Rodeo Betting Guide – Betting on the Bull and Rider

What is Rodeo?

In essence, rodeo events are a test of skill, strength, and speed, with competitors, often referred to as cowboys and cowgirls, participating in various challenges that reflect the tasks of a working cowboy. Each event requires a unique combination of skill, courage, and often, a strong bond between the rider and their horse.

Here are the main events of a rodeo:

Bull Riding

Bull riding is arguably the most thrilling and dangerous of all rodeo events. It requires a cowboy to stay mounted on a bucking bull for at least eight seconds. The cowboy can only hold on with one hand and cannot touch the bull or themselves with their free hand.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Saddle Bronc Riding is similar to bull riding but involves riding a bucking horse (a bronco) rather than a bull. The cowboy uses a specialized saddle and must stay on the horse for eight seconds. The rider is judged on their control and spurring technique, and the horse's bucking action also contributes to the score.

Bareback Riding

Bareback riding is similar to saddle bronc riding but there is no saddle. The rider hangs onto a handle that is strapped around the horse’s girth. It requires tremendous strength and balance to stay on the horse.

Steer Wrestling

Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, requires the cowboy to chase a steer on horseback, leaping from the horse onto the steer and wrestling it to the ground using its horns.

Team Roping

Team roping is the only team event in rodeo. A team of two riders work together to rope a steer. One rider (the "header") ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, and the other rider (the "heeler") ropes the hind feet.

Tie-Down Roping

Tie-down roping, also known as calf roping, is an event that requires a horseback cowboy to attempt to catch a calf by throwing a loop of rope from a lariat around its neck. The cowboy then dismounts and approaches the calf, restraining it by tying three of its legs together.

Barrel Racing

Barrel racing is a timed event, typically for cowgirls. The rider must navigate their horse in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels as fast as possible. The fastest time wins.

Upcoming Rodeo Events of 2023

Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede will run from July 7-16, 2023. Known as "the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," it attracts over a million visitors every year and has been taking place for over 135 years​. The Stampede features a variety of thrilling events, including bull riding and bareback riding​.

Canadian Finals Rodeo

The 49th Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) is set to take place from November 1-5, 2023. This rodeo, held in Red Deer, Alberta, features six performances that include some of the best rodeo contestants competing in the final event of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA)​. The rodeo will include all major pro-rodeo events such as bareback, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, ladies barrel racing, and bull riding. There will also be junior steer riding, novice saddle bronc and bareback riding, and breakaway roping at select performances.

Vale 4^th of July Rodeo

The 108th Annual Vale 4th of July Rodeo is expected to be an exciting event filled with a range of rodeo competitions and attractions. The event will take place between July 1st and 4th, 2023. The Vale Rodeo will host the Billy Evins Memorial Roping and Barrel Racing on June 16th, which is a requirement for local Malheur County contestants to qualify for the local roping and barrel racing events in the rodeo. Participants in these events must be current residents of Malheur County.

Rodeo Betting Guide – How to Bet on Rodeo Events

Event Winner Betting

This is the most straightforward type of bet, where you wager on which cowboy will win a particular event. For example, in bull riding, bareback riding, or steer wrestling, you can place a bet on who you think will score the highest points and come out as the winner. This type of bet requires a good understanding of the competitors, their form, and the nature of the event.

Head-to-Head Betting

Head-to-head markets are specific to two competitors that are pitted against each other. The bet is not on who will win the event outright, but on which of the two selected competitors will outperform the other. This type of bet can be a good choice if there are two competitors who are closely matched in terms of skill and performance.

Futures Betting

This is a longer-term bet where you wager on the outcome of a series or season, such as who will be the overall champion of a rodeo competition, like the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Champion title holder. Because of the length of the season and the number of competitors involved, futures bets can offer larger odds and potentially bigger payouts, but they also come with a greater risk.

Handicap Betting

Similar to other sports, handicap betting in rodeo involves giving one competitor a virtual advantage (or disadvantage) to even out the field. The bet is then on whether the competitor can overcome that handicap. For example, if a bull rider is given a -1.5 handicap, they would need to score at least 1.5 points more than their closest competitor for the bet to win.

Many More Betting Markets

In addition to these betting markets, many online sportsbooks, such as Galera Bet, will offer a variety of other markets. These include rider specials and place betting, so that you can bet on a specific competitor to finish in a particular place, such as first, second or third. In short, be sure to have a careful look at all the betting markets on offer so that you don’t miss out on any opportunities.