Winnings post within a few minutes of official results. Most wagers must be placed before the race begins; multi-race wagers must be placed before the first race in the sequence. Find carryovers and the racing calendar under Bet Now. Scratches and changes are received multiple times a day, and odds update every 60 seconds or less.
This article explains when your winnings post, when you can place a wager, how to find carryovers and the racing schedule, and how scratches and odds updates work on Capital OTB Bet.
What you need to know
When winnings post to your account
Your Account History and Account Balance update within a few minutes from the time the official race results are posted at the host track.
When you can place a wager
Horse racing wagers must generally be placed before the race begins. Once the starting gate opens and the race is officially underway, betting for that race is closed. The exact cutoff time can vary depending on the type of wager:
- Win, Place, and Show wagers: For traditional Win, Place, and Show wagers made on the day of the race, betting pools typically close at post time, which is the scheduled start time of the race. Final odds are set when the pools close.
- Same-day wagers: Most wagers placed on race day must be submitted before the horses enter the starting gate and the race is declared “off.” A large portion of wagering happens in the final minutes before post time, which can cause odds to change quickly.
- Advance wagers: Some races allow advance wagering, meaning you can place bets one or more days before the race is run. Odds for these wagers may continue to change until race time.
- Ante-post wagers: For major racing events, wagers may be available weeks or months in advance. These bets may offer higher odds, but if your selected horse is scratched (withdrawn from the race), the wager is typically not refunded.
- Multi-race wagers: For wagers that span multiple races, such as Daily Doubles, Pick 3s, or Pick 4s, you must place the entire wager before the first race in the sequence begins. Once the first race starts, no changes can be made.
Scratches and changes
A scratch is a horse that has been withdrawn from a race. Most tracks send their scratches and changes to us multiple times a day:
- Early scratches are posted when wagering becomes available for the day.
- Late scratches usually arrive about one hour before post time for the first race.
These common terms describe scratches:
- MTO (Main Track Only): The horse will be scratched if the race stays on the turf, but will compete if the race is moved to the main track (dirt).
- AE (Also Eligible): The horse can enter the race if a spot becomes available. Another horse must scratch for an also-eligible horse to compete. Also-eligible horses are admitted into the field based on post position order.
- PrivVet (Private Veterinarian): The horse was scratched by its personal veterinarian, who certified that the horse has an illness or condition that prevents it from racing.
- RegVet (Regulatory Veterinarian): The track veterinarian ordered the horse scratched due to soundness or lameness concerns.
Current odds
Yes, you can see current odds in real time for all our races. Odds come directly from our member racetracks and update at least every sixty (60) seconds. As a race approaches post time, odds update more frequently, so you have the most accurate information right up until the horses leave the gate.
How to find carryovers and the racing schedule
A carryover is money left in a wagering pool, such as a jackpot pool, that was not paid out and is added to that pool for a future race.
Find current carryovers
- Select Bet Now.
- Select Carryovers to view the current list.
See which tracks are running this week
- Select Bet Now.
- Select Calendar.
- Choose the day you want to view to see which tracks are expected to run.
Important details
- Place wagers early: To help make sure your wager is accepted, we strongly recommend placing bets a few minutes before the scheduled post time, especially on busy race days, to avoid last-minute delays or technical issues.
- Schedule changes: Track cancellations and changes to the racing calendar are updated as soon as we receive official word from each track.
- Weather delays: On days with potential weather issues, tracks sometimes delay sending scratches and changes while they decide on the day’s races, such as taking races off the turf or canceling them.