Breeders’ Cup Betting in the US

Breeders’ Cup betting in the US is growing in popularity all the time and we have the key info on all the best betting sites, bonuses and betting apps.

Our experts will reveal their Breeders’ Cup betting tips and strategies and we’ll also explain how all the various Breeders’ Cup bet types and markets work. If you are planning on betting on the Breeders’ Cup, we’ve got every angle covered!

Best Breeders’ Cup Betting Sites in 2024

#	Sportsbook	Bonus
1.	FanDuel Racing	50 $ BONUS Matched deposit up to $50	Play	Live Streaming. Cash Out.
2.	Xpressbet	100 $ BONUS Bet $500 and get $100 bonus	Play	Live Streaming. Sports Stats.
3.	TVG	200 $ BONUS Up to $200 risk free bet	Play
4.	TwinSpires	200 $ BONUS $200 free bet	Play

Top Breeders’ Cup Betting Sites by Category

There are a few different characteristics that go into making the top Breeders’ Cup betting sites. The key aspects include quality of odds, mobile apps and promotions. If live streaming is available that is another huge positive and the bigger the available range of bet types and markets, the better.

In the table below we outline which Breeders’ Cup betting sites are best in each department:

Best odds	Caesars Sportsbook
Best bonuses	Xpressbet
Best app	TwinSpires
Best range of racing bets	FanDuel Racing
Best for live streaming	TVG

Breeders’ Cup Betting Sites to Avoid

Don’t just blindly charge in and sign up with the first Breeders’ Cup betting site you see. As we have already explained, some sites are stronger in certain areas than others but there are also some rogue Breeders’ Cup betting sites to avoid. If a site hasn’t got a valid and current license, for example, it is best to go elsewhere.

Breeders’ Cup racebooks to avoid

Illegal in the US

No payout guarantee

Too many restrictions

Illegal in the US

Predatory terms and conditions

Limited payment options

Illegal in the US

Vague bonus terms

Limited payment options

How to Pick the Best Breeders’ Cup Betting Sites

Picking Breeders’ Cup winners is difficult but thankfully, choosing the best Breeders’ Cup betting sites is a far easier task. As we mentioned earlier, there are a few different things to watch out for including licensing details, the quality of betting apps, the range of markets and arguably most importantly, the quality of Breeders’ Cup betting odds.

It is always advisable to check the available payment methods and also look out for any Breeders’ Cup betting bonuses and promotions that might apply to your bet. The table below outlines the different aspects that go into making a top-quality Breeders’ Cup betting site.

Licenses

If the betting site doesn’t have a valid license to operate in your state, steer clear. All the Breeders’ Cup sites we recommend are licensed in over 35 states.
Mobile apps

For punters who play mostly on their mobile devices, it is worth finding out how good the betting site’s mobile apps are. The only way to find out is to download them and try them out for yourself.
Selection of racing bets

When it comes to the range of available racing bets, the bigger the available selection, the better. The more choice bettors have, the greater their chance will be of picking a winning wager.
Odds

If you want to maximize profits from winning bets, you’ve got to get the best Breeders’ Cup odds. Shop around before taking any morning odds to ensure you don’t miss out.
Breeders’ Cup betting bonuses

One of the best things about the Breeders’ Cup is the availability of lots of promos and betting bonuses. Check the promotions page of your chosen betting site to see if they have any offers.
Payment methods

Some Breeders’ Cup betting sites accept more payment methods than others (and some even charge fees for deposits/withdrawals). Make sure your chosen site accepts your preferred method and read the small print to see if any fees will be applied.

How to Bet on the Breeders’ Cup

Bettors will be delighted to know that betting on the Breeders’ Cup is as easy as can be. It really is as simple as signing up with a site, making a deposit and placing your wager. Our step-by-step guide on how to bet on the Breeders’ Cup illustrates exactly how easy it is.

Find a legal US Breeders’ Cup betting site

To get started, pick one of our recommended Breeders’ Cup betting sites. They are all licensed and 100% legal.

Click through to your chosen site and hit the ‘Register Account’ button. You’ll then need to enter your personal details.

Make your first deposit

Once you have opened an account, you’ll need to make a deposit. Select a payment method, enter an amount and hit the ‘Deposit’ button.

Pick the Breeders’ Cup from the list of available events

After you fund your account, head to the horse racing page and find the Breeders’ Cup race you want to bet on.

Choose a Breeders’ Cup bet

This is where you choose market or Breeders’ Cup bets. Click on your selection(s) and it will be added to bet slip.

Enter your stake

On the bet slip there will be a small box and this is where you enter your stake.

Confirm the bet

Now, just click on the ‘Confirm Bet’ or ‘Place Bet’ button and that’s it, your Breeders’ Cup bets are on!

Types of Breeders’ Cup Bets

One of the best things about the Breeders’ Cup for bettors is the variety of races. Some races will suit single bets like win/place/show while other races are more suitable for exotic bets like exactas, trifectas and superfectas.

As a general rule, when betting on Breeders’ Cup races with bigger fields it is best to stick with single bets. When there are 8 runners or less, exotic bets come into play. For more on the best types of bets to place on the Breeders’ Cup see the table below.

