To modern man, horse racing may seem as one of the older but not too old sports. We usually equate it with British nobility, with an aristocrat racing his steeds in order to relieve himself of boredom. This image has crept into the popular mind rather well, and indeed, today’s aristocracy is basically unimaginable without horses. To laymen, horses are playthings of and for the wealthy.
The Beginning
However, claiming such a thing would be a gross understatement. Horse racing is, in fact, older well over two millennia old – so old, in fact, that specific point of time when it became a fashionable pastime can hardly be determined, and it was always entertainment of the masses. Hippodrome of Constantinople is one of the largest horse racing monuments in existence; chariot racing was a favourite spectacle for Romans, Greeks and Byzantines of any social standing.
Hippodromes evolved from Roman circus, as a sort of specialized arenas for chariots. The sport was so popular, that it even ignited famous Nika riots in 6th century, when supporters of two teams destroyed and burned down half of Constantinople while requesting that two team supporters, arrested earlier, be pardoned for allegations of a murder. The cathedral of the capital, Hagia Sophia, was also burned down. Emperor Justinian then built a new edifice which stands to this day. We can say that one of the largest Christian churches in the world (now functioning as a museum) owes its existence to horse racing!
Of course, it wasn’t long until people started betting on horses, sometimes even large sums of money. Betting was, for the most part, the privilege of the wealthy, as lower classes could barely enter circuses and hippodromes, much less invest money to wait for a stroke of luck. It was not unheard of for people to invest their entire assets, or their very own selves as ante, and many became slaves as result. Slavery wasn’t always a matter of conquering, but also of extreme passion for sport.
The Development
As chariots were slowly replaced by jockeys and chariot-free horses, and as economy improved, betting on favourite horses became a norm. Horse racing became an organized sport in the US in 1866, and it can be easily claimed that the rise and decline of horseracing popularity followed the legislature that dealt with betting. When law forbade betting, the popularity of the sport decreased, and vice versa.
It is wrongly assumed that people place bets because they want to earn money – the majority of reason actually lies in the thrill one feels when part of his own personal finance is at risk. That way, a person is more personally involved in the game. Betting is a sporting phenomenon, and is most probably old as sport itself. However, you don’t have to be a sports fan and utilize bets, you can feel the thrill of uncertainty with online casino – http://www.australia-casino.org/. Who knows – maybe you’re Lady Luck’s very own next favorite! There’s only one way to find out.
