Breeders’ Cup Betting in Colorado

While the Triple Crown races garner most of the headlines, there’s a whole lot more to a full season of horse racing. In fact, one of the signature events of the year takes place months after the last leg of the crown has been run.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is a two-day event that celebrates the best that horse racing has to offer for the year. The 2021 event takes place on November 5 -6 at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, CA.

There are 14 races held in total, the highlight of which is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The event is held in the fall, with the location changing annually.

It’s a highly sought after ticket for those looking to go in person, but it also receives national broadcast coverage on NBC. For perspective, the 2019 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park in California attracted over 109,000 attendees.

For betting purposes, the Breeders’ Cup attracts lots of interest as it’s essentially the final opportunity of the season to bet on the best of the best in horse racing at one single event.

You can bet on each of the races on the two-day card legally and safely right here in Colorado, and we’re going to show you how.

From where to place your bets to how to break down the races, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get to it.

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Is it legal to bet on the Breeders’ Cup in Colorado?

Yes, betting on horse racing is legal in the state of Colorado. You can place your bets on all of the most significant events, including the Breeders’ Cup.

The Colorado Racing Commission is the overseeing body for the industry. A clear set of rules and regulations is maintained and updated as needed on the state’s home on the internet.

Bets can be placed in person at the state’s lone operating racetrack, which also offers full simulcasting of racing action from major tracks across the country. There are also several off-track betting (OTB) facilities across the state. All OTB sites allow bettors a spot to place their wagers legally.

Also, it’s legal to bet on horse racing online or to bet using a mobile app.

However, there’s one note of caution to keep in mind: You must place bets with a legal and regulated operator that has been given the green light by the state.

We’ll walk through our recommendation and where to sign up shortly. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know.

Any legal issues surrounding horse racing betting were sorted out in Colorado decades ago. So as long as you stick with sportsbooks that are recognized as regulated by the state of Colorado, you’re good to go.

How to bet on horse racing

Our top choice for betting on horse racing in Colorado is TVG.

It’s an excellent platform to use for both online and mobile users, and it’s also much more than that. TVG is the broadcast home for racing at tracks across the nation, as well as on the international circuit.

TVG is part of the lineup for numerous cable and streaming operators. TVG customers can also download a standalone app for smart TVs.

As for betting, you’ll find lots of opportunities and all the horse racing bet types you need. The platform is intuitive and easy to use. Signing up for an account is a breeze to boot.

For starters, click through our exclusive link to create an account. By taking that step, you’ll be entitled to a bonus bet of up to $300. There’s a box on the sign-up page where you can enter the promo code LSRTVG to take advantage.

After you’ve clicked on the link, you’ll be brought to a new page where you enter basic information such as your name, email address and password.

Once that’s done, just click on the “Complete Registration” button, and your new account will be created immediately.

You’ll be able to download the iOS app for Apple devices by following the on-screen instructions. After doing so, just log in on mobile, and you’ll be all set to bet. Please note: There isn’t an app for Android devices as of now, but the site is fully optimized to work on small screens.

After you create an account via our link, visit TVG on your mobile browser and log in to access the platform.

Horse racing bet types

There are several ways to bet on horse racing.

All the different choices may seem overwhelming at first glance, but you can make things a whole lot easier by viewing the various opportunities in distinct groups.

Standard horse racing bets

Three bet types fall into this category: win, place and show. These three bets revolve around the top-three finishers in the race.

• A win bet means that your selected horse needs to finish first.
• A place bet means you like a horse for second place or better.
• A show bet covers third place or better.

Exotic horse racing bets

These are wagers for which you select groups of horses in their expected finishing position:

• Exacta: The top-two finishers of the race in the exact order.
• Quinella: Similar to an exacta bet, but bettors pick the top-two finishers in any order.
• Trifecta: Bettors must pick the top-three finishers of the horse race in the exact order.
• Superfecta: Bettors pick the first four horses to finish the race in the exact order.
• Super High Five: Bettors must choose the top-five horses to finish the race.

For each of these bet types, you can choose the horses in order on your betting ticket. These wagers aren’t easy to hit, but they are quite popular as they offer up the chance for excellent returns.

To further bolster your chances, you can “box” your selections, which means that your selected horses can finish in any order and you’ll be covered.

