What Does ‘NAP’ Mean in Betting? Full Guide & Explanation
Once you have become an experienced sports bettor, you may find yourself asking the question, what does NAP mean in betting? It’s a common term used by betting experts and seems to apply to horse racing, but what does NAP mean in horse racing, and can it be applied to other sports?
This page will fully explain what is a NAP is betting, why you will see phrases such as ‘horse NAP of the day’ (and it does not mean it’s the time the horse has a little sleep), and how you can come up with your own best NAP of the day.
What does NAP mean in betting?
If you follow tipsters for horse racing and other sports in the UK, then you will notice that all of them will give you their ‘NAP of the day’ – especially when it comes to horse racing – but what is the NAP meaning in betting? Most tipsters will make a selection for every horse racing meeting that day available to bettors in the UK, but out of all their selections, they will select the one that has the best chance of winning – becoming their ‘horse racing nap of the day’.
Some tipsters will also select a ‘football nap of the day’, but NAPs are generally associated with horse racing tips, and to a lesser extent, greyhounds.
What is a NAP in betting, the etymology …
It is believed that the term ‘NAP’ originated via a French card game that is known as Napoleon. In the game players are dealt five cards each and must declare how many tricks they think they will win. The player who bids the highest chooses trumps. Any player bidding to win all five tricks calls a bid of ‘Napoleon’, which over time became ‘NAP’ for short. In other cards games, the player who has the best hand is said to have a ‘NAP’ hand.
The term ‘NAP’ came to mean ‘the best’ in betting, as a NAP hand is the best possible hand in a game of cards. Therefore, a tipster’s best tip has come to known as ‘NAP’.
How to Identify a strong NAP of the day
Here are some factors to consider when you are attempting to select your own NAP of the day. Professional tipsters take all of the following into consideration when they try to make the very best horse racing NAPs:
Research and Analysis
Start by researching the race and the horses participating. Look into their recent performances, previous records, jockey and trainer statistics, track conditions and any other relevant factors. Analyse their form, speed ratings and past performances to assess their capabilities.Expert Opinions
Consider seeking expert opinions from professional tipsters, horse racing pundits or knowledgeable individuals who closely follow horse racing. Their insights and analysis can provide valuable information and help you make an informed decision.Consistency and Recent Performance
Look for horses that have shown consistent form and have been performing well in recent races. A horse that has a good track record and has been displaying consistent form is often considered a strong contender.Track Conditions
Pay attention to the track conditions, as some horses may perform better on specific types of tracks. Factors like the weather, going and distance can affect a horse’s performance. Assess whether the conditions of the race align with the horse’s strengths and past performance.Jockey and Trainer Combination
Evaluate the jockey-trainer combination. Experienced and successful jockeys – along with skilled trainers – can significantly influence a horse’s performance. Consider the jockey’s previous record, their rapport with the horse and the trainer’s expertise.Market Signals
Monitor the betting markets to gauge the level of confidence placed on a particular horse. Significant shifts in the odds or heavy backing from knowledgeable bettors might indicate a horse’s potential strength.Track Record
Assess the horse’s overall track record, including its past wins, placings, and performances at similar race distances or track conditions. A horse with a strong track record in similar situations might have the edge.
NAP in Different Sports
Traditionally, betting tipsters will only give their ‘NAP of the day’ for horse racing, The term ‘NAP’ is only commonly associated with horse racing and to a lesser degree greyhounds, and no other sports.
You may find tipsters apply the term ‘NAP of the day’ to other sports such as football and all the leading American sports, but such tipsters are rare. If you see something online that refers to ‘NAP of the day’ it will, 99 percent of the time, refer to horse racing.
Advantages of NAP betting
If you do not have all the time available that’s required to become an expert in selecting your own NAP of the day, then you can rely on expert picks instead. This will save you a lot of work, as selecting winning horses can be very difficult, and very few people are able to make their living solely by betting on horse races.
