Breeders Cup Challenge Betting Sites

Updated February 9, 2023

The most prestigious horse racing event, the Breeders’ Cup is an annual series of races headlined by the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This makes it even more important to find the best Breeders Cup betting sites. And also to make strategies for the Breeders Cup betting challenge. Although the Kentucky Derby is more widely known, the Classic is considered by most pundits to be the premier thoroughbred horse race in North America. The Classic is regarded as the “fourth leg” among horse racing’s Grand Slam. The Classic is one of the most prolific betting events among horse races.

Below you’ll find the latest Breeders Cup betting odds, gathered from the best online bookmakers available to US players. Our team of in-house horse racing experts will help you to make Breeders Cup best bets for 2022, using their insightful knowledge of the racers and jockeys. The Breeders Cup odds were last updated on October 18, 2022:

EventBetUS
Flightline+175
Life Is Good+500
Epicenter+600
Taiba+700
Cyberknife+1000
Jack Christopher+1000
Hot Rod Charlie+1200
Country Grammer+1200

Let’s look at the Breeders’ Cup betting sites overview, which contains:

Best Breeders’ Cup Betting Sites

SportsInteraction (SIA)

Odds

SIA has a plethora of betting odds from every major (or minor) horse racing event; find plenty of Breeders Cup betting markets here

Bonuses

Deposit $200 and have SIA match it 100% in similar value

SIA is a favourite among both new and seasoned Canadian players thanks to its solid reputation, easy-to-navigate betting platforms, and competitive selection of betting markets. The signup bonus is icing on the cake. Use this as a go-to betting site.

Read Sports Interaction Review
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Bet365

Odds

Bet365 arguably has the widest selection of betting markets not limited to just horse racing but all international sports. This should be one of the first sites to visit when looking up odds.

Bonuses

Claim up to $200 in free betting credits when you deposit $200 or more.

Although it can take newer players a while to get used to the interface, Bet365 will quickly be a go-to betting site thanks to an endless selection of betting markets. Add their reliable live betting and mobile betting platforms and there is little reason not to bookmark them.

Read Bet365 Review
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PowerPlay

Odds

PowerPlay has a long list of betting odds with plenty of betting markets. Their odds remain competitive although some books may offer better ones.

Bonuses

PowerPlay offers one of the best sign-up offers with up to $500 worth of free bets including a $200 bonus for their casino

Although the betting odds are not always the best, they are still good enough to play with. Add the amazing signup bonus and the many ways you can deposit money and PowerPlay becomes one of the most accessible online sportsbooks for Canadians.

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Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge Picks

The Breeders’ Cup either refers to the World Championships, the two-day series of horse races with $31 million at stake or the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the $6-million grade I horse race that is arguably more prestigious than any other horse race in North America. Both are applicable to the Breeders Cup betting challenge.

It may not be as popular as the Kentucky Derby, but the Classic is the premier horse race, with attendance and TV ratings usually being third, just behind the Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Recently, the Classic has now been coined the “fourth leg” of the Grand Slam.

Betting has become even more popular, and the Breeders’ Cup betting sites will only receive more action leading to more betting markets and more analyzed betting odds. To get into Breeders’ Cup betting picks, it goes beyond just picking the outright winner.

You will have to play the betting odds. This would also mean playing against the betting public. When oddsmakers release betting odds, they don’t create a realistic implied probability of winning. Rather, they calculate what the public thinks is the implied probability.

This means that hype, popularity, and recency bias factor strongly into how the horses receive their Breeders Cup odds.

With this in mind, you can judge for yourself by doing research, reading opposing viewpoints, and watching horse racing without commentary. Get free of the popular narrative. Block out the hype. 

Although difficult to do as we are psychologically wired to believe what the crowd believes, if you can do this, you’ll be a few steps ahead of the betting public. And that could lead you down the path of not just picking winners, but profiting as well.

The Breeders Cup Challenge is a handicapping contest. There are $1 million in cash prizes available.

Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge Preview

Legends are defined as popular stories or icons as told by people. Keyword here: people. The sports icons or historical figures that have pervaded pop culture are because of people who glorify their acts and put them on a pedestal. Such is the case of one Arcangues, the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion who also became horse racing’s biggest underdog winner.

Arcangues is a French-born Stallion who was named after the village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, the southwest of France. The chestnut-coloured horse had only raced in European grass and had won three races from 1991 to 1993.

Coming into Santa Anita Park for the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic, he was a little-known longshot whom the betting public dismissed to ridiculous odds of 133.60-1. It was a combination of many factors: he had little experience, he hadn’t raced on dirt, or he wasn’t American.

