Calculate how much pari-mutuel breakage costs you. Compare dime, nickel, and penny breakage rules used at different tracks.
| Rule | You Get | Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Dime (most common) | $4 | $0 |
| Nickel (California) | $4 | $0 |
| Penny (rare) | $4 | $0 |
The precise payoff before breakage is applied
Calculate total breakage for multiple winning tickets
Breakage is the hidden cost of rounding down pari-mutuel payouts. Most US tracks use dime breakage ($0.10 rounding), which adds roughly 1-2% to the effective takeout. California's nickel breakage is more player-friendly.
Breakage is the difference between the exact calculated payout and the rounded-down amount the track actually pays. If the calculated payoff is $4.37, dime breakage rounds down to $4.30—the track keeps the $0.07 difference.
Dime breakage rounds down to the nearest $0.10 (most common in US). Nickel breakage rounds to $0.05 (better for bettors, used in California). Penny breakage rounds to $0.01 (rare but most player-friendly).
Breakage adds an extra 1-2% "hidden" takeout beyond the posted rate. Over time, this significantly impacts returns. California's nickel breakage saves bettors roughly 0.5% compared to dime breakage.
Breakage originated when tracks couldn't pay exact amounts (no coins smaller than $0.10). Modern technology could eliminate it, but tracks keep breakage as additional revenue since it's rarely questioned.
| Rule | You Get | Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Dime (most common) | $4 | $0 |
| Nickel (California) | $4 | $0 |
| Penny (rare) | $4 | $0 |