GamingTips

The Exacta is another pretty simple bet with a funny name.  It is a bet on which two horses will come in first and second.  Unlike the Quinella , however, you need to bet them in the right order.  In other words, if you bet a 3-10 Exacta, the 3 Horse must come in first and the 10 in second for you to win.

The Exacta Box, on the other hand, allows you to bet that the horses will come in first and second, regardless of the order.  In fact, you can actually “box” more than two horses.  The cost of the bet rises with more horses, and the payout gets lower, however.  When you bet the Exacta Box, you are actually playing multiple bets.  For instance, a $2 3-10 Exacta Box actually will cost you $4, because it is actually a 3-10 Exacta and a 10-3 Exacta.

The Quinella is a popular bet at the track for people who have a couple of favorites.  This is because you do not need to pick the exact winner, but instead, the top 2 horses.  For example, a 2-10 quinella will pay whether 2 comes in first and 10 second or 10 first and 2 second.

The minimum bet for this is usually $2, and the bet will pay out as listed on the tote board or printed on the ticket.  This will vary with the horses chosen, based on what the bookmakers think the outcome of the race will be.

So even this fancy-sounding bet is really not that tough.

So let’s start our discussion of horse track bets with the easiest bets to understand.

On any particular race, a better can bet that a certain horse will “win,” “place,” or “show.”

Winning is pretty self explanatory and is a bet that that horse will come in first place.  Placing is a bet that the horse comes in first or second, and show pays when the horse comes in first, second, or third.

So, despite all the fancily named bets, there are at least three bets that any of us can make and understand.

Anyone who has ever placed a sports bet, or lives near a major track, can’t help but wondering how horse races work.  Between the odd-sounding bets, the multiple types of races, and people betting on multiple races at multiple tracks, it gets to be a lot to keep track of.

In reality, though, the fancy bets are not as fancy as they sound.  Over the next few posts, I’ll try to explain them so that you can bet them properly.

In terms of how to win your bets at the track, it gets a little tougher.  The race program will let you know what horses are racing with what jockey that day.  Then they sell race sheets which help betters handicap the various races.  The real pros also are familiar with the horses, and their previous performances.  They also watch as the horses are brought out to the turf to examine their gait, their features, and their reaction to the type of turf they will be running on.

But with bets starting at $2, the track could be a much worse place to bet just on a hunch.  Not only that, but the tracks are beginning to reinvent themselves.  I always had the impression growing up that the track was for old, rich people.  This is no longer the case.  Del Mar is a great example of the new track.

It is very affordable to get into the races, including trackside open seating where people bring coolers and folding chairs.  After the races on Fridays, there is a free concert on the track grounds.  On a recent trip, the track was very busy, and people were dressed in everything from shorts and flip flops to the traditional white hats.

So go to the track and have a good time!

Dual dab, also called double action bingo, is a commonly offered bonus game at many bingo halls.  The cards look like a normal bingo card, except that each square actually has two numbers.  Players can mark the square when either number is called, they do not need both numbers.  Dual dab is a coverall game, so in order to win, a player must cover all of their squares.

The payout, of course, varies from bingo hall to bingo hall, but it is usually tiered.  If a player gets bingo on the double action coverall within a certain number of balls (often 34), they win an incredibly large jackpot (often $25,000).  Otherwise, they are playing for the “guarantee,” which is usually around $200.

Continuing on the Bingo theme, let’s discuss the option to “validate” your bingo cards.  Validation usually costs $1 per card or pack.  This buys your participation in a bonus game.

The first ball of each session is known as the Ace Ball.  Although at some Bingo Halls this ball does not count for the first game, it usually does.  If a player gets a bingo when the Ace Ball is called, they win a bonus jackpot.  This is a progressive jackpot for the session, which means, for instance, that the 3 a.m. Ace Ball jackpot goes up every day that nobody at the 3 a.m. session wins the Ace Ball bonus.

Now you know what the option to validate your bingo cards means.