Tote betting runs on a parimutuel system where all stakes are pooled together. After the house takes its commission, the total remaining pool is divided equally among the winning tickets, meaning your final odds are only determined after the race closes.
- Tote Win: You bet on a horse to finish 1st. Your dividend depends entirely on how popular that horse was in the final pool.
- Tote Place: You bet on a horse to finish in the money.
- Mechanics: Heavily backed favourites can offer very small place dividends, while outsiders return much bigger payouts.
|
Number of Runners |
Places Paid |
|
1 to 4 Runners |
Win Only |
|
5 to 7 Runners |
2 Places |
|
8 to 15 Runners |
3 Places |
|
16 or More Runners |
4 Places |
· Scratchings: This term is used for a horse that is withdrawn from a race and for win and place bets you are entitled to a full refund if you backed a horse who was subsequently scratched.
- Hybrid Tote Platforms: Leading South African bookmakers like Hollywoodbets and Lucky Fish offer punters the flexibility to choose. You can either take their fixed odds prices or opt to bet directly into the official Tote pools right from your online account.