This is a quick and dirty description of common bets at race tracks and how they work. These bets are found at just about all types of tracks, including thoroughbred, harness, quarter horse, and greyhound tracks.

A bet that produces a return only if your horse comes first in an event (i.e. wins). A win bet may be placed on a single event.

Place

A bet that produces a return only if your horse finishes first or within a predetermined number of positions (places) of the winner of an event, which is usually 1st, 2nd or 3rd. The return is often based on a fixed proportion of the winning odds for your horse.

Each-Way

A combination of win and place bets of equal size. Each-Way bets may be placed on a single event or on two or more selections in a multiple bet. Each-Way multiple bets are settled on a win-to-win and place-to-place basis.

Single – A bet on an individual horse.

Multiple bet – A double, treble or accumulator. A linked series of winning singles where all the return from the first horse is automatically staked on the second horse as a single win and so on until all horses have won, thus giving a return, or until one horse loses in which case the whole bet is lost.

Double – A bet on two horses; both of which must win to gain a return.

Treble – A bet on three horses; all three of which must win to gain a return.

Accumulator – A bet on four or more horses; all of which must win to gain a return. Accumulators are often named after the number of horses they contain – thus we can get a fourfold, fivefold or sixfold accumulator (or even higher).

Top Tip: Failing that, find someone holding the days racing post and ask them for hints and tips. The races are a very friendly event and people love sharing their stories of when they won ‘big’ so we’re sure it’ll be easy to find a helpful person.

We hope you win!