What Is An Exacta Bet?

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano
What Is An Exacta Bet?

What Is An Exacta Bet In Horse Racing?

An exacta bet in horse racing involves selecting the first and second-place finishers in a race, in the correct order. It's a popular bet that requires precision and offers higher payouts than single-win bets. 

What Is An Exacta Box Bet In Horse Racing?

An exacta box bet in horse racing allows you to select multiple horses to finish first and second, with all possible combinations covered. This type of bet increases your chances of winning but requires a higher stake.

How Much Does An Exacta Box Cost?

The cost of an Exacta Box bet in horse racing depends on the number of horses selected and the bet amount. For example, an Exacta Box with 3 horses (A, B, C) would require 6 bets (A-B, A-C, B-A, B-C, C-A, C-B). The total cost would be six times the bet amount. The more horses you add, the more combinations and costs increase.

What Is An Exacta Key Box Bet In Horse Racing?

An exacta key box bet in horse racing involves selecting one “key” horse to finish first or second, combined with multiple other horses to fill the remaining position. This bet offers a balance between flexibility and strategic betting. 

Exacta key box bets allow you to focus on a strong contender while covering other possibilities, making them a tactical choice for horse racing punters.

Horses race to the finish line during an undercard racahead of the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Photo by Getty Images.

What Is An Exacta Wheel Bet?

An exacta wheel bet in horse racing involves selecting one horse to finish first and multiple horses to finish second. This bet type allows you to “wheel” a key horse with various combinations, increasing your chances of winning.

Exacta vs Trifecta

An Exacta bet involves selecting the first and second-place finishers in a race, in the correct order. A Trifecta bet takes it a step further, requiring you to select the first, second, and third-place finishers in the correct order. 

The key difference between the exacta and trifecta bets is the number of horses you must select. Trifecta payouts are generally higher than Exacta payouts due to the increased difficulty of selecting three horses in order. 

How To Calculate An Exacta Payout?

To calculate an Exacta payout in horse racing, you need to know the odds of the two horses that finished first and second. Multiply the odds of the winner (horse A) by the odds of the second-place finisher (horse B), then multiply the result by the bet amount. 

The formula is: (A's odds x B's odds) x bet amount = Exacta payout. 

Note that exacta payouts vary depending on the odds and bet amount.

Horses cross the finish line during an undercard race ahead of the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Photo by Getty Images.

How Much Does A 3 Horse Exacta Box Cost?

A three-horse exacta box bet costs six times the base bet amount, as it covers all possible combinations of the three horses finishing first and second.

How Much Does A 4 Horse Exacta Box Cost?

A four-horse exacta box bet costs 12 times the base bet amount, covering all possible combinations of the four horses finishing first & second. 

How Much Does A 5 Horse Exacta Box Cost?

A five-horse exacta box bet costs 20 times the base bet amount, covering all possible combinations of the five horses finishing in first and second place. 

How Much Is A $2 Exacta Box?

A $2 exacta box bet costs $2 multiplied by the number of combinations, depending on the number of horses selected. 

For example, a three-horse exacta box would cost $12 (6 combinations x $2), & a four-horse exacta box would cost $24 (12 combinations x $2), & so on.

How Much Is A $5 Exacta Box?

A $5 exacta box bet costs $5 multiplied by the number of combinations, depending on the number of horses selected. 


For example, a three-horse exacta box would cost $30 (6 combinations x $5), and a four-horse exacta box would cost $60 (12 combinations x $5).

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.