So how much does a 20-cent Pick 6 wager cost at Del Mar Racetrack?
The track has a useful section for this on its website. Players can plug in several projected combinations and find the total before they even go to the track or wager remotely. The tool provides a big budgeting advantage. Try doing this in a betting line and you will incur the wrath of a teller and fellow gamblers.
But lining up the costs in advance is essential.
One’s approach to a Pick 6 Jackpot can be determined by several things, including the size of the prize pool, the price, and the amount required compared to the overall budget one has set aside for all the races. The fewer horses you bet on, the more money you can win if you get all six winners correct.
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If you pick just one horse in all six races and all six win, you win the entire Pick 6 jackpot. But this is extremely rare, and most bettors will wager on multiple horses in at least a few races. Del Mar distributes 70% amongst people who selected the most winners, and carries 30% into the following day.
There are times when players think it’s not worth betting a big chunk to try the difficult task of hitting Del Mar’s last six races.
But when you play, here’s an overview.
READ MORE: Here’s Everything CA Horse Bettors Need to Know About the Pick 6 Bet at Del Mar
Examples of Pick 6 Bets at Del Mar
The price of a Pick 6 ticket is determined by multiplying the number of entries in each race and dividing that final number by .20, which signifies 20-cents, or one-fifth of a dollar.
We will use horse Nos. 2 and 3 throughout several scenarios.
Example 1
Race 1: 2, 3
Race 2: 2, 3
Race 3: 2, 3
Race 4: 2, 3
Race 5: 2, 3
Race 6: 2, 3
Cost: $12.80
Cost: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 x .20 or $12.80.
That gives the player two horses in each race. Not bad.
Example 2
The player decides to add another horse in the sixth leg.
Now it’s 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 or $19.20. The entries multiply out to 96. Divide that by .20 and you arrive at the price.
Using the same formula, add a fourth horse in the final leg. That becomes $25.60.
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Example 3
When the pools and fields are big, however, bettors face dilemmas. What happens in a race with several first-time starters? What if you have an entire field of maidens, the horses who have never won a race?
Now you may take multiple horses. Let’s say there is an eight-horse field and in one particular race, you bet all of them.
Race 1: 2, 3
Race 2: 2, 3
Race 3: 2, 3
Race 4: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Race 5: 2, 3
Race 6: 2, 3
Cost: $51.20
Example 4
And that brings us to the magic of a single.
Race 1: 2, 3
Race 2: 2
Race 3: 2, 3, 4
Race 4: 2, 3
Race 5: 2, 3, 4, 5
Race 6: 2, 3, 4, 5
Cost: $38.40
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Example 5
What happens if you are actually able to isolate two singles? That makes the rest of your card wide open.
Race 1: 2, 3
Race 2: 2
Race 3: 2, 3, 4
Race 4: 2
Race 5: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Race 6: 2, 3, 4, 5
Cost: $38.40
Example 6
And now, you reach the final day. The jackpot is huge. You might even want to go in on a ticket with a friend. So, you take many multiples.
Race 1: 2, 3
Race 2: 2
Race 3: 2, 3, 4
Race 4: 2, 3
Race 5: 2, 3, 6, 8
Race 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Cost: $76.80
The Pick 6 is opportunity meeting budget. The key for bettors is to control as much victory probability with the least amount of funds. It’s tricky, but it’s rewarding to those who hit.
This is the horse-betting equivalent of a side bet on a casino game. Maybe the ultimate side bet.
Good luck hitting one.