Other horse racing bet types

For most tracks, you’ll see bets offered that require you to pick the winners of multiple races in a row. They’re tough to hit, but they provide extra entertainment value and the chance for great returns off of a small investment.

• Daily Double: Bettors must pick the winners of two races in a row.
• Pick 3, 4, 5, 6: Separate wagers in which bettors have to choose the winners from three to six consecutive races.

For all of the wagering types we’ve covered, the minimum wager amount may vary depending on which track you are wagering at.

As an example, a win, place or show bet could cost as little as $1 in some spots, but other tracks will require a $2 minimum.

Also, you can place a single bet on a horse to win, place or show, but the ticket cost will naturally rise based on the track minimum.

How does the Breeders’ Cup work?

The Breeders’ World Cup Championships were first held in 1984. It’s a series of Grade 1 stakes races, which is currently held over two days at rotating venues. The event was initially held over just a single day, but that changed in 2007.

Interest has continued to grow throughout the years. NBC broadcasts the Breeders’ Cup in the United States, and attendance has crept past 100,000 at certain times. The highlight is a pair of huge stakes races that feature the best in the sport for the current year:

• $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic
• $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf

Those two races attract the most betting action, but the rest of the card is incredibly active as well.

Here’s the remainder of the lineup:

• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

For each of the races on the card, a maximum of 14 starters is allowed. Several of them qualify by winning select races in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. Other entrants are chosen by their performance in various graded-stakes races, while a panel of racing experts selects the remainder.

History of the Breeders’ Cup

Since its inception in 1984, the Breeders’ Cup has continually grown in both interest and purses offered. For the 14 main races held over the two-day event, the total purses now stand at a whopping $28 million.

The highlight of the card, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, now boasts a purse of $6 million. The 1.25-mile race on a dirt track is held at different venues each year.

While this race may not receive the same headlines that the Triple Crown races receive, it’s undoubtedly one of the most entertaining events of the calendar year.

Among the impressive names on the list is American Pharoah, who capped off a Triple Crown-winning season with a victory at the Breeders’ Cup Championship.

For the 2020 edition, Authentic edged out Improbable by 2 1/4 lengths to win the crown.

Here’s what the field looked like for the 2020 race, listed by finishing position and with their morning line odds:

1. Authentic, 9-5
2. Improbable 5-2
3. Global Campaign, 20-1
4. Tacitus, 20-1
5. Maximum Security 7-2
6. Tiz the Law, 3-1
7. Title Ready, 30-1
8. By My Standards, 10-1
9. Tom’s d’Etat, 6-1
10. Higher Power, 20-1

Breeders’ Cup betting tips

There are plenty of horse racing pundits and prognosticators out there to follow, and the favorites for each race on the docket will be readily apparent for the Breeders’ Cup. However, a little bit of homework can help you to further separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Here’s a handful of key areas you can look toward as you conduct your research:

• Understand the odds board: Beyond telling you who the favorites in a race are, consider the odds board as a free piece of research. The horses with the best chances to win will naturally see more betting action, while the longer shots will not. Respect what the odds are telling you, but also be sure not to let that discourage you from thinking outside the box.
• Season-to-date performance: For each horse in the field, consider their overall track record. How have they performed in events leading up to this race? Where have they finished? What kind of times have they clocked in races of a similar distance? Little pieces of intel such as this can help you to spot horses who may be flying under the radar.
• Overall horse quality: The odds board provides a quick snapshot of which horses are thought to be the best in the field, but you can also dig a bit deeper. Look at the individual power and speed rankings for each horse in the race. For an additional tip, pay close attention to their overall speed in their last three races.

Horse racetrack in Colorado

Colorado’s home for live racing runs on a calendar that runs from mid-May through August each year.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Arapahoe Park
• Mile High Racing & Entertainment
• 26000 East Quincy Ave.
• Aurora, CO 80016

In addition to live racing, Arapahoe also has simulcasting. You can watch the races from tracks across the US and place your wagers while doing so. Additionally, there are several OTB facilities in the state. The Colorado Department of Revenue keeps an updated list of approved venues here.

Also, remember that you can create an account with TVG to watch and wager wherever you like by clicking on our exclusive link.