First four calculator: boxed first four cost and flexi %

First Four calculator

Combinations: -
Cost for 100%: -
Your flexi %: -
You would collect: -

Key facts

A first four pays if you pick the first four finishers in exact order.
Combinations in a box = n x (n - 1) x (n - 2) x (n - 3): 4 runners is 24, 5 is 120, 6 is 360.
Flexi lets you bet any amount: $12 on a 5 horse box (120 combinations) is 10%.
In a 24 runner field there are 255,024 possible first four results, so most players use small flexi percentages.

How to use the first four calculator

Choose a box and the number of runners, or switch to standout to type runner numbers for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Enter your outlay to see the combinations, the full cost, your flexi percentage and the collect for any dividend.

What a first four is

A first four is a bet on the first four runners in exact order. Like the trifecta it is a tote bet: winning tickets share the pool, so the dividend depends on the result and how many people picked it.

First four combinations and cost

The number of combinations in a first four box is n x (n - 1) x (n - 2) x (n - 3). It grows very quickly.

Runners boxed	Combinations	Cost at 100%	$12 outlay is
4	24	$24	50%
5	120	$120	10%
6	360	$360	3.33%
7	840	$840	1.43%
8	1,680	$1,680	0.71% (below the TAB's 1% minimum)

Standouts make a first four affordable

Standing one or two runners out in a position cuts the combinations sharply. Runner 3 to win, 5 for second, and 8, 11 and 14 for third and fourth is 6 combinations, against 120 for boxing all five.

Pundit tip: flexi below about 5% means you need a very big dividend to get a decent collect. Compare what a smaller box would pay before you add another runner.

The odds are long by design

With 24 starters, as in the Melbourne Cup, there are 24 x 23 x 22 x 21 = 255,024 possible first four results. A 6 runner box covers 360 of them, about 0.14%. That is not a reason to avoid the bet, just a reason to treat it as a small-stakes shot, sized against your betting bank. See the boxed trifecta calculator for a cheaper exotic and the Melbourne Cup betting guide for Cup day. A quaddie is the multi-race version of a long shot: the winners of four races, with the cost multiplying as you add runners. Ties for a place are covered in our dead heat rules guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a boxed first four?

At $1 a combination, a 4 runner box costs $24, 5 runners $120, 6 runners $360 and 7 runners $840. Most punters use flexi betting and take a percentage of the dividend instead.

What is a first four bet?

A first four is a tote bet on the first four finishers in exact order. It is the hardest of the common exotics to win and usually pays the biggest dividends.

How do I work out my first four payout?

Multiply the $1 dividend by your flexi percentage. A $3,000 dividend at 10% pays $300.

What is a roving banker first four?

A roving banker picks one runner to finish somewhere in the first four, in any position, with other runners filling the remaining places. You can model one in the calculator by entering your banker plus the others in every position.