Betting 101

WAGER WITH CONFIDENCE

Ruidoso Downs offers wagering opportunities, including online betting, for serious horseplayers and casual racing fans of 18 years of age or older. Betting supports horse racing with the majority of the money wagered returning to players and a percentage being shared with horsemen in the form of purses, and a percentage retained by the racetrack as revenue.  So, bet with the confidence that the horse industry is supported by your wagering.

Use this betting guide to wager with confidence, from how to choose your bet, to how to place your bet and cash a winning ticket. Good luck!

Step No. 1

CHOOSE YOUR BET

 

Bet with confidence.

Whatever the minimum wager is, you can keep it simple and choose a horse to win place or show. Or, you can place a permutation bet (Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta) which offers a chance to increase your winnings if you can select more than one horse in each race.

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STEP NO. 2

PLACE YOUR BET

Live race betting at Ruidoso Downs offers you a pool bet. This means the betting stakes on a given race are pooled together and, like a lottery, is then shared out among customers with winning tickets.

Placing a bet at a teller window is easy, have your bet ready and follow these steps:

  1. Race number

  2. Dollar amount and type of wager

  3. The number of the horse(s) you pick

For example that pretty gray filly might have been: Ruidoso Downs, Race 4, $2 to win on #5. The teller will hand you your ticket (don't lose it) and it's time to watch the race.

Place a bet for a chance to win at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

Place a bet for a chance to win at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

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STEP NO. 3

LOOK FOR OFFICIAL RESULTS

Watch for official results. The unofficial results will be posted on the tote board in the infield while racing officials review the video tape of the race.  When the results are “official” your ticket can be cashed at any teller or self-serve window

If you bet on a horse that is scratched (withdrawn from the race before the start) after your bet is made, you can either cancel the bet before the start, or receive a refund for all bets that include that horse after race is made official. In multi-race wagers, (Daily Double, Pick 3, 4, 5), a scratched horse in your wager will be replaced with the betting favorite.

Did you leave the track with a winning ticket in your pocket? Don’t worry, they remain valid for 60 days after the last day of live racing.