Superfecta: the first four, in exact order

• All four positions must be right.
• Payouts come from a pool, not fixed odds.
• A 10-cent win pays one tenth of the $1 price.
• Cost = combinations × base bet.

You choose four horses in the order you think they will finish. If they cross the line 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th exactly as you picked, you win. If any of the four is out of place, the ticket loses. That is much harder than an exacta or trifecta, which is why the payouts are so much bigger.

In an 8-horse field, there are 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 = 1,680 possible orders for the top four. Picking blindly, you would hit about once in 1,680 tries. Even a skilled handicapper usually needs several horses in some spots to have a fair chance, which is where boxes, keys and part-wheels come in.

Payouts are parimutuel. All superfecta money goes into one pool, the track takes its cut, and the rest is shared among winning tickets. Takeout on exotic bets like this is often around 15% to 25%, depending on the state and track.

A box of n horses costs n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) × (n − 3) combinations. A 4-horse box is 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24, a 5-horse box is 120 and a 6-horse box is 360. Costs grow fast, so a 6-horse box at $1 costs $360 for a single race.

A key cuts the cost a lot. If you key horse 4 to win and use four others for 2nd, 3rd and 4th, you have 1 × 4 × 3 × 2 = 24 combinations. At a 10-cent base, that is $2.40. If the key horse does not win, the whole ticket loses.

A 10-cent bet pays one tenth of the $1 price. If the posted $1 superfecta pays $1,500, a 10-cent winner gets $150. That is how small players use wide tickets for a chance at a sizable payout without risking much on each race.

1. 1

   Step 01

   Study the race

   Read past performances and odds.

2. 2

   Step 02

   Pick a structure

   Box, key or part-wheel.

3. 3

   Step 03

   Set the base

   Often $0.10, $0.50 or $1.

4. 4

   Step 04

   Count the cost

   Combos × base bet.

5. 5

   Step 05

   Check the ticket

   Race, horses and order.

If one of your horses scratches, most tracks treat it in a set way, often by refunding combinations that include it or by moving the post-time favorite into its place. Rules differ by state and by track, so read the program or ask a teller before the race.

Some tracks do not offer a superfecta in small fields, such as races with fewer than 6 or 8 starters, because the payouts would be too small. Others offer a super high five, picking the top five, in bigger fields. That bet is harder again and often carries over when nobody hits.

Boxing too many horses

Costs climb very fast.

Forgetting the base

A $1 box costs 10 times a 10-cent box.

Ignoring the field size

Small fields pay little.

Not checking scratch rules

They vary by track.

• Exacta and trifecta boxes →The smaller exotic bets.
• Horse racing bet types →All the main bets.
• Parimutuel betting →How pools pay.
• Daily double →Another exotic bet.

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1. Wikipedia — Superfecta Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Bet definition
2. Equibase Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Official US racing results and charts
3. Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 15, 2026Approved games and gaming revenue reports
4. National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER