How the Exacta works and a guide to betting on it

What is an Exacta?

• A Tote Exacta bet requires you to pick the first and second horses to finish in a race.
• This can be a straight Exacta or a reverse Exacta.
• Minimum bet is £2, or a £1 reverse Exacta for a total stake of £2.

How do Tote Exacta bets work?

Aim for a big dividend payout by finding the first two horses to finish in any race. If you fancy a particular finishing order, then a straight Exacta is the bet to strike. If you want to cover yourself, a reverse Exacta means you'll be paid out if your chosen horses finish first and second in the either order.

Winning a Tote Exacta bet

While the premise of a Tote Exacta is to back the two horses who finish first and second in the race of your choice, there are three ways in which you can place an Exacta bet.

Straight Exacta

This is the simplest way, and the one that will generally see you return more on your initial stake. For this bet to you win, you pick two horses to come first and second, in that order. If you they do, you win a share of the money in the Tote Exacta pool.

Combination Exacta

Think you know which two horses will come home first, but not sure which order? Then this is the bet for you. With a combination exacta your bet will include both Horse A to finish first ahead of Horse B, as well as Horse B coming first, with Horse A in second.

You need to remember that by placing a Tote Exacta of this kind, you are essentially having two bets, with your selections reversed. Therefore, your stake will be double to that of a Straight Exacta.

A Combination Exacta doesn't have to be limited to just two horses either. You can choose as many horses as you like to make up your bet. Once again, because you are multiplying your potential winning lines, you are also multiplying your stake.

For example, choosing three horses in your Combination Exacta would mean your bet would include 12 bets, with the following potential winning combinations:

Horse A 1st, Horse B 2nd
Horse A 1st, Horse C 2nd
Horse B 1st, Horse A 2nd
Horse B 1st, Horse C 2nd
Horse C 1st, Horse A 2nd
Horse C 1st, Horse B 2nd

If there's one horse your particularly keen on, but you can't decide between a couple of others to fill the runners-up spot, a Banker Exacta could be the bet for you.

Banker Exacta

With this bet, you fix the horse to finish first, but cover the permutations of any other number of horses to finish second.

In effect this type of bet sits somewhere in the risk stakes of a Straight Exacta and Combination Exacta.

Non-runners in Tote Exacta bets

The repercussions of a non-runner in a Tote Exacta bet that you have placed depends on the number of horses you have included.

For Straight Exactas, a non-runner would deem your whole bet void.

If you have multiple lines and combinations in your bet, then only those scenarios including that horse would be deemed void, and your stake returned, the remaining bets will stand.

How to place a Tote Exacta bet online

To place a Tote Exacta bet online, just navigate to the meeting and race you wish to bet on and select the Tote Exacta tab above the racecard.

Choose whether you want to place a Straight Exacta with two horses or a Banker or Combination Exacta with three or more horses.

Select your horses, and click on '1st', '2nd' or 'Any' to specify where in your Tote Exacta you are betting for them to come. Once you have added all your desired horses to the betslip, enter your stake and place your bet.

How to place a Tote Exacta bet on course

To place a bet on course just head to one of the Tote kiosks and tell our staff that you'd like to place a Tote Exacta, and which horses you'd like to bet on. Tell them your stake, and they will help you placing your bet.

Remember to always check your slip before leaving the counter to make sure your bet is correct.

Click here for full Tote Exacta rules, terms & info