
How to bet on horses – Exotic Wagering – Trifecta
Wagering Strategies
By Kenneth Strong
Trifecta Wagering Strategies
Trifecta betting requires you to pick
the first three finishers in a race in exact order. The payoffs
can be excellent if you use sound handicapping principles and
wait for value.
The most common trifecta wagers involve boxes
and wheels with multiple combinations of horses at a cost of $1
per combination. The minimum amount you can spend on a straight
trifecta wager is $2. A $2 straight trifecta bet 2-3-5 would pay
off if the first three finishers in the race were 2-3-5 in that
exact order.
A $1 trifecta box of three horses costs $6, or
$1 per combination and requires that your three selections finish
in the top three positions in any order. For example, a $1 trifecta
box 2-3-4 would be a winning ticket if horses 2,3 and 4 finished
in the top three positions in any order.
A $1 trifecta wheel involves your key horse (s)
played in various positions with other combinations of horses.
For example, a $1 trifecta wheel keying horse 3 to win with horses
4,5,6 to finish second and horses 4,5,6 to finish third would
cost $1 per combination, or $6. This ticket would be a winner
if the number 3 horse won with either 4,5 or 6 finishing second
and 4,5, or 6 finishing third.
Another common trifecta wagering strategy is
to key two horses in two positions with numerous other horses
in the additional position. The structure of this bet might look
like 2,3 with 2,3 with 4,5,6,7,8. In this case, horses 2 and 3
would have to finish first and second in either order, and one
of 4,5,6,7 or 8 would have to finish third. The number of combinations
in this bet is equal to 10, so a $1 trifecta wheel 2,3 with 2,3
with 4,5,6,7,8 would cost $10. Many handicappers will key their
top two selections in all three positions, especially if they
are betting against the favorites.
To cover all the bases in the above scenario,
a bettor would play the following $1 trifecta tickets:
$1 trifecta wheel 2,3 with 2,3 with 4,5,6,7,8 = $10
$1 trifecta wheel 2,3 with 4,5,6,7,8 with 2,3 = $10
$1 trifecta wheel 4,5,6,7,8 with 2,3 with 2,3 = $10
The total outlay for the above trifecta wheels
would be $30.
The key to playing trifecta boxes and wheels
once again comes down to finding the value in a race. If your
handicapping tells you there is a good chance the favorites can
run out of the money but the race is otherwise wide open, a trifecta
box may be the way to go. If your handicapping tells you that
the favorite is weak but the second or third choice is great value,
than wheeling that second or third choice with a number of other
horses may be your best bet.
Another instance where a trifecta can pay well
is when you think a good value favorite will win, but the remaining
contenders are weak and can finish out of the money. A wheel of
this type of favorite on top of a number of longshots in the second
and third positions can often produce lucrative payoffs, especially
in big fields.
Cost of $1 trifecta boxes with multiple horses:
· 3 horse $1 trifecta box = $6
· 4 horse $1 trifecta box = $24
· 5 horse $1 trifecta box = $60
· 6 horse $1 trifecta box = $120
· 7 horse $1 trifecta box = $210
· 8 horse $1 trifecta box = $336
· 9 horse $1 trifecta box = $504
· 10 horse $1 trifecta box = $720
· 11 horse $1 trifecta box = $990
· 12 horse $1 trifecta box = $1320
Cost of $1 trifecta wheel keying one horse
with multiple horses in the other two positions:
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 3 horses = $6
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 4 horses = $12
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 5 horses = $20
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 6 horses = $30
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 7 horses = $42
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 8 horses = $56
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 9 horses = $72
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 10 horses = $90
· $1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 11 horses = $110
Related: Article on Betting
Trifecta Wheels
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