Brain Permutations

Racetrack

A while ago I learned about a system at the track.

The racetrack.

Not to make a lot of money.

But to have a lot of fun.

It is called and Exacta Box system, and is pretty common.

And exacta works like a parlay.

Like if you bet on horse A to win, and then take the winnings, assuming you win, and place it on Horse B to place, or come in second.

For example, if the odds on horse A to win were 5 to 1, you’d bet $2 and win $10.

And if the odds on horse B to place (come in second) were 2 to 1, you’d bet $10 and win $20.

So an exacta works by betting $2 on horse A to win AND the winnings (if you win) on horse B to place.

So if you A wins and B comes in second, you bet $2 to get $20.

An exacta box is when you choose three horses.

Factorials

A, B, and C.

And you bet on every possible, first and second place combination.

A B

B A

A C

C A

B C

C B

If you have three horses, then there are 3! different possibilities.

3! is 3x2x1, or six.

If you have four horses, then there are 4! possibilities.

4x3x2x1, or 24.

So a two dollar exacta box on three horses would be a 2$ bet on all combinations, or twelve dollars.

So, how do you choose the three horses?

Choose the three favorites.

But since the favorites are the same horses everybody else is betting on, you don’t get great odds.

Fun Not Money

So you might buy a $5 exact box on 3 horses (costing $30) and win something like $35 dollars.

But like I said, it’s not to make a lot of money.

It’s to have a lot of fun.

Because in EVERY RACE you have a chance of winning.

Which is very exciting.

All based on balancing odds and probabilities.

In this particular example, the more combinations, the more it costs.

But this isn’t always true.

Sometimes you can dramatically increase the combinations without increasing the costs.

For example, the more stuff you have in your brain, the more ways you can combine that stuff.