Trifecta

---

title: "Trifecta" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sports-betting", "horse-racing-terminology", "gambling-terminology"] description: "Type of bet on a horse race" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifecta" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Type of bet on a horse race ::

thumb|Trifecta

A trifecta is a parimutuel bet placed on a horse race in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third, in the exact order. Known as a trifecta in the US and Australia, this is known as a tricast in the UK, a tierce in Hong Kong, a triactor in Canada and a tiercé in France. A trio, offered in Hong Kong and France, is a variation in which the order of the horses is not relevant.

Variations

Boxed

A "boxed" trifecta is where three horses are selected, and the player wins if these three horses finish first in any order. Boxed bets are effectively equivalent to placing standard trifecta bets on all six possible outcomes of the selected horses. For example, a boxed trifecta of horses numbered 6, 7 and 9, wins if horses finish in any of these combinations of outcomes:

• 6, 7, 9
• 6, 9, 7
• 7, 6, 9
• 7, 9, 6
• 9, 6, 7
• 9, 7, 6.

Banker

One horse (the "banker") is chosen to win the race, and two or more selections are boxed to come second and third. The "banker" must win in all possible combinations. For example, if horse number 2 is the banker, and the other three choices are numbered 6, 7 and 8, then there are a total six possible combinations for a winning bet:

• 2, 6, 7
• 2, 6, 8
• 2, 7, 6
• 2, 7, 8
• 2, 8, 6
• 2, 8, 7.

Roving banker or banker multiple

One horse (the "banker") is chosen to finish in the first three, and three or more selections are boxed for the other two places – the banker must finish either 1st, 2nd or 3rd in each possible combination. For example, if horse number 6 is the banker, and horses number 7, 8 and 9 are the selections, then there are total of eighteen combinations for a winning bet, each with horse number 6 in them, for example:

• 6, 7, 8
• 7, 6, 8
• 7, 8, 6
• 6, 8, 9
• 8, 9, 6, and so on.

History

The term was first used in the 1970s, and was derived from perfecta (a bet on which horses will finish first and second)

In the United States, the trifecta was introduced at Arlington Park in 1971. It was first used in Australia in April 1977 by TAB New South Wales, and was introduced in New Zealand in December 1983.

References

References

1. (2005). "The Blood-Horse authoritative guide to betting thoroughbreds". Eclipse Press.
2. "Horse Betting Types".
3. "Forecast & Tricast Bets – Help".
4. "Pari-Mutuel Pools – Beginners guide". The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
5. (2018). "Horse Racing Terms & Glossary".
6. "PMU betting guide in English". PMU International.
7. "Guide des Paris". Eurotiercé.
8. Garner, Bryan A.. (2009). "Garner's modern American usage". Oxford University Press.
9. Room, Adrian. (2010). "Dictionary of Sports and Games Terminology.". McFarland & Co., Publishers.
10. Thompson, William N.. (2001). "Gambling in America : an encyclopedia of history, issues, and society". ABC-CLIO.
11. Grant, David. (2000). "Two over three on goodtime sugar; The New Zealand TAB turns 50". Victoria University Press.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::