- Maths reviewed by Josh Miller
- Tested by Diana Westfield
The First Four calculator works out what a First Four costs before you put it on: how many combinations your selections make and what that comes to at your flexi. A five-horse box is 120 combinations. Spend $24 and you’re on at 20%, which means if the dividend is $1,850 for a $1 unit, you collect $370. The CasinoCalcs calculator above starts there; change the box size, key a horse on top or wheel by position.
First Four calculator: boxes, standouts and wheels
| Bet | Combinations | At 20% flexi |
|---|---|---|
| Straight (1-2-3-4 in order) | 1 | $0.20 |
| Box of 5 | 120 | $24 |
| Box of 6 | 360 | $72 |
| One standout + 5 to fill 2nd to 4th | 60 | $12 |
| 1 / 2 / 4 / 6 horses by position | 1 × 1 × 2 × 3 = 6, if they’re nested | $1.20 |
A standout is where the calculator saves the most money. If you’re sure of the winner, keying it on top cuts a five-horse box from 120 combinations to 60, so the same $24 buys 40% instead of 20%. The wheel option works for nested selections, where each horse you name for an earlier spot is also in the later spots.
Is a big flexi better than a small one?
A bigger flexi doesn’t change your chance of winning, only what you collect when you do. That’s the trap with First Fours: the dividends look enormous, but a 120-combination box on a 14-runner field is still a long shot. Tote pools in Australia also take a commission before they pay out, typically in the 20s as a percentage, so the average return on every dollar is well under a dollar.
For the first three in order, use the trifecta calculator, and for several legs inside one race at fixed odds, the same race multi calculator. The full guide to North American-style ticket costs is on the superfecta calculator.
Big dividends come from long odds. BeGambleAware.org has free support, and Gambling Help Online runs 24/7 in Australia.