Exotic Bets Explained

Exotic Bets in Horse Racing Explained: A Guide to Exacta, Trifecta & Superfecta

For punters that want something more than betting win-only or each-way on horse racing, there is a world of possibility with exotics bets. Those that seek to find more than just the race winner and, in doing so, can unlock big profits on small stakes. We've put together a quick explainer on three of the most popular exotic bets for horse racing.

What Are Exotic Bets in Horse Racing?

Exotic bets are those that involve multiple horses in one or more races. We are focusing on three of the most popular single race exotics, options that will give punters major alternatives to the traditional win or each-way bets most commonly associated with horse racing.

The Exacta: Predicting the Top Two

An Exacta bet in horse racing is a type of exotic wager where you must correctly predict the first two finishers in exact order in a single race. A straight Exacta required the bet to correctly identify the first two in the correct order.

A combination/boxed Exacta covers all possible finishing orders for the selected horses, but costs double the initial stake.

Exactas usually offer higher payouts than Win or Place bets because they're harder to hit.

The Trifecta: Picking the First Three Home

A Trifecta bet in horse racing is a type of exotic wager where you must correctly predict the first three finishers in exact order in a single race. As with an Exacta, the straight Trifecta requires the horses to finish in the exact order you predict.

The Trifecta Box covers all possible orders of your selected horses, six unique combinations, and therefore the initial stake is six times more than for a straight Trifecta.

The Superfecta: The Ultimate Challenge

A Superfecta bet in horse racing is an exotic wager where you must correctly predict the first four finishers in exact order in a single race. All four horses must finish in that exact order for your bet to win. Superfectas have huge payouts, but are notoriously hard to hit.

The Superfecta Box covers all possible orders of your selected horses, 24 unique combinations, and therefore the initial stake is 24 times more than for a straight Superfecta. The Superfecta is less common in UK markets, and is popular in the US.

How Are Payouts Calculated for Exotic Bets?

The Exotic bets mentioned are paid by pool. All bets of a certain type go into a pool, and that pool is divided among the winning tickets after the operator takes a cut.

Strategies for Placing Exotic Bets

Exotic bets can be hugely rewarding but it's important to know what you are doing. Understand the bet type, how it works and what you need to pick to win. Ensure your bank roll can cover the bets for a day at the races accordingly.

Where possible, particularly with Trifecta and Superfecta bets, cover all possible order combinations of your chosen horses to give the best chance of a payout. Be sure to assess the favourite in the race and take a strong opinion on how you believe it will perform, making this the central theme of your Exotic bet.