How to Place a Bet with a Teller

Placing a bet with a live teller is easy, and Golden Gate Fields features numerous
betting windows all over the park with helpful staff members to accommodate you.

Simply give the clerk the following information:

  • Thumbnail The name of the track that the race you wish to wager on.

    You may forego this information if you’re betting on Golden Gate Fields races at Golden Gate Fields. You can, however, bet on a number of races from all over the country on a given race day.

  • Thumbnail The type of bet you would like to make.

    Here you’ll betting terminology like Win, Place, Show, etc. For a list of these betting terms and their meanings; refer to our wagering quick guide.

  • Thumbnail The race’s number.

    (i.e., the first race of the day would be “race number one”).

  • Thumbnail The dollar amount of your wager.
  • Thumbnail The number of the horse as it is referred to in your racing program.

    While it’s tempting to use a horse’s name, simply refer to it by its designated number.

Wagering Quick Guide

For example, if we put together all that information, a typical bet might sound something like this: Golden Gate Fields, race number eight, two dollars on number three to win.

Betting at a Self-service Terminal

Ticket Sample

The process itself is very similar, but you’ll need to first acquire a credit voucher at a designated machine (there will be voucher machines located near all betting locations), or otherwise use a winning ticket to wager using a self-service terminal.

Once you have that, you’re ready to use a wagering machine:
step-1 Insert your credit voucher or ticket into the designated slot.
step-2 The machine will prompt you to make selections almost precisely like the process of betting with a live teller (i.e., track, race number, horse’s program number, type and amount of wager).

If you’re lost, just refer back up to steps 1-5 of “How to Place a Bet with a Clerk”. Follow the on-screen prompts and, if you’re feeling lost, ask an available clerk for assistance.

step-3 The machine will automatically deduct the amount of your wager from your credit voucher.
step-4 The machine will then dispense your ticket for your wager.

If you have any remaining credit from your voucher after you’ve placed your wager, the machine will also dispense a new voucher with the balance on it. DON’T FORGET TO RETRIEVE BOTH TICKETS. Regardless of how you wager, if your ticket is a winner you can cash out at any available teller OR use it to bet in any self-service terminal.

Good luck and see you at the races

Good luck and see you at the races

Wagering Quick Guide

  • Win – You collect if your horse wins ($2 min).
  • Place – You collect if your horse wins or is 2nd ($2 min).
  • Show – You collect if your horse wins or is 2nd or 3rd ($2 min)
  • Exacta – You collect if you select two horses in one race to finish 1st and 2nd in the exact order ($1 min).
  • Daily Double – You collect if you pick the horses to win each of two designated races ($2 min).
  • Trifecta – You collect if you select three horses in one race to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in exact order (50¢ min).
  • Superfecta – You collect if you select four horses in one race to finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in exact order ($1 min).
  • Pick 3 – You collect if you pick the horses to win each of three designated races ($1 min).
  • Pick 4 – You collect if you pick the winners of four designated, consecutive races. Usually, one early pick 4 and one late pick 4. (50¢ min).
  • Early Pick 5 – You must pick the winners of five designated, consecutive races. Usually, the first 5 races of the day. Takeout is just 14%. (50¢ min). 100% payout to all tickets selecting five winners; No consolation; 100% carryover to next day's Early Pick 5 if no ticket has five winners.
  • Late Pick 5 – You must pick the winners of five designated, consecutive races. Usually, the last 5 races of the day. Takeout is 23.68%. (50¢ min). 100% payout to all tickets selecting five winners; No consolation; 100% carryover to next day's Late Pick 5 if no ticket has five winners.
  • Golden Pick 6 – The Golden Pick 6 is a unique ticket wager. The wager has a 20¢ minimum bet with 70% of the net pool paying out daily to the tickets with the most winners when there are multiple tickets and with 30% of the net pool designated for the carryover on those days. On days when there atis only one unique ticket selecting six winners the entire net pool and carryover is paid to the holder of the unique ticket. The unique ticket can have multiple winning combinations or be a higher base amount than 20¢ and still win the jackpot carryover providing it is the only ticket with the winning combinations. (20¢ minimum)
  • Rolling Super High 5 – You must select five horses in one race to finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in exact order ($1 min). 100% payout on all tickets selecting five winners in exact order of finish; No consolation; 100% carryover to next race (including the next race day, if applicable). Offered on all races in which there are 7 declared starters. In the event there are less than 7 declared starters, all money wagered on that race's Super High 5 will be refunded. If there is any carryover going into the effected race, it will be carried over to the next race in which the Super High 5 wager is offered. Takeout is 23.68%.
  • Box – Term to indicate covering your selections in all possible finish orders. Example: $2 Exacta Box numbers 3 & 8 horses.