Types Of Horse Racing Bets

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano
Types Of Horse Racing Bets

What Are The Different Types Of Horse Racing Bets?

Check the table below to see the main different types of bets you can place in horse racing and their betting terms:

Bet TypeDescription
WinBet on a horse to finish first
PlaceBet on a horse to finish first or second
ShowBet on a horse to finish in the top three
ExactaBet on two horses to finish first and second in the exact order
TrifectaBet on three horses to finish first, second, and third in the exact order
SuperfectaBet on four horses to finish first through fourth in the exact order
Daily DoubleBet on the winners of two consecutive races
Pick 3/Pick 4/Pick 5/ Pick 6Bet on the winners of three, four, five, or six consecutive races, respectively
QuinellaSelection of the first two placegetters in a race in either order
DoublesPick the winners of two nominated races

How To Place A Bet On Horse Racing

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to place a bet on horse racing:

  1. Open your chosen bookmaker app
  2. Log in
  3. Select horse racing
  4. Choose a racetrack
  5. Choose a race
  6. Select your horse/s
  7. Enter your stake
  8. Confirm your bet
  9. Place your bet

The exact steps may vary depending on the specific app and its layout.

What Are Exotic Bets In Horse Racing?

Exotic bets in horse racing include:

  • Exacta
  • Trifecta
  • Superfecta
  • Quinella
  • Daily Double
  • Pick 3/Pick 4/Pick 5/Pick 6
A man wearing an American flag suit places a bet for one of the earlier races in the day ahead of the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes. Photo by Getty Images.

What Does PL Mean In Horse Racing?

In horse racing, “PL” stands for “Place” indicating a horse has finished in either second or third position, earning a payout for place bets. PL is often displayed alongside other betting odds and results.

What Does Place Mean In Horse Racing?

Place” refers to a horse finishing second or third, awarding a payout to place bettors; a horse “places” if it doesn't win but still secures a top-three finish.

What Is The Win Place Show Meaning?

In horse racing, “Win, Place, Show” (WPS) refers to the top three finishers: Win (1st place), Place (2nd & 3rd place), and Show (1st, 2nd & 3rd place), with corresponding betting options and payouts for each position.

What Is An Exacta In Horse Racing? 

An Exacta is a betting wager where you select the first and second-place finishers in exact order, requiring a precise prediction of the top two horses to win.

What Is An Exacta Box?

An Exacta Box is a betting strategy where you select multiple horses to finish first and second in any order, increasing your chances of winning but also requiring a higher stake, as it covers all possible combinations.

What Is A Key Box Bet In Horse Racing?

An exacta key box is a kind of exacta bet in which the gambler boxes many horses to finish second and chooses one “key” runner to finish first. The main runner must finish first and any other boxed horse may finish second for the bet to be successful.

Fans line up at the betting window during the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Photo by Getty Images.

What Is The Quinella Bet Meaning?

A Quinella is a bet where you select the first and second-place finishers in either order, requiring two horses to finish in the top two spots, but not necessarily in exact order.

What Is The Trifecta Box Meaning?

In horse racing, a Trifecta Box is a bet where you select multiple horses to finish first, second, and third in any order, covering all possible combinations to win, but requiring a higher stake due to the increased number of outcomes.

What Comes After A Trifecta?

After a Trifecta, the next betting option is a Superfecta, where you select the horses to finish first, second, third, and fourth in exact order, offering higher payouts but a lower probability of winning.

Trifecta vs Trifecta Box

The main difference is that a Trifecta requires an exact order, while a Trifecta Box can be successful in any order. 

  • Trifecta: Select horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in exact order.
  • Trifecta Box: Select horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in any order, covering all possible combinations.
Fans line up at the betting booth prior to the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Photo by Getty Images.

What Is A Superfecta Box Bet In Horse Racing?

A Superfecta Box bet is a wager where you select four or more horses to finish first, second, third, and fourth in any order, covering all possible combinations to win.

What Is A Box Bet In Horse Racing?

A box bet is a type of wager where all possible combinations are covered to ensure a payout, regardless of the order of finish. This type of bet is commonly used for exotic wagers like Exactas, Trifectas, and Superfectas.

Example: A “Box” of three horses (A, B, C) in an Exacta would cover all possible combinations:

  • A-B
  • A-C
  • B-A
  • B-C
  • C-A
  • C-B

What Is A Double In Horse Racing? 

In horse racing, a Double is the simplest form of multi bet where a single bet is placed on two different races.

Types of doubles bets:

  • Daily Double: A pool-based bet covering two nominated races on a given race card.
  • Running Double: A pool-based wager across consecutive races at a given meeting.
Spectators wait in line to wager on races prior to the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Photo by Getty Images.

What Does Show Mean In Horse Racing?

In horse racing, “show” refers to a horse finishing in third place. Bettors who wager on a horse to show win if the horse finishes first, second, or third.

What Is A Show Bet In Horse Racing?

If you want a deeper understanding of show bets in horse racing, how they work, and how to make winning wagers, read the What Is A Show Bet In Horse Racing via our blog!

What Does Across The Board Mean In Horse Racing? 

In horse racing, “across the board” refers to a type of bet in which a bettor places three bets on a single horse to win, place (finish second), or show (finish third), covering all possible outcomes.

What Happens If I Bet A Horse To Show And It Wins?

A show bet is betting on a horse to finish first, second, or third. The show reward will pay less than the winning or place payout but does cover a larger number of possible results.

What Happens If I Bet A Horse To Place And It Wins?

A place bet is a wager for a horse to finish either first or second, so a win is considered a successful place bet. You will receive the place payout, which is typically lower than the win payout, but higher than the show payout. 

Race fans stand in front of betting windows during the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Photo by Getty Images.

What Do The Odds Mean In Horse Racing?

The best odds are subjective to how much you want to win and how much you want to put as your stake. ​​Here are some common horse racing betting odds and their respective payouts:

  • 1-9 odds: $1.10 payout
  • 1-5 odds: $1.20 payout
  • 2-5 odds: $1.40 payout
  • 1-2 odds: $1.50 payout
  • 3-5 odds: $1.60 payout
  • 1-1 odds: $2.00 payout
  • 6-5 odds: $2.20 payout
  • 7-5 odds: $2.40 payout
  • 3-2 odds: $2.50 payout
  • 8-5 odds: $2.60 payout
  • 9-5 odds: $2.80 payout
  • 2-1 odds: $3.00 payout
  • 5-2 odds: $3.50 payout
  • 3-1 odds: $4.00 payout
  • 7-2 odds: $4.50 payout
  • 4-1 odds: $5.00 payout
  • 9-2 odds: $5.50 payout
  • 5-1 odds: $6.00 payout
  • 10-1 odds: $11.00 payout
  • 20-1 odds: $21.00 payout
  • 40-1 odds: $41.00 payout

What Does Off-Track Betting Mean?

Off-track betting (OTB) is a type of gambling on horse or greyhound racing that takes place away from the actual racetrack.

What Is An Omni Bet?

Want to know what an Omni bet is? Dive into our article ‘What Is An Omni Bet' at Fan Odds via our blog to understand how this exciting bet type works and how it can enhance your betting strategy. 

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano

Marcus is a young but experienced sports journalist and content creator, having been in the industry 5+ years. He has written racing specific content for leading racing sites such as RacingBase, Odds and now Fan Odds. Marcus learnt his love for racing from his father, who has owned multiple horses in Marcus' lifetime.