Wagering on horse races is suspenseful entertainment and gaming at its best. In the 55 seat Racebook at River Rock, the classic game of horse racing meets the latest video technology, along with great food and service.

Although you can easily learn the basics of wagering, the ins and outs can take a lifetime to master. Many of the top horses of today and the families who trained them have a lineage and history that goes back generations. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make friends in the Racebook, if you’re new to racing.

From the comfort of your seat, order from a delicious menu, including dry ribs, burgers and home made fries, and a variety of drinks for you and your new friends.

The Racebook at River Rock is closed.

How to Wager

When betting on horse races, there are many different wager types. Here is a basic breakdown of those different types of wagers:

WIN A horse bet to win must cross the finish line first.

PLACE A horse bet to place must cross the finish line either first or second. This bet is less risky but also normally pays less than a winning win wager on the same horse.

SHOW Any horse bet to show must finish either first, second, or third. Again, this wager is not as risky but will usually pay less than either a win or place wager on the same horse.

EXACTA The object is to correctly select the first two horses across the finish line in the exact order. For example, if you placed a “2-3″ exacta, the #2 must win the race and the #3 must finish second. This is more difficult than any win, place or show wager but will reward with a higher payoff. Exactas can be BOXED or WHEELED

QUINELLA The quinella is similar to the exacta. The object is to select the first two horses across the finish line, but in any order. If you placed a “3-6″ quinella, the race must finish either 3-6 or 6-3. Either way, as long as the #3 and #6 both finish in the top two, this wager is a winner. The quinella price will on average pay about half of the exacta price. Quinellas can be BOXED or WHEELED.

TRIFECTA The trifecta is basically just an extension of the exacta. The object of a trifecta is to select the first three horses across the finish line in the exact order. An example trifecta would be “2-3-6″. The #2 must win, the #3 must finish second, and the #6 must finish 3rd in that exact order. Trifectas can be BOXED or WHEELED.

SUPERFECTA A winning superfecta must select the first four horses across the finish line in the exact order. Superfectas are one of the most difficult wagers to hit but routinely pay hundreds and often thousands of dollars. Superfectas can be BOXED or WHEELED.

DAILY DOUBLE The object is to correctly select which horses will win two consecutive races. Take for example a 6-3 daily double placed in the first race. The #6 must win the 1st race and the #3 must win the 2nd race. Daily Doubles can be WHEELED.

PICK-3 Correctly select the winners of three consecutive races. A Pick-3 can be WHEELED.

PICK-4 Correctly select the winners of four consecutive races. A Pick-4 can be WHEELED.

PICK-6 Correctly select the winners of six consecutive races. The Pick-6 is the most difficult wager in horse racing. It is also perhaps the most lucrative with payoffs in the 10′s and 100′s of thousands of dollars routinely. A Pick-6 can be WHEELED.

Where to view schedules

To learn more about wagering on horse races visit Hastings Racecourse