What Does ‘Swinger Bet’ Mean in Sports Betting?

A “Swinger Bet” is a type of wager, most common in horse racing, where you select two horses to finish in the top three positions in any order.

This bet is popular because it offers more flexibility than an Exacta or Trifecta, as the horses you select don’t need to finish in a specific order, just within the top three.

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How a Swinger Bet Wins

When you place a Swinger bet on two horses (e.g., Horse #4 and Horse #7), you win if your two selections finish in any of these combinations:

• 1st and 2nd (in any order)
• 1st and 3rd (in any order)
• 2nd and 3rd (in any order)

As long as both of your chosen horses finish “in the money” (top three), your bet is a winner.

Example

You place a Swinger bet on Horse A and Horse B.

• You WIN if:
  • The race finishes: 1st – Horse A, 2nd – Horse B, 3rd – Horse C
  • The race finishes: 1st – Horse C, 2nd – Horse B, 3rd – Horse A
  • The race finishes: 1st – Horse B, 2nd – Horse C, 3rd – Horse A
• You LOSE if:
  • The race finishes: 1st – Horse A, 2nd – Horse C, 3rd – Horse D (Your second horse, Horse B, did not finish in the top 3)

Swinger vs. Other Bets

It’s easy to confuse a Swinger with other “exotic” horse racing bets. Here’s how they differ:

• Swinger: Pick two horses to finish in the top 3 (in any order).
• Quinella: Pick two horses to finish 1st and 2nd (in any order).
• Exacta: Pick two horses to finish 1st and 2nd (in the exact order).
• Trifecta: Pick three horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (in the exact order).

The Swinger bet is generally considered safer than a Quinella or Exacta because it gives you the “insurance” of the 3rd place position.