Betting · Through our partner TAB
The sport, and the punt.
Bet online through TAB, place your wager in person at a 4Racing venue, or follow the form — the racing takes care of itself.
How it works.
Betting with 4Racing, through our partner TAB.
4Racing operates South Africa’s racecourses; TAB is the official totalisator betting partner that carries the racing to punters across the country. If you’re new to betting, the glossary covers the bet types, and the responsible gambling page covers the safeguards. Betting is for persons 18 years and older. When you’re ready to bet, you’ll go through TAB — online, on the go, or in person at the course.
Online betting
TAB.
Every South African racing meeting — live streamed through TAB, with odds, form and responsible betting tools available throughout. Register, top up and place a wager from your phone, tablet or desktop.
Bet types at a glance
A quick overview of the most common bets. The glossary covers each one in detail.
Win
Back a horse to finish first.
Place
Back a horse to finish in a placed position — usually first, second or third.
Each-way
Half your stake on a win, half on a place — two bets in one.
Exacta
Pick the first two finishers in correct order.
Trifecta
Pick the first three finishers in correct order — higher risk, higher reward.
Pick 6 / Jackpot
Pick the winner of six nominated races. Carryover pools can grow meaningfully when nobody collects.
THE TOTE
A pool-betting tradition that is older than most racecourses.
The totalisator — the tote — was invented in Australia in 1913 by the engineer George Julius, whose mechanical odds-calculating machine was first installed at Auckland racecourse and went on to be used at racetracks across the world. It is a pool-betting system: every wager goes into a shared pool, the operator deducts a small commission, and the winning bettors share what is left in proportion to how much each one staked.
South African racing adopted the tote early in the twentieth century, and for most of its history the country’s betting was carried by it. In the modern era, that role belongs to TAB — the official totalisator partner of 4Racing. 4Racing operates the racecourses; TAB operates the tote that takes the bets.
PARI-MUTUEL, IN PLAIN ENGLISH
How a tote actually works.
You place a wager. Your stake goes into one of several pools — Win, Place, Each-way, Exacta, Trifecta, Quartet, Pick 6, Jackpot, Place Accumulator. Once the race is settled, the operator deducts the takeout (a small percentage that funds the racing programme and the operator’s costs), and the rest is divided proportionally among the winning tickets.
This is fundamentally different from a bookmaker. With a bookmaker, the odds are fixed when you place the bet and the operator carries the risk. With a tote, the punters set the odds collectively. The favourite shortens as more money piles in. A long shot stays long. Your final dividend is only known once the pool closes.
It is an honest, transparent system. The pool grows with every bet, the dividend reflects the true demand on the horse, and nobody is sitting on the other side of the wager.
CARRYOVERS
The pool that builds.
When a Pick 6 or Jackpot pool rolls over from one meeting to the next, the prize money grows. A carryover that survives several meetings can swell into the millions of rand. Punters travel to the racecourse. Form lines get studied harder. The energy in the betting hall changes. The carryover day is one of South African racing's distinctive traditions.
On the culture of pool-bet carryovers
Pool bets like the Pick 6 (six winners across six nominated races) and the Jackpot (four winners) are designed to be hard to win. Most days, nobody picks all winners. When that happens, the pool rolls over to the next meeting. That is the carryover.
A carryover that runs for several meetings can grow to a level where a single winning ticket changes the holder’s life. The biggest South African carryover days are talked about for years afterwards — and they are, in their own way, the most efficient form of racing reward: pool bets pay the bettors who read the cards better than everyone else in the pool, not the operator.
Tote betting — common questions
For new punters and seasoned ones — the questions people most often want answered before placing a bet on a 4Racing meeting.
What is a tote?
A tote (short for totalisator) is a pool-betting system. Every bet goes into a shared pool for that bet type. After the race is settled, the operator takes a small commission from the pool, and the rest is divided among the winning tickets in proportion to how much each holder staked. The dividend reflects the actual demand on the horse from every bettor in the pool, not a price set by a bookmaker.
