Horse Racing Betting Terms Explained

This is our list / glossary / dictionary of horse racing terminology. If you have others, please contact us. Check out our Sports Betting Terms List for additional explanations to more terminology.

Bet - Any wager.

Book - An establishment that accepts wagers on the outcome of horse racing and sporting events.

Favorite - The entry expected to win an event. The quoted odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.

Filly - A female horse whose age is 4 or under.

Furlong - A unit of distance used in horse racing equal to 1/8 or a mile or 220 yards.

Handicapper - One who studies, rates and wagers on sporting events and/or races.

Handicapping - The attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events.

In the money - In horse racing, a horse that finishes first, second or third.

Jockey - The individual that rides the horse during a horse race.

Longshot - A team or horse perceived to be unlikely to win.

Mare - A female horse whose age is 5 or more.

No action - A bet in which no money is lost nor won. See "push."

Off the board - A game on which the bookmaker will not accept action.

Perfecta - In horse racing, a wager in which the player selects the two horses in a race to finish in 1st and 2nd places in exact order. See "Exacta."

Place - A horse racing wager in which you collect if your horse finishes first or second.

Postponed - A contest cancelled for any reason and rescheduled at a later date.

Price - The odds or point spread. See "money line." See a good horse racing odds comparison page.

Quinella - In horse racing, a wager in which the player selects the two horses in a race to finish in 1st and 2nd places in either order.

Reverse - In horse racing, to ask for a second exacta wager which specifies two horses in reverse order of the first exacta wager.

Scratch - In horse racing, a horse that has been withdrawn from a race before the start. Wagers on this horse are refunded.

Show - A horse racing bet in which you collect if the horse finishes first, second or third.

Straight bet - A bet on just one team or horse. More of Straight Wagers

Superbowl - Winners of the AFC and NFC meet to determine the NFL Champion.

Ticket - A wager.

Trifecta - A horse racing bet in which a player selects three horses in one race to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in exact order

Value - Getting the best odds on a systems proposition; the highest possible edge.

Win - A horse racing wager in which you collect if your horse finishes first.

If you see systems terms for horse racing that are not in this list, please contact us.