Fan Education

PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING

Welcome to the world of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. French in origin, the term "Pari-Mutuel" translated literally means "to wager amongst ourselves." This means that fans at the racetrack are betting against each other, NOT against Retama Park. The track, serving as an agent, receives a small commission, or "takeout," for handling the wagers. The takeout is then divided between the State of Texas, a purse account for the horsemen competing at the track, the Texas-bred fund and Retama Park. The remaining money is returned to winning fans.

The Retama Park Fan Education Center, located under the escalator on the track level, is open during live racing hours and is staffed by personnel who can assist you with handicapping and wagering questions.

There are several different wagers one can choose when betting at the track.

The basic wagers are described below:

STRAIGHT WAGERS

Win: You collect only if your horse finishes first.

Place: You collect if your horse finishes first or second.

Show: You collect if your horse finishes first, second or third.

The minimum amount you can bet is $1.00 except on Trifectas and Superfectas, which are offered for 10 cents.

COMBINATION WAGERS

Daily Double: The Daily Double is a multiple race wager. To collect on the early daily double, you must select the winner of the first race AND the second race.

Exacta: To collect, you must pick the horses that finish first and second in a race, in the exact order. For example, if you pick #3 and #5, #3 must win and #5 must place for you to collect.

Trifecta: To collect, you must pick the top three horses in a single race in the exact order. The winning payout of a trifecta is usually fairly high because picking the top three finishers in the precise order can be challenging.

Superfecta: To collect, you must pick the top four horses in a single race in exact order. The winning payout of a superfecta is usually the highest since correctly selecting the top four finishers is quite a challenge.

Pick Three/Pick Four: In this multiple race wager, you collect by selecting the winners of three (or four, for the Pick Four) designated consecutive races. Box Wagers: Although not an actual wager, you can box the exotic wagers (exacta, trifecta and superfecta).

"Boxing" an exotic wager allows you to bet all possible combinations of your selected horses. Example: In race two, you like the 2-7-9, but are not sure exactly what order they will finish. So, you can play a $2.00 trifecta box. This means that the following combinations can cross the finish line and you will win: 2-7-9; 2-9-7; 7-9-2; 7-2-9; 9-7-2; or 9-2-7. The cost of the bet is $12 or $2.00 for each combination. Also, you could play a $1.00 trifecta box with the same combinations that would cost you $6.00 ($1.00 per combination). For the $1.00 trifecta box you will win half of the listed $2.00 trifecta payout.

HOW TO PLACE A BET

Locate one of the many mutuel windows, and approach a mutuel teller.

1. State the TRACK you wish to wager on. Because Retama Park simulcasts (televises) races from other racetracks, it is possible to wager on either Retama Park or one of the simulcast tracks. The mutuel teller needs to know which track you are going to place a bet on.

2. State the RACE NUMBER.

3. State the AMOUNT you wish to wager.

4. State the TYPE OF BET you wish to make.

5. State the HORSE(S) NUMBER(S), as shown in the program. For example: "Retama Park, seventh race. Five Dollars to win on number 9." or "Oaklawn Park, third race. Ten Dollar Trifecta on the 3, 8, 5."

Always check your tickets and change for accuracy before leaving the betting window. Cancellation of tickets up to $250.00 per ticket is allowed at any time prior to the closing of pools for a given race. Retama Park assumes no responsibility for transactions not completed when wagering is closed. Never rip up or throw out a ticket until the race is declared "Official."

There also are self-service betting machines located throughout the facility. You can insert either a credit voucher (purchased from a teller) or a winning ticket into the machine (Some will accept cash as well). By pressing a few simple, clearly marked buttons, you can tell the machine what type of wager you wish to place.

Press "PRINT TICKET" and your ticket will pop out.

Press "RETURN BALANCE" to receive a voucher for any change you may be due. You may bet with credit vouchers throughout the day, and collect your earnings from a mutuel teller when you are through.

Please note that tickets issued from the wall-mounted self-service machines use thermal paper and are HEAT SENSITIVE! Do not iron them or leave them in places such as on your dashboard or in the sun.

HOW TO COLLECT YOUR WINNINGS

If you have made a winning bet, take your ticket to any mutuel window after the race is declared official. You may cash your ticket immediately, at the end of the day, or at any time prior to the expiration date which is printed on the ticket. You also may wager back all or part of a winning ticket on an upcoming race. To find out how much you will collect, refer to the tote board or one of our over 700 television monitors immediately after the race is official. Or, feel free to ask any mutuel teller or to check the area near the information windows where the dayüs payouts are posted.

WHEELING WAGERS

You may wheel a wager when you feel that one particular horse, your "KEY" horse, will finish in a certain position; either first, second or third. The other horses you have selected may then finish in any order, and you are a winner. You can use your key horse with all other possible horses (a wheel wager) or with only certain horses (a part wheel). You can place wheel and part-wheel wagers on exactas, trifectas and daily doubles.

EXACTA WHEEL: Select a key horse to finish either first or second. If you wheel that key horse in an exacta, you are a winner if your key horse finishes in the selected position. Example: You pick #3 to win as your key horse in a six horse field (You say, "$2 exacta wheel, 3-All") Since the exacta requires you to select the first two finishers in exact order, you have just asked for the following exactas: 3-1, 3-2, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6. This wager would cost you $10, and you are a winner if any of these combinations cross the finish line.

EXACTA PART WHEEL: This wager follow the same principles as the exacta wheel, but you have narrowed down the number of horses you select along with your key horse. Example: As above, you pick the #3 to win as your key horse in a six horse field, but you only think the 2, 4 or 6 will finish second. (You say, "$2 exacta part-wheel, 3 with the 2, 4 and 6") The cost of this wager would be $6, and you are a winner if one of the following finishes occurs: 3-2, 3-4, 3-6.

TRIFECTA WHEEL: Select a key horse to finish either first, second or third. If you wheel that key horse in a trifecta, you are a winner if your key horse finishes in the selected position. Example: You pick #5 to finish second as your key horse in a ten horse field (You say, "$1 trifecta wheel, All -5-All") Since the trifecta requires you to select the first three finishers in exact order, you have just asked for 72 trifecta combinations: 1-(5)-2, 1-(5)-3, 1-(5)-4...2-(5)-1, 2-(5)-3...10-(5)-1...

This wager would cost you $72, and you are a winner if any of these 72 finishes occurs. The following table shows the costs of wheeling one horse in a trifecta. The cost is the same whether you think your key horse will finish first, second or third. A $1 trifecta wheel costs half as much as a $2 trifecta wheel (and the payoff is also half the size).