Want to try your hand at betting on horse racing? Whether you choose your winning horses based on their names, the jockey’s weight, your favourite colour or past wins, a day at the races is so much more enjoyable if you have an idea of the type of bets you can place, and what it means if you win.

The Straight Forward Bets

These bets are the easiest ones to place if you are new to the sport and want to enjoy the sports betting NZ has to offer. Uncomplicated, you simply pick your favourites and place your bet.

• Win – In a bet to win you are, yes, you guessed it, betting on which horse is going to win. If your selected pony wins, so do you.
• Place – A place bet is when you bet on your runner to place 1^st or 2^nd. Keep in mind the number of runners, as the fewer horses in the race means fewer chances to win. Most betting sites and bookmakers will only pay-out for three places in fuller races. Less than eight runners and the pay-out is for 1^st and 2^nd
• Each Way – An Each Way bet is a two in one bet. Basically, a win and a place bet. If your horse comes in 1^st you win the Place bet and the Win bet. If your Horse comes in 2^nd or 3^rd you lose the win but still win on the place.

The Less Straight Forward Bets

The more complex and exact the bet the better the pay outs can be. The below bets are an intro into the more exotic options

• Quinella – Choose the horses to place 1^st and 2^nd. It doesn’t matter which order they come in, if they’re in the top two you’re a winner.
• Exacta – Much the same as the Quinella, except the Exacta like its name sounds, means you are choosing the exact order of the first two places. Not as easy to call, the winnings are usually a bit bigger.
• Trifecta – Pick the horses for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd to win the Trifecta.
• Superfecta– Horses 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the order they will finish.

• Quadrella – In a quadrella you choose the four winners from four predetermined races. They split the winnings in the pool between the successful players.
• First Four – The horses to come in the top four
  • Straight first four – You choose your top four in the specific order they will place.
  • Box first four – Your four picks come in the first four in any order.
  • Standout first four – You specify the winner and any combination of horses for 2^nd, 3^rd and 4

Boxed bets

• You can play a boxed Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta and Superfecta. With a boxed bet you are picking your horses to win in any combination.

Although not an exhaustive list, this will give you a good base to start from. As you spend more time learning about the sport you will pick up more about the types of bets, how the odds work and the best way to choose your winning horse.