What is a Show Bet?

1. Horse Betting Odds Win Place Showing
2. Horse Racing Win Place Show
3. Horse Betting Odds Win Place Show Results

When you bet to show your horse must finish first, second or third in order for you to cash a ticket.

20348528x28Price Boost Icon Roxanne. 49 7 8 EXTRA PLACE 5+ 1 NEW 6 1. The takeout rate on a Win bet (as well as Place and Show wagers), that is the amount of money the track removes from each pool to cover expenses, is generally 15-20% depending on the track. The remainder is then distributed to those that hold Win tickets on the first-place horse. (The Win pool is separate from the Place and Show pools.). Odds are simply the way prices and payouts are shown at a horse track. The numbers displayed as 4-7 or 2-5 tell you what you pay and how much you get back if the horse you bet on wins. The first number tells you how much you could win, the second number is the amount you bet. So, if the odds are listed as 2-1, you’ll get $2 for every $1 you bet.

The problem with show betting is that while your risk is reduced (you cash a ticket if your horses finishes anywhere in the top three positions), the payoffs are often very small when compared to win or place betting. This is because the show pool (all money wagered to show on a race minus the track takeout) must be divided equally and paid out to the holders of show tickets on the first three finishers in a race.

Take a look at the Win Bet Payout Table below to find out the minimum win bet payouts depending on the post time odds of a horse. The Win Bet Payout Table will show you the minimum payout for a $2, $5 and $10 win bet, the decimal and fractional odds along with the post time odds ranging from from a 1/9 heavy favorite all the way to a 99/1 longshot. The show bet in parimutuel horse racing betting is a wager on a single horse finishing anywhere in the top three places. It is a simple yes/no proposition that pays the same whether the horse finishes in first, second, or third place. As long as the selected horse places somewhere in the top three, the show bet.

Additionally, the payoffs on show bets are dependant on which horses finish in the top three positions. If the favorites run out of the top three positions, the show payoffs will normally be higher than if the favorites finish in the first three positions.

There are a few situations, however, when show betting can be either justified or just plain fun.

The first situation occurs when a race includes one short-priced favorite and ALL other runners in the race are longshots. In this scenario, the favorite will sometimes pay as much to place and show as it does to win.

The second situation in which show betting can offer a good payoff is when you really like a horse to win, and you think the favorite or favorites can finish out of the money. In this case, you have reduced your risk by betting to show while also having the opportunity for a decent payoff. In this scenario, betting your selection across the board (win, place, and show) might also be a reasonable option.

One of the most popular low-risk show wagering strategies (and the most fun), is to play a show parlay. Starting with whatever amount you are comfortable with, you play a horse to show. If your horse finishes in the first three, you take all the winnings and bet them back on the next race to show. You’d be surprised how quickly this can add up to a substantial amount.

For example:

In the first race of your parlay you bet a horse to show, and it finishes in the top three and returns $3 for a $2 show bet. If you had wagered $10 to show, you would now have $15.

In the second race you bet your $15 to show and your horse finishes in the first three, returning $2.80 for a $2 show wager, and increasing your bankroll to $21 (7.5 * 2.80). You have now doubled your original $10 stake.

In the third race you bet your $21 to show and your horse finishes in the first three and returns $3.60 to show. You now have $37.80 (10.5 * $3.60).

In the fourth race you bet $37 to show, and your horse again finishes in the first three. You’re on a roll! This time your horse pays $3 to show for a $2 wager, and you have increased your original $10 to $55.50 (18.5 * $3). If you keep going it won’t be long before you have increased your initial stake of $10 to over $100.

The best way to play a show parlay is to set a reasonable goal of how much you want to win and to keep betting the show parlay until you get there. You then start over. If you don’t make it to your goal on the first try, you have only lost $10.

Show parlays are affordable, fun and can be lucrative. They give you action on every race at a very low cost and the closer you get to your monetary goal, the more the tension and excitement builds.

Limited bankroll? Enjoy yourself by betting to show!

Up To 5% Rebate!

Friendliest Racebook & Best Betting Software

In-Season Tracks

Get up to a $500 New Member Bonus

BUSR is the best site to bet on horses. Why? Because, all new members will get up to a $500 bonus for joining and you can also qualify for an extra $150 bonus!

Start your horse betting with BUSR today!

Show - Your horse comes in first, second, or third. (On average 65% of favorites win, place or show.)

How to Place a Show Bet

Horse Betting Odds Win Place Showing

Show - Your horse comes in first, second, or third. (On average 65% of favorites win, place or show.) The payout will be the same in either of the three positions. Also referred to as in the money.

Show bets are typically much more fun for new bettors. Since it is the most conservative bet at the track, the payouts will be the lowest, however it offers you the highest probability of winning. At the ticket window just say: “$2 to show on number 5”. At US Racing it is as easy as selecting your horse and wager amount.

Show bets are more profitable when field size is large, preferably 8 or more.

The objective of betting on horses is to win. Show bets offer the highest chances of winning out of all the bets thereby making this wager the best for those new to racing.

Show Bet Strategies:

Show Parlay. This is when make a show bet on a horse and then wager the winnings of that wager on another race. Also, the winnings can be divided up and to place two show wagers on different races.

Sometimes, a group people will all put in $5 to wager show bet to win dinner that evening. The winnings of this 'table bet' can be parlayed into another wager.

Horse Racing Win Place Show

Insurance Bets. Sometimes bettors use show bets for insurance. They will wager $50 to win on a horse but then back it up with a $20 show bet in case the winner loses.

Also, at times, the estimated show payoff will be the same or larger than the place payoff. In that case, why not bet to show and take advantage of an aberration in the betting pools?

Horse Betting Odds Win Place Show Results

Better Pools. Be sure to check the show pool amount as it maybe larger than the place pool.