Betting 101
WELCOME TO NYRA BETS
Looking to learn how to bet on horse racing and place your bets? You've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll cover the basics of betting on horses and how to place a bet on horse racing.
How to Pick Your Horses to Bet
Picking a horse to bet on is all about predicting how the horse will perform in a race. Here are some tips to help you simplify your selections:
Past Performances: Analyze the compiled analytics on each horse's past performance in races. Download Equibase Past Performances in the NYRA Bets store and look for horses that have performed well at the track, distance, and surface of the race. Check out our How to Read Past Performances page for tips.
Horse Connections: Consider the owner, trainer, and jockey of the horse, and review their statistics by clicking on the down arrow under the horse's number.
Expert Picks: Check out NYRA Bets Expert Picks page for insights and analysis from in-house handicappers.
Keep it Simple: NYRA Bets betting experts have put together a 'Betting for Beginners' to help you place your first wagers and have fun.
Different Horse Racing Bet Types
| Pool | Description |
|---|---|
| Win | Your horse must finish first. |
| Place | Your horse must finish first or second. |
| Show | Your horse must finish first, second, or third. |
| Across the Board | Separate win, place, and show wagers of equal amounts on the same horse. |
| Exacta | Pick the first two horses in the correct order. Box it and the horses you select can finish in any order. |
| Trifecta | Pick the first three horses in the correct order. Box it and the horses you select can finish in any order. |
| Superfecta | Pick the first four horses in the correct order. Box it and the horses you select can finish in any order. |
| Daily Double | Pick the winners of two consecutive races. |
| Grand Slam | Pick a horse to finish in the top three in three straight races, capped by the winner of the fourth race in the sequence. If there is no show wagering in one of the first three legs, the horse must finish second. |
| Pick 3 | Pick the winners of three consecutive races. |
| Pick 4 | Pick the winners of four consecutive races. |
| Pick 5 | Pick the winners of five consecutive races. |
| Pick 6 | Pick the winners of six consecutive races. |
"Boxing" your choices in exacta, trifecta, and superfecta bets makes your wager more expensive but allows you to win if your selected horses finish in any order.
Ready to Place Your Bet?
If you have trouble placing bets, contact us through our Live Chat or call 1-844-NYRA-BET, and we'll be happy to assist you.
You Won! Now What?
Whether you place your bet online or on-track, your account balance will reflect your winnings once the race result is official.
Request a withdrawal from your account back to your bank account or visit our deposits and withdraws page to learn more about withdrawing winnings.
Understanding the different types of bets and how to pick horses to bet on can help you increase your chances of winning at horse racing. So, place your bets and enjoy the thrill of the race!
