How To Bet On The Horse Races At Montana State Fair

Horse racing at the Montana State Fair.  One of my favorite sentences in the world.

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You can catch the last 2 days of horse racing at the Montana State Fair this weekend.  Your fair admission will get you in the gate, then it's off to the races.  What happens then?

Place Your Bets

From Art of Manliness, there are a couple of ways to bet horse racing.

Straight Wager (betting on one horse)

These are the cheapest bets, so payouts are the lowest.

• Win:  You win if your horse comes in first place
• Place:  You win if your horse comes in first or second
• Show:  You win if your horse comes in first, second, or third

Exotic Wagers (betting  on multiple horses)

Exotic wagers cost more but the payout is much higher.

• Exacta:  You win if your horses come in first or second, in the exact order you place the bet.  For example, if you say 1 to win and 5 to place, they have to come in that EXACT order.  If it's 5 that wins and 1 that places, you lose
• Quinella: (My personal favorite) You choose a horse to win and a horse to place and they can come in in any order and you win
• Trifecta:  You win If your horses come in first, second or third in the EXACT order, like an exacta bet with 3 horses
• Superfecta:  You win if your horses come in first, second, third and fourth in the EXACT order.

Boxing a bet

You can "box" a trifecta or superfecta.  What boxing means is that your chosen horses can come in in ANY order and you win.  Boxed bets cost a bit more and have lower payouts.

How to Place a Bet at the Window

Say you're betting a trifecta:  "I'd like a $3 trifecta on 6, 3, 8."  If you want to box it you'd say, "$3 Trifecta on 6, 3, 8 boxed"

The Paddock Club in Great Falls has a way that you can place your bets on line from their website in your seat.  Find out how it works on their website.

Do I Need a Program?

You don't need need a program, but it's way more fun AND it's the best way to learn how to pick the ponies and get to know the jockeys.  Plus, they offer several prizes throughout the race day that are directly related to ads in your program.

AAAAAAND They're Off!

Enjoy your day at the races!