Belmont Stakes Betting in PA
The Triple Crown races are exciting events that put horse racing’s best to the test. That’s why the Belmont Stakes, which is often considered the toughest race to win, is a significant highlight on the sports calendar. This high-profile event is held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. Its attendance and viewership are typically high, especially when there’s a horse with a chance at the Triple Crown.
To accomplish this, horses have to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. That’s easier said than done, as only 13 horses have ever managed to achieve that feat.
It’s completely legal and safe to bet on horse racing here in Pennsylvania, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll also cover all the basics of the Belmont Stakes. Let’s get to it.
How To Bet on the Belmont Stakes
You’ll have several betting options on the Belmont Stakes aside from off-track betting (OTB) facilities in Pennsylvania. There are some great online mobile apps to take advantage of, including FanDuel Racing.
FanDuel Racing
Using your desktop computer or mobile device, you can log in and wager on the ponies. One of the top options for Pennsylvania horse racing fans is the FanDuel Racing app.
Through FanDuel Racing, you can place bets on races from around the globe, including the Belmont Stakes. To get started, all you need to do is click on our exclusive links to create an account. From there, it’s just a matter of entering a few simple details such as your name and email address.
Once that’s all set, click on “Complete Registration.” Your new account will be created right away. Mobile Apple users should take the time to download the iOS app from the main website. Afterward, log in on mobile, and you’ll be ready to bet from wherever you are.
Android users aren’t out of luck. The site is fully optimized to work on mobile. After you have created an account via our exclusive links, visit the site on your device and log in for mobile access.
From start to finish, you’re looking at just a couple of minutes of your time. FanDuel Racing is a top-notch operator that offers a $20 No Sweat Preakness Bet.
Belmont Stakes 2023 Odds and Post Positions
The 2023 Belmont Stakes odds and post positions will be announced the week of the race. The race itself is on Saturday, June 10.
Types of Bets Available for the Belmont Stakes
When you are betting on the Belmont Stakes, you’re trying to figure out which horse you think will win the race. However, there are several other wagering opportunities to explore, and a number of them provide an exceptional bang for your buck.
Let’s walk through all the top betting options you’ll have at your disposal for one of the calendar year’s biggest racing events.
We’ll start by explaining the easiest ones:
- Win: This is a bet on the first-place winner of the race.
- Place: A place wager means you expect your chosen horse to come in first or second place.
- Show: This bet covers a horse to finish in the third, second, or first place.
You can place any of the above bets individually. You can also cover more bases with combination bets, such as win/place or win/place/show. How much you make depends on the betting handle for the race and the odds on your choices.
If you’re looking to take your chances on some even greater returns at the Belmont Stakes, you can check out the exotic wagers. With these bet types, you have to pick the winner and the top finishers:
- Exacta: A bet on the horses who finish in the top two spots.
- Quinella: Similar to an exacta, but with different payouts.
- Trifecta: A wager on the top-three finishers of the race.
- Superfecta: With this wager, you have to pick the top four horses to finish.
- Super High Five: This is a bet on which horses will be the top five finishers.
You can place each of the above bets with a single selection for each spot and a small amount. You can also “box” a bet, which means your picks can finish in any order. In addition, you can add selections.
If you go that route, then the cost of your wager will rise depending on how many you pick or box. It’s not easy to win these wagers, but the returns can be fantastic if you do.
The last category of wagers will revolve around multiple consecutive races on the card. While the Belmont Stakes will be the primary attention-grabber, there are other races to bet on the card.
Here are some of the bets:
- Pick 3: A bet on the winner of three straight races.
- Pick 4: A wager on the winner of four races in a row.
- Pick 5: You have to pick the winner in five consecutive races.
- Pick 6: Picking the winner in six straight designated races.
Just like exotic bets, these wagers are tough to win. They can be placed for small amounts if you just pick one horse for each race. You can also swing for the fences and select multiple runners. However, the cost of your ticket will rise as a result.
Race day at Belmont Stakes is entertaining, whether you focus on the main event or several throughout the race day. In both cases, you’ll have several wager types to consider for a shot at making it a profitable day.
How Do Horses Qualify for the Belmont Stakes?
The Belmont Stakes is usually the last leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. The festivities typically begin with the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the Preakness Stakes a few weeks later, and then the Belmont Stakes a couple of weeks after that.
Horses that are scheduled to compete in these races are among the top 2- and 3-year-old runners for the calendar year. They have proven so by performing well on what’s known as “the Road to the Kentucky Derby.”
The series of graded-stakes races award horses points based on their finishing position. For the early part of the season, the top four finishers generally receive points on a scale of 10-4-2-1.
Later in the year, the points awarded rise to a scale of 50-20-10-5. The final races on the schedule are referred to as the “Super Six.” This category includes some of the best racing events of the year, such as the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial Stakes.
