James Maxwell
Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-04-08
What Is Best Odds Guaranteed?
Best Odds Guaranteed — commonly shortened to BOG — is one of the most valuable features a bookmaker can offer horse racing punters, and yet it remains one of the least understood by casual bettors. The concept is simple: if you take a price on a horse and the starting price (SP) is bigger, you get paid at the higher price. You get the best of both worlds — the security of locking in a price early, with the upside of any drift.
To understand why this matters, consider a practical example. You back a horse at 8/1 on the morning of the race because you think it represents good value. By the time the race goes off, the horse has drifted to 10/1 in the market. Without BOG, you'd be settled at your original 8/1. With BOG, you'd be paid at 10/1 — a meaningful difference on any significant stake.
The reverse scenario is equally important to understand. If you take 8/1 and the horse shortens to 5/1 by the off, BOG doesn't penalise you — you still get your original 8/1. This is why the feature is so valuable: it removes the risk of taking an early price. You can back a horse when you see value without worrying about whether the market will move against you.
BOG matters most to punters who like to bet early — whether that's the evening before or the morning of a race. If you tend to wait until just before the off, the difference between your price and SP will be minimal and BOG has less practical impact. But for those who study the markets, identify value early, and want to lock in a price while still protecting against drift, BOG is effectively free insurance.
Not all bookmakers offer BOG, and those that do apply varying terms and conditions. Some restrict it to certain meeting types, impose maximum payout limits, or exclude specific bet types. These differences matter, and they're what we'll examine in the comparison below.
If you're new to racing and want to understand how odds work before getting into BOG, our odds formats guide covers the basics.
BOG Comparison
Bet365
Bet365 offers Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing. The feature applies automatically — there's nothing you need to activate or opt into. It covers win and each-way bets placed at fixed odds on the day of the race. Bet365's BOG is generally reliable and well-implemented, with the enhanced payout appearing correctly in your settlement without any need to query it. There are maximum payout limits that apply to the BOG element, though these are high enough that they won't affect the vast majority of punters. Bet365's BOG also extends to some international racing, which is unusual and worth noting if you bet beyond UK and Irish fixtures.
Strengths: Covers all UK and Irish racing, automatic application, extends to some international races. Limitations: Maximum payout limits apply to the BOG enhancement.
Paddy Power
Paddy Power provides BOG across UK and Irish racing, and it applies automatically to qualifying bets. The feature works on win and each-way bets at fixed odds. Paddy Power's implementation is straightforward — take your price, and if SP is bigger, you're paid at the better odds. Their BOG terms are competitive and the feature is well-established. There are limits on maximum BOG payouts, which is standard across the industry. Paddy Power also occasionally runs enhanced BOG promotions during the major festivals, offering extra places or boosted terms.
Strengths: Reliable across UK and Irish racing, occasional enhanced promotions at festivals. Limitations: Maximum payout limits on BOG enhancements.
Betfred
Betfred has a strong tradition with BOG and was one of the early adopters of the feature. Their Best Odds Guaranteed applies to all UK and Irish racing on win and each-way bets taken at fixed odds. Betfred's racing heritage means they take BOG seriously — it's a core part of their racing offering rather than an afterthought. The feature applies automatically and settlements are generally accurate. Betfred also extends BOG to selected televised international meetings on occasion, which is a useful bonus.
Strengths: Strong racing heritage, reliable application, occasional international coverage. Limitations: Standard maximum payout limits apply.
William Hill
William Hill offers BOG on UK and Irish horse racing, applying automatically to fixed-odds win and each-way bets placed on the day of the race. The terms are broadly in line with the industry standard. William Hill's implementation is reliable, and the enhanced price is reflected correctly at settlement. As with other bookmakers, there are maximum payout limits on the BOG element. William Hill's BOG is a solid, dependable offering without any particular standout features or notable drawbacks.
Strengths: Reliable, standard terms, well-established feature. Limitations: Nothing that distinguishes it from competitors, standard maximum payout limits.
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes provides Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish racing. The feature applies to win and each-way bets at fixed odds and works automatically. Ladbrokes' BOG is competent and reliable in practice — the correct price is applied at settlement and the terms are standard. There are maximum payout limits in place. Ladbrokes doesn't do anything unusual with BOG, but it delivers the feature consistently and without fuss.
Strengths: Consistent application, standard competitive terms. Limitations: Standard maximum payout limits, no additional BOG promotions.
Coral
Coral's BOG offering mirrors Ladbrokes closely, as you'd expect from two brands under the same parent company. Best Odds Guaranteed applies to UK and Irish racing on fixed-odds win and each-way bets, activating automatically. The feature works reliably and the terms are standard. Coral occasionally runs specific BOG-related promotions during major meetings, but the core offering is comparable to Ladbrokes.
Strengths: Reliable application, occasional promotional enhancements. Limitations: Standard maximum payout limits, core offering similar to Ladbrokes.
The good news for racing punters is that all six major bookmakers reviewed here offer BOG on UK and Irish racing as standard. The differences are relatively minor — mainly around maximum payout limits and occasional promotional extras. The most important thing is to ensure you're using a bookmaker that offers BOG at all, because the alternative — being stuck with a price that's worse than SP — is one of the simplest ways to lose value over time.
How to Make the Most of BOG
Understanding how BOG works is one thing — using it effectively is another. Here are the practical steps and strategies to make the most of Best Odds Guaranteed.
Take Your Prices Early
The entire value of BOG comes from the gap between the price you take and the starting price. If you wait until a minute before the off, there's barely any gap for BOG to fill. The punters who benefit most from BOG are those who study the markets early — whether that's the evening before or the morning of a race — and take a price when they see value. BOG means you don't have to worry about whether the price will shorten after you've taken it, because if it drifts instead, you're paid at the bigger number.
Understand the Qualifying Criteria
BOG typically applies to win and each-way bets at fixed odds on the day of the race. There are a few things that usually don't qualify. Ante-post bets (placed days or weeks in advance) are generally excluded because those prices were available long before the final market formed. Bets placed at SP don't qualify because there's no fixed price to compare against. Totepool bets and forecast/tricast bets are also excluded at most bookmakers. If you want BOG to apply, take a fixed-odds price on the day of the race.
Know the Limits
Every bookmaker imposes a maximum payout limit on the BOG enhancement. This is the cap on how much extra they'll pay you if SP exceeds your price. For most punters, these limits are high enough to be irrelevant — they tend to be in the tens of thousands of pounds. But if you're placing large stakes at big prices, it's worth checking the specific limits with your bookmaker. The limits apply to the enhancement element only, not your overall payout.
Use BOG Alongside Other Features
BOG works well in combination with other bookmaker features. For instance, if you take an early price with BOG protection, you can then use cash out if the market moves dramatically in your favour before the race. Alternatively, partial cash out lets you lock in some profit from the price movement while keeping a reduced stake running with BOG still active.
Don't Overthink It
The beauty of BOG is its simplicity. You don't need to do anything special to activate it — just bet normally at fixed odds and the feature does the rest. The main practical advice is simply to be aware that it exists, to choose bookmakers that offer it, and to take your prices early enough that the feature has room to work in your favour.
Check Your Settlements
Occasionally, BOG enhancements are applied incorrectly — usually through system errors rather than anything intentional. It's good practice to check your bet settlements, particularly when SP was much larger than the price you took. If you notice that you've been settled at your original price rather than SP, contact customer support. These queries are generally resolved quickly and in the customer's favour, because the terms are clear.
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