Racing & Pari-Mutuel

Superfecta

A superfecta is a bet on a horse or greyhound race where you must name the first four runners to cross the line, in the correct sequence.

Number of selections: 4 finishers in exact sequence
Bet type: Parimutuel exotic wager
Applies to: Horse racing and greyhound racing in U.S. and Canada¹²
Difficulty: Harder to hit than a trifecta¹

Key points

The bettor picks the horses that will finish first, second, third, and fourth in exact order.¹
A superfecta ticket wins only if all four selections finish in that precise sequence.²
Because it is more unlikely than a trifecta, the payoff is generally higher.¹
In Australia and New Zealand, the equivalent bet is called a first four.³

Example of a superfecta bet

In a 10-horse race, you bet a superfecta on horses 5, 2, 8, and 1 to finish in that order. If the result is 5-2-8-1, you win. If the order is 5-8-2-1, you lose, even though the same four horses finished in the top four.

Superfecta box

A superfecta box covers all possible orderings of the selected horses. For example, boxing four horses costs 24 combinations (4 × 3 × 2 × 1). The bet wins if those four horses occupy the top four positions in any order. The cost is higher because you are effectively buying multiple superfecta tickets.

Common questions

What is a superfecta in horse racing?

A superfecta is a parimutuel wager that requires picking the first four finishers in a race in exact order. It is considered an exotic bet and is harder to win than a trifecta.

What is a superfecta bet?

A superfecta bet is a wager where you select the horses that will finish first, second, third, and fourth in exact sequence. You win only if all four selections finish in that precise order.

What is a superfecta box?

A superfecta box covers every possible finishing order of the horses you select. For four horses, it costs 24 times the base bet. You win if those horses occupy the top four positions in any order.

Where this term is used

Racing

Not the same as

Superfecta payout — the amount returned when a superfecta ticket wins, not the wager itself
Superfecta wheel — a betting strategy that keys one horse in a specific position and covers multiple others in the remaining positions
Superfecta odds — the probability or implied chance of a superfecta winning, not the wager structure

Racing Superfecta payout Explains how the payout for a superfecta bet is calculated and why it is typically higher than other exotic bets. Racing Superfecta wheel Describes the superfecta wheel betting strategy, which keys one horse in a specific position and covers multiple others. Racing Superfecta odds Covers the odds and probability of hitting a superfecta bet. Racing Exacta vs trifecta vs superfecta Compares the three exotic wagers: exacta (first two), trifecta (first three), and superfecta (first four). Racing Trifecta Explains the trifecta, a parimutuel wager on the first three finishers in exact order. Racing Furlong Defines the furlong, a unit of distance used in horse racing.

Sources

Superfecta en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition of superfecta and notes it is harder to hit than a trifecta.
Parimutuel betting en.wikipedia.org Confirms the superfecta as a parimutuel wager requiring exact order of first four finishers.
Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting en.wikipedia.org Notes the Australian/New Zealand equivalent 'first four'.

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.