How To Bet On The Preakness
Known as the second jewel of the Triple Crown, it is naturally one of the biggest events on the horse racing calendar. The Preakness Stakes attracts tons of attention, even from those who don’t follow horse racing much.
More than 5 million viewers watched the live broadcast of last year’s edition on NBC. Over 130,000 people attended the race live and in person at the host track Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It set a record for betting handle on that day at nearly $100 million.
Bet the 2020 Preakness Stakes online at TVG. Preakness stakes betting guide, strategy & picks. Learn how to bet Preakness Stakes on Saturday, October 3. When it’s time to bet on the Preakness Stakes, you’ll need to be able to place to wager. While wagering at an OTB or simulcast facility can be a fun experience, that’s not always the most convenient option. Betting online or via your mobile device takes care of that issue. TVG is the top choice for horse race betting in Colorado. If you want to take a chance on a big payoff in the Preakness race, you can attempt to predict the finishing order. Exacta betting means picking the first two, or you can place Trifectas (first three) and even Superfectas (first four). Tons of Preakness Stakes bets are available if you’re feeling a little exotic. Bet The Preakness Stakes Online Twinspires.com offers a fluid and easy-to-use desktop portal for those looking to bet the Preakness Stakes. It’s free to sign up, and deposit is simple and fast. You can easily sign up on the day of the race you’re looking to bet, or sign up in advance to get the best odds! May 09, 2019 Daily Double: You pick the winner of this race and the winner of another race - typically the race right before or right after this one. At the Preakness you can also bet a double that includes the.
Horse racing fans circle the date of the Preakness on their calendar every year, as it is one of the highlights of the season. It’s an exciting race that attracts the best the sport has to offer.
As the betting handle and viewership numbers indicate, it’s not only the die-hards who get involved. The Preakness is one of the few races that attract nationwide attention, which makes it an ideal race for those looking to get started with betting on horse races.
It’s a fun pastime that’s easy to get started with, and it can be potentially lucrative to boot. We’re going to take a look at everything you need to know to get started right here, beginning with an important tidbit for Colorado residents.
Bet on the Preakness Stakes in Colorado
2020 Preakness Stakes Odds & Post Positions
Post Position | Horse | Jockey | Opening Odds | Morning Line Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Excession | Sheldon Russell | 30-1 | TBD |
2 | Mr. Big News | Gabriel Saez | 12-1 | TBD |
3 | Art Collector | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 5-2 | TBD |
4 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Albarado | 6-1 | TBD |
5 | Thousand Words | Florent Geroux | 6-1 | TBD |
6 | Jesus' Team | Jevian Toleldo | 30-1 | TBD |
7 | Ny Traffic | Horacio Karamanos | 15-1 | TBD |
8 | Max Player | Paco Lopez | 15-1 | TBD |
9 | Authentic | John Velazquez | 9-5 | TBD |
10 | Pneumatic | Joe Bravo | 20-1 | TBD |
11 | Liveyourbeastlife | Trevor McCarthy | 30-1 | TBD |
Is it legal to bet on the Preakness Stakes in Colorado?
Yes, it’s completely legal to bet on horse racing in Colorado, and it has been that way for the state’s residents for several decades. The industry is overseen by the Colorado Racing Commission, which maintains a clear-cut set of rules and regulations on the main state website.
Colorado is home to one operating racetrack, as well as several off-track betting (OTB) venues. Folks can visit those locations and place bets on tracks across the nation. However, that’s not the only option.
It’s also completely legal and safe to bet via mobile apps in Colorado. Naturally, you’ll need to be playing on a reputable and regulated operator. We’ll provide our top recommendation.
If you’ve been on the fence about horse race betting in Colorado, the legality issue isn’t a roadblock. Officials sorted it out a long time ago, and there aren’t any signs of it changing in the future.
How to bet on horse racing
When it’s time to bet on the Preakness Stakes, you’ll need to be able to place to wager. While wagering at an OTB or simulcast facility can be a fun experience, that’s not always the most convenient option.
Betting online or via your mobile device takes care of that issue. TVG is the top choice for horse race betting in Colorado. Even better, TVG is a lot more than just a site for betting. It’s a live network that provides extensive coverage of horse racing.
Action from tracks across the nation is broadcast live on TVG, which is available on leading cable and streaming providers. You can also download the TVG app right to your smart TV to watch whenever you wish.
TVG offers an excellent platform that’s easy to use and provides all of the available bet types. To create an account, just click on our exclusive links.
You’ll get a first deposit bonus of 50% up to $250 just for doing so. The promo code LSRTVG should be there automatically. Then enter a few basic pieces of info, such as your name and email address, and then click “Complete Registration.”
Your new account will be created instantaneously. After taking some time to look around the site, follow the instructions on the home page to download the Apple app for iOS. Log in on your mobile device, and you’ll be able to bet whenever and wherever.
