Wagering 101

Getting Started

The minimum bet is $2 and bets are always made in full dollar amounts. You can bet $3 but you cannot bet $3.25.

Buy a Racing Program at the Program booth or at our automatic program machine. You will need two key pieces of information from the program. The race number and the horse’s program number.

Reading The Program

Start with the Track Handicappers Picks. These people are professionals. They study a horse’s performance and evaluate it against many factors critical to winning a race. All provide their picks for each race. You can take their advice or compare your picks against the pros.

Reading The Odds

The odds are posted on the Tote Board (the large display board located in the infield) and on the TV monitors. Even though the minimum bet is $2, the odds quoted are based on a $1 bet.

Let’s say that the odds for the #2 horse are 10-1, if the horse wins you receive $10 for every $1 bet. You bet $2 so you get $20 plus the initial $2 you gave the teller. Remember, that the odds change right down to the last second before the race. The odds are determined by the amount of money bet on each horse and not by the race track.

If you see the odds posted at 5-2, $5 will be paid for every $2 bet, plus the $2 you paid to the clerk.

What the Odds Mean
ODDS PAYS ODDS PAYS ODDS PAYS
1-5 $2.40 8-5 $5.20 6-1 $14.00
2-5 $2.80 9-5 $5.60 7-1 $16.00
1-2 $3.00 2-1 $6.00 8-1 $18.00
3-5 $3.20 5-2 $7.00 9-1 $20.00
4-5 $3.60 3-1 $8.00 10-1 $22.00
Even $4.00 7-2 $9.00 15-1 $32.00
6-5 $4.40 4-1 $10.00 20-1 $42.00
7-5 $4.80 9-2 $11.00 30-1 $62.00
3-2 $5.00 5-1 $12.00 50-1 $102.00
An Easy Way to Bet

Go to a teller in the betting area. You’ll need to tell him/her 4 pieces of information in the following order:

  1. Track name: e.g. Hiawatha
  2. Dollar Amount: e.g. $2.00
  3. Type of bet: e.g. Place
  4. Horse’s number: e.g. horse number 8

Therefore you have just made a $2 place bet on the number 8 horse at Hiawatha.

The clerk will punch out the ticket and (in this example) you pay $2. Be sure to check your ticket. Once you leave the counter, your bet cannot be changed.

Or, you can use a SAM (Screen Activated Machine). It’s a lot like using a bank machine. First you need to buy a betting voucher from a teller or one of our Canadian or US dollar bill acceptors. Insert the voucher into the machine and the screen prompts will tell you what to do next. You can even let the machine take a guess and buy a Quick Pick.

It’s time to watch the race. Keep your eye on the riders or drivers brightly coloured silks. Make sure to keep your ticket until the race results have been declared official.

Types of Bets
  • WIN - The horse you wager on must finish in First Place.
  • PLACE - The horse you wager on must finish in First or Second Place.
  • SHOW - The horse you wager on must finish in First or Second or Third Place.
  • EXACTOR - You must select the horse finishing First and the horse finishing Second, in exact order. In a race with a Mutual Entry (1 & 1A, 2 & 2A), if the race finishes with both parts of the entry in First and Second Position, the Exactor will be paid on the First and Third Place Finishers.
  • BOX - You may select, two, three or more horses and the order of finish does not have to be EXACT. This is available on Exactor and Trifecta wagering only. Note : Your bet amount will increase with each additional combination.
The Best Time To Place A Bet

Don’t leave it to the last minute. That’s for the experienced bettors. Who wants to stand in line anyway? Take your time. Go to the teller when there’s at least 10 Minutes until the start of the next race.

Here is a sample of how the payoffs appear.
Horse Number Win
1st place		 Place
1st/2nd place		 Show
1st/2nd/3rd place
8 $11.90 $7.80 $4.20
5   $9.30 $5.30
2     $3.80


The payoff for Win, Place and Show bets is always based on a minimum $2. In this example, you placed a Win bet on horse #8 which paid $11.90. Had you made a Place bet (where the horse comes in either 1st or 2nd) then you would have collected $7.80.

Some Bits of Information
  • You must be 18 years old to place a bet.
  • A lot of people come to the race track because they just love horses.
  • You don't have to bet on every race.
  • You don't even have to bet.