Horse racing has been around for centuries and betting on the races has been too. There are many horse race betting options available in horse racing and knowing how to place your wagers can greatly improve your chances of being a successful bettor.
Wagering options and odds vary between bookmakers but here are a variety of the most popular Horse Race Betting Options available most everywhere. Also be sure to check out our Racebook Reviews for the best sites to place your next horse race wager.
Trifecta
A trifecta is a very difficult bet to win, but if successful it provides very high returns. To order to win a trifecta bet, you need to pick the horses that finish in the top three spots and in the exact order in which they will finish. So if the horse you selected to place (2nd) actually wins (1st), you don’t win anything.
There are variations to trifecta bets, which allow flexibility in the finishing order, but winnings are significantly lower.
One variation is the standout trifecta: With this bet you must choose the horse that will win, and then select the two horses will come in second and third regardless of their order.
Another variation is the box trifecta: With this bet you simply need to choose the three horses that will win, place and show regardless of the order.
Quiniela
With this bet if you must pick two horses to finish a race first and second. The order in which they finish does not matter as long as you have chosen the top two.
Quiniela Box
With this wager you will pick three or more horses and if any of your choices finish first and second, you win. Your odds may be better with this wager but your winnings will be less than with the regular Quiniela bet.
Perfecta or Exacta
With the Exacta or Perfecta bet you must pick the first and second place winners exactly. You will choose a horse to win and the second place finisher. The odds of winning a Exacta or Perfecta bet vary with the number of horses in the race. The more horses in the race the higher your winnings will be if you have chosen the first and second place finishers.
Superfecta
The Superfecta is one of the hardest bets to win in horse racing. With the Superfecta bet you must chose the first, second, third and fourth place finishers in exact order. Picking the top four horses to finish a horse race is not easy. The payouts on this bet are massive but should be left to the veteran handicappers.
Daily Double
The Daily Double bet is where you must choose the winning horses in two consecutive races. One form of Daily Double betting allows you to bet on a wheel. The Daily Double wheel allows you to pick the horse you think will win in one race and allows you to bet on the field in the next race. For example you pick your horse to win the first race then you can bet on as many horses from the second race as you like to win. Choosing the wheel method will not pay you as well as a true Daily Double.
Pick 3
Pick 3 wagers are similar to Daily Double but you must pick the winner in 3 predetermined races. All three of your chosen horses must win their respective races in order for you to win the bet. Along with the Pick 3 bet there is also a Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6 bet which requires you to choose the winner of either 4 races, 5 races or 6 races consecutively. The payouts on these bets are very good if you are able to pick the right horses.
