Saratoga 2021: Check out the wagering menu
Saratoga's opening day brings new betting options for the 40-day meet.
The meet will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses highlighted by the $1.25 million Travers (G1) on Aug. 28 and the $1 million Whitney (G1) on Aug. 7.
Starting with the Belmont spring/summer meet, the New York Racing Association changed its traditional Pick 6 wager, featuring a $1 bet minimum, up from 20 cents the last two years. Before that, the minimum was $2.
Here is the wagering menu for the Saratoga meet:
| Minimum bet | Wager type |
| $1 | Rolling doubles |
| $1 | Exacta |
| $1 | Quinella |
| $1 | Rolling Pick 3s |
| 50 cents | Pick 5 |
| 50 cents | Pick 4 |
| 50 cents | Trifecta |
| 10 cents | Superfecta |
| $1 | Grand slam |
| $1 | Pick 6 |
To win a grand slam wager, a bettor must pick a horse to finish in the top three in three straight races, plus the winner of the fourth race in the sequence. If there is no show wagering in one of the first three legs, the horse must finish first or second.
Here are the takeout rates:
| Wager type | Takeout rate |
| Win, place, show | 16% |
| Pick 5 | 15% |
| Daily double, quinella, exacta | 18.5% |
| Trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Grand Slam | 24% |
| Pick 6 | 15% (24% on carryover days) |