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The win bet is the most traditional bet and definitely one of the best. Very simply, your horse must finish first to collect.
To determine your winning payoff, multiply the odds on the Tote board by 2, and then add $2. The chart below lists odds and winning $2 payoffs.
| Odds-on favorites | Low-priced winners | Mid-priced winners | Longer prices | Longshots |
| 1-5 $2.40 | 6-5 $4.40 | 5-2 $7 | 7-1 $16 | 15-1 $32 |
| 2-5 $2.80 | 7-5 $4.80 | 3-1 $8 | 8-1 $18 | 20-1 $42 |
| 1-2 $3.00 | 3-2 $5.00 | 7-2 $9 | 9-1 $20 | 25-1 $52 |
| 3-5 $3.20 | 8-5 $5.20 | 4-1 $10 | 10-1 $22 | 30-1 $62 |
| 4-5 $3.60 | 9-5 $5.60 | 5-1 $12 | 11-1 $24 | 50-1 $102 |
| 1-1 $4.00 | 2-1 $6.00 | 6-1 $14 | 12-1 $26 | 80-1 $162 |
Because win betting is so simple, most win betting strategies revolve around which bets to combine with win, if any. Remember, the more different bets you make, the more losing tickets you will likely have at the end. The simplest (and sometimes the best) strategy is to bet your money on the winner.
Win bets have the lowest tax (takeout) of any wager, making it percentage-wise the best bet to win at the races over time.