What is a “box” in horse racing?

A box is a method of betting on horses (it’s also used in sports betting) that requires you to pick the top finishers in a single race but gives you leeway on the order of finish.

For example, a trifecta requires you to select the top three finishers in order, so if you bet a $1 3-5-1 trifecta, they must finish in that exact order for you to win.

But if you box the three horses, you will collect as long as they are the top three finishers in the race, no matter what order they finish in.

You can box as many horses as you wish, but each time you add a horse, the ticket price escalates. For example, a four-horse box with a base $2 bet costs $24.

The cost of a ticket can be calculated by the total number of combinations by multiplying the number of horses in the box by the same number, minus one. In the case of a four-horse box with a base bet of $2, for example, the calculation would be 4×3=12×2=$24.

Read more about strategies in horse racing and check out these American online horse wagering sites to learn more.