Win/place/show

In Breeders’ Cup races with bigger fields, win (race winner), place (first 2) and show (first 3) are ideal wagers.
Exacta

In Breeders’ Cup races with 9 or less runners, exactas are worth chancing. It is a single bet that requires you to pick the 1-2 in the exact order.
Quinella

An Exacta but with the key difference that the two horses you pick can finish in the first two in any order. This is a two bet wager so a $1 quinella will cost $2 to place.
Trifecta

Another very similar wager to the exacta, the main difference being you need to pick the first three rather than the first two home and you must get them in the right order. It is a single bet.
Superfecta

Like the previous exotic bets, Superfectas are ideal for smaller fields of 10 runners or less. It is a single bet on the 1-2-3-4 in running order and they are a tough bet to hit so keep stakes modest.
Box bet

If you want to place a trifecta or superfecta where your selections can finish in any order you can use a box bet. A box trifecta consists of 6x bets (3 selections).
Wheel betting

A wheel bet requires you to predict the winner of the race and then you can include other horses that you think will fill the places. It is a wager that has multiple bets with the amount depending on how many horses are included.

Breeders’ Cup Betting Bonuses and Promotions

Horse racing betting sites are well aware of the popularity of the meeting and just like with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, they will have lots of promotions and free bet bonuses specifically devised for the Breeders’ Cup.

In recent years Xpressbet has had a money-back special for every race at the Breeders’ Cup. If your win bet finished 2nd in any race over the two days, you got up to $10 back as cash. TVG and BetAmerica can also be relied upon to have Breeders’ Cup betting bonuses, just check their Promotions Pages in the days before the meeting starts.

#	Sportsbook	Bonus
1.	TVG	200 $ BONUS Up to $200 risk free bet	Play
2.	TwinSpires	200 $ BONUS $200 free bet	Play
3.	Xpressbet	100 $ BONUS Bet $500 and get $100 bonus	Play	Live Streaming. Sports Stats.

Breeders’ Cup Betting Apps

According to Statista, the number of US citizens using their mobile devices to browse the internet is growing all the time. At the last count, over 260 million Americans were using their mobiles to surf the net and betting sites are trying to tap into that market by designing Breeders’ Cup betting apps.

All the Breeders’ Cup betting sites we mention cater to users of mobile devices. Most have bespoke mobile bet apps for both iOS and Android platforms as well as Web Apps that can be used via the internet browser on any type of device or platform.

It is a matter of personal preference as to which Breeders’ Cup betting app is best. If you want bigger odds, Caesars Sportsbook is on point but for promos, the Xpressbet App is the top dog. The table below illustrates which apps are strongest in the most important departments:

Best Breeders' Cup betting apps

Best for Android	TVG
Best for iOS	FanDuel Racing
Best bonuses	Xpressbet
Easiest to use	TwinSpires
Highest odds	Caesars Sportsbook

Breeders’ Cup Betting Tips and Strategy

There are lots of different races at the Breeders’ Cup and it is important to adopt the correct betting strategy for each race to increase your chances of placing a winning wager. Turf races are very different from dirt races, for example, and 5f sprints are noting like 12f staying races.

The Breeders’ Cup isn’t held at the same racetrack every year too and that makes things even more complicated. Our horse racing betting experts have put together a few Breeders’ Cup betting tips that won’t guarantee you winners instantly. However, if you follow them in the long term then you’ll have a solid chance of making a profit from betting on the Breeders’ Cup.

Racetrack Characteristics – The Breeders’ Cup is held at a different track most years and it is vital to get to know the characteristics of the host racetrack before having a bet. At Del Mar, for example, there is a short straight and tight turns so getting a good early position is key. Other tracks have longer straights that suit horses that like to come with a late run. Do your research on the host venue before having a bet.
International Raiders – This is a truly global meeting and it attracts some seriously talented horses from abroad. The home team usually dominates the dirt races but on the turf, it is always worth considering horses that hail from the UK, Ireland, Japan or France.
Weather Watch – The weather is another very important factor to consider. The chances are that the sun will be shining but if it rains, that will change things massively for dirt and turf races. Try to find outsiders that are specialists on soft turf or on the slop if the rain arrives. When it stays dry, the chances of upset results lessen as the best horse usually wins the race.
Value Key – It is pretty difficult to find winning Breeders’ Cup bets so when you do, make sure you get the maximum possible returns by finding the best odds. Different betting sites will have different prices, especially in the morning, so shop around to ensure you get the value.
Top Trainers Worth Following – The cream usually rises to the top at the Breeders’ Cup and it pays to follow owners and trainers with a proven track record at the meeting. Bob Baffert is the leading US trainer while Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Appleby usually win a race or two for the Europeans.

Is Breeders’ Cup Betting Online Legal in the US?

Since online horse racing betting was legalized federally, an ever-increasing number of states have followed suit. Almost 40 US states have now made Breeders’ Cup online betting legal and in a few months, even more states will have jumped on the bandwagon.

