Not long until Hollywoodbets Durban July Day, and with 12 races carded, so many exciting bet types available and huge pools expected, we have compiled helpful information below.
Let’s get started with some basic racing terminology. We are leaving out the racing jargon that has made it into our daily lives, like “On Your Tod”, which we use to mean by ourselves. In racing, it can mean from the front or the horse won easily.
Age: In the Southern Hemisphere, all horses age a year on 1 August regardless of their date of birth. Generally, horses fully mature at the age of four. Male horses are called colts until they turn five, after which they are called horses. Females are termed fillies until age five, and after that, mares.
Alumites: Lightweight aluminium shoes fitted to horses’ hooves. The general consensus is that they enhance performance, and most horses race in them, although steel training shoes are sometimes left on for a race.
Allowance: A reduction in the weight allocated to a horse. Apprentice jockeys are allowed weight allowances until they have ridden 40 winners (allowances may not be claimed in major races). Horses get allowances in some races because of their age or racing record.
Blinkers: Cups sewn into a hood that restrict or block a horse’s sideways vision and enhance concentration. Horses can improve when racing in blinkers for the first time.
Career record: A horse’s record can reveal a lot. Good horses win or place more often than horses with limited ability.
Colour: Most horses are bays (brown hair with a black mane, tail and points). Other colours are black, brown (brown hair throughout), chestnut, grey and roan. Colour is of no significance in terms of racing ability.
Class of race: The more races a horse has won or the more elevated its merit rating, the higher the class of race it competes in. In publications Computaform and Winner’s World, classes are shown from A (the highest) to G (the lowest), making it easy to spot horses moving up or down in class.
Draw: The stall in the mechanical starting gate from which a horse starts a race. The draw or barrier position is usually of little account, but is important over certain distances at certain racecourses.
Gelding: A male horse that has been castrated. Gelding is a minor surgical procedure and usually enhances a horse’s temperament. Horses without stallion prospects are usually gelded and this is to their benefit after their racing careers.
Handicap: A race in which the weight carried by each runner is determined by its merit rating, which is allocated by the handicapper. The aim is to equalise the chances of the runners. The weight carried includes the jockey and riding equipment. If necessary, lead weights are inserted into pockets in the saddle to make up the required weight. Weights carried are strictly monitored and the Clerk of the Scales weighs out all jockeys with their equipment before each race. The riders of all runners in each race are weighed in afterwards and their mounts declared non-runners if the weight is over 0,5kg less than what was initially allocated.
Jockeys: Self-employed professionals, who are paid a riding fee to ride horses in races. They also receive a percentage of prize money.
Maiden: A horse that has not yet won.
Stakes: The prize money offered in a race, which is divided among owners, trainers and jockeys of the first five finishers (usually) according to a formula. Stakes won by a horse are often a good guide to its ability.
Trainer: Self-employed professionals, whom owners pay a fee to train their horses.
Weight-for-age: A race in which the weight carried is determined by a horse’s age. In plate races the weight is determined by the number of wins and in handicaps by the merit rating.
Now let’s look at the moneymakers! The different Tote and Fixed Odds Bet Types..
The main difference between TOTE bets and FIXED ODDS is that when you play tote bets, you play into pools, and dividends are declared. With fixed odds bets you know your return when you place your bets.
TOTE BETTING
Tote Win
Bet a horse to win.
Tote Place
Bet a horse to finish a place.
In selected major races, like the Hollywoodbets Durban July and the Gauteng Summer Cup the number of PLACE payouts may be increased to include the FIFTH and SIXTH-PLACED runners.
Eachway
Combines a Win and Place bet. You collect the Win and Place payouts if the horse bet on finishes FIRST. You get the Place payout if the horse runs a place. The same amount is always bet for the Win and the Place. Example: An Eachway bet taken 10 times is a R10 Win & R3 Place = R20.
Swinger
Pick 2 horses in a race and couple them in a Swinger. You win if the 2 horses chosen fill 2 of the first 3 places. There are 3 winning combinations 1st & 2nd (or 2nd & 1st); 1st & 3rd (or 3rd & 1st); 2nd & 3rd (or 3rd & 2nd). No payout 3rd & 3rd if deadheat for THIRD.
Exacta
Bet on the horses to finish FIRST and SECOND in the exact order. Bet 3 different ways:
Single: Choose 1 horse for FIRST and 1 horse for SECOND.
Perm: Choose any number of horses for FIRST and for SECOND.
Box: Choose 2 or more horses. You collect if the horses chosen include the FIRST and SECOND finishers.
Double
Choose the winners of the 2 consecutive races that comprise the Double (the first of the 2 races in a Double is termed Leg 1; the second is Leg 2). A Double can be taken on all consecutive races – i.e. Races 1 & 2; 2 & 3; 3 & 4 etc.
Trifecta
Bet on the horses to finish FIRST, SECOND and THIRD in the exact order.
Quartet
Bet on the horses to finish FIRST, SECOND, THIRD and FOURTH in the exact order.
There are 4 different ways to bet the Trifecta & Quartet: Single, Multi, Float (Rove) & Box.
A popular Trifecta option is Multi, choosing one horse for FIRST with three or more other horses for SECOND and THIRD. Cost of betting 1 horse for FIRST with:
3 other horses for SECOND & same 3 horses for THIRD: R6
4 other horses for SECOND & same 4 horses for THIRD: R12
5 other horses for SECOND & same 5 horses for THIRD: R20
Pick 3
Choose the winners of any 3 consecutive races. One horse or more can be chosen in each of the three races. Fractional betting can be used.
