馬券(ばけん)

ばけん
noun
horse racing ticket; betting slip
1. horse racing ticket; betting slip; racing bet
A ticket purchased to bet on horse races, representing a wager on which horse or combination of horses will win, place, or show. Horse racing is one of the few forms of legal gambling in Japan.
馬券(ばけん)を買(か)う。
To buy a horse racing ticket.
馬券(ばけん)が当(あ)たって大喜(おおよろこ)びした。
I was overjoyed when my racing bet won.
父(ちち)は毎週(まいしゅう)日曜日(にちようび)に競馬場(けいばじょう)に行(い)って馬券(ばけん)を買(か)うのが楽(たの)しみだ。
My father's weekly pleasure is going to the racetrack on Sundays to buy betting tickets.

Composed of 馬(ば) (horse) + 券(けん) (ticket/voucher). Formally called 勝馬投票券(かちうまとうひょうけん) (winning horse voting ticket). Horse racing (競馬(けいば)) is one of the major forms of legalized gambling in Japan, along with bicycle racing, boat racing, and motorcycle racing.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 馬券(ばけん)を買(か)う: to buy a racing ticket
  • 馬券(ばけん)が当(あ)たる: to win on a racing bet
  • 馬券(ばけん)を外(はず)す: to lose a racing bet
  • 馬券(ばけん)売(う)り場(ば): ticket-selling area at a racetrack

TYPES OF BETS:

  • 単勝(たんしょう): win (picking the first-place horse)
  • 複勝(ふくしょう): place (picking a top-three horse)
  • 馬連(うまれん): quinella (picking first and second in any order)
  • 三連単(さんれんたん): trifecta (first, second, third in exact order)

CULTURAL NOTE:
Horse racing is regulated by the JRA (日本(にほん)中央(ちゅうおう)競馬会(けいばかい)) and local governments. 馬券(ばけん) can be purchased at racetracks, off-track betting facilities, and online.

general
Added 2026.4.6 3:27
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