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Tote Bets

What is ‘The Tote’?
The Tote is the only bookmaker in Great Britain allowed to offer parimutuel betting on horse racing. It was previously owned and run by the British government from 1928 until 2011 at which point it was sold to Betfred.

How does tote betting work? What is parimutuel betting?
In tote betting all of the stakes on a particular event are collated and placed into a pool for that event. At this stage the tote remove a certain percentage from the pool for running the service (profit, tax and levies), these figures vary depending on the bet placed. Once the event is decided, and a winner known, the number of winners on each selection are calculated and the ‘pool value’ divided equally between the total winning tickets and a ‘dividend’ declared, usually to a £1/£2 stake unit.

The most common form of parimutuel betting which people will be familiar with is the National Lottery which works on the same basis.

Example:
Race 1 Gross Win Pool: £20,000
Race 1 Tote Commision (16.5%): £3,300
Race 1 Net Win Pool: £16,7000
Race 1 Total Winning Tickets: 800
Race 1 Win Dividend: £20.88

In the example above the winner would be declared with a dividend of £20.88 (inclusive of the original stake unit!) and each customer holding a £1 ticket would receive this amount. It is possible to place multiple bets on the same pool and collect multiple winning dividends.

How much does the Tote deduct from each pool?

Bet Type
Pool Deduction
Net Pool
Unit Stake
Total Stake
Tote Win16.5%83.5%£1.00£1.00
Tote Place18.0%82.0%£1.00£1.00
Tote Exacta25.0%75.0%£0.10£1.00
Tote Trifecta25.0%75.0%£0.10£1.00
Tote Quadpot26.0%74.0%£0.10£1.00
Tote Placepot27.0%73.0%£0.10£1.00
Tote Jackpot29.0%71.0%£0.50£1.00
Tote Scoop630.0%70.0%£2.00£2.00
Tote Swinger30.0%70.0%£0.10£1.00

What is a Tote Win bet?
A tote win pool is operated on all races of 2 or more runners unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select a horse to win the race. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £1, a minimum total stake of £1 and is subject to a deduction of 16.5% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Place bet?
A tote place pool is operated on all races of 5 or more runners unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select a horse to be placed in the race. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £1, a minimum total stake of £1 and is subject to a deduction of 18.0% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Exacta bet?
A tote exacta pool is operated on all races of 3 or more runners unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select the winner and the second horse in the correct order. It is totepool’s version of the computer straight forecast. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.10, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 25% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Trifecta bet?
A tote trifecta bet is operated in all UK races with 3 or more declared runners unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select the winner, the second and the third horse in the correct order. It is totepool’s version of the tricast bet. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.10, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 25% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Quadpot bet?
A tote quadpot bet is operated on all British meetings and selected oversees meetings unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select a horse to be placed in each of races 3 to 6 at aparticular race meeting, unless otherwise stated. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.10, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 26% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Placepot bet?
A tote placepot bet is operated on all British meetings and selected overseas meetings unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select a horse to be placed in each of the first six races at a particular race meeting, unless otherwise stated. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.10, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 27% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Jackpot bet?
A tote jackpot bet is operated on one meeting per day, nominated by totepool unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select the winning horse in each of the first six races at a single meeting nominated by totepool, unless otherwise stated. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.50, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 29% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Scoop6 bet?
A tote scoop6 bet is operated every Saturday on six races nominated by totepool as indicated in the national and sporting press, unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select a horse to win/place in each of the six races in order to qualify for one of two dividends paid for the bet, win dividend or place dividen. In addition to this winners of the win dividend are also eligible to select the winner of the bonus race nominated by totepool the following Saturday in order to qualify for a dividend from the totescoop6 bonus fund. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £2.00, a minimum total stake of £2.00 and is subject to a deduction of 30% from the gross pool.

What is a Tote Swinger bet?
A tote swinger bet is operated on all races of 6 or more declared runners unless otherwise stated. The aim of the bet is to select 2 horses to finish in any of the first 3 places. The bet has a minimum unit stake of £0.10, a minimum total stake of £1.00 and is subject to a deduction of 30% from the gross pool.

Further information on tote betting can be found here:
Tote Betting Guide
Tote Betting Rules
Totepool Live Info
Totepool Twitter
Tote Betting (Wikipedia)
Parimutuel Betting (Wikipedia)