A carryover in thoroughbred horse racing occurs when there are no winners on specific wager types like Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6, or Super Hi-5, causing the entire betting pool to be carried over to the next race or racing day when that same wager type is offered. Carryovers create significant betting value and excitement because the accumulated money attracts more bettors, which in turn grows the pools even larger.
Types of Carryovers
Traditional Carryover: If there are no winning tickets, the entire pool carries over to the next racing day. If the same wager type is offered in multiple races the next day, the carryover typically goes to the later race.
Rolling Carryover: Common with wagers like Super Hi-5 that are offered in multiple races on the same day. If there are no winners, the pool carries over to the very next race offering that wager type and continues rolling until someone wins.
Jackpot Carryover: Only a single unique winning ticket can collect the total jackpot pool. If multiple people have winning tickets, typically 70% of the fresh money is paid to all winners while 30% is added to the jackpot carryover for the next racing day.
Racetracks sometimes announce mandatory payouts on final racing days or special occasions, forcing the entire carryover to be paid out regardless of whether there’s a unique winner.