What is a Trifecta bet?- All you need to know (Beginners’ Guide)

What is a Trifecta bet?

We will look over this in more detail in the article below. Trifecta bets are tricky to predict as a lot can happen in a race; this, however, also means there are high rewards for low initial stakes if and when you are a winner. It is a fun, low-cost way of gambling on horses and dogs, and for that reason, has always proved very popular with part-time punters on race meet days.

How does Trifecta betting work - Examples

A simple trifecta is usually known as a straight trifecta, it is the easiest to place, and it is what we will look at here to get you started with your trifecta betting journey.

All you need to do is select 3 different horses and decide in what order they will finish in the race, covering positions 1, 2, and 3.  So you would first choose the trifecta option on the betslip, and then click in the relevant order onto the horse that you predict to come first, then second, then third. Often instead of names you must choose the horses by their number, but this can vary from site to site.

Your bet will only win if these 3 horses finish in that exact order.

What is the Payout structure, and how are odds calculated?

So how do payouts work with your trifecta bet? These differ for different variations of trifecta and these are outlined elsewhere in the article, but below we shall look just at how odds are calculated for a straight trifecta bet like the one you have above.

The cost of a trifecta bet is determined by multiplying the number of possible winning combinations from the selections by the initial stake. A straight trifecta is a permutation without repetition, so the number of choices reduces as each place is filled, and the final overall bet has only two outcomes: a win or a loss.

Trifectas are a form of wagering in which the payouts are calculated based on the share of an overall betting pool. For trifectas, a new pool is created for each race. The larger the pool, the higher the payout if you win. Here is a basic example of how this works.

Of course, in real terms, you would have to add in additional factors such as not every bet will be  1 and that a bookmaker will take their own cut out of the prize pool. However, as you can see a trifecta can offer large returns for a very low initial stake. This is why they are so popular with both low-stakes gamblers and bookmakers themselves.

Bear in mind that Tote and bookmaker figures differ, and all bookmakers will have their own ways of calculating a trifecta return and some may calculate things in a different way completely.

Types of Trifecta bets

There are a few variations on a trifecta bet, and there are a number of ways you will hear them referred to, so it is worth looking over these so you are placing the correct form of trifecta when you are making your wager, and you have an idea of which trifecta is best for your personal gambling style.

• Straight Trifecta bets - A straight trifecta bet means predicting the first 3 finishers in a race in their exact finishing order. You will win a straight trifecta if your picks finish in the exact positions you have chosen.
• Trifecta Key bets - A trifecta key bet requires you to choose the correct horse to finish in 1st place, while the other 2 racers you pick can finish in any position. You can pick 1-(2 or 3)-(3 or 2). You will win this bet only if your chosen racer wins the race and the following 2 racers come 2nd and 3rd in any order.
• Trifecta Wheel bets - A trifecta wheel bet means you predict on a horse to finish in a set position (say 2nd) then bet on other combinations around this. You could pick any-2-any, for instance, or a combination of bets with horses in exact positions - 1-2-any, any-2-3. Your bet wins if the racer (or racers) you have selected finishes in the exact position you have chosen.
• Trifecta Box bets - A trifecta box bet means choosing various finishing positions in the first 3, and is basically like an accumulator. You will cover the racers to finish in positions 1-2-3 in this exact order and all variations of this outcome, so you will be covering the outcomes of 1-2-3, 1-3-2, 2-3-1, 2-1-3, 3-1-2, and 3-2-1. This makes it up to 6 separate bets on these finishing positions, though you do not have to cover them all. Your bet will win if any of the chosen selections happen.

Trifecta vs. other exotic bets

Exotic bets in horse and greyhound racing terms concern a bet where you are covering multiple runners in a race. This means it is a bet where you can win despite not necessarily backing the winning runner. A trifecta bet falls into this category, but it is probably the best-known of them and one of the easiest to predict, as some exotic bets (a forecast, exacta) can have a lot more selections involved with them.

There are also exotic bets, such as will a horse fall at the first fence or will a horse last the distance, usually used at large jump races. All these types of bets are more in the fun category and not generally looked at by serious punters. Many of these bets originate from casual bets for mug punters that were popularised during horse racing days at the track.

Trifecta Bonuses

Bookmakers like trifecta bets as the odds are firmly in their favour and they can promote and pay out the big winners without taking too much of a hit on their profits. For this reason, you may find several offers and promotions on major horse races concerning these types of bets.

Remember to always gamble responsibly

Conclusion

This is a really fun way of making bets where you can play low stakes and potentially gain super high rewards with big payouts! Realistically even the best laid plans in this type of bet can quickly come undone with a horse falling or a dog being trapped on the inside line, so have a punt when you have a couple of spare quid on a raceday and see how you get on. Best of luck.