Key Wheeling in a Trifecta Bet
Key-wheeling in a trifecta bet means selecting a key horse in a fixed position, usually first, and wheeling any number of other horses in multiple combinations to finish in the remaining positions, usually second and third. If the 1 is key-wheeled with the 2, 3, and 5, the combinations of 1-2-3, 1-2-5, 1-3-2, 1-3-5, 1-5-2, and 1-5-3 are covered. As long as the 1 is the winner and any combination of the numbers 2, 3, and 5 are second and third, the key-wheeled wager is a winner. The more numbers used with the key-wheeled selection, the greater the number of possibilities covered. However, the more numbers used, the greater the cost to cover the wager.

 

# of choices # of combinations $ amount of bet Cost of bet
2
2
$1 ($2)
$2 ($4)
3
6
$1 ($2)
$6 ($12)
4
12
$1 ($2)
$12 ($24)
5
20
$1 ($2)
$20 ($40)
6
30
$1 ($2)
$30 ($60)
7
42
$1 ($2)
$42 ($84)
8
56
$1 ($2)
$56 ($112)
9
72
$1 ($2)
$72 ($144)
10
90
$1 ($2)
$90 ($180)
11
110
$1 ($2)
$110 ($220)
12
132
$1 ($2)
$132 ($264)
13
156
$1 ($2)
$156 ($312)

 

A simple rule to remember to compute the cost of a key-wheeled trifecta wager would be as follows: the number of horses to be boxed with the keyed selection MULTIPLIED by the next lowest number MULTIPLIED by the dollar amount of the wager. EXAMPLE: A key-wheeled trifecta using 4 choices with the key-wheeled selection for $2 would be computed 4 ( the number of horses boxed with the key-wheeled selection) x 3 (next lowest number) x 2 (dollar amount of wager) = $24.