His odds became more complicated when he was paired with a last-minute jockey, Jerry Bailey who was given instructions in French. At this time, he was all but written off. This was all of course before Breeders Cup betting sites were up and running. 

When the race started, Arcangues looked dead in the water and was quickly left behind. Then, his legend exploded with a miraculous run where he quickly went from seventh to first that even his jockey, Bailey was spooked and fondly reminisces to this day.

In that short burst, Arcangues, Bailey, and the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic became legends in the sport. The $2 wager that earned $269.20 is still a betting record that stands today.

A monumental feat, and it would be even harder to replicate this today with more advanced betting analysis, a smarter betting public, and a more competitive field. Still, the tale of Arcangues will always remind bettors that every horse, no matter how foreign, has a shot at winning.

This is an inspirational tale for lottery players as sometimes the stars align and underdogs have their day. With online sportsbooks, catching a once-in-a-lifetime moment like this is made even easier.

What can you bet on during the Breeders’ Cup?

What makes the Breeders’ Cup such a rich event isn’t just its prestige but the fact it takes place over a weekend with up to 14 races with betting odds for almost all of them. And much like the Kentucky Derby, Breeders’ Cup betting sites offer tons of prop bets.

The glut of these betting markets will generally be from the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the big daddy of the Breeders’ Cup. With the biggest payout in horse racing and the addition of the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (a real money handicapping contest), it will be raining money for the weekend.

Some great Breeders Cup betting options are available to bettors, which generally centre around Breeders Cup post positions and odds. You can bet on the Breeders Cup classic odds or delve deeper into more complex markets. For those of you that don’t know how to bet on the Breeders Cup classic, read on!

Breeders’ Cup Winner 2022

This is it: the outright betting odds for the Breeders’ Cup winners including the Breeders’ Cup Classic. As straightforward as it is, you bet on who will win the horse race. These are usually the first lines to be opened and are open months ahead of the race. 

Odds manifest in three ways and are implied probabilities. The more likely a bet is to cash, the less your profit, and vice versa:

Podium finish

Since the Breeders’ Cup, like most horse races, award the top three finishers, podium finishes are a staple betting market. With podium finishes, you choose the horse and pick where they will finish: first place (to win), first or second (top 2), or first, second, or third (top 3).

The lower down the rung you go, the lower the payout, but the likelier it is also to cash. Weigh the risks and payouts here and determine which you want to roll with.

Depending on the book and the situation, you can also bet on the horse to finish in a specific position within the top 3 or not at all. In some cases you can bet on a specific finish. The payouts here can be lucrative but this is also very difficult. 

If you are to go with this, technically also a prop, we’d recommend betting on several odds and maybe using it as a hedge (a bet you make to insure yourself in case your other bet doesn’t cash).

Prop Bets: Events and Horses etc. 

The Breeders’ Cup competes with the Kentucky Derby as the “Superbowl” of horse racing betting. The countless props offered, all varying by sportsbook (hence why you should sign up to more than one), are a horse racing aficionado’s dream. 

Props are wagers made on a specific condition happening or not happening. Think of it as the sports betting manifestation of: “will this specific thing happen or not?” Depending on the book or the year, these props, also known as “exotic wagers”, can truly be exotic.

Many of these props have lower betting limits. But don’t take that as a slight. It only means you can spread your wagers around on more props.

Here are some examples of popular prop bets at the Breeders’ Cup (mostly from the Classic):

Usually, these prop bets are simply a selection between either/or although odds are not always 50/50. 

What makes the Breeders’ Cup different from its Triple Crown counterpart is the sheer amount of horse races available. Even if props are not offered, simply picking between outrights of each race can be a challenge and time-consuming.

An alternative is to use parlays. This is when you put together separate bets into one betting slip for a bigger payout. The more bets you put together (limits depend on the book), the larger your payout. But take heed as all the bets have to win for it to cash. One wrong bet and the whole ticket is burnt

We recommend parlaying between two to three, but feel free to make a “lottery ticket” and parlay as many as you want for a chance of a lifetime.

Betting Strategies

Betting strategies for Breeders’ Cup betting sites can be difficult to craft as every year, the participants, the track, and the circumstances are all different. So this is when we refer to betting principles: timeless tips to keep in mind.

The first would be to have a goal in mind. Going into Breeders’ Cup betting without a clear goal is like a horse race without a finish line. A goal can be as simple as “win money by betting on the most likely winners” or “bet on as many underdogs to maximize winnings.”

 Whether a realistic goal or a pipe dream, it is better than not having one.

Secondly, have a betting budget and stick within it. Many experienced players like to use a unit system where they bet percentages of their bankroll. For example, if you deposit $10,000, a unit (1%) of this $100.

Thirdly, you stake units depending on the value of the betting odds. What does this mean?

