A boxed trifecta is a type of trifecta bet where the bettor selects three or more runners to fill the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.
The beauty of a box trifecta is that the runners can finish in any order so long as they fill the first three places. The catch is that a boxed trifecta is likely to cost more than a normal trifecta bet, depending on the number of selections. Boxed trifectas are generally placed with the tote; however, most good betting sites mirror the trifecta dividends declared by the totalisator to allow their customers to place bets with them.
The example above shows a boxed trifecta where six horses have been selected to fill the first three places. The cost of the trifecta is calculated by tallying up the number of possible finishing combinations, e.g. 6 x 5 x 4 = $120 for a $1 unit.
Boxed trifectas are fairly easy to calculate as there is certainty over the number of possible combinations for the number of runners selected. The table below shows the cost of placing a boxed trifecta for different numbers of runners:
Box trifecta quick cost guide |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of runners | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Cost (full unit) | $6 | $24 | $60 | $120 | $210 | $336 | $504 | $720 |
Alternatively, our box trifecta calculator can compute the exact cost of any trifecta bet including flexi bets.
Boxed trifectas are often combined with flexi bets to allow the bettor to only pay a certain percentage of the trifecta cost in return for the same percentage dividend. For example, if the bettor wanted to place a box trifecta for seven runners, the cost would be $210 for a full $1 unit. However, the bettor could place a flexi bet and only pay for 20% of the trifecta and pay only $42 to place the bet.
A boxed trifecta is similar to an exacta box, the only difference being that you only need to select the first two positions for an exacta bet. It is also possible to place a boxed first four bet; however, these bets can get expensive very quickly.
Boxed trifectas are a popular bet type and are used widely in Australian betting. It is recommended to use the flexi betting option when placing box trifectas, as it allows you to reduce the cost and therefore risk of your bet.
