Pronunciation: [ɛɡzˈaktə] (IPA) 
The word "exacta" is spelled with four letters, starting with the letter "e" and ending with the letter "a". The first syllable is pronounced with a short "e" sound, followed by the consonant "k" and a short "s" sound. The second syllable is pronounced with a long "a" sound, spelled with the letter "a". The stress in this word falls on the second syllable, making the phonetic transcription for "exacta" /ɪɡˈzæktə/ .
The term "exacta" primarily refers to a type of bet in horse racing, but it can also describe the outcome of such bets. As a betting term, an exacta involves selecting the two horses that will finish in first and second place in a single horse race, in exact order. Essentially, it requires a bettor to correctly predict the exact order of the top two finishers. This is a highly challenging bet as it necessitates a deep understanding of the participating horses, their past performance, and their ability to compete against each other.
Moreover, the word "exacta" can also be used to describe the specific result of such a bet, specifically when the predicted horses finish in the precise order specified. For instance, if a bettor wagers on Horse A to win and Horse B to place, and those two horses do indeed finish first and second, respectively, the exacta has been achieved. This term is commonly used in the context of horse racing competitions where betting is prevalent, showcasing the achievement of accurately picking the top two horses in the correct order.
Overall, the term "exacta" represents both a type of horse racing bet and the attainment of predicting the first and second place finishers in the precise order during a race.
The word "exacta" originated from the English language and is commonly used in horse racing. However, it is worth noting that the etymology of this word is a bit unclear. It is believed to stem from a combination of the words "exact" and "exactly". The term "exacta" refers to a type of bet where bettors attempt to predict the exact order in which the first and second-place horses will finish in a race.
