It's been a tough year for sports … All sports, including horse racing.
The novel coronavirus crashed into 2020, holding its middle finger up while coughing and sneezing itself all over our intentions for the year.
It's been like a neverending red-eye flight from hell. Trapped in a seat that's too small for you, that you're not allowed to get up from while constant turbulence wracks the airplane; and worst of all, there's no entertainment because in-seat monitors are broken.
But that is all coming to an end. We still can't get out of our seats, but the entertainment is slowly coming back. Baseball is here, along with an NBA restart, hopefully the NFL, and of course horse racing.
We lost many great races, but tracks have reopened all across the US and the world. Unfortunately, Augusts' slate of major races was reduced with the loss of the Arlington Million Stakes. However, the Alabama Stakes in Saratoga is coming up, and of course, the Woodward Stakes, and Kentucky Derby are both scheduled to run on Saturday, September 5th.
Rather than waste money betting the low probability combinations a five-horse Trifecta box would offer for $60, you could use the money you have saved (in this case $60 - $18 = $48) to play additional repeat tickets with your top choices in positions one and two and cash multiple $1 tickets if you are right about the race - while still betting less than the cost of a box. A boxed trifecta, however, is a little more fun allowing you to choose multiple horses in which any of them can finish first, second or third – allowing you a greater chance to win – however this generally means you will win less and have to bet a higher amount to claim a decent amount of the trifecta payout percentage. Select the Trifecta bet type. To 'box' the Trifecta, make all selections in the first column. Go to bet builder on right-hand side or select Bet Builder icon on mobile devices. Enter the Bet Amount. For a Flexi bet, select the Flexi button after entering the amount you want to spend (flexi should be highlighted green with flexi.
Here are the 3 top and last positions in the odds for the Kentucky Derby:
Also, let's look at the projected field for the Sep. 5th event at Churchill Downs and their vote counts:
1. Tiz the Law, 272
2. Authentic, 200
3. Honor A.P., 120
4. Ny Traffic, 110
5. Art Collector, 100
6. King Guillermo, 90
7. Dr Post, 80
8. Ete Indien, 74
9. Modernist, 70
10. Mischevious Alex, 50
11. Country Grammer, 50
12. Enforceable, 43
13. Swiss Skydiver, 40
14. Shivaree, 40
15. Max Player, 40
16. Rushie, 40
17. Major Fed, 38
18. Storm the Court, 36
19. Thousand Words, 33
20. Anneau d'Or, 32
Tiz the Law is Constitution's son and recently smashed the competition in The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 20th. In fact, his near 4-length win was the fastest time since 2004.
Tiz the Law is the odds on favorite at 5-2. But we are like to see him race on August 8th at Travers in Saratoga, so we'll have to keep an eye on the odds depending on the results. If he loses, we might get a better price on him at the derby; if he wins by a mile, he may move to 2-1.
But the long-short of it is Tiz the Law is the best horse in the field. His sub 1:44 time at Belmont screams that fact loud and clear to all who are listening. So, unless something crazy happens at the G1 Travers in August, I expect that Tiz the Law will be going on my boxed trifecta ticket and probably the number one spot on my trifecta and definitely on my perfecta.
The next on the list of favorites is at 9-2. Art Collector is looking to end up on a lot of sharp boxed tickets event though he has fewer votes than Authentic, Honor A.P., and Ny Traffic. The Thomas Drury Jr. horse won recently at Keeneland and will probably be in the field on August 9th at the Ellis Park Derby.
Third on the list is Honor A.P. at 5-2. This horse recently stole the show at the Santa Anita Derby and is officially the best in the west. Plus, some experts think he has room to improve. Now, many might immediately have Honor A.P. above Art Collector on their tickets because of this. However, that would be a mistake — well, maybe not. You never know.– But this is the order that I will be filling out my trifecta ticket unless something drastic happens between now and September 5th.
Darkhorse to Consider
Cezanne has gone 2-for-2 and just had a fantastic showing at Santa Anita early this June. Although I'll be stacking the top three horses in my trifecta, boxed trifecta, and Tiz the Law in a perfecta or two, I think this horse is worth a small punt at 20-1. The only real issue I see is experience. If this horse gets room to run, he could very well win the Kentucky Derby. That said, I don't think the young horse has the experience to beat the top three's likes. However, a top-five or six finish is almost assured.
