There are few horse races that come close to challenging the Belmont Stakes for most prestigious in the world. It’s one of the oldest races in the United States and the final leg of the coveted Triple Crown. It’s not just an event for diehard horse racing fans—the Belmont Stakes is a huge sporting event that draws millions of viewers from around the world. With high stakes and rich history, there are few events as thrilling to wager on. So saddle up as we take a look at Belmont Stakes betting.

When is the Belmont Stakes run?

The Belmont Stakes is a horse race held annually, near New York City at Belmont Park, located in Elmont, New York. Like all Triple Crown races, the Belmont Stakes is only open to three year old Thoroughbred horses, which means no horse can win the Triple Crown more than once.

Significance of the Belmont Stakes

The Belmont is one of the premier races in America, attracting many of the best Thoroughbred horses, trainers, and jockeys from around the world. The Belmont Stakes ran its inaugural race in 1867 and has been running annually ever since, making it one of the oldest races in the United States. If that history wasn’t enough, it’s also the final leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, following the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. A horse must win all three races for the Triple Crown, so if they’ve won the first two, the Belmont Stakes is the only thing standing between them and eternal glory. Only 13 horses have ever won all three races.

The track at Belmont Park is one of the oldest in the United States. It is considered by many as the most difficult race in the Triple Crown, for both horses and jockeys alike. At one and a half miles, It is the longest of the Triple Crown tracks. The purse is one of the largest for any horse race in the United States at well over a million dollars. Typically, first place takes home just under a million alone. The race often attracts close to 100,000 attendees. If a Triple Crown is on the line, that number will often go above that.

There are three primary ways to bet on the Belmont Stakes:

Online betting: Place your bets online—there’s no need to go to a track or leave the house. Betting sites like DraftKings make this process simple and easy.

Racetrack betting: If you’re fortunate enough to find yourself at the Belmont Park racetrack on the day of the big race, you can place a wager at the betting window.

Off-track betting: Many other tracks will let you bet on the Belmont. These locations often make events out of the race by hosting simulcasts.

Reading the odds on each horse is easy. They’ll typically come in a format such as this:

In this example, read 6 to 1, the second number represents a hypothetical bet, and the first number represents what you would be paid if that bet won. So if you bet $1, you would be paid $6

The odds for Belmont Stakes aren’t always based on $1 bets. For example, you may see:

In this example, for every $5 you bet, you’ll be paid $8 if Secretariat wins.

Tips for Betting on the Belmont Stakes

Follow these tips to increase your odds when betting on the Belmont. A little bit of research can go a long way when selecting horses to bet on. Here are some things to consider:

Research horses

There are some great horse names in racing, but don’t base your bets on that. A little bit of research and a smart wager can pay off and increase your odds. Here are some things to consider when doing research:

Past performance

There’s nothing like past performance to hint at future results. It can provide insight into a horse’s strengths and weaknesses, which can help inform your picks.

Jockey and trainer

An experienced, skilled jockey can adapt and play a big role in the strategy and performance. Likewise, a proven trainer can help ensure the horse is ready to perform its best on race day.

Physical condition

Obviously, the more fit a horse is, the better it will perform. This is crucial information for making your picks.

Racing conditions

Factors like track conditions and weather can have an impact on a race outcome. Take this into account and look back at performances with similar conditions.

Consider the distance

A fast horse without endurance isn’t likely to perform well on a longer track. The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown races, so consider a horse with stamina.

Bet value

Picking the horse you think will win is one thing, but you must also take the potential payout into account. Often, the favorite won’t offer good value, especially closer to race time, when they’ve become a popular bet. On the other hand, a horse that will pay a huge amount but you don’t think has any chance of winning is also bad value. Check out the current Belmont Stakes odds and look for the sweet spot of a good payout while still being a contender.

Pick multiple horses

One strategy to consider is not betting everything on a single horse. Instead, consider spreading your risk a bit by choosing two horses. Depending on the odds, if one of your picks wins, you can still come out an overall winner. Another option is to pick them all to place. Looking for a bigger payout? Go with an exacta, trifecta, or superfecta, if you feel like you have a good read on some Belmont Stakes horses and odds.

Post position

The post position, or gate the horse will start in, can be advantageous. Earlier positions, such as 1-5, typically have a small advantage because they begin closer to the rail. You should always take into account both the Belmont Stakes post positions and odds.

Stay disciplined

Horse racing can be unpredictable, with lots of factors potentially affecting the outcome. It’s important to make some decisions in advance and keep to them. Here are some ways to help stay disciplined:

Set a budget

Decide beforehand the amount of money you’re willing to wager. Stick to this amount. It’s easy to get swept up in excitement, especially on race day.

Make manageable bets

Keep your bets at an amount you feel comfortable losing. After a loss, it’s natural to want to win your money back. Don’t chase losses by betting more.

Make a plan

A well-thought out plan can help a great deal come race time. A plan can help you stick to a strategy and avoid making impulsive bets.

Track your results

If you plan on betting horses more than once, consider keeping a record of your bets. This can help identify patterns, helping you understand where your strengths and weaknesses may lie–and how it can help with future wagers.

Take a walk

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of racing. However, this can get out of hand fast. If you’re betting on multiple races, make sure to take a break from time to time to help keep perspective and clarity.

Bet Types

When it comes to the Belmont, there are a wide range of bet types to choose from. On DraftKings, you can pick a single horse to win, to place, or bet on multiple horses.

Early betting

Early betting on the Belmont Stakes is tricky, since so much can change between then and race day. There is less information available, so odds are based largely on speculation and reputation alone. However, the added difficulty can have an upside, as odds are sometimes more favorable.

Race week betting

More information becomes available the closer to race time. It’s common to see the latest Belmont Stakes odds widen between favorites and less favored horses as the public becomes more confident in the projected result. This may make race week a less opportune time to bet since the potential payout might be less for the horse you’re considering.

Betting on the 2024 Belmont Stakes

With DraftKings, it’s simple to place a bet on the 2024 Belmont Stakes. Do some research before the race on June 10. Decide what horses you like and the sort of bet you’d like to place. DraftKings makes this process simple, whether you want to make an early bet or wait until the day of the big race. Checkout the Belmont Stakes current odds today. DraftKings even has Belmont Stakes live odds that update as the race progresses.

History of the Belmont Stakes

The Belmont has a long and rich history. Some of this cherished tradition includes:

Historic Belmont wins/races

• Secretariat won by a landslide in 1973, with a record setting time of 2:24, cementing his place in history.
• In 2015, American Pharaoh broke a 37 year Triple Crown drought.
• Affirmed won in 1978, racing against his rival Alydar in a thrilling race.

Notable former winners

• Sir Barton (1919)
• War Admiral (1937)
• Citation (1948)
• Secretariat (1973)
• Seattle Slew (1977)
• Affirmed (1978)
• American Pharaoh (2015)
• Justify (2018)

Although nothing is a sure thing, there are steps you can take to increase your odds when betting on the Belmont Stakes. A bit of due diligence can go a long way. Here are some tips to consider: