Straight Bets

The three most basic bets in a horse race are called straight bets. Generally, you should focus on these bets, as the track take is generally lower than for the more complicated exotic bets.

Betting to win means betting on a horse to come in first place. To bet on a horse to win, say the number of the race, the dollar amount, the word win, then the number of the horse. If you win, you’ll be paid based on the odds at the time the race starts. Since odds can change minute by minute leading up to the race, the odds at the start of the race may differ from what’s printed in the racing program or what’s posted on the tote board at the time you make your bet.

In the very unlikely event of a tie, or dead heat, bettors on the two winning horses split the payout. As a result, a bet on a winner in a dead heat pays less than a bet on an outright winner.

Betting on a horse to place means betting that it will come in first or second. You’re paid the same whether the horse wins or finishes second. The convention for betting on a horse to place is the same as for betting on a horse to win—just say the word place instead of win. As with win bets, place bets are paid based on the odds at the time the race starts. Since it’s easier for a horse to finish in the top two than to win a race outright, the odds for place bets are lower than those for win bets.

Betting on a horse to show means betting that it will come in first, second, or third. You’re paid the same regardless of which of the top three spots the horse finishes. The convention for betting on a horse to place is the same as for betting on a horse to win—just say the word show instead of win. As with win and place bets, show bets are paid based on the odds at the time the race starts. The odds for place bets are usually the lowest of any bet at a racetrack, in light of the relative likelihood that a given horse could finish in one of the top three places.