A $1 trifecta box costs $6 with 3 horses, $24 with 4, $60 with 5 and $120 with 6. A trifecta box of n horses covers n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) combinations, and the cost is your base times the combinations. The calculator below is set to a trifecta box; change the horses or base to price your own ticket.
Trifecta box cost chart
| Horses | Combinations | $0.50 base | $1 base | $2 base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | $3.00 | $6.00 | $12.00 |
| 4 | 24 | $12.00 | $24.00 | $48.00 |
| 5 | 60 | $30.00 | $60.00 | $120.00 |
| 6 | 120 | $60.00 | $120.00 | $240.00 |
| 7 | 210 | $105.00 | $210.00 | $420.00 |
| 8 | 336 | $168.00 | $336.00 | $672.00 |
How the formula works
The first horse can be any of n, the second any of the remaining n − 1 and the third any of the remaining n − 2, so a box covers n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) orders. Four horses is 4 × 3 × 2 = 24 combinations. Each extra horse adds combinations faster than the last: going from five to six horses doubles the ticket from 60 to 120 combinations.
Box, key or part wheel?
A box pays off if your horses fill the top three in any order, but you pay for every order, including ones you think are unlikely. Keying one horse on top over four others is 12 combinations instead of the 60 in a five-horse box. See the trifecta key calculator to compare, and the finishing-order guide for definitions.
Cost is not value
More combinations do not make a ticket better. A winning box pays what the trifecta pool posts for the winning order, and every other combination you bought is lost, so a big box on short-priced horses can cost more than it returns. Minimum bases vary by track (many offer 50-cent or $1 trifectas). This tool shows arithmetic only, not a recommended ticket; see when to pass and responsible play.
Common questions
How much does a $1 trifecta box with 4 horses cost?
$24. Four horses make 4 × 3 × 2 = 24 trifecta combinations, and each costs $1. The same box costs $12 at a 50-cent base and $48 at $2.
How much does a $2 trifecta box cost?
Three horses $12, four horses $48, five horses $120 and six horses $240. The formula is $2 × horses × (horses − 1) × (horses − 2).
How much is a 5 horse trifecta box?
Five horses make 60 combinations: $30 at a 50-cent base, $60 at $1 and $120 at $2.
How is trifecta box cost calculated?
Box cost = base per combination × combinations, and a trifecta box of n horses has n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) combinations. Multiply by your base to get the total.
Does a trifecta box pay more than a straight trifecta?
No. Only one order of your horses can finish first, second and third, so a winning box pays the same as a straight trifecta on that order. The box costs more because it covers every order.
Related calculators
Each tool answers one arithmetic question with your inputs. None of them predicts a payout, picks a horse or qualifies a GAMELIN BET.
- Horse racing betting calculator: odds & payout
- Horse racing odds payout chart: what each price pays on $2
- Exacta & trifecta ticket cost calculator: box, key & wheel
- $5 exacta box cost calculator
- Superfecta box cost calculator & chart
- Exacta payout calculator
- Trifecta key box calculator
- Pick 3, Pick 4 & Pick 5 ticket cost calculator
- Fair odds & expected value calculator
- $10 bet planner: what a small budget can buy
- How GAMELIN turns a field and a price into BET or PASS
Sources and scope
Official references and GAMELIN's published evidence. Check current track and operator information before acting.