I have heard of a staking method which capitalises on 2nd 3rd and 4th favourites. (which over a long run would come in 40% of the time) You'd need a spreadsheet to work your bets out each time. The main idea was to gain say, $5 or $10 per race. (that is each time you bet the three) and if you didn't find the winner, you would add the cost of the previous bets, plus the $5 or $10 on the next bet. You also have to wait for particular races where those 2nd 3rd and 4th favourites were paying enough to warrant backing them. I personally don't recommend this way of betting as it imposes the "do you have balls of steel" condition on you. You still have the chance to go right out of your banking limit. Also you will always make bigger and bigger bets each time the races didn't go in your favour. (40% chance of return would need a $2.50 return to be even and that's not easy to find from betting on three)