field size, special races and the bookmaker. For example, some bookies offer 1/4 odds on each-way bets , while some go 1/5 the odds for the same race. Compare place terms before the guarantee, because they are often worth more.

When it comes to other types of horse racing bets, best odds guaranteed can be applied to both single and multiple bet types. Check the terms and conditions at a specific bookmaker to learn which multiple bet types are covered.

If your horse is withdrawn, the bet is void and the stake is returned under non runner no bet, so BOG doesn't come into it.

This may differ in antepost markets. Some bookmakers offer both promotions on the same race and others only one, so treat them as separate offers. If another horse is withdrawn, especially a favourite, rule 4 applies.

A deduction is made from winnings to reflect the changed odds, and BOG is still compared against the starting price, with the bigger price paid if your horse wins or places.

All UK-licensed betting sites must provide safer gambling tools from deposit limits to reality checks and self-exclusion.

The Standard suggests setting a budget and sticking to it, taking regular breaks when gambling and never chasing your losses. Most importantly, treat gambling as a source of entertainment, not a way to make money.

Gambling help resources include:

The National Gambling Helpline number is 0808 8020 133.

Best odds guaranteed is a guarantee offered by online bookmakers that they will pay out on either the starting price of a horse or the odds at the time the bet was placed, whichever is higher.

Best odds guaranteed automatically applies to qualifying races or meetings, and bets are settled as per BOG betting rules. Bettors do not have to claim or do anything. The qualification is more about the bet type and the meeting rather than the stake.

BOG normally does not apply to ante post bets as most horse racing betting sites accept bets placed on the day of the race only. Ante-post bets are typically settled at the price taken, which is the trade-off for a bigger early price.

No. Best odds guaranteed is only available on horse racing and greyhound racing in the UK with no other sport eligible for the promotion.