Superfecta Bet in Horse Racing – Understanding the Basics
6 minutes
Last Updated: April 12, 2023
One of the bet types that offer some of the biggest potential payouts in horse racing is the superfecta bet.
The superfecta bet allows punters to place a wager on the correct order in which the first four horses will cross the finish line in a race.
If you would like to learn more about this rewarding but hard-to-hit bet, keep reading this article as we will break down everything you need to know about superfecta betting.
The Superfecta Bet
The superfecta bet is a term used in horse racing to describe a special type of bet which allows bettors to try and predict which four horses will cross the finish line first and in which order.
As you may assume, this bet is pretty hard to hit since it is so demanding and bettors don’t have any room for a mistake.
For example, if you place a superfecta bet on horses 4-6-8-10, the only way for you to have a winning ticket is if the following scenario happens in the race:
- 1st place horse number 4
- 2nd place horse number 6
- 3rd place horse number 8
- 4th place horse number 10
If any of the horses fails to finish the race in the exact spot in which you predicted, your will lose your wager.
For players that are willing to sacrifice a portion of their potential winnings to lower the variance on their superfecta bet, we recommend trying out the superfecta key bet, full wheel bet, part wheel bet, or the superfecta box bet, which we will also explain.
The Superfecta Key Bet
The first variation of the superfecta bet that we will be explaining is the superfecta key bet.
In the world of horse racing, the superfecta key bet allows punters to select one horse that they think will win the race and add three more horses that they think will finish in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions.
The superfecta key bet is a great way to lower the variance since it only requires bettors to predict the correct winner of the race and the horses that will fill the three additional spots without having to predict their exact position.
Imagine a situation in which you place a superfecta key bet with horses 4, 6, 8, and 10, and you select horse number 8 as the key horse, you will win the bet if one of the following outcomes happens:
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 4, 3rd place horse 6, 4th place horse 10
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 6, 3rd place horse 10, 4th place horse 4
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 10, 3rd place horse 4, 4th place horse 6
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 10, 3rd place horse 6, 4th place horse 4
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 4, 3rd place horse 10, 4th place horse 6
- 1st place horse 8, 2nd place horse 6, 3rd place horse 4, 4th place horse 10
As you can see, the superfecta key box is a lot easier to predict as it covers 5 more outcomes than the basic variation.
The Superfecta Full Wheel Bet
The second variation of this bet is the superfecta full wheel bet. It gives horse bettors the option of predicting the winner of the race and adding as many horses as they want to cover the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th position.
The superfecta full wheel bet is best used when the punter is confident to predict the horse that will win the race, and he wants to place a bet that covers all the possible outcomes of the top four positions with this horse.
For this reason, the minimum cost of the superfecta full wheel bet always depends on the number of runners in the race. The bigger number of runners is, the higher cost of the bet will be.
The Superfecta Part Wheel Bet
In horse racing, the superfecta part wheel bet allows bettors to place a bet predicting which horse will win the race and add several horses to cover the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions in any given order.
Here is a way to remember here is the difference between the superfecta key bet, the full wheel bet, and the part wheel bet:
- The superfecta key bet – select one horse to win and 3 horses to cover the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spot
- The superfecta full wheel bet – select one horse to win and cover all other horses in the race to finish in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spot
- The superfecta part wheel bet – select one horse to win and cover 4 or more horses (but not all other horses in the race) to finish in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spots
For example, if you place a part wheel bet with horse 2 to win and you add horses 4, 6, 8, and 10 to cover the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place, you will win your bet if horse 2 wins the race with any three of the four selected horses finishing in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place.
With one horse to win and four horses to cover, you are betting on 24 possible outcomes of the races.
The Superfecta Box Bet
Finally, we have the superfecta box bet. It allows you to wager by selecting which four horses will finish in the top four spots in any given order.
Unlike the superfecta bet where you need to predict the correct position of each of the horses, you are betting on, the superfecta box bet requires you only to predict which four horses will finish in the top four spots, in any given order.
With this said, when you are placing a superfecta bet, you are betting on only one possible outcome, while with the superfecta box bet you are covering 24 possible results, and this makes this bet a lot more expensive to place.
This may take a bit of figuring out, but just like understanding how poker odds work, you’ll get there with some experience.
Superfecta Bet Minimum Stake
The minimum stake for the this bet will depend on which variation of the bet you choose. With this said, the cheapest options is the basic superfecta since it has only one possible winning combination.
If you opt for this bet type, you can expect online betting sites to have the limit for the minimum stake set at $1. There are some bookmakers that will accept this type of bet for as little as $.10, but these are rare.
Superfecta Bet Maximum Win
When it comes to the maximum amount of money that you can win with the superfecta bet, this will also depend on the variation you use, the odds for the selected horses, your stake, and the betting system you are using.
Online betting sites usually have a cap on the maximum winnings per ticket on the platform level, and you should read the terms and conditions of the site so that you know what to expect.
If you are using a pari-mutuel betting system, apart from the factors we mentioned before, your winnings will also be based on the betting pool and the amount of winning tickets.
How Can I Place a Superfecta Bet?
For the most part, the process of placing a superfecta bet will be the same for most betting sites, maybe with some minor changes.
Here is how to palace a superfecta bet online:
- Open your bookmaker’s betting site and log into your betting account
- In the betting menu, select “Horse racing”
- Select the race that you want to place a bet on
- Select four horses
- In the bet slip select the superfecta option that you want to place
- Enter your stake and select the “Place bet” option
Before placing a bet always check your selection, the betting odds, and your stake so that you are 100% sure that you are placing a bet under the term you were planning.
Final Thoughts on the Superfecta Bet
The superfecta bet has a lot of variations from which punters can choose, and this is what makes it one of the most interesting bets in horse racing.
You can select to go for the higher payouts with the basic superfecta, or you can choose to increase your chances of winning but decrease your potential payouts with some of the other variations of the bet.
Whichever you choose, there is no denying that you will have a lot of fun with the superfecta bet.