Each state issues its own individual license and you should always check to see if your chosen betting site can legally accept customers from your state of residence. The table below lists all states where betting online on the Breeders’ Cup is currently legal:

Alabama	Idaho	Maryland	New York	Tennessee
Arizona	Illinois	Massachusetts	North Dakota	Vermont
Arkansas	Indiana	Michigan	Ohio	Virginia
California	Iowa	Minnesota	Oklahoma	Washington
Colorado	Kansas	Montana	Oregon	West Virginia
Connecticut	Kentucky	New Hampshire	Pennsylvania	Wisconsin
Delaware	Louisiana	New Jersey	Rhode Island	Wyoming
Florida	Maine	New Mexico	South Dakota

Breeders’ Cup History and Records

The Breeders’ Cup race is one of the most lucrative meetings in the world. It is held at different venues each year but Santa Anita (10) and Churchill Downs (9) have most commonly been used. There are a total of fourteen Graded races run over two days and over $30 million in prize money up for grabs.

The leading US jockey at the Breeders’ Cup is Mike Smith with 26 winners. Frankie Dettori is the winning most European jockey with 14 wins. Wayne Lukas has trained 20 Breeders’ Cup winners and Bob Baffert is next best with 17.

The only horse to pull of repeat wins in the breeders’ Cup Classic is Tiznow who won it in 2000 and 2001. Only two horses have won at the Breeders’ Cup three times. Beholder in 2012, 2013 and 2016 and the mighty mare Goldikova who won the Mile in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Breeders' Cup

Races	14
Surface	Dirt/Turf
Type	Flat Thoroughbred

Qualifying horses	Depends on each race
Established in	1984
Best betting site	Caesars Sportsbook

Breeders’ Cup Races

Race	Grade	Purse
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf	Grade 2	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf	Grade 1	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	Grade 2	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile	Grade 1	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (dirt)	Grade 1	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint	Grade 1	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Sprint (dirt)	Grade 1	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Mile (turf)	Grade 1	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Distaff (dirt)	Grade 1	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (dirt)	Grade 1	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf	Grade 1	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (dirt)	Grade 2	$2 million
Breeders’ Cup Turf	Grade 1	$4 million
Breeders’ Cup Classic (dirt)	Grade 1	$6 million

Previous Breeders’ Cup Classic Winners

Year	Winner	Odds
2021	Knicks Go	3.20
2020	Authentic	4.20
2019	Vino Rosso	4.60
2018	Accelerate	2.70
2017	Gun Runner	2.40
2016	Arrogate	1.70
2015	American Pharoah	0.70
2014	Bayern	6.10
2013	Mucho Macho Man	4.00
2012	Fort Larned	9.40
2011	Drosselmeyer	14.80
2010	Blame	5.20
2009	Zenyatta	2.80
2008	Raven’s Pass	13.50
2007	Curlin	4.40

Conclusion

The Breeders’ Cup is a brilliant betting event that has something for everyone. There are races on the dirt and on the turf over multiple distances and there are races specifically for fillies and mares and juveniles too. Every betting site we recommend has markets for all fourteen races and you can bet on Breeders’ Cup races on both desktop and mobile with all of them.

If you are signing up with a new site, make sure you take full advantage of any Breeders’ Cup bonuses or welcome offers. If you want to back winners, it is worth sticking to the Breeders’ Cup betting strategies and tips outlined by our experts. Caesars Sportsbook and TVG are two of the best sites for betting on the Breeders’ Cup but don’t be afraid to try some of the other sites we recommend on this page. They are all worth checking out.

FAQs

How do I bet on the Breeders’ Cup?

It is ridiculously easy to bet on the Breeders’ Cup. Simply register with one of our recommended Breeders’ Cup betting sites, make a deposit, find your market and place a bet.

Is betting on the Breeders’ Cup legal in the US?

Yes, betting on the Breeders’ Cup is 100% legal in the US in almost 40 states. A number of states have applied for licenses so even more will be added to the list soon. Keep an eye on this page for the latest updates.

What is the best Breeders’ Cup betting site?

For futures betting on the Breeders’ Cup, Caesars Sportsbook is hard to beat. TVG has a top-quality Breeders’ Cup betting app for Android and if you are looking for the best Breeders’ Cup betting offers, Xpressbet stands out from the competition.

What is the best Breeders’ Cup betting app?

To be honest, it was hard to pick the best Breeders’ Cup betting app as all the ones we tried were pretty good. The one that is best for Android devices is probably TVG and for iOS users, the BetAmerica app is well worth checking out.

How to win a bet on the Breeders’ Cup?

If you want to win a bet you need to pick the right Breeders’ Cup bet type for the race you want to bet on. For example, in smaller fields exotics like Exactas and Trifectas are worth taking a chance on but in bigger fields, place and show bets give bettors the best chance of getting a return.

Before taking on USbetting.org, Oliver was a sports journalist and an avid bettor himself, with soccer and football being his favorite sports. His guilty pleasure are free bets with high minimum qualifying odds. He prefers in-play over pre-match betting, and he always has a bet tip on his mind. Poke him long enough and he will share it with you.