Price Boosts (or Super Boosts, as they are sometimes known) are one of the most visible and easily quantifiable ways a bookmaker competes for customer loyalty betting on horse racing. For horse racing punters, a price boost is a temporary, artificial inflation of a horse’s odds, turning a standard 2/1 chance into, say, 5/2.
While they may seem like simple promotions, savvy bettors use them strategically as a core part of their daily value hunting. The best sites integrate boosts seamlessly and frequently, offering genuine, measurable value, particularly during peak weekend hours and major festivals.
1. Defining the Best Price Boost Offers
The quality of a bookmaker’s price boost offering is measured by three factors: Volume, Quality, and Flexibility.
| Factor | Description | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | How many boosts are offered per day? | Multiple boosts per race card (4-6 daily) and several across the main races. |
| Quality | How large is the odds inflation? | A boost from 3/1 to 7/2 is good; a boost from 4/1 to 5/1 is excellent. |
| Flexibility | Are they applied only to singles, or also to multiples? | The ability to apply a boost token to any horse, or to use an Accumulator Boost on your own selections. |
2. Top UK Bookmakers Known for Price Boosts
Several major bookmakers have built their brand around aggressive and visible price enhancements:
Sky Bet
- Specialty: Known for Sky Bet Super Boosts, often applied to the market favourite in high-profile races. These are generally limited-time offers but provide exceptional value while active.
- Frequency: Very high, especially on weekend TV races (ITV Racing). They often lead the market on boosted prices.
Paddy Power
- Specialty: They frequently offer Power Ups, which are tokens that allow the punter to boost the price of any horse they choose. This hands the value decision directly to the customer, making it highly flexible.
- Frequency: High daily volume, plus specific, boosted multiples and exotic bets (e.g., boosted Lucky 15s).
Betfair Sportsbook
- Specialty: Similar to Paddy Power, they offer daily ‘Price Boosts’ that can be applied across various sports, including horse racing. Their focus is often on the quality of the boost itself.
William Hill
- Specialty: Known for Enhanced Odds and daily ‘Flash Odds’ on major sporting events. They often have dedicated boosts for major racing festivals and specific televised races.
3. The Rules: What to Watch Out For
Price Boosts are a concession, and bookmakers always attach limits to prevent large-scale arbitrage or abuse.
- Maximum Stake Limit (Crucial): Every price boost comes with a strict maximum bet limit, often set low (e.g., £10, £20, or £50). Any stake above this limit will be placed at the original, unboosted odds.
- BOG Conflict: Price Boosts are almost always excluded from Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG). If you take a boosted price of 5/2 and the Starting Price (SP) drifts out to 3/1, you will not get the 3/1 SP. You are locked into the boosted price.
- Expert Tip: Only take a boost if the inflated price offers better long-term value than the protection provided by BOG.
- Single Use: Price Boost tokens are typically limited to one use per customer per day or per race.
- Exclusions: Boosts usually cannot be combined with free bets, loyalty rewards, or used on Ante-Post markets.
In summary, when seeking out the best UK sites for racing price boosts, look for platforms that offer high daily volume, allow the customer to choose which horse to boost, and clearly state their maximum stake limits. Using these boosts wisely—and being aware of the BOG exclusion—is vital for increasing your long-term betting margin.
