2022 Breeders' Cup Horse Betting

1: Find a Site that Fires on All Cylinders

The first step in the process of betting on anything within the Breeders' Cup is to find the right racebook, or a sportsbook with a horse racing option. This can be easier said than done, so we'd like to give you a very quick rundown on some of the things you're looking for in a quality site. Your chosen site should:

• Embrace US residents with open arms
• Are fully authorized to accept legal real-money wagers
• Feature betting options on every Cup race
• Give you plenty of lines for each individual race
• Have ironclad, transparent security
• Have a great reputation of being a fair site
• Have great customer support

Legal Betting Online has fortunately completed much of this process for you. The sites we have listed above have proven themselves to us and many other bettors over the years. To learn more about each site and what they offer you can visit our reviews page.

2: Research the Horses in the Race

This tip is a two'fer. First and foremost, decide on which races you want to bet. After this, see which horses are running. You don't need to study them to the extent you're ready to write a master's thesis, but you do want to see how well they're running in general. Check out videos with legendary trainers like Bob Baffert, who will help you look for hot horses, discuss the horses that showed up, the horses that do well on dirt, on turf, in sprints, at greater distances, etc. A little bit of research will help you understand which horses are likely to do well. BloodHorse Magazine is also a great, free online resource that all horseplayers should use.

3: Learn what the Odds Mean

Those 20/1 odds are simple enough to understand. You bet $1, and you win $20 if that horse wins. But what about across the board bets, or boxed bets, or a daily double, a trifecta, a perfecta, etc? Refer to our resource here to find out what these betting terms mean. By understanding the odds and the bets you will place, you will be in a much better position to bet to win. Knowledge is power in many walks of life, and especially so in gambling.

4: Don't Go Crazy on Complex Bets

Even after you have learned about the bets at the Breeders' Cup, you don't want to run wild. There are 14 races from which to choose. So why would you risk your money by attempting to accurately pick the four finishers in any one race? You can play a simple straight card, in two or three races, and have a much, much better chance of actually winning. Another tip here: Don't bet on every race! Just because it's an event doesn't mean you need to participate. You don't have to bet on all races; pick out the ones you feel put you in a good place statistically to win.

5: Leverage on a "Dog"

Okay, let's say you've bet $20 on horse X in the Juvenile turf race at 3/1. Then you see that a horse that, according to your research, might do well in the Sprint race. Let's call him horse Y. You see this horse has 12/1 odds. Well, a good way to go about your betting here is to leverage. A $5 bet on Y yields $60 on a win and more than covers your $20 should you lose. Proceed with caution, however, and make sure you really know the horses, because it's conceivable that you can lose both (or all) races. Leveraging on an underdog with the options in 14 races is a very smart move, but only if you know the horses' odds of winning.

Legal Betting Online wants to stress here that this isn't an overly complex topic. As long as you choose the right site, research the horses, understand your bets, and bet responsibly, you can have a great time while putting yourself in a position to win. The Breeders' Cup offers you plenty of opportunities to win. You only need to take advantage of them.