Pick 6
Choose the winners of all 6 races that comprise the Pick 6 (Legs 1 to 6). One horse or more can be chosen in each of the 6 races.
Jackpot
Choose the winners of all 4 races that comprise the Jackpot (Legs 1 to 4). One horse or more can be chosen in each of the 4 races.
Place Accumulator
Choose a horse, or horses, to finish FIRST, SECOND or THIRD in each of the 7 races that comprise the Place Accumulator (Legs 1 to 7). You can win the bet many times. Example: You choose one horse in each of Legs 1 to 4 and two horses in each of Legs 5, 6 and 7. If all choices finish in the first 3, payout is won eight times (1x1x1x1x2x2x2 = 8).
BiPot
Choose FIRST or SECOND in 6 consecutive races and win.
The Bipot always starts on the race before leg 1 of the Place Accumulator.
Permutations and Fractional betting allowed.
Available on SA Races only.
Calculate The Cost
Pick 6, Jackpot & Place Accumulator, multiply out the total number of choices made for each leg. Example: In a Jackpot you choose four horses in Leg 1; three horses in Leg 2; one horse in Leg 3; two horses in Leg 4. This is 24 combinations x R1 each (4x3x1x2) = R24.
Fractional betting can be used to reduce the cost of all Trifecta, Quartet, Pick 6, Jackpot and Place Accumulator bets. In Jackpot example above, the Jackpot can be played for R12 (half or 50% of the full amount). If you win, you collect half the payout.
Once logged in, your Bet Slip will calculate the number of combinations and give you the option of choosing the number of times or stake as well as calculating the bet for you instead of having to calculate it yourself.
FIXED ODDS BETTING – CLICK HERE TO BET ON THE DURBAN JULY
Single/Straight
A single or straight is a bet on 1 selection. Your selection must be successful to have a return.
Each Way
Combines a Win and Place bet. You collect the Win and Place payout if the horse/selection bet on finishes FIRST. You get the Place payout if the horse/selection finishes a PLACE. The same amount is always bet for the Win and the Place. Example: An Eachway bet taken for a R100 is a R100 Win & R100 Place = R200.
Double
A double, round robin or 2 play parlay is 1 bet involving 2 selections in different events. Both selections must be successful for the bet to win, with returns from the first reinvested on the second.
Treble
A treble or 3 play parlay is 1 bet involving 3 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Returns from the first are reinvested on the second and then onto the third.
Four-fold
A four-fold or 4 play parlay is 1 bet involving 4 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Five-fold
A five-fold or 5 play parlay is 1 bet involving 5 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Six-fold
A six-fold or 6 play parlay is 1 bet involving 6 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Seven-fold
A seven-fold or 7 play parlay is 1 bet involving 7 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Eight-fold
An eight-fold or 8 play parlay is 1 bet involving 8 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Nine-fold
A nine-fold or 9 play parlay is 1 bet involving 9 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
Ten-fold
A ten-fold or 10 play parlay is 1 bet involving 10 selections in different events. All selections must be successful for the bet to win. Winning returns are reinvested on successive selections.
3 Selections Trixie
Consists of 4 bets involving 3 selections in different events, 3 doubles and 1 treble. Any two winning selections guarantee a return. If any 2 of your selections win, 1 of the double bets gives a return. If all 3 of your selections win, all 3 of the doubles and the treble give a return.
Patent
A patent consists of 7 bets involving 3 selections in different events, 3 singles, 3 doubles and 1 treble. Any one winning selection guarantees a return. If any 1 of your selections wins, 1 of the single bets gives a return. If any 2 selections win, 2 of the single bets and 1 of the doubles give a return. If all 3 selections win, then all 3 singles, all 3 doubles and the treble give a return.
4 Selections Yankee
Consists of 11 bets involving 4 selections in different events, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 four-fold. Any two winning selections guarantee a return. If any 2 of your selections win, 1 of the doubles gives a return. If any 3 selections win, 3 of the double bets and 1 of the trebles give a return. If all 4 selections win, then all 6 doubles, 4 trebles and the four-fold give a return.
Lucky 15
A lucky 15 consists of 15 bets involving 4 selections in different events, 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 four-fold. Any one winning selection guarantees a return.
If any 1 of your selections wins, 1 of the single bets gives a return. If any 2 of your selections win, 2 of the single bets and 1 of the doubles give a return. If any 3 selections win, 3 of the singles, 3 of the doubles and 1 of the trebles give a return. If all 4 selections win, then all 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and the four-fold give a return.
Super Yankee/Canadian
A Super Yankee consists of 26 bets involving 5 selections in different events, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds and 1 five-fold. Any two winning selections guarantee a return.
Lucky 31
A lucky 31 consists of 31 bets involving 5 selections in different events, 5 singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles and 5 four-folds and 1 five-fold. Any one winning selection guarantees a return.
Heinz
A Heinz consists of 57 bets involving 6 selections in different events, 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, 6 five-folds and 1 six-fold. Any two winning selections guarantee a return.
Super Heinz
A Super Heinz consists of 120 bets involving 7 selections in different events, 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-folds, 21 five-folds, 7 six-folds and 1 seven-fold. Any two winning selections guarantee a return.
