Playing To Win

The Pick 6

The pick six is the single most challenging wager in horse racing, and at times it is it's own monster and can actually cause a spectacle separate from the sport itself. The pick six is the ultimate extension of multi-race exotic wagers, such as the pick three and pick four, and it requires the horse player to pick the winners of six consecutive races on the program. Sound challenging? You betcha.

The pick six, which unlike the pick three is only offered once per race card and usually consists of the last six races on the program, is such a difficult wager that it can go several days without being hit, which creates a carryover - or a cumulative pool - similar to a lottery. It is indeed like the lottery when a significant carryover is generated, many times in the millions of dollars at some venues. At this point, the pick six is of a whole new dynamic, and it takes on a level of publicity and added attention that can parallel any other event in racing for that respective day. Many large players, many who'll go a lifetime without hitting a pick six, salivate at the opportunity of a large carryover and will invest in upwards of several thousands of dollars using multiple horses and combinations in an effort to hit it, but for the majority of horse players in the racing world, it is only feasible to take a stab at this monstrous wager with a small and reasonable ticket. So, we'll take a look at how to play a small pick six ticket, while being as strategic and efficient as possible to allow for the best chance at cashing in on a fortune - without spending a fortune.

Description:	Mission difficult: Your horses must finish 1st in 6 consecutive races.
Winning payoff:	This is the kicker. The payoff is generally very rewarding and can be anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to a couple of million dollars depending on the size of the pool and the number of tickets hit.
Popularity:	As you may have thought, the pool size determines its attractiveness to the horse player. Pool sizes usually grow exponentially the longer one carries over. Overall, it is a very popular wager, especially for the bigger horse players.
Frequency:	Most tracks in this day in age offer the Pick 6 wager, and due to the nature of the bet it is ONLY offered once per race card.
Minimum:	$2
How to say the bet:	"Churchill Downs, Race 5, $2 Pick Six 1-3-7-3-5-2"

Why bet a pick six? Again, a lot of times it is for the same reasons people play the lottery. It is an opportunity to make an awful lot of money quickly. But unlike the lottery, you can utilize your intuition on horse racing to aid your cause, versus merely relying on luck. Obviously, it generally still requires having luck on your side to be able to pick the winner of six straight races.

A Couple Of Tips For Playing A Small Pick Six Ticket:

Take a lottery-mentality approach and have fun with it

It first takes the attitude of the player to understand how difficult of a wager it is to hit, especially with a small ticket, and to almost treat it like a lottery ticket. That is step one. Learning and having fun along the way is the name of the game. It will increase your chances of cashing in on that big pick six ticket in the future!

Find logical 'singles'

In trying to pick the winners of six consecutive races, you'll have to sieve through upwards of 60 horses and most of the races will require using multiple horses for you to feel confident that the race is adequately covered. However, if you are keeping the ticket cost minimal, you'll have to take a stand in a couple of the races and use a 'single' - or rely on one horse in a leg of your pick six ticket.

There are two factors that come to mind when deciding on choosing a single. The first is trying to find a horse from one of the shortest fields of the six races. For example, if there is a race with five horses in it and the other five races offer much larger fields, then it is logical for you to try and identify the winner in the race of only five starters because you statistically have a better chance of your horse winning that leg. The second is to find what you perceive to be the best horse in the best race scenario. For example, if you are looking for a single but are uncertain of where to find one, handicap all six races and of the six horses you pick on top in those races, use the horses that have drawn the most favorably or look to get the best trip/setup, etc. On the other hand, don't be scared to single a horse in a leg. If you truly feel a horse is a standout then it is unnecessary to use any other horses in the race, right?

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• -Life Cycle