Beginner's Corner
Examples of common bets
Win, place and show wagers classify as straight bets. The remaining wagers are classified as exotic bets. Bettors usually make wagers in multiple combinations in exotic bets. Some types of multiple combinations include boxes, keys, wheels and part-wheels.
A box consists of a multiple wager in which bettors bet all possible combinations of a group of horses in the same race.
A key involves making a multiple wager with a single horse in one race bet in one position with all possible combinations of other selected horses in a single race.
A means betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as the key in either the win, place, or show spot. A part-wheel means using a key horse or horses in different, but not all possible, exotic wagering combinations.
Exacta boxes| No. of horses selected | Cost on a $2 bet |
| 2 | $4 |
| 3 | $12 |
| 4 | $24 |
| 5 | $40 |
| 6 | $60 |
| No. of horses selected | Cost on a $1 bet |
| 3 | $6 |
| 4 | $24 |
| 5 | $60 |
| 6 | $120 |
| No. of horses selected | Cost on a $10-cent bet |
| 4 | $2.40 |
| 5 | $12.00 |
| 6 | $36.00 |
| Your top pick part-wheeled with | Cost on a $2 bet |
| 2 other horses | $4 |
| 3 other horses | $6 |
| 4 other horses | $8 |
| Your top pick part-wheeled with | Cost on a $1 bet |
| 2 other horses | $2 |
| 3 other horses | $6 |
| 4 other horses | $9 |
| 5 other horses | $20 |
| Your top pick part-wheeled with | Cost on a 10-cent bet |
| 3 other horses | $6.00 |
| 4 other horses | $2.40 |
| 5 other horses | $6.00 |
| 6 other horses | $12.00 |
| 7 other horses | $21.00 |
Other bets such as the daily double, pick 3, pick 4, and pick 6 classify as multi-race bets. Bettors usually make wagers in multiple combinations in multi-race bets, but can also bet these races cold, meaning that your lone selection must win each race (leg) in the bet.
Cold multi-race wager examples (your picks must win every race):| Bet type | Example | Cost on a $2 bet |
| Daily Double | 1 x 1 x $2 | $2 |
| Pick 3 | 1 x 1 x 1 x $2 | $2 |
| Pick 4 | 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x $2 | $2 |
| Pick 6 | 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x $2 | $2 |
All of the above bet types can be played with multiple runners in each race (leg). You can use anywhere from one horse to all of the horses in each leg of a multi-race bet, keeping in mind that additional horses multiply the cost of the bet. Multiple horse may be used in some or all of the races.
Multi-race wager examples (using multiple horses per race):| Bet type | No. of horses in each leg |
Cost of example ticket (based on $2 bet) * |
| Daily Double | 2 x 2 = 4 combinations x $2 | $8 |
| Pick 3 | 1 x 2 x 3 = 6 combinations x $2 | $12 |
| Pick 4 | 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 = 24 combinations x $2 | $48 |
| Pick 6 | 2 x 2 x 3 x 1 x 1 x 2 = 24 comb. x $2 | $48 |
* All multi-race bet types except the Pick 6 are usually available as $1 wagers.
