Triple Crown Betting

The Triple Crown series of races is the best of what horse racing has to offer.

Horse racing and gambling are intimately linked, and without betting, the whole industry would probably collapse. The Triple Crown is by far the most prestigious and bet-on horse racing events in America, combining the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.

In this guide, we break down Triple Crown betting markets and show you the best Triple Crown betting sites to trust with your wagers.

What Is the Triple Crown?

The Triple Crown is the three biggest horse races in America, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The Triple Crown races are contested between 3-year-old thoroughbreds, and take place in May and early June. If a horse manages to win all three races in the same year, they win the Triple Crown.

The last time a horse won the Triple Crown was back in 2018, when Justify won all 3 races. In history, there have only been 13 Triple Crown winners going back to the 1800s.

Other legendary winners include American Pharoah (2015), Secretariat (1973) and Citation (1948).

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and is contested over a distance of 1 1⁄4 miles. This is by far the most popular horse race in the US in terms of attendance and TV viewership, attracting millions of viewers.

The Kentucky Derby is always held on the first Saturday of May, and has been run annually since 1875. Even WWII and COVID-19 couldn’t stop this race. There is also a $5 million purse.

Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes is a major horse race that takes place on the 3rd Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the second leg of the Triple Crown and is contested over a 1+3⁄16 miles long dirt track. This event has been held since 1873 and features a $2 million purse.

Belmont Stakes

The last leg of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes and is held on the first or second Saturday in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is contested over a 1+1⁄2 miles dirt track and features a $2 million purse. The 1973 winner, Secretariat, holds the track record at 2:24 minutes.

How to Bet On The Triple Crown

Now that you know how the Triple Crown works and the best Triple Crown betting sites, it is time to make your first bet! To get started, follow these steps:

  1. Select any Triple Crown betting site listed on this page and follow our link to go to their official website
  2. Tap the sign-up button and fill out the registration form
  3. Upload verification forms
  4. Tap the deposit button, enter the amount you wish to deposit, and process your payment
  5. Claim the current welcome bonus and take advantage of the latest promotions

Now that your Triple Crown betting account is fully set up and you have successfully added funds to your balance, you can make your first bet:

  1. Click on one of the Triple Crown races, and select a bet type
  2. Pick a horse
  3. Enter your stake
  4. Submit your bet

Then it is time to tune into the Triple Crown races and watch the results. If you pick a winner, your bet will be automatically settled, and any winnings will be added to your account.

What Type Of Triple Crown Bets Can I Place?

You can make all standard horse racing wagers on the Triple Crown series of events, including straight and exotic bets. Here is a breakdown of the Triple Crown betting markets:

Straight Bets

With a straight bet, you are betting on a single horse to win, place in the top 2 or in the top 3. These are the 3 different Triple Crown straight bets available:

  • Win – With a win bet, you are betting on a single horse to win the Triple Crown. Your bet only pays out if your chosen horse crosses the line in first place.
  • Place – With a place bet, you are wagering on a particular horse to come first or second. For example, if you bet on 8 Mage and they come second, you still win.
  • Show – If you aren’t a big risk taker, you can try a show bet. With a show bet, your horse just needs to place in the top 3. For example, if you bet on 11 Disarm and they come first, then your payouts are the exact same if they finish third.

Exotic Bets

With Triple Crown exotic bets, you are betting on multiple horses at the same time, similar to a parlay. These are the most popular Triple Crown exotic wagers:

  • Quinella – With a quinella Triple Crown bet, you select two horses and predict them to finish 1st or 2nd. For example, if you make a quinella bet on 5 Tapit Trice and 16 Raise Cain and 16 Raise Cain wins, and 5 Tapit Trice comes 2nd or vice versa, then your wager pays out.
  • Exacta – If you want to chase higher odds, you can make an exacta bet which works just like a quinella, except you need to get the order right. For example, if you bet on 11 Disarm to win and 1 Hit Show to finish 2nd, but 1 Hit Show wins, and 11 Disarm comes 2nd, then your bet won’t pay out.
  • Trifecta – A trifecta is just like an exacta, except you need to predict which horses will place in the top 3 and their correct order. This is definitely a high-risk, high-reward bet.
  • Superfecta – If you want to chase a lottery-like win, then make a superfecta bet. With this wager, you need to guess which horses will finish in the top 4 and their correct placings.

How Do Triple Crown Betting Odds Work?

Triple Crown betting odds reveal two pieces of critical information: your potential winnings and your likelihood of winning.

