What is a Trifecta?.

A trifecta is a popular racing exotic where you pick the first three horses in a race in the correct finishing order. Land all three in the right spots and you collect the dividend. It asks more of you than a simple win bet, but the payouts are usually much bigger, and tools like boxing and flexi betting make it easier to get involved.

How a trifecta works

To win a straight trifecta you must select the horses that finish first, second and third, in that exact order. If your three horses fill those placings in a different order, the bet loses. A trifecta is a tote (pari-mutuel) bet, so there is no fixed price. Every winning ticket shares the pool and the dividend is declared after the race, which is why a result that few punters tipped can pay so well.

Boxing a trifecta

Picking three horses in exact order is hard, so most punters box their trifecta. A boxed trifecta wins if your selected horses fill the first three placings in any order. The trade-off is cost, because a box pays for every possible order. Add more runners to the box to widen your cover.

Combinations in a boxed trifecta:

3 horses = 6 combinations

4 horses = 24 combinations

5 horses = 60 combinations

Flexi betting keeps it affordable

As the number of combinations climbs, so does the cost at a full unit. Flexi betting lets you set your total spend and take a percentage of the full bet. Your flexi percentage is your stake divided by the number of combinations, and your payout is the declared dividend multiplied by that percentage. For example, a four-horse box of 24 combinations taken for $12 is betting at 50 percent, so a $900 trifecta dividend would pay $450.

How to bet a trifecta on Bet Right

1. Open the race and choose the trifecta option.
2. Pick your horses for first, second and third, or select box to cover every order.
3. Set your stake, or use flexi to take a percentage of the full bet.
4. Check the number of combinations and the total cost on the bet slip.
5. Confirm. The bet settles to the declared tote dividend if your horses fill the placings.

Trifecta FAQs

What does boxing a trifecta mean?

It means your bet wins if your chosen horses finish first, second and third in any order, rather than one exact order.

What is the difference between a trifecta and a first four?

A trifecta needs the first three horses; a first four needs the first four. See what is a first four.

Is a trifecta fixed odds or tote?

A trifecta is a tote bet, so the dividend is declared after the race rather than locked in when you bet.

Once you are comfortable with trifectas, try a wider exotic like the quaddie, or start smaller with an exacta. You can find every exotic, with flexi betting, on Bet Right's Best Tote Exotics.