Wagering Guide
How to Place a Bet
The Track & RaceName the track and the number of the race you want to wager on.
Dollar AmountState the dollar amount of your wager.
Type of WagerState the type of bet you wish to make — Win, Place, Show, Exacta, etc.
Program NumberGive the program number(s) of the horse or horses you want to bet.
Collect & WinAlways hold your tickets until the race is OFFICIAL, then collect at any pari-mutuel window.
Say it like this at the window
"Tampa Bay Downs, Race 2, $5 to win on number 3, please."
"Tampa Bay Downs, Race 6, $2 exacta box, 4 and 8."
Always check your tickets and count your change before leaving the window.
Types of Wagers
Single-Race Bets
Win
Single RaceYour horse must finish 1st. The simplest and most popular bet in horse racing.
Place
Single RaceYour horse must finish 1st or 2nd. Pays less than a win bet but gives you more ways to cash.
Show
Single RaceYour horse must finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. The safest of the straight wagers.
Multi-Horse Bets
Daily Double
2 RacesChoose the winners of two consecutive races. Wagers must be placed before the first of the two races.
Exacta
1 Race · 2 HorsesPick the horses finishing 1st and 2nd in exact order. Box them to cover multiple combinations.
Trifecta
1 Race · 3 HorsesPick the first three finishers in exact order. Higher difficulty, higher payout potential.
Superfecta
1 Race · 4 HorsesPick the first four finishers in exact order. Often available for as little as 10 cents per combination.
Super High-5
1 Race · 5 HorsesPick the first five finishers in exact order. If no one hits it, the pool carries over to the next Super High-5 race.
Multi-Race Pick Bets
Pick-3
3 Consecutive RacesChoose the winner of three consecutive races. Wagers must be placed before the first of the three races.
Pick-4
4 Consecutive RacesChoose the winner of four consecutive races. Wagers must be placed before the first of the four races.
Pick-5
5 Consecutive RacesChoose the winner of five consecutive races. If not hit, Tampa Bay Downs pays out for four correct picks! Pools can carry over to the next day, and the full pool is paid out on the last racing day of the meet.
Ultimate 6
6 Consecutive Races · Min. $0.20Pick the winner of six consecutive races. A sole winning ticket collects the full jackpot. Otherwise, 75% is split among the most correct picks and 25% carries over to the next racing day.
Horse Racing Terms
A
Across the Board: A win, place and show bet on a horse.
Age: All Thoroughbreds celebrate their birthday on January 1.
Allowance: A race other than a claiming event, with specific conditions.
Apprentice: A jockey who has ridden for less than a year and receives weight allowances.
B
Backside: The racetrack's barn area.
Backstretch: The straightaway opposite from the grandstand.
Bay: A color ranging from tan to dark chestnut with black mane, tail and points.
Beyer Speed Rating: A numerical measure of race performance popularized by Andy Beyer of The Washington Post.
Black: Black with no brown or tan patches.
Bounce: An exceptionally poor performance on the heels of an exceptionally good one.
Broodmare: Female horse used for breeding.
Broodmare sire: A sire whose female offspring become producers of race horses.
Bug: The asterisk (*) denoting an apprentice jockey and their weight allowance.
Bullet: Fastest workout of the day at a particular distance.
C
Call to the post: A bugle call signaling the horses to the starting gate.
Chestnut: A color ranging from light gold to deep red; also a small horny growth on the inside of a horse's front legs.
Claiming race: A race where horses are for sale at a price specified before the race. Claims are made before the race; the new owner assumes possession immediately after.
Colt: An ungelded male horse 4 years old or younger.
D
Dam: The mother of a horse.
Dark bay or brown: Brown coat with areas of tan and black points.
Dark day: A day at the racetrack when there is no racing.
Derby: A stakes race for 3-year-olds.
Distaff: A race for female horses; a distaffer is a female horse.
Driving: Strong urging by the jockey.
E
Early foot: Good speed at the start of a race.
Entry: Two or more horses representing the same owner or trainer, running together as a single betting entity.
F
Fast: The preferred dirt surface rating — dry, firm and even.
Filly: A female horse younger than 5 years old.
Foal: A baby horse from birth until weaned from its mother.
Furlong: An eighth of a mile.
G
Gelding: A neutered male horse.
Good: A track surface that is still drying out but is almost fast.
Gray or roan: A black coat interspersed with white hairs; grays are typically born dark and lighten with age.
H
Handicapping: Studying past performances to determine relative qualities and abilities of horses.
Handle: The sum of all wagers bet on a race or race card.
Horse: In racing, specifically any male 5 or older with genitalia intact.
I
Inquiry: Official investigation of a rules infraction.
J
Juvenile: A 2-year-old horse.
L
Lasix: Diuretic medication given to horses which bleed.
Length: A measure of distance based on the average length of a horse.
M
Maiden: A horse that hasn't won a flat race in any country.
Mare: A female horse 5 or older.
Morning line: The preliminary odds set by the track handicapper.
Muddy: A wet, sticky racing surface.
O
Objection: A claim of foul lodged by a jockey or trainer against another horse.
Off track: A track that is not fast; also, wagering offered away from the host facility.
Overlay: A horse going off at higher odds than its past performances appear to warrant.
P
Paddock: Structure or area where horses are saddled before going to the track.
Pari-mutuel: System of wagering where all money is returned to bettors after deduction of track and state percentages.
R
Ridgling: A colt or horse with one descended testicle.
Route: Any distance longer than 1 mile.
S
Scratch: A horse that has been withdrawn from a race.
Sealed track: A packed dirt track; sealed dry to repel water, sealed wet for a safe and even surface.
Silks: Jacket and cap worn by jockeys.
Sire: Father of a horse.
Sloppy: A track so saturated with rain that water lies on the surface.
Slow: A muddy surface beginning to dry out.
Sprint: Any distance less than 1 mile.
Stallion: Male horse used for breeding.
Steward: Track official who enforces rules and determines race outcomes in cases of inquiry or objection.
Stud: A stallion; also a farm home to one or more stallions.
T
Turf course: A grass-covered race course.
U
Underlay: A horse going off at lower odds than its past performances appear to warrant.
V
Valet: A person who helps jockeys keep their wardrobe and equipment in order (pronounced VAL-ay).
W
Weight: The assigned weight for a horse, including jockey, equipment and lead weights if needed.
Weanling: A young horse separated from its mother but not yet a year old (generally weaned at 4–6 months).
Workout: An exercise session at a predetermined distance.
Y
Yearling: A 1-year-old horse; for Thoroughbreds in the Northern Hemisphere, all birth dates are counted from January 1.
Wagering Information
Wagering Menu
A complete list of all bets available at Tampa Bay Downs, including minimum wager amounts for each bet type.
Learn More →Wagering Online
Place bets from anywhere with online wagering. Learn how to get started, fund your account, and wager on live racing.
Learn More →