Best Odds Guaranteed, often shortened to BOG, is a conditional price promise. On a qualifying winning wager, an operator may pay at the higher of the accepted early price and the relevant starting price. It does not guarantee a winner or compare every price offered by other bookmakers.
Two prices, one qualifying wager
The early price is the price accepted when the wager is placed. Starting price is a different reference established around the start of the race. Read which starting-price system the operator uses; an industry SP and an exchange starting price are not interchangeable.
BOG is an additional concession, not a property of every fixed-odds racing bet. The accepted time, eligible races, market, funding and account status can determine whether it applies.
Worked example: the price moves in either direction
Hypothetical £5 win bet accepted at 4/1, which is 5.00 decimal. If the horse wins and its eligible SP is 6/1, a qualifying BOG payment at 7.00 would return £35 rather than £25. If the SP is 3/1, the accepted 4/1 price would remain the better of the two, before any applicable adjustments.
If the horse loses, neither quoted price produces a winning return. Deductions, dead heats and other settlement rules can also affect the amount. A price comparison alone is not a complete payout calculation.
Timing and market restrictions are material
The BetVictor BOG page reviewed for this guide uses a race-day qualification window starting at 09:00 UK time. It also restricts the covered market and excludes Cash Out, partial Cash Out and various enhanced markets. This demonstrates why placing an otherwise similar bet earlier can change eligibility.
Source notes: 1.
Read each-way terms separately
A headline about a better win price does not tell you how many places are paid or what fraction of win odds applies to the place part. Extra-place concessions may use different fractions or be incompatible with another concession. Record both price and place conditions.
If a horse is withdrawn, check whether a deduction applies to the accepted price, the returned SP or the calculation used under the concession. Keep the settlement statement rather than trying to infer the answer from the amount credited.
What BOG does not establish
- That the operator has the highest price in the market.
- That a token, ante-post bet or specialist market qualifies.
- That account eligibility can be inferred from a general banner.
- That other settlement adjustments disappear.
- That an unplanned wager becomes a good decision.
Common questions
Does BOG apply to a bet placed at SP?
The concession commonly compares a taken price with SP. Read whether an SP-only wager has any separate benefit; do not assume it does.
Is a bigger SP always a bigger final payment?
Other factors can matter, including deductions, dead-heat treatment and caps. Calculate from the complete settlement rules.
Sources and editorial notes
Official source material consulted for this edition. Operator examples are dated illustrations, not a guarantee of current terms or personal eligibility. Worked examples are hypothetical.
- BetVictor: Best Odds Guaranteed terms
- Starting Price Regulatory Commission: how prices are determined
Published by eLand, Lda. See our editorial policy. Report a correction.
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