THE BASICS
Welcome to the world of horse racing!! If you’re looking to bet on “The Sport of Kings” and need to learn how, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re already a veteran of the pari-mutuel wars, welcome as well. As it always is, I think the best place for us to start is with the basics. Below, you’ll learn about the different types of wagers and courses and how to properly place a wager.
TYPES OF WAGERS
This isn’t your grandfather’s wagering menu anymore. If you’re like me, I’m sure you’ve heard a thousand stories about how there only used to be win, place and show wagering and that the invention of the daily double was once considered the greatest thing since sliced bread. Nowadays, most racetracks offer close to a dozen different types of wagers crammed throughout the race card. Here are the most popular:
|
WIN
|
The most common wager. You are a winner if the horse you select finishes first |
| PLACE |
You are a winner if the horse you select finishes first or second |
| SHOW |
You are a winner if the horse you select finishes first, second or third |
| DAILY DOUBLE |
You are a winner if you select the winner of two designated, consecutive races |
| EXACTA |
You are a winner if you select the first and second place finishers in exact order |
| QUINNELLA |
You are a winner if you select the first and second place finishers in any order |
| TRIFECTA |
You are a winner if select the first, second and third place finishers in exact order |
| SUPERFECTA |
You are a winner if select the first, second, third and fourth place finishers in exact order. Some tracks are now offering a hi-five wager which entails picking the first five finishers in exact order |
| PICK 3, PICK 4 & PICK 6 |
You are a winner if you select the winner of three, four or six designated, consecutive races |
| The amount of times a wager is offered on one race card depends on what track you’re wagering on. Some tracks may have one or two pick threes and a superfecta on just the last race while others will have a pick three starting in every race, two pick fours and trifectas and superfectas offered throughout the entire card. Be sure to check your OTB program for the types of wagers offered in each race.
Also, there are a few different ways to approach different wagers. In single race, multi horse wagers, one of the more popular methods is to box a few horses while some people like to make part-wheels in multi race wagers. I delve further into these formats in the Money Management and Wagering Strategies story on this page
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HOW TO PLACE A WAGER
Having been around the racetrack my entire life, trust me when I say that nothing bothers a horse player more than standing online behind someone who does not know how to properly call out a wager to a teller.
While it’s been a problem throughout the history of gambling, it’s become even more important in the past couple of decades to know how to place a wager properly due to the advent of different types of wagers as well as simulcast wagering, which allows players the chance to bet on races run throughout the country.
Below is the textbook format for placing a wager. Remember, though, tellers are human too so always check your tickets when leaving the window. When wagering with your NYCOTB phone account, always listen to the representative as he or she reads your wager back to you.
| STEP |
EXAMPLE |
| 1. Say Track Name |
Saratoga |
| 2. Say Race Number |
3 |
| 3. Say Amount of Wager |
$2 |
| 4. Say Bet Type |
Win |
| 5. Say Horse Number |
9 |
If done correctly, your wager should sound like this:
Saratoga, Race 3, $2 to Win on number 9.
TRACK CONDITIONS
Before placing a wager, it always helps to know what type of surface a race is being contested over as well as the condition of that course. As all races are run out doors, Mother Nature can sometimes play a key role in the condition of the track. Here are the different surfaces and possible conditions of the surfaces you’ll be wagering on.
MAIN TRACK (DIRT)
| FAST |
No moisture at all. Horses usually record the fastest times over these tracks |
| WET FAST |
Almost like a slick road - some moisture on the top layer of the track |
| GOOD |
Some moisture in the track - usually a drying out surface that at some point had more moisture in it |
| MUDDY |
A deep, wet track |
| SLOPPY |
When water actually overruns the course, producing puddles and splashing |
FROZEN, SLOW
or HEAVY |
Self explanatory - rarely used |
TURF COURSE
| FIRM |
A dry turf course with a slight give to it. Like a fast dirt track |
| GOOD |
Contains some moisture and has slightly more give than a firm course |
| SOFT |
Contains a good amount of moisture and substantial give |
| YIELDING |
A deep and bogey turf course |
| HEAVY |
A waterlogged course. Rarely seen in U.S. Races are usually taken off the turf when course is in this condition |
SYNTHETIC TRACK
Synthetic courses are man-made and are always given a “fast” label.