The horses who win these signature races receive 100 points. By the time everything is said and done, the runners who sit atop the leaderboard have proven themselves. As a result, it’s on to the Kentucky Derby and possibly the Triple Crown.
Many horses will compete in all three races, but there will be others who drop out after the first or second leg. When it’s time for the Belmont, you can rest assured that the field will be full of quality horses.
History of the Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes traces its roots back to 1867. Ruthless won the inaugural running of the race in a time of 3:05. That race was run over 1 5/8 miles. The overall length has varied, but it’s been at 1 1/2 miles since 1926 with the exception of the 2020 edition.
Since this racing event stretches back well over a century, there’s a lot of history to consider. Through the years, there have been 13 Triple Crown winners and several other legendary performances that have thrilled fans.
In recent years, the betting action has been rather impressive. Here’s a look at the last 10 winners of the Belmont Stakes and their winning times:
- 2022: Mo Denegal, 2:28.28
- 2021: Essential Quality, 2:27:11
- 2020: Tiz the Law, 1:46:53 (1 1/8 miles)
- 2019: Sir Winston, 2:28:30
- 2018: Justify, 2:28:18
- 2017: Tapwrit, 2:30:02
- 2016: Creator, 2:28:51
- 2015: American Pharoah, 2:26:65
- 2014: Tonalist, 2:28:52
- 2013: Palace Malice, 2:30:70
For the 2020 edition, the race was shortened from its normal length of 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/8 miles. The last Triple Crown winner to seal the deal at Belmont was Justify in 2018. Secretariat holds the all-time speed record at the race’s current length with a time of 2:24 in 1973. The legendary horse also set the record for margin of victory, taking the race down by a staggering 31 lengths.
Live Horse Racing in Pennsylvania
The Belmont Stakes and the other Triple Crown races are thrilling, but so is the rest of the year-round racing schedule. You can also catch some races on NBCSN and FS1, while NBC serves as the broadcast home for the Belmont and other big races.
If you want to kick it up a notch and catch some races in person, here are the places to go:
- The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono: 1280 Pennsylvania 315, Wilkes-Barre
- Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack: 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Chester
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course: 777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
- The Meadows Racetrack & Casino: 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington
- Parx Racing at Parx Casino: 3001 Street Rd., Bensalem
- Presque Isle Downs & Casino: 8199 Perry Hwy., Erie
How To Handicap the Belmont Stakes
As the Belmont Stakes draws near, there will be plenty of picks on which horse will win. The favorites will be among the popular choices, but there will also be some sleepers who attract plenty of attention.
You can certainly consider others’ opinions, but it also helps to do a little digging of your own.
When it’s time for you to handicap the race, here are three top factors to consider:
- How much money the runners have earned: Just like in other sports, the best athletes tend to make the most money. In horse racing, horses that rack up wins and high finishes take down more of the purse. Those that do that the most often should have the largest earnings in the field. One caveat: Take a look at the total races run, as some horses may have racked up lots of money over many races.
- How they performed in recent big races: The recent form can be an indicator of what’s to come in horse racing. Take some time to examine each runner in the field and how they have performed for the season. Those with lots of high finishes or recent wins could be in line to make some serious noise at the Belmont Stakes.
- Which horses have the best stats: You’ll find several interesting stats to consider in your handicapping, but you can also take a bottom-line approach. Stats, known as speed or power ratings, attempt to quantify runners’ overall caliber in a single number. If you see how each horse rates on this metric, it can help a lot with decision making.
If time permits, you can advance your handicapping and do further research. When you combine what you find with some well-respected opinions on the race, you’ll be on track to make your decisions with confidence on Belmont Stakes day.
Belmont Stakes FAQ
The 2023 edition of the Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 10. NBC Sports will handle broadcast and streaming coverage.
There have been 13 horses who have won the Triple Crown over the past century-plus. Justify was the last to do it in 2018, while American Pharoah made it happen in 2015. Those were the first two horses to do it since the 1970s when a trio of horses won the Triple Crown: Secretariat in 1973, Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed in 1978.
A well-placed win bet on a long-shot horse could lead to a substantial return. However, that’s easier said than done. If you’re interested in taking a shot at some bets with excellent payout potential, consider an exotic wager or two.
Here are the payouts for the 2022 running of the race:
- $2 Exacta: $27.60
- $1 Trifecta: $187.50
- $1 Superfecta: $692.00
There’s a tie atop the list of all-time winningest owners at the Belmont Stakes. Belair Stud and James R. Keene are tied for first place with six wins apiece. Stud’s last win came in 1955, while Keene’s last victory was in 1910.
For the 2023 edition, the total purse size is $1.5 million, $800,000 will go to the winner.