SP (Starting Price)

Starting Price (SP) is the official on-course price of a horse at the moment the race starts. It is determined by returns from on-course bookmakers and published by the Press Association moments after each race begins.

How SP is set

On-course bookmakers at each UK meeting submit their prices immediately before the off. The Press Association computes a weighted average — called the return — which becomes the official SP. The process is governed by Tattersalls Committee rules and has been standardised since 1938.

Why SP matters for bettors

1. Settlement: Any bet placed “at SP” settles at this price, regardless of what you saw on the screen when you clicked. If you backed a horse at SP with William Hill and the horse went off at 5/1, you receive 5/1 — even if the morning price was 8/1 or 3/1.
2. BOG benchmark: Best Odds Guaranteed compares your taken price to SP. If SP is higher than what you took, you receive SP. If lower, you keep your original price. SP is the floor under every BOG offer.
3. Exchange BSP: Betfair’s BSP (Betfair Starting Price) is a separately derived exchange-cleared price — often different from official SP, and frequently better for well-backed horses in large fields.

A worked example

You back Morning Glory at 08:30 at the price of 8/1 (£10 bet, £80 to win). At the off, Morning Glory is 5/1 SP. Your bookmaker offers BOG:

• Your original price: 8/1 — you receive £80 return
• SP: 5/1 — you would receive £50 return
• BOG outcome: you keep your 8/1 because it is higher than SP

Conversely: if Morning Glory drifted to 12/1 SP, BOG pays you at 12/1 (£120 return), even though you only took 8/1.

When SP comes up in results

On every results page, the SP column shows the official on-course price at which the race started. This is the price you would have received if you bet “at SP” (i.e., told the bookmaker to take whatever price was available at the off, rather than locking in a morning price).