Horse Racing
Types of Horse Racing Bets

Types of Horse Racing Bets

In horseracing, the avid punter enjoys a variety of betting options available every day of the year, and now even 24 hours per day with opportunities available in racing centres situated in differing time zones. The excitement doesn’t stop, and with every lost opportunity comes a new one. Similarly, with every winning bet comes a quick chance to win more and lock in good profits!

Most betting platforms present a standard range of Totalisator Bets, with a number of exotic options that go by different names in different betting countries. The Betting unit also differs between countries. In South Africa, for example, the unit is R1, with a minimum of R6 per bet placed. In the USA and the UK, the unit is $1 and £1 respectively. Fractional betting is allowed in certain betting jurisdictions. This is where you are able to place a percentage of a bet (e.g. 20% of a R100 bet, for R20), which entitles you to your percentage of the payout.

The 247 Bets team has compiled a list of the types of Bets available on Horse racing in most countries.

The Win Bet

  • The purpose of the Win bet is to select the winner of a specified race. Only the winner qualifies.
  • The Win Bet is traditionally the most popular bet in the UK with its firm culture of bookmakers, on and off course. There is also an embedded racing culture in which individual, popular horses are followed and bet upon by masses of people.

The Place Bet

  • Also known as ‘Bet To Show’ in the USA.
  • The purpose of the Place Bet is to pick a horse placed first, second, third or fourth (in case of 14 runners or more) in a specified Race.
  • The Place Bet is considered a good bet for beginners. It is the easiest of racing’s bets because the horseplayer stands a better chance of winning with sometimes up to four places being paid.

The Eachway Bet

  • The Eachway bet means you are putting an equal amount of money on a horse to Win and Place. If your selection wins you will receive a Win dividend and a Place dividend. If your selection finishes 2nd or 3rd then you are only entitled to the Place dividend but since you’ve hedged your bet you get a return.
  • In The USA, the Eachway bet qualifies for a win and up to five places in certain states and is also known as the ‘Across The Board’ bet.

The Exacta

  • Also popularly known as ‘The Forecast’ in the UK or ‘The Quinella’ in Australia
  • The Exacta requires you to select the first two horses past the post, in the correct order, so selecting Number 1 from Number 3 means that 1 has to win and 3 has to run second.

The Trifecta

As it implies, the Trifecta requires the bettor to select the first three horses past the post, in the correct order.

  • Most betting jurisdictions offer variations of multiple Trifectas, where more than three horses can be added in a boxed or spread selection format.

The Quartet

  • The Quartet requires you to select the first four horses past the post, in the correct order, and it’s popular due to consistently high payouts.
  • Most betting jurisdictions offer variations of multiple Quartets, where more than three horses can be added in a boxed or spread selection format.
  • Also called ‘The First4’ in Australia

The Swinger

  • Also called ‘The Duet’ in Australia.
  • The purpose of the Swinger is to select any two horses finishing in the first three places irrespective of the order in which they finish in a race. There are three Swinger combinations in each race, being 1st and 2nd; 1st and 3rd; 2nd and 3rd.

The Wheel (USA)

  • In ways similar to the Multiple Quartets or Trifectas, with The Wheel, you choose one key horse to finish in a specific position, and then other horses to finish within the remaining positions for that race.

The Double

  • When playing a Double you attempt to pick the winning horse in each of two successive races designated in the official Race Card as a double pool.

The Pick 3 (SA), Pick 4 and Pick 5 (USA)

  • The purpose of the Pick 3/4/5 is to select the winning horse in each of three/four or five successive races designated in the official Race Card as a Pick3, Pick 5 or Pick 5 pool.

The All To Come Bet

  • A typical All-To-Come Bet could be, for example, Number 3 to Win the first race; all to come Number 1 to win the third race, all to come Number 10 to place in the fifth race. This accumulated multiple allows horseplayers to make an ‘all-on;’ investment covering different races, and using Wins or Places and can yield spectacular returns

The Bi-Pot (SA)

  • The Bi-Pot is a totalisator accumulator that runs over six legs. It requires the bettor to predict at least one of the first two horses past the post.

The Place Accumulator

  • The Place Accumulator (SA)  is a totalisator accumulator that runs over seven legs and requires the player to predict at least one of the first three runners past the post. It normally runs from Races 2-8 (on an eight-race card) or races 3-9 (on a nine-race card), in South Africa.
  • In the UK, ‘The Placepot’ is a popular bet. To win the Tote Placepot you need to select a runner to run in the first three places in the first six races at any UK, Irish or selected International meeting.

The Jackpot

  • The Jackpot (SA) runs over four legs and requires the player to select the winners of each of the four Legs, as designated in the official Race Card. It is generally offered from Races 4-7 (on an eight-race programme) or 5-8 (on a nine-race card).
  • In the UK, The Jackpot pays out to those who can select the first six winners at a specific meeting.

The Pick 6

  • The purpose of the Pick 6 is to select the winners of each of the six Legs constituting the Pick 6, as designated in the official Race Card. The cost goes up when more than one runner is selected in the respective legs, but the Pick 6 pools are invariably large and payouts can be astronomical when outsiders beat the favourites.

If you are ready to start placing bets on the horses then take a look at some of the horse betting providers we rate and review.

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