Breeders’ Cup Wagering Menu and Betting Choices

by Horstradamus

posted on November 1, 2011 in Breeders Cup, General Discussion, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | No Comments >>

With so many great races and big name horses it is often hard to decide how to best spend your bankroll during the two-day Breeders’ Cup event.  The good news is that this year horseplayers have more choices than ever before in terms of multi race and exotic wagers with low minimums.

For those who want a lot of action with a small bankrolls the rolling pick-3’s with a 50-cent minimum base bet offer the greatest opportunity.  Pick 4’s have also been reduced to a 50-cent base bet, and every race will feature a dime superfecta option as well.  This year the Pick 4 pools will have guaranteed minimums between $750,000 and $1.5 million depending on the day and sequence of races.

Another new bet is the Breeders’ Cup Pick 5 with a 50-cent minimum base bet.  This bet features a mandatory payout for each day of the Breeders’ Cup with no carryover.  It is a good option for players who don’t have the bankroll to play the Pick Six with a decent sized ticket.

If you are a big budget player who wants to take a swing at the big pools each day the Breeders’ Cup will be offering an “Ultra Pick Six” wager with a guaranteed pool of $750,000 on Friday and $2 million on Saturday.  If no one hits the Pick Six on Friday’s card the pool will carryover to the Saturday’s card.  Last year the Pick Six returned $800,160 with a carry over from the previous day.  In 2009 there was a sole Pick Six winner who scored $1.8 million dollars on a thin ticket that only cost $48 – sometimes you just need to get lucky to win in this game.

Bettors can play the Super-Hi 5 on both the Ladies’ Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic which means they need to pick the first five finishers in order.  Though this is a tall order it is a great bet for those with a strong opinion about one or two key horses they feel will finish in the top three spots.

The popular Ladies’ Classic – Breeders’ Cup Classic double will also be offered again this year.  Last year’s choice of Unrivaled Belle and Blame paid out an astounding $89, a longshot payout for a logical combination.

No matter which type of exotic or multi race bet you choose remember to always play the minimum amount and hit the ‘repeat’ button if you’d like to bet more.  This will help keep the taxman away if your ticket generates enough winnings to trigger a filing with the IRS. Of course if you hit the Pick Six you probably won’t be too worried about whatever share Uncle Sam wants from you.

Don’t forget that most online wagering sites like TwinSpires will be offering advance wagering on Saturday’s card starting on Friday so you can place your bets a day before if you can’t be around during the action for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.