How To Bet On Horses As A Music Fan

There's always going to be an element of the unknown and the unexpected in any form of gambling, whether it involves a roll of the dice or a race between horses. Quite frankly, that's what makes gambling so much fun – the thrill that comes with defying the odds or cheating the cosmic forces. Also, it can be nice to win money. Let's not lie to ourselves.

Now there are people in this world who gamble a fair bit, and they tend to be types who do their research, monitor past results, look for patterns and lay their bets accordingly. But any game of chance is full of variables, and when all a gambler's due diligence adds up to zip, that's when a little something called the 'omen bet' starts seeming like the smart play.

Its creepy-sounding name aside, the omen bet actually brings a personal and emotional aspect to the flutter. And as the Spring Racing Carnival approaches, bringing champagne-fuelled gamblers out of their winter hibernation, many of the people flocking to racecourses will be looking to signs both internal and external to guide them as they approach the bookie, cash in hand. Sure, there are racehorses out there that tend to be as reliable as Swiss watches and provide a neat little return on one's investment. But many amateur gamblers look for a deeper connection with their pony of choice. It can be in its name, in the colours of its jockey's silks, in some weird, nebulous link you feel with its trainer or owner. It's not something you can rationalise; it's just something you feel. Because of an omen.

The writer of a blog titled The Track Philosopher sums it up as such: “The basics of an omen bet [are] two parts: The name of the familiar and something familiar with the familiar.” What that means is it's not enough that a horse shares the name of a dearly departed relative or a jockey wears a shitload of purple and, hey, you also tend to favour that particular shade. No, the omen bet goes a little deeper – the connection must be personal and specific.

As an example, let's look at some of the horses running at upcoming Spring Racing Carnival events. At the Caulfield Guineas Day on 12 October, there's one named Dissident – if your favourite book of all time is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich, well, you may well be inclined to throw down a few bucks on this anti-authoritarian nag – because it's an omen that a horse with that name is racing that day. Experience your first kiss during a screening of GI Jane? There's a good chance you'll be backing Dear Demi at the Caulfield Cup on 19 October – because of the connections you're making in your mind, your memory and your heart. And while a fan of Italian house and techno may have no plans to place a bet on 5 November (that's Melbourne Cup day!), the fact that a horse named Fiorente – probably not named after DJ and producer Michael Fiorente, but you never know – is in the field is an omen impossible to ignore.

With Birds Of Tokyo performing after the final race on Caulfield Guineas Day Saturday 12 October, maybe your pick for the day is horse one in race four, Broken (a nod to Universes single Broken Bones).