Trifecta Wheel Betting

By Kenneth Strong of Ultimatecapper.com

Betting trifecta wheels gives you a chance at a big score for a modest or even minimal outlay of cash. Trifecta wheels allow you to bet numerous trifecta combinations on one ticket by using a key horse to finish in one position with any combination of horses to finish in the remaining two positions in the trifecta.

As previously discussed in our trifecta betting article, trifecta wagering requires you to pick the first three finishers in a race in exact order. Trifecta wheels allow you to cover all possible combinations that might come in with your key horse.

Most racetracks offer $1 trifecta wheels. A $1 trifecta wheel with one horse to finish first with any of three other horses to finish second or third would include 6 possible combinations at a cost of $6 as follows: $1 trifecta wheel 1 with 2,3,4 with 2,3,4.

The above ticket would pay off if the 1 horse ran first and any of 2,3,4 finished second or third. The possible winning trifecta combinations resulting from the above $1 trifecta wheel would be:

1-2-3, 1-2-4, 1-3-2, 1-3-4, 1-4-2, 1-4-3

It should be noted that when you are playing a trifecta wheel you can use your key horse in any of the first three positions. The above $1 trifecta wheel could also have been bet at a cost of $6 with the 1 horse in the second or third positions with 2,3,4 as follows.

$1 trifecta wheel 2,3,4 with 1 with 2,3,4 (the 1 horse must finish second with either of 2,3,4 in first or third)

$1 trifecta wheel 2,3,4 with 2,3,4 with 1. (the 1 horse must finish third with either of 2,3,4 in first or second)

To calculate the cost of a trifecta wheel using one horse with a set number of other horses you take the number of horses you want to wheel your key horse with and multiply that number by that number minus 1. For example, if you want bet a $1 trifecta wheel with one horse to finish first with five other horses to finish second and third as follows:

$1 trifecta wheel 1 with 2,3,4,5,6 with 2,3,4,5,6.

The cost would be calculated as 1 * 5 * 4 = $20.

Note: In this case the horses you have selected to finish second and third must be the same horses, or the cost changes.

The cost of betting a $1 trifecta wheel with one horse in one position over numerous other horses in the other two positions (or with the entire field) is as follows:

$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 3 horses = $6 (6 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 4 horses = $12 (12 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 5 horses = $20 (20 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 6 horses = $30 (30 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 7 horses = $42 (42 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 8 horses = $56 (56 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 9 horses = $72 (72 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 10 horses = $90 (90 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 11 horses = $110 (110 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 12 horses = $132 (132 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 13 horses = $156 (156 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 14 horses = $182 (182 possible combinations)
$1 trifecta wheel 1 horse with 15 horses = $210 (210 possible combinations)

While trifecta wheels offer you chance at every possible combination if your key horse finishes in the selected position, some handicappers argue that they are inefficient. The reasoning is that you are betting the same amount ($1) on every possible combination, when the probability of certain combinations coming in is greater in some cases then in others. Some handicappers therefore recommend that you bet more on combinations that have a higher probability of coming in and less on the others.

While the above approach is correct in its assumptions, it also requires a sophisticated knowledge of probabilities and betting strategies. If you are a serious bettor with the advanced handicapping skills necessary to determine the probabilities of each combination and bet those combinations accordingly, that would be the way to play. But since most bettors just want to play and have fun and not spend three hours figuring out probabilities, a trifecta wheel is the easy way to play.

And there are a few occasions when simple trifecta wheels make good sense. The first is when you think the favorite can finish out of the money and you really like a key horse to finish in the money in what appears to be a wide open race. If your key horse is not the favorite, and it comes in with a couple of longshots the trifecta can pay boxcars.

The second and most lucrative trifecta wheel betting scenario in North America occurs twice a year – on Kentucky Derby day and Breeders’ Cup day, when the betting pools are monstrous and the horses are shipping in from all over the world or from different regions North America. These racing days can be even more lucrative if you think the favorite can finish out of the money and you really like another horse.

For example, let’s say you liked Afleet Alex to finish in the money in the 2005 Kentucky Derby at odds of 4-1 and you thought favorite Bellamy Road could finish out of the money. A $1 trifecta wheel with Afleet Alex to finish first with all (19 additional runners) would have cost you $342. The cost to also wheel Afleet Alex to finish second and third would have cost you an additional $684 for a total cash outlay of $1026.

In the actual race, Giacomo (50-1) finished first, Closing Argument (71-1) finished second and Afleet Alex (4-1) finished third. Favorite Bellamy Road finished out of the money. The 2005 Kentucky Derby trifecta of 10-18-12 returned $133,134.80 for a $2 wheel and $66,567.40 for $1 wheel. Your profit? A cool $65,541.40.

In the 2006 Kentucky Derby second-choice Barbaro (6-1) finished first followed by Bluegrass Cat (30-1) and Steppenwolfer (16-1) with favorite Sweetnorthernsaint finishing out of the money. Again, wheeling Barbaro for first, second and third with the additional 19 runners in the field would have cost you $1026. The 2006 Kentucky Derby Trifecta of 8-13-2 returned $11,418.40 for a $2 trifecta wheel and $5709.20 for a $1 trifecta wheel. Again, a healthy profit of $4683.20.

The next time someone tells you betting trifecta wheels is not profitable, smile.

Tell them you know better.