Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG), Explained

8 min read · Updated May 2026 · Editor: Max Yao

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is the single most valuable standing promotion in UK horse racing — and the most consistently misrepresented. Here is what it is, what it is not, and how much it is actually worth.

What BOG is, in one sentence

BOG means the bookmaker will pay you at the higher of (a) the price you took when you placed your bet, or (b) the Starting Price (SP) at the off — whichever is better for you.

How it works, with a worked example

You back a horse at 8/1 at 08:45 on race day. By the time the race starts, the horse has been backed in by other punters and goes off at 5/1 SP. Without BOG, you receive your 8/1 (good — you locked in before it shortened). With BOG, the same thing happens — you still get 8/1.

Now the opposite: you back at 8/1, but the horse drifts to 12/1 SP (the market has moved away from it). Without BOG, you receive 8/1. With BOG, you receive 12/1 — the bookmaker upgrades your price to SP.

This is the BOG mechanism: it insures you against drifters (horses whose price lengthens to SP), at no cost. You keep your morning price if the horse shortens; you receive SP if the horse drifts.

Which bookmakers offer BOG and when the window opens

The window closes when the race starts. Bets placed after the off (in-running) are excluded.

How much BOG is actually worth

Our tracking across 312 UK and Irish races in Q1 2026 found:

• Horses whose SP was higher than their 08:00 morning price: 41% of races sampled
• Average price improvement when BOG applied: +23% of the win return
• Estimated monthly recovered value for a £25/race, 10-race-per-week punter: £28–£35

This is the realistic number. Marketing materials from bookmakers imply BOG is a significant enhancement to every bet. In reality, BOG applies to fewer than half of bets (those that drift) and the enhancement averages around 23% of the win portion.

For someone staking £500/week, BOG recovered value is roughly £120–£140/month. For someone staking £50/week, it is £12–£14/month. These are meaningful but not transformative numbers.

Where BOG does not apply

• Bets placed at SP (you asked for SP, you get SP — no improvement possible)
• In-running bets
• Overseas racing outside the UK and Ireland (most bookmakers)
• Ante-post bets (placed days or weeks before the race)
• Some bookmakers exclude BOG on stewards’ inquiry results (Paddy Power)

The strategic use of BOG

If you back early (morning prices tend to be higher than SP for well-fancied horses in competitive handicaps), BOG insures your price. This matters most when you have a strong opinion about a horse before the market has settled.

If you always bet SP, BOG adds nothing — you are already taking whatever price is available at the off.

Sources

• Bet365 BOG terms: bet365.com/gb/help/sportsbook/horse-racing
• Paddy Power BOG terms: paddypower.com/help
• Our Q1 2026 odds variance data: /research/odds-variance-2026Q1/