Exacta box bets are attractive to bettors because they are much easier to win than straight exactas but still provide healthy payout potential. Experienced horse racing handicappers have a hard enough time identifying the two best horses in a race, let alone predicting their exact finishing order.
A bet on two horses to finish in first and second (Win and Place) in precise order. Minimum bet is $2. An Exacta Betting slip would show $2 Exacta (2-7). This means you have placed a $2 Exacta Bet on horse #2 to finish in first place (Win) and horse #7 to finish in second (Place).
$2 Exacta Box Costs: The Exacta Box means your selections can finish first or second in any order. When using three or more horses in your Exacta Box, any two of your horses must finish first and second. To figure the cost: Multiply the number of horses used by the number of horses used less one.
If your bet is a winner, your payout is that percentage of the declared dividend. For a simple exacta, where you nominate one horse to win and one horse to finish second, the cost is $1, and your flexi percentage is 100%. If you were to stake $2 on the same bet, your flexi percentage would be 200%.