Whether you consider yourself a newcomer to horse race betting or a veteran with years of experience, everyone should have a basic understanding when it comes to placing a trifecta.
Even though trifecta betting is not the easiest wager type in the world, it remains an extremely popular choice among horse racing enthusiasts as it can potentially lead to enormously profits. In fact, it's considered one of the best horsing bet types if you're interested in winning big without risking too much of your own hard-earned money.
A trifecta bet will usually cost you a mere $2, and the potential returns you can make on such a small bet can be extraordinary.
For instance, during the Kentucky Derby in 2005, Giacomo had a 72/1 chance of winning. After he shocked the world with his victory, the trifecta payout was a whopping $133,134.80. It's nearly impossible to find anything else that will pay this well from such a small bet amount.
Obviously, the payouts are not always this impressive when it comes to trifecta betting. The average payout of a trifecta is usually around $7,000 during the Kentucky Derby. However, that amount drops significantly once you start looking at other races from around the world.
It's still worth mentioning, however, that you will only spend $2 on a trifecta bet.
So, even if your winnings are only a couple of hundred dollars, you will still make a sizable profit. For that reason, trifecta betting is not only popular with serious handicappers, but with casual bettors as well.
So, for an in-depth look at trifecta betting, read on. After explaining what trifecta betting is, we will walk you through how trifecta betting works and what the differences are between trifecta and boxed trifecta.
We will also help you to calculate trifecta bets and payouts and explain the differences between trifecta, superfecta, and exacta. Keep reading for some frequently asked questions surrounding this popular form of horse race betting, too.
What is a Trifecta?
A trifecta in horse racing is basically an exotic bet where you'll be required to predict the first three horses to finish the race. You will also need to predict the finishers in the correct order before you will qualify for a payout.
If you are unable to correctly predict the first three finishers in the race, or you simply get the order wrong, you won't win anything from your bet. As you can see, this is not a simplistic bet to make, which is why the payouts for this bet type can be astonishing.
The typical bet amount for a trifecta is around $2. However, you will find several horse racing events which will allow bets at a reduced cost. For instance, there's a handful of horse racing events that will offer a $1 trifecta, or even a $0.50 trifecta. However, do remember that the potential payouts will also be reduced once the initial bet amount is reduced.
Now that you have a better understanding of what a trifecta is, let's expand your knowledge even further by taking a look at the different types of trifecta bets.
Types of Trifecta Bets
You will essentially come across five different types of trifecta betting opportunities in horse race betting. This includes straight trifecta, boxed trifecta, trifecta key, trifecta boxed key and trifecta wheel. Let's take a closer look at each of these trifecta betting types and explain them in more detail.
Straight Trifecta
This is the most simplistic type of trifecta bet. All you need to do is select three different horses and decide in which order they will finish the race. This can only be first place, second place or third place.
Example: Let's say you select horse #4 to win the race, horse #6 to place second and horse #2 to place third. This means your betting slip will look similar to this: $2 Trifecta (4-6-2).
Boxed Trifecta
The boxed trifecta gives you more flexibility when compared to a straight trifecta. You will still need to select three or more horses to finish a race. However, you don't have to predict the exact order in which they will finish, as long as the selected horses finish in the top three positions.
A boxed trifecta will cost you more than a straight trifecta, as you will need to pay for every combination. Even though the minimum bet for a boxed trifecta is only $1, you will need to pay a minimum of $6 if you select three horses.
Example: Let's say you select horse #8, #6, and #3 to finish in any order with a boxed trifecta bet. You will need to pay $6 as the three horses can finish in six different combinations.
The more horses you select, the more combinations will be formed and the more you will need to pay.
For instance, a 7-horse trifecta box will come with 210 different combinations, which means you will need to pay $210 to cover your minimum bet.
Trifecta Key
This trifecta bet will require the ‘key' horse to finish in first position, while the remaining horses you selected can finish in any combination to cover second and third place.
Example: Let's say you select horse #8 as the key followed by horse #3, #5, and #4. At a minimum bet of $1, you will need to pay $6 to cover your bet. Your Key horse will need to finish in first place, while two of your other selected horses will be required to finish in second and third place before you can consider yourself a winner.
Trifecta Boxed Key
This trifecta bet will include all possible combinations where your key horse will be combined with all non-key horses in a single box bet.
Example: Let's say you place a $1 Trifecta Boxed Key bet and you make your Key horse #8 along with horse #2 and #6. This means your total bet amount would be $6, as it will create a total of 6 combinations.
Trifecta Wheel
This trifecta betting type can either be a full trifecta wheel, or a part trifecta wheel. The easiest trifecta wheel will be the full trifecta wheel where you will need to select a single horse to finish the race in a specific position, while backing all possible combinations with all the other horses in the field.
Example: Let's say you select horse #3 to win the race. However, you are struggling to predict which of the remaining horses will be able to finish in second or third position.
When this occurs, you simply place a full trifecta wheel bet that will look like this: 3-All-All.
Box Trifecta Odds Calculator
This will basically cover all combinations with horse #3 in first position.
How Does Trifecta Betting Work in Horse Racing
Trifecta betting in horse racing is when you select three horses from a single racing event and predict which of the three horses will finish in first, second, and third position.
Please keep in mind, however, that your prediction needs to correct in both horse selection and the order in which they finish the race.
If your three selected horses finish in first, second and third (in the order you predicted), you will win. If one of your selected horses is not in the top three, or one of your selected horses doesn't finish in the position your predicted, you will lose your bet.
What is the Difference between Trifecta and Boxed Trifecta
With a trifecta bet, you merely need to select three horses from a single event and ensure they finish in the top three positions in the exact order you predicted.
However, with boxed trifecta, there is no need to predict in what order the three horses will finish. You merely need to select three horses that you think will finish in the top three positions.
Boxed trifecta does give you more freedom and flexibility, but it will cost you more as you need to cover more combinations as opposed to only covering one combination with a standard trifecta bet.
How to Calculate Trifecta Bets and Payouts
Trifectas form part of the pari-mutuel betting system. This basically means the payouts for trifectas are not calculated using odds, but are instead shared among players in a betting pool.
For each horse racing event, a new betting pool is created, and all the bets from trifecta tickets will be accumulated in the betting pool. The betting pool will then be shared with all winners at the end of the horse racing event.
Cost Of 7 Horse Trifecta
Tiz the Law is Constitution's son and recently smashed the competition in The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 20th. In fact, his near 4-length win was the fastest time since 2004.
Tiz the Law is the odds on favorite at 5-2. But we are like to see him race on August 8th at Travers in Saratoga, so we'll have to keep an eye on the odds depending on the results. If he loses, we might get a better price on him at the derby; if he wins by a mile, he may move to 2-1.
But the long-short of it is Tiz the Law is the best horse in the field. His sub 1:44 time at Belmont screams that fact loud and clear to all who are listening. So, unless something crazy happens at the G1 Travers in August, I expect that Tiz the Law will be going on my boxed trifecta ticket and probably the number one spot on my trifecta and definitely on my perfecta.
The next on the list of favorites is at 9-2. Art Collector is looking to end up on a lot of sharp boxed tickets event though he has fewer votes than Authentic, Honor A.P., and Ny Traffic. The Thomas Drury Jr. horse won recently at Keeneland and will probably be in the field on August 9th at the Ellis Park Derby.
Third on the list is Honor A.P. at 5-2. This horse recently stole the show at the Santa Anita Derby and is officially the best in the west. Plus, some experts think he has room to improve. Now, many might immediately have Honor A.P. above Art Collector on their tickets because of this. However, that would be a mistake — well, maybe not. You never know.– But this is the order that I will be filling out my trifecta ticket unless something drastic happens between now and September 5th.
Darkhorse to Consider
Cezanne has gone 2-for-2 and just had a fantastic showing at Santa Anita early this June. Although I'll be stacking the top three horses in my trifecta, boxed trifecta, and Tiz the Law in a perfecta or two, I think this horse is worth a small punt at 20-1. The only real issue I see is experience. If this horse gets room to run, he could very well win the Kentucky Derby. That said, I don't think the young horse has the experience to beat the top three's likes. However, a top-five or six finish is almost assured.
Whether you consider yourself a newcomer to horse race betting or a veteran with years of experience, everyone should have a basic understanding when it comes to placing a trifecta.
Even though trifecta betting is not the easiest wager type in the world, it remains an extremely popular choice among horse racing enthusiasts as it can potentially lead to enormously profits. In fact, it's considered one of the best horsing bet types if you're interested in winning big without risking too much of your own hard-earned money.
A trifecta bet will usually cost you a mere $2, and the potential returns you can make on such a small bet can be extraordinary.
For instance, during the Kentucky Derby in 2005, Giacomo had a 72/1 chance of winning. After he shocked the world with his victory, the trifecta payout was a whopping $133,134.80. It's nearly impossible to find anything else that will pay this well from such a small bet amount.
Obviously, the payouts are not always this impressive when it comes to trifecta betting. The average payout of a trifecta is usually around $7,000 during the Kentucky Derby. However, that amount drops significantly once you start looking at other races from around the world.
It's still worth mentioning, however, that you will only spend $2 on a trifecta bet.
So, even if your winnings are only a couple of hundred dollars, you will still make a sizable profit. For that reason, trifecta betting is not only popular with serious handicappers, but with casual bettors as well.
So, for an in-depth look at trifecta betting, read on. After explaining what trifecta betting is, we will walk you through how trifecta betting works and what the differences are between trifecta and boxed trifecta.
We will also help you to calculate trifecta bets and payouts and explain the differences between trifecta, superfecta, and exacta. Keep reading for some frequently asked questions surrounding this popular form of horse race betting, too.
What is a Trifecta?
A trifecta in horse racing is basically an exotic bet where you'll be required to predict the first three horses to finish the race. You will also need to predict the finishers in the correct order before you will qualify for a payout.
If you are unable to correctly predict the first three finishers in the race, or you simply get the order wrong, you won't win anything from your bet. As you can see, this is not a simplistic bet to make, which is why the payouts for this bet type can be astonishing.
The typical bet amount for a trifecta is around $2. However, you will find several horse racing events which will allow bets at a reduced cost. For instance, there's a handful of horse racing events that will offer a $1 trifecta, or even a $0.50 trifecta. However, do remember that the potential payouts will also be reduced once the initial bet amount is reduced.
Now that you have a better understanding of what a trifecta is, let's expand your knowledge even further by taking a look at the different types of trifecta bets.
Types of Trifecta Bets
You will essentially come across five different types of trifecta betting opportunities in horse race betting. This includes straight trifecta, boxed trifecta, trifecta key, trifecta boxed key and trifecta wheel. Let's take a closer look at each of these trifecta betting types and explain them in more detail.
Straight Trifecta
This is the most simplistic type of trifecta bet. All you need to do is select three different horses and decide in which order they will finish the race. This can only be first place, second place or third place.
Example: Let's say you select horse #4 to win the race, horse #6 to place second and horse #2 to place third. This means your betting slip will look similar to this: $2 Trifecta (4-6-2).
Boxed Trifecta
The boxed trifecta gives you more flexibility when compared to a straight trifecta. You will still need to select three or more horses to finish a race. However, you don't have to predict the exact order in which they will finish, as long as the selected horses finish in the top three positions.
A boxed trifecta will cost you more than a straight trifecta, as you will need to pay for every combination. Even though the minimum bet for a boxed trifecta is only $1, you will need to pay a minimum of $6 if you select three horses.
Example: Let's say you select horse #8, #6, and #3 to finish in any order with a boxed trifecta bet. You will need to pay $6 as the three horses can finish in six different combinations.
The more horses you select, the more combinations will be formed and the more you will need to pay.
For instance, a 7-horse trifecta box will come with 210 different combinations, which means you will need to pay $210 to cover your minimum bet.
Trifecta Key
This trifecta bet will require the ‘key' horse to finish in first position, while the remaining horses you selected can finish in any combination to cover second and third place.
Example: Let's say you select horse #8 as the key followed by horse #3, #5, and #4. At a minimum bet of $1, you will need to pay $6 to cover your bet. Your Key horse will need to finish in first place, while two of your other selected horses will be required to finish in second and third place before you can consider yourself a winner.
Trifecta Boxed Key
This trifecta bet will include all possible combinations where your key horse will be combined with all non-key horses in a single box bet.
Example: Let's say you place a $1 Trifecta Boxed Key bet and you make your Key horse #8 along with horse #2 and #6. This means your total bet amount would be $6, as it will create a total of 6 combinations.
Trifecta Wheel
This trifecta betting type can either be a full trifecta wheel, or a part trifecta wheel. The easiest trifecta wheel will be the full trifecta wheel where you will need to select a single horse to finish the race in a specific position, while backing all possible combinations with all the other horses in the field.
Example: Let's say you select horse #3 to win the race. However, you are struggling to predict which of the remaining horses will be able to finish in second or third position.
When this occurs, you simply place a full trifecta wheel bet that will look like this: 3-All-All.
Box Trifecta Odds Calculator
This will basically cover all combinations with horse #3 in first position.
How Does Trifecta Betting Work in Horse Racing
Trifecta betting in horse racing is when you select three horses from a single racing event and predict which of the three horses will finish in first, second, and third position.
Please keep in mind, however, that your prediction needs to correct in both horse selection and the order in which they finish the race.
If your three selected horses finish in first, second and third (in the order you predicted), you will win. If one of your selected horses is not in the top three, or one of your selected horses doesn't finish in the position your predicted, you will lose your bet.
What is the Difference between Trifecta and Boxed Trifecta
With a trifecta bet, you merely need to select three horses from a single event and ensure they finish in the top three positions in the exact order you predicted.
However, with boxed trifecta, there is no need to predict in what order the three horses will finish. You merely need to select three horses that you think will finish in the top three positions.
Boxed trifecta does give you more freedom and flexibility, but it will cost you more as you need to cover more combinations as opposed to only covering one combination with a standard trifecta bet.
How to Calculate Trifecta Bets and Payouts
Trifectas form part of the pari-mutuel betting system. This basically means the payouts for trifectas are not calculated using odds, but are instead shared among players in a betting pool.
For each horse racing event, a new betting pool is created, and all the bets from trifecta tickets will be accumulated in the betting pool. The betting pool will then be shared with all winners at the end of the horse racing event.
Cost Of 7 Horse Trifecta
Let's take a look at a simple example to show you how this works:
Trifecta Wheel Cost Table
- 100,000 trifecta tickets are sold for a horse racing event at $2 per ticket.
- The betting pool is worth $200,000 ($2 x 100,000 tickets)
- 100 bettors manage to correctly predict the top three finishers in the exact order.
- Each of the 100 tickets provides a payout of $2,000 ($200,000 ÷ 100)
Obviously, the breakdown of the above-mentioned trifecta bet will not be this straightforward in reality. Online betting sites will obviously take their cut and you will notice that not all trifecta tickets will come with a standard price of $2. But the above example does give you an indication of how trifecta bets are calculated and how the payouts are distributed towards winners.
Trifecta vs. Superfecta vs. Exacta
The main difference between an exacta, trifecta and superfecta is the amount of horses you'll be required to bet on during a single horse racing event.
With an exacta, you will need to select two horses to finish in first and second position, in that exact order as well. With a trifecta, you will need to include three horses in your selection to finish in first, second, and third position, in that exact order.
A superfecta bet is considered the most difficult, as you will need to include four horses in your selection to finish in the top 4 positions, in the exact order as well.
Origins of the Trifecta Bet
Boxed Trifecta Odds Against
The trifecta bet type was first introduced during the early 1970s and was derived from the bet type perfecta. A perfecta bet type, also known as an exacta, requires you to select two horses to finish in first and second place, in the exact order you predict.
Trifecta Betting Calculator
The term trifecta was introduced for bettors who wanted to select three horses to place in the top three positions, hence the term ‘tri', which means three. The trifecta bet type was first used in the United States during 1971 at Arlington Park. In 1977, it was introduced in Australia at the New South Wales Tab, and in 1983 it was introduced in New Zealand.