A Daily Double is a parimutuel wager in thoroughbred horse racing where bettors must correctly pick the winners of two consecutive races that are pre-designated by the track. The wager is placed before either race is run, and both selections must win for the bet to be successful.
How It Works
To place a Daily Double bet, you select one horse to win in each of the two consecutive races, such as choosing horse #4 in Race 1 and horse #7 in Race 2. The bet is only successful if both horses win their respective races. If either horse loses, the entire wager is lost.
Common Types of Daily Double
Early Daily Double: The most common format involves the first two races of the day’s program. This was originally designed to encourage spectators to arrive early and stay for the entire racing card.
Late Daily Double: Most tracks now also offer a “late double” on the final two races of the day, keeping bettors engaged until the end of the program.
Rolling Daily Double: Some tracks offer this option on any two consecutive races throughout the day.
Betting Variations
Full Wheel: You can select one horse in one race and bet on all horses in the second race, covering every possible combination. For example, if you wheel all eight horses in the second race with a $2 base bet, your total cost would be $16.
Part Wheel: This allows you to select your key horse in one race and choose only specific horses (not all) in the other race, reducing your investment while still covering multiple combinations.
Payout Structure
Daily Double bets operate under the parimutuel system, where payouts depend on the total pool and number of winning tickets. Because there’s only a single takeout rather than two separate bets, Daily Double payouts are typically higher than betting both horses individually to win. Historical examples include payouts as high as $10,772 in 1939 and $8,693.60 in 1990.