When you head to the horse track, there are a number of different types of bets that you can place. You can simply pick the horse that you think is going to win first place, a horse to place (finish first or second) or to show (finish first, second or third). There are several types of exotic bets in horse betting that make things a little more complicated (and exciting for many), such as the exacta. Also known as the exacta or perfecta, depending on the track where you are gambling, this sort of bet requires that the bettor choose the two horses that will finish first and second, in order.
Taking a Closer Look at the Horse Betting on the Exacta
Bets that depend on an exact sequence of finish at the horse track bring in more of a return that bets on how one horse finishes, because of the lower probabilities involved. When you’re betting on multiple horses, you’re increasing the number of possible factors that can keep you from winning your bet. Let’s say that you are at the Kentucky Derby with an exacta, if you’ve picked the first and second place horse, you might have the winning horse right, but another horse from the field could have an amazing day and end up second, leaving your bet a loser when your second-place choice finishes third.Wow! Is that Superman or Lead outrider Greg Blasi? Blasi safely procured Yodel after she broke loose prior to race 7. pic.twitter.com/HStl0lrLWl
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 8, 2015
It is possible to hedge your risk a bit with the exacta by choosing a box, which is available in some tracks. Here’s how this happens. If you buy a two-horse box, you pick the two horses that you think will finish first and second. However, if they flip flop (meaning that your first place horse finishes second and your second place horse finishes first), you still win. This makes the payout from an exacta box less, but it also increases your chances of walking away with some money at the end of the race.You can also buy exacta boxes that have more than two horses. All that has to happen for you to win is that any two of the horses have to finish first or second. The bigger the boxes (the more horses that you can include), the more expensive your ticket, because you are taking advantage of a larger pool.