Betting On The Belmont Stakes
Online racebooks make betting on the Belmont Stakes an easy and streamlined process. The Belmont Stakes is a major horse racing event that will see horse racing bettors from all over the world putting action on the ponies. The American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race is one of the biggest races in the year. The event traditionally takes place on the first Saturday in June and online sportsbooks with large racebooks are the prime location for all the horse betting needs. The betting handle is huge during this major race so you don’t want to miss out on any of the action.
Betting on the Belmont Stakes is also heightened if there is a chance for a Triple Crown winner. The race takes place at Belmont Park, also known as The Championship Track. It has gained that nickname thanks to the history of every major American champion racing on the track. In this guide, we will give you all the information you will need to know about Belmont Stakes betting.
Is It Legal To Bet On The Belmont Stakes?
Yes, it is legal to bet on the Belmont Stakes no matter where you are in the U.S. In certain states, you'll have race tracks and off-track betting facilities to be able to place your bets in person. There are also several major U.S.-based online racebooks that serve a majority of Americans but do not accept bettors from every state. There is only one avenue for Belmont Stakes betting that is legal for every USA player and that is through internationally-regulated online horse racing sites. These sites do not have to adhere to individual state laws, rather the laws of the country they are licensed in. This means no matter what state you live in or are traveling to, horse race betting on the Belmont Stakes is as simple as going online and choosing the right racebook. Just be sure you meet the horse racing betting age requirement in your state before joining.
Belmont Stakes Off-Track Betting
Many states have off-track betting facilities, often known as OTB facilities, or simply OTB’s. These are places that you can place wagers on horse races without actually being at the track the race is being run at. The following states have OTB facilities and are able to take wagers on the Belmont Stakes:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
If you are in one of these states, you can travel to your local OTB facility, or see if your state is one of the states with mobile horse race betting via a number of providers. You can also use the online racebooks like those found within the best online sportsbooks, which are available across America and are widely trusted in the online horse betting community.
Belmont Stakes History
The Belmont Stakes is held in Elmont, New York, in the famous Belmont Park. The Park’s claim to fame is its size - it was made in an age when horse race betting, especially in New York, was on a massive upswing, and it can hold over 50,000 people. It has rarely had to do so, as of late, and there’s something poetic about the biggest race venue in the country sitting empty even as it runs its most prominent race in years. This year’s Belmont Stakes is incredibly important, the first of the Triple Crown races, and yet, the stadium will be empty. Truly remarkable.
Past 10 Belmont Stakes Winners and Their Odds
2021 – Essential Quality was the favorite to win the race from start to finish. The morning of the race, he was sitting with +200 odds to win. Then, moments before the race even started, his odds to win the Belmont shot down to -333.
2020 - Tiz The Law, the overwhelming favorite (-165), won a race that had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first race of the 2020 Triple Crown.
2019 - In 2019, the winner was Sir Winston, whose jockey was Joel Rosario. Sir Winston’s odds were 10/1, and he finished in 2:28.30.
2018 - Justify won in 2018, being ridden by Mike Smith. Justify ran the track in 2:28:18, won by one and three quarters lengths, and had 4 to 5 odds going in.
2017 - Tapwrit was ridden by Jose L. Ortiz, and ran the track in 2:30:02, winning by 2 lengths against 6 to 1 odds.
2016 - Creator, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., won the race in a relatively fast 2:28.51. Before the race, Creator had 15 to 1 odds.
2015 - The great American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown, being ridden by Victor Espinoza, brought home the win in 2015. He did so in an astounding 2:26.65, winning by 5.5 lengths. Before the race, American Pharoah had odds of 3 to 4.
2014 - Tonalist won in 2014, being ridden by Joel Rosario. Tonalist rounded the track in 2:28:52, overcoming 12 to 1 odds.
2013 - The victory was taken by Palace Malice, being ridden by Mike Smith. This took him 2:30:70, although this time yielded him a victory by 3.25 lengths. Before the race, he had 13 to 1 odds.
2012 - Union Rags, ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Michael Matz, took the Belmont in 2:30:42. Before the race, his odds were 3 to 1.
2011 - Ruler on Ice won the race, being ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr. and trained by Kelly Breen. He won the race in 2:30.88 by 3/4ths of a length. Before the race he was 25 to 1.
2010 - Drosselmeyer took home the win in 2010, being ridden by Mike Smith. He finished the race in 2:31.57, and before the race, had 13 to 1 odds.
Biggest Upsets In Belmont Stakes History
There are a lot of possible biggest upsets in Belmont Stakes history, especially as the odds in a given year might not necessarily match the odds in the next year. This can be a bit of a matter of debate, so here are five of the biggest upsets in Belmont Stakes history.
- Sarava, 2002, 70:1 odds
- Birdstone, 2004, 36:1 odds
- Da’ Tara, 2008, 38:1 odds
- Ruler On Ice, 2011, 25:1 odds
- Commendable, 2000, 19:1 odds
Upsets are definitely a thing that happens in the Belmont Stakes - indeed, the Park is almost famous for the death of Triple Crown dreams. Many horses have entered the Belmont having won both the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby and lost anyway.
Biggest Favorites To Win The Belmont Stakes
The top five biggest favorites to win the Belmont Stakes are a who’s who of incredible winners, and incredible horses. Topping the list, obviously, is Secretariat, who had astounding 1:10 odds to win the Belmont and did so by a monstrous 31 lengths. But, there are more great horses behind him! Check them out!
- Secretariat, 1983, 1:10 odds
- Seattle Slew, 1977, 2:5 odds
- Affirmed, 1978, 3:5 odds
- American Pharoah, 2015, 3:4 odds
- Damascus, 1967, 4:5 odds
As you can see there are some seriously incredible horses that have run the Belmont Stakes, but beyond that, there are horses that have been heavily favored against the field at the Belmont.
Fastest Finishes In The Belmont Stakes
The topic of fastest finishes in the Belmont Stakes cannot be brought up without mentioning the great Secretariat, whose astounding 2:24 record in the 1973 running of the Belmont Stakes still holds up today. However, there are more excellent horses who have rounded the track within these hallowed walls in New York, so let’s check out the top five!
- Secretariat, 1973, run in 2:24.00
- Easy Goer, 1989, run in 2:26.00
- A.P. Indy, 1992, run in 2:26.13
- Risen Star, 1988, run in 2:26.50
- Point Given, 2001, run in 2:26.56
This is a very common prop betting opportunity within the horse racing betting community - you will often see Over/Under lines on the total amount of time it will take the winner of the Belmont Stakes to round the track. Nobody has come close to Secretariat’s time in years, but one thing to keep in mind is that this year, instead of being a 1.5-mile race, the Belmont stakes will be a 1 and 1/8th mile race. This will impact betting on these lines, so it’s important to know.
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