There are two main categories of exotics, commonly called “horizontal” and “vertical.” Horizontal exotics are wagers that pertain to one single race. If you want to make big money with your horse racing bets, exotic wagers are what you need to stick to. Essentially, you are wagering on multiple horses and multiple outcomes, all on the same ticket. Where this really comes into play is with exotic bets.Įxotics are akin to parlay bets in sports wagering. The more chances a given wager gives you to win, the more expensive that ticket is. If the horse finishes in third, you get the Show amount. If the horse finishes in 2nd, you get the Place and Show amounts. If that pony wins outright, you receive all of the Win, Place, and Show amounts. For example, let’s say you pick a horse “across the board”.

Across the board – ATB bets are similar to the above, but you’re betting on all three WPS results for a specific horse.

Show – A “Show” bet means that you pick a horse, and if that horse finishes in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, you win.

Place – “Place” bets require you to pick a horse, and if that horse finishes in 1st or 2nd, you win.

If the horse wins, you win, and if the horse loses, you lose. Win – A “Win” bet means that you simply pick a horse to win the race.You can place Win, Place, Show (aka W/P/S or WPS) and “across the board” (ATB) bets. There are four kinds of straight wagers in the horse racing betting world. Overseas books are the only sites to offer futures and specials and only do so for the biggest races on the calendar.

These cover everything but futures bets and specials. There are two main types of horse racing wagers: straight bets and exotic bets. Thanks to the Interstate Horseracing Act, the market for betting on horses legally has been expanding. (A select few European outlets still use decimal odds, but you will rarely come across these as a US bettor.) Most in-person venues will use fractional odds, while most racebooks on the Internet will use moneyline odds. The only difference you’re likely to come across between various betting outlets is how they advertise their odds. Nearly all racetracks, OTBs, and offshore betting sites use identical terms. Even better, these terms are all totally institutionalized. There are a few specific terms you’ll need to know, but for the most part, your betting options are going to be relatively straightforward. In order to enjoy the full gamut of legal horse racing betting in the US, you need to make sure you understand the basic wager types.

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