Of course, not all tipsters are consistent, and some are more accurate than others. If you are going to be taking advantage of NAP betting, we suggest you select a large number of tipsters first, and monitor their NAPs of the day to see how successful they are. We think a period of one month is the ideal time for you to do this, and by the end of this period you should have a good idea of which tipsters are consistent with their NAP selections, and which are not.
NAP selection is not just about picking winners, so bear that in mind. Some tipsters are more concerned about picking out potential winners and placed horses with decent odds. When you are monitoring tipsters, keep track of the amount of money they’d generate from a consistent stake, no how many winners they pick.
One final piece of advice, we would recommend that you avoid paid tipster services. Such services rely upon people to pay for their tips as opposed to making money from the tips instead, therefore it seems unlikely that they’d research their tips with as much diligence as free ‘NAP of the day’ services. This does not apply to all tipster services though, as some consider the work they do on your behalf to be worthy of a fee. Before paying for a paid tipster service, see if they offer a grace period where you can follow their tips for free for a short period. A service that does not offer this may be just trying to swindle you.
NAP vs. Banker
The terms ‘NAP’ and ‘banker’ are often used interchangeably, but is there any different between the two? Is a tipster’s ‘NAP of the day’ better than their ‘banker’ ? Is a banker worth more than a NAP? What is the difference?
There is a difference between a NAP and a banker bet, but it is not too much of a difference. Whereas a NAP is the horse that’s most likely to win, a banker is a horse that’s very unlikely to lose.
To put it into football terms, a banker would be England beating San Marino at Wembley. A NAP would be England beating … say … Denmark at Wembley. While it would be unfeasible for England not to beat San Marino, it’s likely that England will beat Denmark, but there’s that slight chance of a draw, or a Danish victory.
One other vital difference between NAPs and bankers – bankers usually have much tighter odds than NAPs.
Common Mistakes in NAP Betting
We’re not going to go into too much depth about NAP betting mistakes as it should be fairly obvious to you how not to conduct your NAP betting. Here though as some NAP betting pitfalls that you will want to avoid:
- Not doing your homework – successful NAP of the day selections can only be done via detailed knowledge, research and analysis
- Ignoring the going – some horses run well on soft ground, and some do not, and vice versa
- Chasing the odds – long-shots are always tempting, but long-shots are usually long-shots for a reason
- Overconfidence – selecting a string of winners does not mean you are a ‘natural’. Don’t allow this to be a reason to slack off your analysis
- Bankroll mismanagement – no matter how successful you are, stick to a responsible betting system that won’t leave you penniless should you encounter an unexpected string of losers
- Emotional betting – it’s possible to favour specific horses because they’ve been successful for you in the past. Don’t let that cloud your judgement
- Lack of discipline – once you have found a successful strategy, stick with it. Don’t be tempted to deviate to gain higher payouts, or cut corners in your analysis.
Nappi … Wrapping Up
So, now you know what does NAP mean in betting, and what does NAP mean in horse betting in particular. We’ve explained what does NAP stand for in betting (it’s short for ‘Napoleon’, in case you needed a reminder), and the steps you ought to consider if you want to select your own NAP of the day.
Why try your hand selecting your horse racing NAP of the day, or your football NAP of the day if you are more into the round-ball game than the ‘Sport of Kings’. Don’t forget to check out our roundup of the best bookmakers in the UK – make sure betting remains fun, and always gamble responsibly.
More on Horse Racing Betting
- Today’s racecards
- Horse race bet calculator
- What is a Heinz bet
- Each-way betting explained
- What is a Trixie bet
FAQs
What does NAP mean in horse betting?
What does NAP stand for in betting?
How does a tipster select their best NAP of the day?
Is there such a thing as a football NAP of the day?
Out of the all the best NAP of the day tips, how do I know which is the overall best NAP of the day.
Peter joined the BettingSites.co.uk team in 2023, having previously worked for many high-profile gambling-related sites such as RightCasino, JustSlots, WhichBingo and Gambling.com. An experienced head when it comes to all aspects of iGaming, Peter is a fanatic fan of sport, including football and US sports such as baseball and American football. He is also a multi-published fiction writer, although sadly, not a wealthy one.
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