How Does Pari Mutuel Betting Work

Fixed odds are very easy to understand. The amount you risk and the expected payout do not change. However parimutuel betting is extremely popular in horse race betting. Understanding how parimutuel betting works is key to successful gambling in horse race betting. History of parimutuel betting. Parimutuel betting was invented in the late 1800’s. Like all horse racing wagering, exacta betting odds are part of the pari-mutuel wagering system. With this system, your final odds are based on all the bets on the that race. This is opposed to fixed-odds wagers in other sports, where you lock down the odds at the time of the bet and they won’t change for you no matter what other bets are placed. Every pari-mutuel bet that is placed on a betting market will go into a specific pool. When the sporting event is completed, the total amount of bets will be added up. As previously mentioned, the house will take a small percentage of the total bets in the pool. With Parimutuel wagering, tote boards or totalizators display the latest betting patterns. As more wagers are placed, the totals are calculated, betting patterns are shown and the odds are changed. It isn’t until the start of the event that the odds are set.
History of Pari-Mutuel Basis
Pari-mutuel comes from the French terms “pari,” which translates to “gamble,” and “mutuel” or “mutual.” Combined, it means “gamble mutually.” The betting method dates back to the late-1800s when Moulin Rouge co-owner Joseph Oller came up with the betting system at race tracks. After serving time for illegal gambling, his method was legalized in 1891.In Pari-Mutuel, You Share the Prize Pool
In pari-mutuel betting, the prizes are determined at the end. Let's say that after the bets were placed, the casino or lottery agency took in a total of $5,000 bets. The management takes 10 percent of that. Taxes may also be deducted before the final prize amount is determined. That final prize is then split between the winners.Types of Bets You Can Place

Win Place Show, huh? So you want to partake in some pari-mutuel wagering? Don’t worry, that’s a fancy term that means “betting among ourselves”. When you place a wager on a horse race you are not betting against the “house” as you would be if you were wagering at a casino in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Instead, you are betting your horse against every other bettor. Let the best man win!
What is a Win Place Show Bet?
How Does Pari Mutuel Betting Works
Win Place Show bets are commonly called straight wagers and are the most traditional in horse racing. They are lower risk bets compared to exotic wagers like Exactas and Trifectas. These wagers are a good place for the novice horseplayer to jump in. Let’s look at the different wagering requirements.
The Three Different Win Place Show Bets
Win: If you wager $2 to Win on your horse, you collect only if your horse finished first.
Place: If you wager $2 to Place, your horse must finish first or second for you to collect. But remember, you don’t get the Win payoff, just the Place payoff, which is generally smaller than the win payoff.
Show: If you wager $2 to Show, your horse must finish first, second, or third. But remember, you only collect the Show payoff.

Many experts consider playing a horse to Win to be the best bet in horse racing. Before placing a Win bet a horseplayer can see the odds on the tote board and then determine if those odds represent good wagering value.

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Win Place Show Strategy
A term you may hear tossed around at the track is an “Across the Board” wager. Here you are wagering on a horse to Win Place Show on one ticket. If your horse wins, you receive Win Place Show payoffs. If your horse finishes second, you receive Place and Show payoffs; and if your horse is third, you receive the Show payoff only.
These wagers would be considered “low risk” betting, at least compared to the rest of the wagering menu. There also is a lower “takeout” on these wagers. The takeout is the cut the track takes to pay purses and expenses. The “take” on Win Place Show wagers is generally around 17% depending on the jurisdiction. The takeout on Exactas and Trifectas can range from 19% to as much as 30% at some tracks.
Win Place Show Payout Examples
Here are a couple of examples of Win payoffs based on the odds you might see on the tote board:
2/1 pays $6.00
7/2 pays $9.00
9/2 pays $11.00
10/1 pays $22.00
(Based on a $2 win bet).
Is Pari Mutuel Betting Legal
Horse Racing Betting Explained