A dead heat in thoroughbred horse racing occurs when two or more horses cross the finish line at exactly the same moment, resulting in a tie. This is a rare situation where the performances of competitors are judged to be so close that no difference between them can be resolved, even with photo finish technology.
How Dead Heats Work
When a dead heat is declared, all tied horses are considered joint winners of that position. Race stewards will examine photo finish images to determine if the horses can be separated, but if no clear distinction can be made, they declare a dead heat. Modern technology including digital super-slow motion replay and pressure-sensitive timers has made dead heats less common than in the past.
Betting Implications
For bettors, dead heats significantly impact payouts. Your stake is divided proportionally between the number of tied winners. For example, if you bet $10 on a horse at 10/1 odds in a two-way dead heat, you receive half your stake at full odds: $5 × 10/1 + $5 stake returned = $55 total. In a three-way dead heat, your stake would be divided by three.