Belmont Stakes Betting: Things You Need to Know

 

Thrill and excitement surround the Belmont Stakes race, which is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown series. This event that happens every year in June is reputed as one of the oldest and longest horse race in the United States. In this prestigious race, you’ll witness three-year-old thoroughbreds compete in a grueling one-and-a-half-mile racetrack.

Horse racing fans and bettors in the U.S. and around the world take part in this historical event. In fact, every year, Belmont Stakes betting reach an average of $130 million, the second highest betting handle in a thoroughbred racing event next to the Kentucky Derby. In 2014, Belmont Stakes made a record-setting betting handle of $150 million.

If you’re a newbie who wants to participate in the Belmont Stakes betting, it’s high time for you to know this betting guide below for that purpose.

Types of Bet in Belmont Stakes

It’s wise for you to know the different bet types in Belmont Stakes. There are what we call straight bets, namely: the win, place, and show bets.

• Win. The simplest wager in the event. You place your bet on a runner and receive a payout if it finishes in the first place.
• Place. You place your bet on a horse, and you win if it finishes in the top 2.
• Show. You win this bet if your chosen runner finishes in the top 3.

In the straight bets, the winning amount you’ll get is determined by the pot money as well as the level of difficulty of your wager. Choosing and winning the “win” bet type will earn you the highest payout, second highest payout if you win the “place” bet type, and the lowest payout if you win the “show” bet type.

There are also other interesting types of bet known as exotic bets in the event, namely: the exacta, trifecta, superfecta, and quinella bets. Here’s a simple definition of each of them.

• Exacta. You win this bet if you select the 1st and 2nd place in the correct order. So even if you choose two runners that place in the top 2 but not in exact order as you bet it, you’ll not get paid. An exacta a pari-mutuel betting type, which means that the winning amount you get is based on the size of the betting pool and the number of winners.
• Trifecta. You win this bet if you pick the top 3 finishers of the race in the correct order. The payout you get from betting on the trifecta bet type is higher than the exacta because of the level of difficulty of the bet. Aside from the bet difficulty, factors such as the betting pool size and the number of winners will also determine the amount of the payout.
• Superfecta. You win this bet if you choose the top 4 finishers of the race in exact order. Due to the difficulty of guessing the top 4 finishers in the correct order, winners can get a high amount of payout for this bet type.
• Quinella. You win this bet if you pick the top 2 horses in any order. The odds on the top 2 runners will determine the amount of payout for this bet type.

You can bet at live teller betting windows or self-service terminals in Belmont Park or via legal online betting sites, including ones outside the United States.

Winning Trends in the Belmont Stakes

The racetrack in Belmont Park is one of the most difficult dirt courses in all of thoroughbred racing. That’s why it’s no wonder that bettors often bet on the horses who have the experience, endurance, and stamina to handle this type of racetrack. Besides this, there are also other trends that bettors consider before placing their bets.

• The Top Favorite Horse. In the history of the race, 40 percent of the most favorite runners have finished at the top spot of the Belmont Stakes, while 22 percent got the victory in the past 30 years. So before deciding which to bet on the Belmont Stakes, you can analyze the performance of the winners of the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby or look at the Belmont Stakes odds.
• The Top Trainer. You can also research about who are the top active trainers in the event before placing your bet. Right now, the top active trainer is D Wayne Lucas, who have trained four horses that got the victory in the Belmont Stakes.
• The Top Jockey. It’s also smart on your part if you study the top active jockeys in the race. As of the moment, the active jockey who got the most wins in Belmont Stakes is Gary Stevens. He won three times already in the prestigious event.

Takeaway

Learning how to bet on the Belmont Stakes is essential, especially if it’s your first time to take part in the said betting. You need to know about the different bet types, as well as the trends that will likely get you a winning bet. The betting guide mentioned above is a great start to learn for that purpose.