If you bet on horse racing in the UK, Best Odds Guaranteed — usually shortened to BOG — is a phrase worth understanding. It can quietly add real value to your returns, and it has become a standard feature among the leading British bookmakers.
What Best Odds Guaranteed Means
When you take an early price on a horse and the starting price (SP) turns out to be bigger, Best Odds Guaranteed pays you out at the larger of the two. Take 4/1 in the morning, and if the horse drifts to 6/1 by the off, you are paid at 6/1.
It is effectively a free upgrade. You never lose out for taking an early price, and you stand to gain if the odds lengthen before the race begins.
When BOG Applies
The concession typically applies to UK and Irish horse racing, though some operators extend it to greyhounds. There are usually conditions worth checking before you rely on it.
- Often limited to bets placed from the morning of the race
- May exclude ante-post markets and certain promotions
- Frequently capped at a maximum payout per bet or per day
- Usually applies to win and each-way singles and multiples
How to Make the Most of It
Because BOG removes the downside of taking an early price, it rewards punters who back their judgement early rather than waiting for the SP. If you have spotted a horse you fancy, taking the early price with a BOG bookmaker means you secure that price as a floor while keeping the upside if it drifts.
Always confirm an operator advertises BOG before placing your bet, and read the specific terms — caps and eligible meetings vary between bookmakers.
