Betting Guide

What Is a NAP? Horse Racing Terminology Explained

A glossary of essential horse racing and betting terminology. Learn what NAP, NB, each-way, going, SP and other common terms mean.

What Does NAP Mean?

A NAP is a tipster's best bet of the day — their single most confident selection from all the day's racing. The term comes from Napoleon, the card game, where it signifies playing your strongest hand. When a tipster gives a NAP, they're saying: "If you back one horse today, make it this one."

Our NAP of the Day is selected by our scoring algorithm as the highest-rated runner across all meetings. You can track our full NAP record in the NAP archive.

Common Betting Terms

  • NB (Next Best) — The tipster's second-best selection of the day, after the NAP.
  • Each-Way (E/W) — A two-part bet covering win and place. See our each-way guide for full details.
  • SP (Starting Price) — The official odds at the moment the race begins.
  • Favourite — The horse with the shortest odds, considered most likely to win by the market.
  • Jolly — Slang for the favourite.
  • Drifter — A horse whose odds are getting bigger (longer) in the market, often signalling lack of confidence.
  • Steamer — A horse whose odds are shortening rapidly, suggesting strong money coming in.
  • Ante-Post — Bets placed well before the day of the race, often at bigger prices.
  • Accumulator (Acca) — A single bet combining multiple selections. All must win for the bet to pay.
  • Yankee — 11 bets on 4 selections: 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a fourfold accumulator.
  • Lucky 15 — 15 bets on 4 selections: 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a fourfold. Pays a bonus if all 4 win.

Form & Racing Terms

  • Going — The ground conditions (e.g. Good, Soft, Heavy). See our going guide.
  • Form — A horse's recent race results. See our form reading guide.
  • Handicap — A race where horses carry different weights based on their official rating, designed to equalise chances.
  • Conditions Race — A non-handicap race with set weight conditions (e.g. all 3-year-olds carry the same weight).
  • Listed / Group 3 / Group 2 / Group 1 — Pattern race grades from lowest to highest. Group 1 is the top level.
  • Maiden — A horse that has not yet won a race.
  • Bumper — A National Hunt flat race for inexperienced horses.
  • Novice — A horse in its first season over hurdles or fences.
  • Pull Up (PU) — When a horse is stopped during a race, usually because it has no chance of winning or the jockey feels something is wrong.
  • Blinkers / Visor / Cheekpieces — Headgear used to help horses focus. First-time application is often a positive signal.

Course & Distance Terms

  • C&D — Course and Distance winner. The horse has won at this track over this trip before — a strong positive indicator.
  • CD — As above, often seen in racecards.
  • BF — Beaten Favourite. The horse was favourite last time but lost.
  • Furlong — One-eighth of a mile (approximately 200 metres). Races are measured in furlongs and miles.