How is a tote different from a bookmaker?
With a bookmaker, the odds are fixed at the moment you place your bet, and the operator carries the risk on the other side of every wager. With a tote, the punters set the odds collectively — the favourite shortens as more money piles in, a long shot stays long, and your final dividend is only known once the pool closes.
What is a Pick 6?
The Pick 6 is the flagship South African pool bet. You pick the winner of six nominated races on a single meeting’s card. If your card is correct on all six legs you win a share of the Pick 6 pool. If you are the only ticket holder with all six correct you win the whole pool.
What is a Jackpot?
The Jackpot is similar in spirit to the Pick 6 but covers four nominated races instead of six. It is more accessible — a four-race accumulator is more achievable than a six-race one — and it is one of the most popular bets on a busy meeting.
What is a carryover?
If nobody picks all the winners in a Pick 6, Jackpot or other accumulator pool on a given day, the prize money rolls over to the next meeting. That is a carryover. Carryovers can survive several meetings and grow the pool to many times its starting size. South Africa’s biggest carryover days are part of the country’s racing folklore.
How are tote dividends calculated?
Once the race is settled, the operator subtracts the takeout (a fixed percentage that funds the racing programme and the operator’s costs) from the pool. The remainder is divided proportionally among the winning tickets. Tote dividends in South Africa are quoted per rand staked — so a R10 ticket on a horse paying R45 dividend pays out R450.
What is the difference between Win, Place and Each-way?
A Win bet pays out only if your horse finishes first. A Place bet pays out if your horse finishes in a placed position — usually first, second or third, depending on the size of the field. An Each-way bet is two bets in one: half your stake on a Win, half on a Place. You collect the Win dividend if your horse wins, the Place dividend if it places.
What happens if my horse is scratched?
If your horse is scratched before the race is run, your stake is refunded to your TAB account or your tote ticket is voided at the racecourse counter. Multi-leg bets — Pick 6, Jackpot, Exacta, Trifecta — are usually adjusted using a substitute selection or a refund, depending on the specific rules of the bet type.
What is the minimum bet on TAB?
Minimum bet sizes vary by bet type and platform. The most common minimums on TAB are R5 or R10 for straight bets like Win and Place, with smaller minimums on combined and pool bets. Check the TAB platform — online or at the course — for the current minimum on the bet you want to place.
How do I claim a winning ticket?
If you bet through the TAB online platform, winnings are credited to your TAB account automatically as soon as the race is settled. If you bet at the course, you can claim your winnings at any tote counter on the same race day, or hold the ticket and claim later up to the published expiry date. Tickets must be presented intact.
Where can I bet at the course?
Every 4Racing venue has on-site tote counters and betting facilities for racegoers — Turffontein, Fairview and the Vaal all have dedicated betting halls and rail-side counters. You can also place a wager from your phone, tablet or desktop through the TAB platform on the same day, even while you are at the course.
Do I need to be over 18?
Yes. Gambling in South Africa is restricted to persons 18 years and older. Both 4Racing venues and the TAB platform require ID verification before you can register or place a wager. If gambling is causing you concern, the National Responsible Gambling Programme helpline is free, confidential and available 24/7 on 0800 006 008, or by WhatsApp on 076 675 0710.
In person
Betting at the course.
Every 4Racing venue has on-site betting facilities for raceday punters — tote counters, fixed-odds windows and dedicated betting lounges. It's still the most atmospheric way to have a wager: watch the field in the paddock, check the form in the racecard, and place your bet within sight of the track.
Find a venueWatch while you bet
Follow the action as you follow the markets.
Gambling only for persons 18 years & older
Stay in control. Free 24/7 support on 0800 006 008.
4Racing supports responsible gambling. If betting is affecting you or someone you know, the National Responsible Gambling Programme helpline is free, confidential and runs around the clock. WhatsApp HELP to 076 675 0710 or visit the NRGP.
Responsible gambling