Best Odds Guaranteed: What It Means in Betting
Best Odds Guaranteed, commonly abbreviated to BOG, is a promotion offered by many UK bookmakers. It ensures that if the odds on your selection increase between the time you place your bet and the start of the event, you receive the higher price. You always get whichever is better: the price you took or the price at kick-off (or starting price in racing).
BOG removes the risk of taking an early price only to see the odds drift upwards before the event starts. It is one of the most straightforward and genuinely beneficial promotions in betting.
How Best Odds Guaranteed Works
The mechanics are simple:
- You place a bet on a selection at a certain price, for example 5.00 (4/1)
- By the time the event starts, the price has moved to 7.00 (6/1)
- If your selection wins, the bookmaker pays you at 7.00 instead of 5.00
If the price moves the other way, dropping from 5.00 to 3.50, you keep your original price of 5.00. You always receive the better of the two prices.
Practical Example
You back a horse at 8.00 on Tuesday morning for a race on Saturday. By the time the race starts, the horse has drifted to 10.00. Under BOG, if the horse wins, your payout is calculated at 10.00.
A 10 pound bet returns 100 pounds instead of 80 pounds. The 20 pound difference is a significant boost at no extra cost.
BOG in Horse Racing
Best Odds Guaranteed originated in horse racing and remains most closely associated with it. The promotion is particularly valuable in racing because:
- Prices can move significantly between the morning market and the off
- Early prices ("ante-post" or "early bird" prices) can differ substantially from the starting price (SP)
- Many punters like to take an early view but worry about missing better odds later
Most major UK bookmakers offer BOG on UK and Irish horse racing as standard. Some extend it to international racing, though this varies.
BOG in Football
Best Odds Guaranteed is less common in football, but it does appear in certain markets:
Outright markets. Some bookmakers offer BOG on league winner, top goalscorer, or relegation markets. If you back a team to win the Premier League at 15.00 in August and their price drifts to 20.00 by September, BOG would pay at 20.00 if they win the league.
Match result markets. BOG is rarely available on standard match result (1X2) betting. Football match odds tend to move less dramatically than horse racing prices, and bookmakers are less inclined to offer the promotion on high-volume markets.
Tournament outrights. Some bookmakers extend BOG to World Cup or European Championship winner markets, particularly in the early ante-post phase.
Always check the specific terms and conditions, as restrictions often apply. Common limitations include maximum payout caps, exclusions for certain bet types, and requirements to use the bookmaker's website rather than a third-party platform.
Why BOG Benefits Bettors
BOG provides genuine value because it eliminates the downside of taking an early price. Without BOG, backing a selection early carries the risk that better odds become available later. With BOG, you capture any upward movement for free.
For horse racing in particular, where price movements of several points are common, BOG can add meaningful value over the course of a season.
Limitations to Be Aware Of
- Maximum stakes. Some bookmakers limit BOG to bets below a certain size.
- Specific markets only. Not all markets are included. Read the terms carefully.
- New customer restrictions. Some bookmakers only offer BOG to existing customers, while others use it as a sign-up incentive.
- Can be withdrawn. Bookmakers can change or remove BOG promotions at any time.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. BOG is a promotional offer and does not change the underlying probabilities of any outcome.
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