Betting odds imply the winning probability of a horse or a situation. Minus odds (-120, -200, -500 etc.) imply better than a 50% chance of cashing. Plus odds (e.g. +150, +200, +1000 etc.) generally mean the implied probability is less than 49% so more often than not, the horse or situation will not win or happen.

 The bigger the plus numbers, the less likely the bet is to cash. Theoretically.

Sometimes, as we’ve seen incredible upsets, the odds are not reflected accurately. This is likely because the oddsmakers did not analyze the line enough when opening it or the betting public was wrong when they bet against it.

Either way, do your own research. Try not to be persuaded by mob mentality or by what most analysts and experts predict. Dig deep into each horse, jockey, the racetrack, and anything else related with the Breeders’ Cup Classic and reference that with the betting odds. Do you see an opening you can exploit?

These are just some principles you can keep in mind before betting on the Classic. 

How does the Breeders’ Cup betting work?

With Breeders’ Cup betting sites’ odds, it is usually the Classic that has odds out all-year round. It depends on the sportsbook, but some release the odds as early as when the current iteration is still happening. It’s best to check with your favourite sportsbooks.

Breeders’ Cup odds are plentiful and sportsbooks do their best to release outright odds for most of the events including the Classic, Turf, Distaff, Mile, Sprint, Filly and Mare Turf, and more. You can bet on Breeders’ Cup odds any time you want but do note the further away the event is, the more likely the odds will change.

Just like the Belmont Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup is usually the place where monumental upsets happen. It has the betting record for biggest underdog to win with Arcangues winning at 133.60-1 odds. This isn’t a typo. 

The $2 ticket bet on Arcangues paid $269.20 and is still a record that stands today.

2022 Breeders’ Cup Schedule

The Breeders’ Cup usually takes place on a weekend in early November. The 2022 Breeders’ Cup will be on November 4 and 5 and was aired by NBC and all its streaming platforms from 13:00 to 18:00 PM ET.

Here are the races and events from the 2022 Breeders’ Cup:

Friday, November 4:

Saturday, November 5:

In the Breeders Cup Betting Challenge, you will be able to take on all of these events.

Breeders’ Cup Betting history

Though not as old as its Triple Crown counterparts, the Breeders’ Cup has been around for over 30 years. It was inaugurated in 1984 and within this timespan has seen plenty of changes, perhaps more than the Triple Crown.

All Breeders’ Cup races take place in different race tracks with almost everyone taking place in the United States with an exception of the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada in 1996.

There is a bit more variety with the Breeders’ Cup than with the Triple Crown races. It is open to a variety of horse types three-years-old and up. Four-year-olds and up must weigh 126 lbs (57.2 kg), three-year-olds in at 122 lbs. (55 kg) and 117 lbs. (53 kg) for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. And fillies and mares are allowed three pounds.

The total purse is usually $6 million ($7 million in 2020) with 52%, or around $3.3 million, going to the first-placed finisher.

Here are some Breeders’ Cup Classic’s notable records:

Our take-aways

Research the races and choose

The Breeders’ Cup is unique in that it’s a two-day horse racing event with up to 14 different races. Each race has its own identity and rules. You don’t need to bet every event, but familiarizing yourself with some of them and getting a strong read is the first step to betting.

Stay disciplined and keep betting strategies in mind

The tons of betting markets in the Breeders’ Cup can be overwhelming. If you’re a fan, you might feel like a kid in the candy store. But stay disciplined. Have a betting budget and use the unit system. Approach the odds technically with a goal in mind.

Use more than one sportsbook to maximize the benefits
Each online sportsbook has its pros and cons. Some books may offer the best betting odds but lack props or contests. Some may have plenty of contests, but the odds are not the best. Either way, divide your total bankroll into two or three books to get all the benefits and to have easier access to different betting lines.

About the Author

Chris Boline
Chris Boline

As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.

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Breeders Cup Betting FAQs

Where can I take part in Breeders Cup betting challenges?

You can find challenges on a range of online betting sites, which promote these kinds of challenges to give horse racing fans an incentive to wager.

Is betting on the Breeders Cup legal?

Of course! It’s entirely legal, as long as you’re working with a registered and licensed online bookmaker.

Where can I find information on how to bet on the Breeders Cup?

You can find a broad range of information on our website, as well as other dedicated horse racing pages. They are much more informative than the information you’d find on any bookmaker.

Which bookmaker offers the best Breeders Cup betting odds?

We cannot say that one is better than the other. But, what we can say, is look through our complete list of recommended online bookmakers to find out which is the right one for you.

Is it safe to bet on the Breeders Cup online?

As long as you’re working with a registered online provider, it is entirely safe!