perfecta

gambling

Also known as: exacta

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

A perfecta is a type of bet in which a gambler selects the first and second place finishers in a race, in the correct order. This bet is also known as an exacta. The term "perfecta" originated from American Spanish, meaning "perfect quiniela". The first known use of the word "perfecta" in this context was in 1961, while "exacta" was first used in 1964. Both terms refer to the same type of wager in gambling.12

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horse racing
Wagers
…of the first two races), perfecta (win and place winners in order in one race), quiniela (as in the perfecta but not in order), and trifecta (win, place, and show winners in order in one race). Other specialty wagers, sometimes offering extremely high payouts, require the bettor to select multiple…
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…of the first two races), perfecta (win and place winners in order in one race), quiniela (as in the perfecta but not in order), and trifecta (win, place, and show winners in order in one race). Other specialty wagers, sometimes offering extremely high payouts, require the bettor to select multiple…
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jai alai
The game
…wagering was followed by the perfecta, in which the bettor must pick first and second in that order. Horse racing’s daily double, the selection of the winners in two different events, also became popular in jai alai; and a Big Q., picking the quiniela in two events, was later introduced.
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…wagering was followed by the perfecta, in which the bettor must pick first and second in that order. Horse racing’s daily double, the selection of the winners in two different events, also became popular in jai alai; and a Big Q., picking the quiniela in two events, was later introduced.
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pari-mutuel
…the first two), exacta, or perfecta (picking the first two finishers in a race in precise order), quinella (picking the first two finishers in a race regardless of order), and pick six (picking the winners in six consecutive races, usually the second through the seventh).
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…the first two), exacta, or perfecta (picking the first two finishers in a race in precise order), quinella (picking the first two finishers in a race regardless of order), and pick six (picking the winners in six consecutive races, usually the second through the seventh).
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