How to Bet

When it comes to betting on horses, deciding what type of bet to place is important. Bets can range from simple bets on a single horse in one race, to choosing the winning horses for four, five or even six consecutive races. The information below helps you explore your betting options.

Basic Bet Types

  • WIN: This is the easiest and most popular bet. You collect money if your horse is the winner of the race. 
  • PLACE: A place wager collects money if your horse finishes in either first or second position. 
  • SHOW: A show wager collects money if your horse finishes in either first, second or third position. 

Combinations of these three basic bets, such as "WIN PLACE SHOW" (WPS), are also available. For these combinations you are, in essence, placing multiple bets at the same time.

Other Bet Types

Multi-Race Wagers

There are several types of wagers that can be made involving the selection of winning horses across multiple consecutive races:

  • DAILY DOUBLE: Pick the winners of two designated consecutive races. Traditionally, most racetracks start their program with a daily double on the first and second races. The wager must be made prior to the start of the first race of the daily double. 
  • PICK 3, WIN 4, PICK 5, PICK 6, etc.: The bettor has to select the winners of a designated set of consecutive races. The wager must be made prior to the start of the first race in the multi-race wager.
  • GRAND SLAM: The bettors must select a horse to finish either first, second or third in three consecutive races and then the official winner in the last leg.
  • MAGNA 5: Similar to a standard Pick-5, the bettor must correctly select the winners of a designated set of 5 races across various tracks.
  • PLACE PICK ALL: The bettors must select the most 1st or 2nd place finishers in the designated races.
  • SIXTY MINUTE SIX: Similar to a standard Pick-6, the bettor must correctly select the winners of a designated set of 6 races across various tracks all within 1 hour.

Exotic Bet Types

There are also several types of bets that can be made involving the selection of multiple horses within a race. These bets require you to pick more than one horse in the correct order. The odds of winning these bets are more difficult, but the potential for reward is much greater.

  • EXACTOR/EXACTA: A wager in which you select two horses that must finish first and second in that exact order in a race.
  • QUINELLA: A wager in which you select two horses that must finish first and second in either order in a race.
  • TRIACTOR: A wager in which you select three horses that must finish first, second and third in that exact order in a race.
  • SUPERFECTA/SUPERFECTOR: A wager in which you select four horses that must finish first, second, third and fourth in that exact order in a race.
  • SUPER HI-5: A wager in which you select five horses that must finish first, second, third, fourth and fifth in that exact order in a race.

*Additional exotic bets can include boxes, keys, and wheels:

  • BOX: A wagering term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered.
  • KEY: A single horse used in multiple combinations in an exotic wager. 
  • PART WHEEL: Using a key horse or horses in different, but not all possible, exotic wagering combinations.
  • WHEEL: Betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as the key.

 

Building Your Bet

HPIbet is easy, makes betting online easy, and it can be done in 5 simple steps:

  1. Choose the Track and Race number you want to bet on.
  2. Choose the Bet Type you want to make.
  3. Choose the amount you want to wager.
  4. Choose the Horse(s) you want to wager on.
  5. Place your Bet.

The total cost of your wager will be automatically deducted from your HPI account balance once you have submitted your wager. If your wager pays off your account will be automatically credited with your winnings once the race results are finalized.