Types of Bets
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Win/Place/Show |
| The most basic of all types of betting is the "win, place and show" bet. To collect on a win bet, your horse must finish first. When you bet a horse to place, the horse may come in first or second for a payoff. If your horse wins or finishes second, you will collect only for the place money as shown on the tote board. |
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Across the Board |
| To bet a horse "across the board" means to bet all three (win/place/show) on a horse. This wager represents three bets and will cost you triple that of a single win place or show bet. $2 across will cost you six dollars. You will collect on your bet depending upon where the horse finishes - first, second or third for the money showing on the tote board. |
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Daily Double - Pick 2 |
| To bet the daily double you must place your bet before the first race starts. You select the winning horse in the first race and the winning horse in the second race. Some tracks have a late double, usually the eighth and ninth races. |
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Daily Triple or Pick Three |
| This is an exotic wager in which you must pick the winning horse in three consecutive races. If no one is able to pick these winners, the pool is divided among those patrons who were able to select two winners. |
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Pick Six |
| To win the major payoff in the pick six, you must pick the winners of six consecutive races. Different tracks designate different races for the pick six, so consult your program and look for "pick six starts here". If there is not a pick six winner, those patrons picking five winners will collect. The payoff is determined by the host track. Santa Anita and Hollywood Park payoff a portion with the rest carried over to the next day. You will frequently see a guaranteed pick six payoff toward the end of the host's meet. |
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Exacta |
| With an exacta, you pick the horses that will finish first and second in that order, hence the name exacta. If you feel that either of the two horses you like could come in first or second, you can "box" the exacta, which will double the amount of your bet. A way to automatically box a first/second combination is the Quinella. It is less expensive, but will generally pay less than an exacta box, depending on the mutual pool. If you feel there is a third horse in contention, you may wish to use a combination of three horses to give you a better chance of winning. This is referred to as a baseball, and can get rather pricey: A $2 exacta for three horses is six bets and will cost you $12. But, it wasn't too long ago that exactas carried a minimum $5 bet, and were offered only in certain races |
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Trifecta |
| To win a trifecta, you must pick the three horses finishing first through third in perfect order. |
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To Wheel a Horse |
| It is possible to get a wheel for any type of exotic betting. If you like one horse in particular and do not have a specific choice for a second horse, you may wish to "wheel" your horse. To wheel an "exacta", pick one horse to win, and all the other horses to come in second. |
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