The Octafecta is horse racing's most exciting exotic wager — and it's available right now through MyWinners. For as little as $1, you pick the first eight finishers in a single race in the exact order they cross the line. Get it right and you could be looking at a massive, lottery jackpot-level payout. The pool keeps building race after race, track after track, until someone wins. That someone could be you.
How It Works
Pick eight horses. Get them home in the right order. Win big.
Each race day, one race with at least 10 runners is selected for the Octafecta. Your job is to name the horses that finish 1st through 8th — in sequence. The pool grows every day there's no winner, which means the jackpot can reach eye-watering levels before it pays out.
Bet details
Minimum bet | $1.00 |
Participating tracks | Turfway Park, Churchill Downs, Ellis Park |
Races eligible | Minimum 10 runners required |
Carryover | Yes — rolls between tracks at end of each meet |
Mandatory payout | No |
How the Carryover Works
This is where the Octafecta gets really interesting. The prize pool doesn't reset — it rolls. When one meet ends, every dollar of carryover transfers to the next track and keeps growing:
Turfway Park — where the Octafecta launched
Churchill Downs — the pool arrives for the Spring meet, one of the most prestigious in American racing
Ellis Park — the carryover continues after Churchill Downs wraps
There's no mandatory payout at the end of any meet. The jackpot just keeps building until someone nails all eight finishers. The longer it rolls, the bigger the prize.
How the Payout Works
When a winning ticket lands, the payout comes from the full accumulated pool — a single-priced payout shared among all winning tickets.
On days when multiple tickets win, 25% of that day's pool is paid out to winners. The remaining 75% rolls into the next race day's pool, keeping the prize growing. On days with no winner, the entire pool carries forward.
How to Place an Octafecta Bet Online at MyWinners
Log in to your MyWinners account
Select horse racing from the betting menu
Choose the race designated for the Octafecta — look for the pool label in the bet type options
Pick your eight horses in finishing order
Use box or key combinations to cover multiple outcomes if you want
Confirm your ticket and you're in the pool
How to Bet the Octafecta in Venue
All nine Winners and MyWinners venues across Connecticut offer horse racing betting, and the Octafecta is available at terminals or over the counter on every race day it runs.
Here's how to place your bet in person:
Visit any Winners or MyWinners venue — East Haven, Stamford, Hartford, New Britain, Norwalk, Manchester, Milford, Waterbury, or Windsor Locks
Select the Octafecta
Give them your horse selections in finishing order — 1st through 8th
Ask for a box or key if you want to cover multiple combinations
Pay your wager and collect your ticket — hold onto it, you'll need it to claim
Not sure which horses to pick? The DRF form guide is available in the handicapping store online and in-app, giving you all the data you need to make your selections before you step up to the window.
Tips for Betting the Octafecta
Smart bettors use a few simple strategies to get more coverage for their dollar:
Box your top picks — boxing covers all finishing combinations among your selected horses, giving you more ways to win from a single ticket.
Key a standout on top — if there's a horse you love, lock them in first place and spread your picks underneath to cover more combinations at a lower cost.
Watch the carryover — the bigger the pool, the bigger your potential payday. Big carryover races are the ones you want to be in.
💡 Did you know? The Octafecta is one of the rarest bets in horse racing — correctly sequencing eight horses in exact finishing order from a field of 10+ runners means you're picking the right outcome from thousands of possible combinations. That's why the carryover can build for weeks and prizes can hit millionaire levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Octafecta bet in horse racing?
What is an Octafecta bet in horse racing?
The Octafecta is an exotic horse racing bet where you pick the first eight finishers in a race in the exact order of finish. It's available through MyWinners at Turfway Park, Churchill Downs, and Ellis Park, with a minimum bet of $1.00.
How does the Octafecta carryover work?
How does the Octafecta carryover work?
If no ticket matches all eight finishers in order, the entire pool carries over to the next race day. When the current track's meet ends, the carryover transfers to the next participating track — moving from Turfway Park to Churchill Downs to Ellis Park — where it continues to grow until someone wins.
What happens if a horse is scratched from an Octafecta race?
What happens if a horse is scratched from an Octafecta race?
If a horse on your Octafecta ticket is scratched before the race, the next betting favorite is substituted in its place. This follows standard pari-mutuel scratch rules. Always check the race conditions before placing your ticket.
Is the Octafecta available online?
Is the Octafecta available online?
Yes. The Octafecta is available through your MyWinners account and at all participating Winners venues where horse racing is offered.
How is the Octafecta payout calculated?
How is the Octafecta payout calculated?
The Octafecta pays as a single-priced pari-mutuel pool. On any day with winning tickets, 25% of that day's pool is distributed to winners. The remaining 75% carries forward. The more the pool builds without a winner, the larger the potential payout.
Where can I bet the Octafecta in Connecticut?
Where can I bet the Octafecta in Connecticut?
The Octafecta is available online through your MyWinners account and in person at any Winners or MyWinners venue offering horse racing. The designated race must have a minimum of 10 runners — look for the Octafecta pool label in the bet type options when selecting your race.