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Types of Bets

Having a bet at the races can be a scary proposition if you haven't done it before! There are lots of different kinds of bets you can place, but we thought we would keep it nice and simple and just give you some of the basics...


Win
A win bet means you will receive the win dividend if your chosen horse should bolt in. Otherwise referred to as 'on the nose'.

Place
Means you will receive the place dividend if your horse comes first, second or third.

Each way
Otherwise known as 'hedging your bet'. It is a combination of a win and place bet. If your horse wins, you walk away with both the win and place dividend, and if your horse comes second or third, you will collect the place dividend.  A $1 each way bet will cost you $2.

Quinella
Simply pick two horses to come first or second in any order and you will receive the quinella dividend. This will cost $1 (but you can pay more, thus doubling or even tripling the amount of the dividend you would receive should you win the quinella).

Box Quinella
Pick more than two horses to increase your chances of winning. You will only need two of your horses to get 1st and 2nd in order to win the quinalla. This will cost upwards of $3 (for three horses, $6 for four, $10 for five...)

Trifecta
Pick three horses in the exact order they will romp home in and you will receive this dividend. (FYI trifectas can pay into the thousands).

Box Trifecta
Just pick three horses and if they win in any order you're a winner! You can pay a bit more and pick more horses to increase your chances of winning ($6 for three horses, $24 for four, $60 for five...)

Easy Bet
Can't decide? Just think of this as the dating agency of the racecourse - simply pay your money and let the computer choose! Easy Bets are available for win, quinella and trifecta bets. The most popular Easy Bet amounts are $4 and $8. 

Gimme 5
A great social bet! For $10, pick five horses and if any of them finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd you will win a percentage of the trifecta!

Want more?
There is a whole range of other bet types you can place. Check out www.TAB.co.nz, your racebook or ask a friendly tote operator when you are at the races!

 
 

Click on the following links for information on:




How To Bet
Find a Tote Operator 

  • At Ellerslie, you will find at least one in every bar or hospitality area, throughout the stands and in the tote caravan which is located opposite the Race Day Office (out the back of the Ascot Stand).


Have the following information on hand:

  • The race number
  • The type of bet you would like to place (win, quinella, Easy Bet)
  • Your horse's number
  • The amount you would like to bet

Then, let the Tote Operator know all about it!
 

  • For example you could say something like "Race 5 at Ellerslie, quinella on horses numbers 1 & 8, $3 please"


Don't be scared! The Tote Operators are there to help you - just let them know you are a first timer and they will talk you through it. 

FYIs & FAQs
 The minimum amount you can place on a bet is $1.00. However, some bet types will cost more than $1.00.

There is no maximum amount that you can bet.

All bets are placed in $1 multiples. This means that you while you can put $1.00 on a horse to win, you can't put $1.50 on it.

If you have put $5.00 on a horse to win, you will receive five times the amount of the win dividend.

Ever wondered why one (or sometimes two) horse's names are flashing on the boards? The flashing name is showing which horse is the favourite in the race (i.e. which horse most people are favouring to win).

Check your tickets! You have 60s after placing your bet to exchange it - so make sure you've backed the right horse!