How to place a bet at the racecourse

The two everyday counters are the on-course bookmakers (the row in the betting ring) and the Tote windows. If you are new, the Tote staff will walk you through a slip.

Win and each-way

A win bet names a horse to finish first. If it wins you are paid the odds you took, times your stake.

An each-way bet is two bets: one to win, one to place. Place usually means second, or third in bigger fields, and sometimes fourth in major handicaps. The place part is typically paid at one fifth of the win odds. You pay twice the unit stake.

Tote exotics

• Forecast / Exacta — first and second, in order. A combination on three horses, any order, costs six units.
• Tricast / Trifecta — first, second and third. Hard; the dividend can be huge.
• Placepot — a placed horse in each of the first six races. Cheap to play, easy to share a line.
• Jackpot — the winner of each of the first six. Almost nobody lands it. That is the point.

More selections means more combinations and a bigger total stake. Bet only what you can afford to lose.