What Is an Exacta in Horse Racing

If you’re new to betting on horse racing, you may be wondering – what is an exacta? Terms like exacta, trifecta, superfecta and quinella are common in the world of horse racing betting, but what do they mean?

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Lucky for you, we created this guide to answer the question – what is an exacta? Not only do we explain how the bet works, but we also share some expert tips for winning exacta bets. Let’s get right into it.

What Is an Exacta Bet?

So, what is an exacta? An exacta bet requires you to pick the two horses that will finish first and second in a race. The horses must finish in exactly the right order, meaning any other combination will cause the bet to lose.

Exacta bets are hugely popular thanks to the possibility of winning large sums of money from relatively small stakes. Since you need to predict both the winning horse and the runner-up in the correct order, exacta odds are often very attractive.

Here is an example of a successful exacta bet:

• There are 10 horses in a race
• You back Horse 3 to finish first and Horse 6 to finish second
• Horse 3 wins the race and Horse 6 claims the runner-up spot
• The combined odds give you a tasty payout

Here is an example of an unsuccessful exacta bet:

• There are 10 horses in a race
• You back Horse 2 to finish first and Horse 8 to finish second
• Horse 8 wins the race and Horse 2 finishes second
• You lose the exacta bet because the horses finished in the wrong order

What Is a Trifecta Bet

Tips for Winning Exacta Bets in Horse Racing

It’s time to go over some useful tips for winning exacta bets in horse racing. Now that you’re up to speed on what is an exacta, you need to familiarize yourself with some strategies that can help you beat the bookies.

Don’t Always Pick the Two Favorites

While consistently picking the two favorites may seem like a good idea, the chances of both horses finishing in the top two aren’t as promising as they appear. Plus, you need to predict the correct order.

It is worth remembering that the bookies’ favorite only wins around 33% of horse races. With that in mind, you should always assess the entire field before finalizing your exacta bet.

Build Your Exactas Around Low-Priced Favorites

Although we recommend exploring all the options when it comes to exactas, you shouldn’t ignore low-priced favorites. Some horses are heavily favored to win, so building your exacta around that horse is a smart move.

For example, if the top four horses in a race are priced between +500 and +600, it is difficult to determine a clear favorite. Conversely, if the favorite is priced at +200 and the second favorite is priced at +700, it makes perfect sense to include the favorite in your exacta.

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Study the Form Guide

Even the best horses go through periods of bad form, while underdogs can enjoy hot streaks. For that reason, you need to assess the form guide before locking in your exacta bets.

There are tons of websites that specialize in horse racing statistics and trends. On top of that, many online sportsbooks have form information for each race they offer. Now that you know what is an exacta bet, it’s time to head to an online racebook and start winning some money betting on horse racing.