Conquer the Track: The Ultimate Belmont Stakes Betting Guide

In this Belmont Stakes betting guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to start making wagers on the big race. We’ll explain how Win, Place, and Show wagers work, as well as give some context for how to make money betting on the Belmont Stakes

Make sure you use a trusted sportsbook to find the best odds on the last leg of the Triple Crown. There’s a lot of hype around this race, but with a bit of research and betting knowledge to back you up, you can make profit on your wagers.

About the Belmont Stakes

Belmont Stakes Best Bets

What’s the Best Way to Bet on the Belmont Stakes for Beginners?

Tips for Betting on the Belmont Stakes

Be the First Out of the Gate for the Belmont Stakes

About the Belmont Stakes

Traditionally held on the first or second Saturday in June, the Belmont Stakes is the last leg of the Triple Crown. The race is held in Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. This has been its home since the race moved from Jerome Park Racetrack in 1905.

The Belmont is a grueling 1.5 miles, the longest of the Triple Crown races, and nicknamed “The Test of the Champion” for that reason.

Only three-year-old Thoroughbred horses can compete. Fillies can enter, but it’s uncommon. There have only been three filly winners in the entire history of the race.

The winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (the first two legs of the Triple Crown) are guaranteed spots in the Belmont if their owners choose to enter them. The other horses in the race are nominated based on career performance, and the runners are often chosen in January.

The winner receives a special trophy – the August Belmont Trophy – along with a hefty chunk of prize money.

Is it legal to bet on the Belmont Stakes?

Yes, it is legal to bet on the Belmont Stakes in the US. Pari-mutuel betting is regulated and implemented in 40 of the 50 states, and most sportsbooks offer odds on the Belmont Stakes.

Bettors that aren’t in a regulated state can still wager on the race via offshore racebooks such as Bovada, MyBookie, or BetUS.

Belmont Stakes Best Bets

As the last leg of the Triple Crown, tensions at the Belmont Stakes are usually pretty high. Horses and jockeys that have come all the way from the Triple Crown qualifiers are eager to prove themselves and take home the trophy, so there are likely to be upsets. However, you should always bet smart and place wagers you understand.

Here’s a list of some of the most popular kinds of wagers you’ll find at Belmont Stakes bookies.

(NOTE: Odds for horse races are always displayed fractionally, but you can easily convert your odds to American or Decimal using an odds converter.)

Win

A Win wager in the Belmont Stakes is as simple as it gets. You pick one horse that you believe will win the race in its entirety, and that’s it. Betting Win wagers are often high rewards, even if the odds on your horse are low. But, they are also risky because you’re essentially placing a long-shot moneyline.

Example: Imagine you bet $10 on a horse with odds of 5-1. If your horse wins, you win the bet amount ($10) plus your winnings based on the odds (5 times your bet). Your total payout = $10 (your bet) + ($10 x 5) = $60. If your horse loses, you lose your entire bet amount ($10).

Place

A Place wager lets you pick a horse to finish in first or second place. Your chosen horse doesn’t have to win the race for you to win, just place second at least. Your chances of winning a Place wager are higher than a Win wager.

Example: Let’s say you bet $20 on a horse with 3-1 Place odds. If your horse places first or second, your total payout would be $20 (your bet) + ($20 x 3) = $80. Place wagers don’t have any additional payouts if your horse places first.

The Place wager is popular because it does hold some risk, but not nearly as much as the Win wager.

Show

A Show wager is the most conservative option, allowing you to pick a horse to finish in the top three (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place). It offers the lowest payout but also has the highest chance of winning.

Example: Let’s imagine you bet $10 on a horse with 2-1 Show odds. If your horse finishes first, second, or third, your total payout will be $10 (your bet) + ($10 x 2) = $30.

Show wagers are a low-risk, low-reward option. They offer the easiest chance of winning but also the smallest payout.

Exotic Bets

Exotic bets take your prediction skills to the next level. They incorporate elements of the Win, Place, Show wagers, but are more akin to parlays in NFL or NBA games, since all your selections have to hit for you to win the wager. As such, they are some of the riskiest bets for Belmont bettors, but also some of the most profitable.

Exacta: Pick the horses that finish first and second, in exact order. (e.g., 3-1 meaning horse #3 wins and horse #1 finishes second)
Trifecta: Pick the horses that finish first, second, and third, in exact order. (e.g., 7-5-2 meaning horse #7 wins, horse #5 finishes second, and horse #2 places third)
Superfecta: Pick the horses that finish first, second, third, and fourth, in exact order. (e.g., 9-2-10-8 meaning horse #9 wins, horse #2 places second, horse #10 finishes third, and horse #8 comes in fourth)
Daily Double: Pick the winners of two consecutive races, specified by the track (not necessarily the Belmont Stakes itself).
Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6: These bets involve selecting the winners of consecutive races, with the number increasing the difficulty and potential payout (Pick 3 requires 3 winning selections, Pick 6 requires all 6 races).

Futures

Futures wagers aren’t as common in horse racing, but you can still find some for the Belmont Stakes.

Futures bets are generally placed months before the race, with odds adjusted as the event gets closer. These bets offer potentially higher payouts than wagers placed on race day, but they also carry a higher degree of risk due to the long time frame and unforeseen circumstances.
People often wager who will win the race overall, place, and show, as well as special futures like who will win the Triple Crown, or what trainer will guide the winning horse.

Not all online betting platforms or racetracks will offer all these futures wagers. It’s best to check with your preferred service provider to see what options they have available.

Props

Prop bets, short for proposition bets, are a fun way to add variety to your Belmont Stakes wagers. Here are some examples you might encounter:

Matchup Props: These pit two specific horses against each other. You wager on which horse will finish ahead in the race, regardless of their overall placing.
Horse Performance Props: These focus on a particular horse’s performance, not necessarily a win. For example, “What will the winning margin of horse Y be?”
Race Outcome Props: These bets focus on broader race characteristics. Examples include “Will the winning time be over or under a certain threshold?” or “How many horses will finish the race?”
Jockey/Trainer Props: Similar to futures wagers, you can place props on which jockey or trainer will achieve something specific, like most wins on the day (not just in the Belmont Stakes).

Props can be fun, but they’re also incredibly hard to predict. These wagers are mainly luck-based, which means you’ll have a hard time backing up your wagers with research.

What’s the Best Way to Bet on the Belmont Stakes for Beginners?

As we mentioned, betting on exotics and the Win wager are risky because the odds of success are low. That being said, beginners should start with Place and Show wagers since they provide more flexibility.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of Place and Show, you can move on to exactas, which are a bit more risky. However, the payouts for exactas are enticing, and with the right research and control, you can see your wagers come to fruition.

Tips for Betting on the Belmont Stakes

There’s a lot at stake during the Belmont race, for horses, trainers, jockeys, and bettors alike. Use these tips to place smart wagers and find value before the Belmont Stakes even begin so you can sit back and enjoy the race.

Pedigree Matters

Belmont is a particularly grueling race, even for seasoned thoroughbreds. Analyzing a horse’s pedigree helps assess if they have the inherited toughness to handle the challenge without breaking down. Take a look at the horse’s ancestors, and consider their racing style.
Some pedigrees favor horses with early speed, while others suggest horses who are better suited to closing rallies. In the Belmont, closers are less common due to the long distance.
By looking at a horse’s pedigree, you can get a good idea of whether that horse is bred for the kind of endurance and racing style needed to conquer the “Test of the Champion”.

Leverage Exotics to Your Advantage

Betting on Place and Show is ideal for beginners, but as you get your footing under you, don’t ignore the power of exotic wagers. The Exacta and Trifecta bets are good options for anyone looking for a bit more risk. But you have to be precise, or else lose it all. That’s why many horse race bettors hedge their wagers with Place and Show.
If you’re only allowed to wager exotics at one sportsbook or racetrack, consider placing a more lucrative Place/Show wager at another sportsbook to cover your bases. If you bet low in the exotic, you can still see big returns, and if you bet a bit higher in the Place/Show, you can cover your exotic losses. But do the math carefully, you don’t want to lose more than you’re comfortable with if things go sour.

Research More Than Just the Triple Crown

Most horses that run the Belmont Stakes have spent their whole lives training for it, so take a look at some of the qualifying races they’ve run in the past. Try to look for tracks similar to Belmont so you can get a good sense of how each horse performs in that environment.
It’s worth noting that looking at Derby and Preakness stats is also a good practice, but don’t rely only on those metrics. The horses are under a lot of pressure to perform in those races, so qualifiers might be a better indicator of their abilities.

Consider Subscribing to a Handicapper

If you want to place informed wagers that have the highest chances of success, consider signing up for a professional handicapping service. Most handicappers have a decade or more of experience betting on the Belmont Stakes, so they instill that expertise in all of their picks.
But, don’t blindly follow a handicapper’s suggestions. Do a bit of your own research to validate their predictions before you wager. Sometimes, even the pros make mistakes.

Be the First Out of the Gate for the Belmont Stakes

No matter if this is your first time betting on Belmont, or your twentieth time, make sure you manage your bankroll, take a close look at each horse’s stats, and avoid placing emotional wagers.

Beginners should start with Place or Show wagers, while more advanced bettors can experiment with hedging their exactas at multiple sportsbooks.

And if you’re really in it to win it, consider subscribing to Scores and Stats’ premium handicapping service. Our experts are hard at work cooking up the best wagers for you to pad your wallet, and you can have their stats and predictions for a low monthly fee.