Gambling terms, explained straight

Racing & Pari-Mutuel

Horse racing terms for winning

In horse racing, a win bet or selection succeeds only if the chosen horse finishes first in the race.

Also called
Win bet; straight bet (North America); get up (Australia/New Zealand) 32
Outcome
Pays only if the horse finishes first 15
Relation to each-way
A win bet is the win part of an each-way bet 64

Key points

  • A win bet is the simplest bet in horse racing: pick a horse to finish first.15
  • If the horse does not finish first, the win bet loses entirely.65
  • In North American racing, win is one of three main bet types alongside place and show.63

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Horse racing betting — horse racing betting is the broad category that includes win bets as one type among many
Racing Horse racing terms and phrases A broader glossary covering general racing terminology beyond just winning bets. Racing Funny horse racing terms A lighthearted collection of colourful slang used in the sport of kings. Racing Horse racing terms strands Explanation of the different betting strands or categories within horse racing. Racing Handicap horse racing How a handicap race assigns different weights to equalise chances for horses of different abilities. Racing Horse betting terms A glossary of the specific vocabulary used when wagering on horse races. Racing Going horse racing Definition of the term 'going' and how ground conditions affect race outcomes.

Sources

  1. Glossary of equestrian terms - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Defines a win bet as selecting the horse that finishes first.
  2. Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Provides the Australian/New Zealand slang term 'get up'.
  3. Betting on horse racing en.wikipedia.org States that a win bet is known as a straight bet in North America.
  4. Each-way - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Explains that an each-way bet includes a win component.
  5. Glossary of bets offered by UK bookmakers - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Confirms that a win bet pays only on a first-place finish.
  6. Type Of Bets | Racing Explained thejockeyclub.co.uk Lists win as a distinct bet type and distinguishes it from place and show.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.