What is a Nap in Betting? The Meaning & Basics

Most of us think of a nap as a brief snooze in the afternoon, but that’s not the case in the world of betting! In betting, the nap of the day meaning is totally different, it’s a tipster's top pick of the day.

You’ll find lots of sports betting sites feature the nap of the day from their in-house tipsters. Tipsters on social media will use the term as well and it’s even used by horse racing trainers and jockeys to single out their most promising horse.

The term is most widely used for horse racing, but you’ll sometimes see it used for football tips too. So, now that you know what a nap of the day is, it’s time to find out how it could make an impact on your betting strategy.

A nap is chosen just like any other tip, through proper research. Once the tipster has researched the races that are running that day, their nap will be the horse that they consider ticks most of their boxes.

Looking into what these boxes are can be incredibly helpful when refining your own betting strategy. So, let’s take a look at some of them right now.

How to Spot a Winner

Recent Performances

This is the first port of call when looking for a bet. Taking a look at how the horse has been running recently, including where it’s placing and if it seems to be improving or declining.

Weight

If betting in a handicap race, it’s important to consider the horse’s rating alongside what weight they’re carrying. Some horses perform favourably in handicap races as they’re simply better weight carriers.

Changes in Distance

Look into the distances the horse has run over recently. If the horse has taken a step up or down in trip then consider if it seems to be finishing its races full of running (a step up might be good), or running out of steam before the end (a step down might be good).

Track Conditions

Most horses have a going that they prefer running on. Take a look back at their previous form to see what kind of ground their best results have occurred on. You could watch previous races to look at their knee action too, a high knee action usually prefers softer ground.

Jockey Selected

If you notice a particularly good jockey is booked to ride a horse then there’s a good chance the trainer thinks this horse will win. Pay particular attention to this if the jockey has had to travel a long way, or if the trainer has two horses in a race with only one outstanding jockey booking.

Trainer's Form

Sometimes a stable falls out of form and while many come back to form soon after, it’s a consideration when backing a horse. The chances of your horse running well are only increased by a stable that’s producing fighting fit winners.

Changes in Tack

Horses are living beings and some of them need more help concentrating than others! Look out for changes in tack, such as a tongue tie, a visor, or nose/cheek pieces. Trainers use these aids to get the best out of a horse, so they can provide a small advantage when used correctly.

Betting on every nap of the day from a well-respected tipster is not a bad strategy. As we’ve explored above, there’s a lot of research that goes into choosing a likely winner.

Taking that research on board will save you plenty of time. However, tipsters aren’t always right. In fact, a really good tipster might only make a 15-20% return on investment. So, if you’re not following every single tip, there’s still a chance you could lose money.