FOR NOVICES
Are you a novice?
Are you new to horse racing?
Here’s a quick learning session.
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Determine if you are going for fun or to make money or both. Accomplishing both would be ideal. However, horse players don’t win all the time.
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You can make money if you become a good handicapper and stick to what works for you.
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If you go to a horse racing track or OTB (Off Track Betting), don’t take what you can’t afford to lose ($50-$100 should be max). Do not bet with money you need to pay bills, eat, live, survive. It’s rough out there. Also, a person who goes to the track everyday and bets every race is a loser. Don’t be that person.
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Try to make your picks (handicapping) before you get to the track.
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Take pen and paper with you.
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Do not do your handicapping while in the line and at the betting window with the live tellers. Have your bets ready. Otherwise you will only piss off the people behind you.
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When you get to the teller, first name the track you wish to bet, then the race number, then the dollar amount, then the type of bet, then horse #(s). Example, Santa Anita, race 7, give me $2 to win, place and show on #5.
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Be sure to check your ticket before you leave the teller.
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Don’t forget to log onto CatonConsultants.com for our Big Day free pick and of course our picks for all the races on horse racing biggest days. Check out our calendar to see when those days are.
TYPES OF BETS YOU CAN MAKE
WIN
You are simply betting on a horse
to come in 1st. This is a $2 minimum bet at most tracks. However you can bet any amount that makes sense.
PLACE
You are simply betting on a horse to at least come in 2nd. If the horse wins, you are still getting paid. However, you’ll only be paid on the place bet. This is a $2 minimum bet at most tracks. However, you can bet any amount that makes sense.
SHOW
You are simply betting on a horse to at least come in 3rd. If the horse wins or comes in 2nd, you are still getting paid. However, you’ll only be paid on the show bet. This is a $2 minimum bet at most tracks. However, you can bet any amount that makes sense.
Note: Do not bet on a horse to show if you can’t make at least 1 to 1 on your money.
WIN, PLACE, SHOW (WPS)
If you think your horse can win but you’re not sure. You can do an “across the board” bet. You are simply betting the horse to win, place or show (wps). If your horse wins, you’ll collect on all three bets. If your horse comes in 2nd, you’ll collect on the place and show. If your horse comes in 3rd, you’ll collect only the show bet.
If you’re betting at a terminal, you’ll see options to bet WP and PS which means win and place or place and show.
EXACTA
An exacta is betting the winner and the 2nd place horses in a single race. For example, if you think the #5 horse will win and the #7 horse will come in 2nd, you can place a straight exacta bet 5,7. If you think either of those two horses could win and the other come in 2nd, it’s better to do an exacta boxed bet where you are boxing the two horses. Hence either of the two horses could win but the other must come in 2nd to win your bet. Also keep in mind that you can use more than 2 horses if you wish. The more horses you add means more possible combinations. Hence, it will definitely cost more. This is a $1 minimum bet at most tracks. However, you can bet any amount that makes sense.
EXACTA WHEEL
An exacta wheel is a type of bet to gain more coverage if you think the race is wide open, meaning any horse could win. For example, let’s say you think a specific long shot might win and the long shot is the #7 horse. However, you’re not sure which horse will come in 2nd. You can do an exacta wheel where you place the #7 on top to win with an “all” in the 2nd spot. Meaning if the #7 wins, you win because you have all the other horses in 2nd. The bet will look like the following: 7/1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10
When you make this type a bet, you’re hoping another long shot comes in 2nd. Please keep in mind, you can flip this bet. Put the “all” in 1st and the 7 in 2nd. It should cost the same.
TRIFECTA
A Trifecta is betting the winner, the 2nd place horse and the 3rd place horse in a single race. In other words, if you think you can pick the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place horses, you can do a straight trifecta or if you’re not sure of the order, you can do a trifecta boxed. Hence either of the three horses could win but the other two must come in 2nd and 3rd to win your bet. Also keep in mind, you can use more than 3 horses if you wish. The more horses added means more possible combinations. Hence, it will cost more. This is a .50 cent minimum bet at most tracks. However, you can bet any amount that makes sense.
TRIFECTA WHEEL
A trifecta wheel is also another type of bet to gain more coverage and possibly hit something big. Again, it’s a bet that’s usually made because, the bettor thinks the race is wide open, meaning any horse could win. For example, let’s say you think a specific horse might win and that horse is #5. However, you’re not sure which horse will come in 2nd or 3rd. You can do a trifecta wheel where you place the #5 on top to win with perhaps your next 3 best picks. Let’s use 3,7,2 in the 2nd spot and an “all” for the 3rd spot. Meaning if the #5 wins, with 3,7,2 coming in 2nd, you win because you have all the other horses in the 3rd spot. The bet will look like the following:
5/2,3,7/1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10
When you make this type a bet, you’re hoping long shots come in 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
SUPERFECTA
If you think you can pick the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place horses in a single race, then you need to play the superfecta. You can do a straight superfecta or you can box it or you can wheel it. If you box it, please keep in mind that you can use more than 4 horses if you wish. The more you add means more possible combinations. Hence, it will cost more. This is a .10 cent minimum bet at most tracks. However, you can bet any amount that makes sense.
SUPERFECTA WHEEL
The superfecta wheel is another exotic bet to maximize coverage. For example, say you like only 4 horses in a 12 horse field. Let’s say those horses are #1,6,7,10. You really like the #10 to win. So you put the #10 on top. You think the 1,6 or 7 will come in 2nd or third. Hence you put those horses in those spots Then, of course, you put “all” in 4th. So your bet will look like following: 10/1,6,7/1,6,7/ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12. This .10 cent superfecta wheel will cost $5.40.
DOUBLE
Pick the winner in two consecutive races and you’ll win the double. The more horses added, the more possible combinations. Hence, the cost goes up for each additional horse added.
PICK 3, 4 AND 5
Pick the winners of three consecutive races and you’ll win the pick 3. Pick the winners of four consecutive races and you’ll win the pick 4. Same for the pick 5. The minimum bet at most tracks is .50 cents. Adding horses results in additional combinations. Hence, the cost goes up for each additional horse added.
PICK 6
Pick the winner of six consecutive races and you’ll win the pick 6. The minimum bet at most tracks is .20 cents. However, at the bigger tracks it’s $1 minimum bet. Adding horses results in additional combinations. Hence, the cost goes up for each additional horse added
Good Luck!