STRAIGHT BETS

WIN
A "WIN" bet is just what it sounds like: betting that the horse you pick will win the race. You win if the horse wins.

PLACE
For a horse to "PLACE" it must finish the race either first or second. This bet generally pays less than the win bet but it gives you two chances to win instead of just one.

SHOW
For a horse to "SHOW" it must finish the race either first, second or third. This bet generally pays less than either the win or place bet, but it gives you three chances to get a return for your investment.

ACROSS THE BOARD
This is a quick way to say that I want to bet a horse to finish in any of the first three positions etc. ($2 Across The Board = $2 to win, $2 to place, and $2 to show). If the horse wins you collect all three bets. If the horse finishes 2nd then you collect the place and show bets. If the horse finishes 3rd then you will only collect the show bet.

For A Group Try The SHOW PARLAY
This is always fun to do when you are at the track with a group of friends. Each participant contributes to the pool of betting money (i.e. $5). You elect a captain to make the wager. Everyone participating gets to vote for their choice of the horse to show. You place the bet on the horse that gets the most votes. If the horse finishes in the top three positions you add the winnings to the pool of betting money and select another race to do the same thing.

Remember that it is not a good idea for this parlay bet or any other bet to attempt to play every race on the card. Some races are much harder to determine the winners. These races should be passed and save your money for better opportunities. As with most everything in life it is more fun to win than lose.