The cost tables
A superfecta asks you to name the first four finishers in exact order. Boxing horses covers every possible order among them, and each order is a separate combination you pay for. These are the costs at the three base amounts you will most often see on a North American wagering menu.
Four horses is the smallest superfecta box that can be built, because four finishing positions have to be filled. That is why the table starts at 24 combinations rather than at one.
| Horses in the box | Combinations | $0.10 base | $0.50 base | $1 base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 horses | 24 | $2.40 | $12 | $24 |
| 5 horses | 120 | $12 | $60 | $120 |
| 6 horses | 360 | $36 | $180 | $360 |
| 7 horses | 840 | $84 | $420 | $840 |
| 8 horses | 1,680 | $168 | $840 | $1,680 |
| 9 horses | 3,024 | $302.40 | $1,512 | $3,024 |
| 10 horses | 5,040 | $504 | $2,520 | $5,040 |
How the math works
The combination count is N x (N-1) x (N-2) x (N-3), where N is the number of horses in the box. Four positions have to be filled in order, and each position uses up one of your horses, so each factor is one smaller than the last.
With four horses that is 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24. With five it is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 = 120. With six it is 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 = 360. Multiply the combination count by the base amount and you have the ticket cost: 120 combinations at a $1 base is $120, and the same 120 combinations at a 10-cent base is $12.
The pattern is worth noticing because it is steeper than the exotics most people meet first. Adding a fifth horse to a four-horse box multiplies the ticket by five. Adding a sixth multiplies it by three again. A superfecta box grows faster than an exacta or trifecta box built from the same horses, because it has four positions to fill instead of two or three.
| Horses boxed | Exacta box | Trifecta box | Superfecta box |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 horses | 12 combinations, $12 | 24 combinations, $24 | 24 combinations, $24 |
| 5 horses | 20 combinations, $20 | 60 combinations, $60 | 120 combinations, $120 |
| 6 horses | 30 combinations, $30 | 120 combinations, $120 | 360 combinations, $360 |
| 8 horses | 56 combinations, $56 | 336 combinations, $336 | 1,680 combinations, $1,680 |
See also: Exacta box cost tables · Trifecta box cost tables
The 10-cent superfecta, and where it applies
The dime superfecta is the reason a four-horse box can cost $2.40 rather than $24, and it is common but not universal. Del Mar's published wagering menu lists a 10-cent superfecta minimum, offered in all races with at least six betting interests. NYRA lists a $0.10 superfecta minimum across its tracks.
Churchill Downs shows how the same track can price the same wager two ways. Its published beginner's wagering guide lists a 10-cent superfecta minimum on regular race days but a $1 minimum on Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby days. On those two days a four-horse box costs $24 rather than $2.40, from an identical ticket structure.
Two things follow. First, the base amount is a property of the race you are betting, not of the wager type in general, so check the menu for that specific race. Second, a smaller base does not change the arithmetic above; it only changes the multiplier. The combination count is the same whether you pay 10 cents or a dollar for each one.
| Track or circuit | Superfecta minimum | Stated condition |
|---|---|---|
| Del Mar | $0.10 | All races with at least 6 betting interests |
| NYRA (Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Saratoga) | $0.10 | Listed on NYRA's published bet minimums |
| Churchill Downs | $0.10 | Regular race days |
| Churchill Downs | $1.00 | Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby days |
Payouts scale with the base too
A 10-cent superfecta pays a tenth of what the same combination pays at a $1 base. If a $1 superfecta returns $1,800, the same winning combination at 10 cents returns $180. The dime base lowers the entry price and lowers the return in the same proportion.
This matters when you read a published payout. Superfecta prices are quoted at a stated base, and a headline figure from a 10-cent pool is not comparable to one from a $1 pool without adjusting for it. Check which base a quoted payout refers to before using it as a reference point.
Nothing on this page estimates what any ticket will return. Superfecta payouts come from a pari-mutuel pool and are only calculated after wagering closes, so the cost side is the only part of the transaction you can know in advance. A lower base reduces the amount staked on each combination; it does not make any combination more likely to win.
See also: How pari-mutuel odds work
Box, key, or straight
A box treats every horse in it as equally likely to fill any of the four positions. That is a real statement about your opinion, and it is not always the one you want to make.
A straight superfecta names one exact order and costs one combination: a $1 straight 5-3-7-2 costs $1. A key sits between the two. If you single one horse to win and use four others underneath in the remaining three positions, the count is 1 x 4 x 3 x 2 = 24 combinations, or $24 at a $1 base and $2.40 at a dime. Boxing all five of those horses instead would be 120 combinations at $120.
The key is cheaper because it is a narrower bet, not a stronger one. It loses outright if your keyed horse finishes second, where the box would still have covered that finish. Which structure fits depends on whether you actually have an opinion about the order, and the arithmetic is the same either way.
See also: Box, wheel, and key explained
Scratches, field size, and the final ticket total
Two things can change a superfecta ticket after you have priced it. Under a combination-refund rule, a scratch removes and refunds combinations containing that interest. For example, a $1 five-horse box starts with 120 combinations at $120; if one horse is scratched and the remaining four-horse box stays live, 24 combinations remain at $24 and $96 is refunded. A four-horse superfecta box cannot shrink to three live horses because the wager still requires four finishers.
Del Mar's menu makes its offering condition explicit by listing the superfecta only for races with at least six betting interests. Coupled entries can also affect the betting-interest count because two horses may run under one wagering interest. The host's current rules and race-day announcement decide whether a pool continues after scratches.
Whatever structure you build, the operator's displayed total before you confirm is the number that governs. Use the tables above to know what to expect, then check the total against them rather than the other way round.
See also: What happens when a horse is scratched
Common questions
How much is a $1 superfecta box?
With four horses it costs $24, because four horses can fill four finishing positions in 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24 orders. Five horses costs $120, six costs $360, seven costs $840, and eight costs $1,680. The same boxes at a 10-cent base cost $2.40, $12, $36, $84, and $168.
How much is a 10-cent superfecta box?
Take the combination count and multiply by $0.10. A four-horse box is 24 combinations, so $2.40. A five-horse box is 120 combinations, so $12. A six-horse box is 360 combinations, so $36. The 10-cent minimum is offered by many tracks, including Del Mar and the NYRA tracks, but it is set per race and is not universal.
What is the formula for a superfecta box?
N x (N-1) x (N-2) x (N-3), where N is the number of horses in the box. Multiply the result by the base amount for the ticket cost. The count uses four descending factors because a superfecta has four finishing positions and each one has to be filled by a different horse.
Is the minimum superfecta bet always 10 cents?
No. Minimums are set by the host track for each race. Del Mar publishes a 10-cent superfecta in races with at least six betting interests and NYRA lists a $0.10 minimum, but Churchill Downs publishes a $1 superfecta minimum on Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby days rather than its usual 10 cents. Check the wagering menu for the specific race.
Does a superfecta box pay more than a straight superfecta?
No. The winning combination pays the same amount at the same base amount whichever way it was bought. A box simply purchases additional combinations alongside the one that wins, so it costs more for the same return on the successful combination.
What happens to a superfecta box if a horse is scratched?
Under a combination-refund rule, combinations containing the scratched interest are refunded and any valid unaffected combinations remain live. A $1 five-horse box costs $120; if one horse is scratched and the remaining four-horse box stays live, it retains 24 combinations worth $24 and $96 is refunded. A four-horse superfecta box cannot become a live three-horse box because the wager still requires four finishers. Host rules control the actual treatment.
Further reading