To calculate your potential winnings, you first look at the numerator; this is the amount of profit you will receive when you bet the denominator. For example, if a horse is paying 8/5 odds, then you will receive $8 profit for every $5 you bet.

To determine your odds of winning, you first convert the fractional odds to decimal odds. At most online racebooks, you can click a button, and all fractional odds will instantly become decimal odds. Then you just divide 1 by the decimal odds. So let’s say you bet on a horse with 2.5 odds of winning. Your implied probability is 40% (1/2.5).

Initial Triple Crown odds are set by the racebook. The racebooks use expert handicappers who develop models that are designed to predict the outcome of the event. The model looks at a range of factors, including the different horses’ form, weather, track conditions, jockey, trainer, and more, and then spits out the odds.

The odds then shift based on which horses the general public is betting on. In parimutuel betting, you are wagering against other bettors, and the final odds are decided once the betting closes.

For example, if $100 is bet on Horse 1, $50 on Horse 2, and $25 on Horse 3, the total betting pool will be $175, but then the racebook will take a commission, usually around 10%, so the final betting pool will be $157.5. In this example, Horse 1 will pay out 1.575 (157.5/100), Horse 2 will pay out 3.15 (157.5/50), and Horse 3 will pay out 6.3 (157.5/25).

Triple Crown Betting Tips

Don’t just bet on the horse with the best name! Use these insider tips to create a winning Triple Crown betting strategy:

  • Bet on Bob Baffert trained horses: Bob Baffert is the most successful Triple Crown horse trainer in history and trained the last two Triple Crown winners, American Pharoah and Justify. Baffert has also been the mastermind behind 6 Kentucky Derbies, 8 Preakness Stakes, and 3 Belmont Stakes winners.
  • Bet on whatever horse Irad Ortiz, Jr. is riding: Irad Ortiz, Jr. is considered the number 1 jockey in the US. The Puerto Rican legendary jockey has 3,000 + career wins, including the 2022 Belmore Stakes on Mo Donegal.
  • Try Dutching: Dutching is where you spread your stake amongst multiple horses in the same race. The goal is to profit no matter which horse wins. A good strategy is to pick two favorites and then a few live underdogs.
  • Use a Key: Using a key is where you make multiple different bets which all feature one horse. For example, you make a Win bet on Angel of Empire and also make a Quinella, Exacta, and Superfecta containing Angel of Empire.

Notable Triple Crown Betting Moments

The fastest Triple Crown winner of all time is Secretariat, who won in 1973. Secretariat, also known as Big Red, is considered one of the best racehorses the world has ever seen and won the Triple Crown in a combined time of just 6:16.40.

The biggest upset in Triple Crown history happened all the way back in 1913 during the Kentucky Derby. This was the first race where working-class people could bet as racebooks accepted bets as low as $2. Prior to the race, the eventual winner, Donerail, was paying a mouth-watering 91 to 1 odds.

American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in 2015, which was a fantastic story seeing as the controversial owner Ahmed Zayat had to declare bankruptcy in 2009 due to his failing horse racing business. However, the Egyptian-American managed to save his business and thrillingly won the Triple Crown, breaking a 25-year drought.

Bob Baffert is the only horse trainer to train multiple Triple Crown winners. So you should pay attention to any horse that has come in contact with the GOAT trainer. The last Triple Crown winner was owned by WinStar Farm, which has a long history of training top thoroughbreds. So if a WinStar Farm horse is in the race, consider betting on them.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Betting on a horse because you like their name: You would be surprised at the number of novice gamblers who bet on a horse simply because of its name. A horse’s name should have no impact on your betting decision, which should be governed by logical analysis.
  • Gambling on long shots: Sometimes long shots win. Famously, in 1913, Donerail won the Kentucky Derby at 91-1 odds. However, there is typically a very good reason why certain horses are long shots. If you value money, avoid chasing horses with absurdly high odds.
  • Forgetting to claim a bonus: Horse racing betting sites offer bonuses and ongoing promotions to bettors. Before wagering on the Triple Crown, browse popular horse racing betting sites promotions pages and see what deals are being offered.
  • Betting too big: Too many Triple Crown bettors get excited about a potential win but neglect to think about the state of their bankroll if they pick a loser. Losing a Triple Crown bet should not have a significant impact on your finances.
  • Not comparing odds between racebooks: Triple Crown betting odds can differ significantly. By not comparing multiple racebooks, you could be slashing your potential profits before the horses have even left the gate!

Triple Crown Betting FAQ