There isn’t a TVG app for Android at present, but the website is fully optimized to work on mobile devices. Visit the site from your mobile web browser and log in once your account is all set, and you’ll be good to go.
Horse racing bet types
Beyond just picking the winner, there are several bet types for horse racing. Here’s a run-through of the main wagering opportunities you’ll come across:
- Win: This is a wager on which horse will win the race.
- Place: A place bet means that you like a horse to finish in second place or better.
- Show: If you place a show bet, the horse you select needs to finish third or better.
- Exacta: An exacta is a bet on the top-two finishers in the race.
- Trifecta: For this bet, you have to pick the top-three finishers.
- Superfecta: This wager is on the top-four finishers in the race.
Of these bet types, win, place and show are the most common, while the others are exotic wagers. In the first category, you can place any of those bet types on individual horses in the race.
You can also cover multiple outcomes by placing a bet on a horse to win, place or show. For the other group, you can choose the horses to finish in order. That’s pretty difficult, but you can also “box” your selections, which means that your picks can finish in any order.
Depending on the race, you may also see several other bet types, such as:
- Quinella: Pretty much the same as an exacta box bet where you’re picking the top two.
- Super High Five: The goal is to choose the top five finishing horses in the race in order.
- Pick 3: You have to pick the winner of three consecutive races.
- Pick 4: A winning ticket means that you picked four straight winners.
- Pick 5: Picking the winners of five consecutive races on the card.
- Pick 6: A bet on the winners for six straight races.
You can place each of these bet types at multiple denominations, but the minimums may be different at certain tracks. For example, some venues offer win bets for as little as $1, while the minimum may be $2 elsewhere.
For the exotics, you can start with a small wager amount for straight wagers, but the cost will climb for box bets or when more selections are added to the ticket. For example, some tracks offer a straight trifecta for as little as $0.50, while a box of that wager would cost $6 at that amount.
The road to the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is the second race of what’s known as horse racing’s Triple Crown. It’s held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and a number of the same horses will compete in both of them.
For the Derby, there are as many as 20 starters in the field. There’s a clear-cut qualification stage known as “the Road to the Derby.” The Preakness field typically includes 14 starters. Here’s how they are selected:
- The first seven spots are reserved for top earners in graded stakes races, including the Derby.
- The next four slots are for top-four lifetime earners in nonrestricted races.
- The final three spots are given to horses with the most lifetime earnings regardless of race.
The top-five finishers in the Derby get priority, but the above process determines the rest of the field. Barring injury, horses that fare well in the Derby will generally be in the field for the Preakness as well.
Naturally, the horse that wins the Derby will see a ton of betting action as it continues on its quest for the Triple Crown. If the same horse manages to win the Preakness as well, then interest will be absolutely through the roof for the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, which takes place in early June each year.
History of the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes debuted in 1873. Outside of three years, from 1891 through 1893, it has been run every year since then. After the Kentucky Derby, the race attracts the most attention from a national perspective each year.
It’s a 1 3/16 mile race on a dirt track at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. As a general rule, it’s a wildly entertaining event that has offered up some incredible performances through the years.
Here are the last 10 winners of the Preakness along with their finishing times:
- 2019: War of Will, 1:54:34
- 2018: Justify, 1:55:93
- 2017: Cloud Computing, 1:55:98
- 2016: Exaggerator, 1:58:31
- 2015: American Pharoah, 1:58:46
- 2014: California Chrome, 1:54:84
- 2013: Oxbow, 1:57:54
- 2012: I’ll Have Another, 1:55:94
- 2011: Shackleford, 1:56:47
- 2010: Lookin at Lucky, 1:55:47
For last year’s Preakness, War of Will took it down by one-and-a-quarter lengths over second-place Everfast and third-place Owendale. Here’s what the morning line odds looked like for the 13 entrants, listed in order by finishing position.
- 1- War of Will, 4-1
- 2- Everfast, 50-1
- 3- Owendale, 10-1
- 4- Warrior’s Charge, 12-1
- 5- Laughing Fox, 12-1
- 6- Improbable, 5-2
- 7- Win Win Win, 15-1
- 8- Bourbon War, 12-1
- 9- Signalman, 30-1
- 10- Anothertwistafate, 6-1
- 11- Alwaysmining, 8-1
- 12- Market King, 30-1
- DNF- Bodexpress, 20-1
Preakness Stakes betting tips
Horses that proved themselves in the Derby will be among the favorites at the Preakness. You can look their way for bets and call it a day, but you can also dig a little deeper to find some under-the-radar choices.
A long shot winning the race isn’t out of the question, and horses with lower odds can also be a nice addition to your exotic wagers such as trifectas and superfectas.
Here are a couple of spots you can look to narrow down the field of horses:
- Recent Form: Horses that have run well in recent races are more likely to continue doing so. The same applies in reverse for those who have been sluggish of late. Review how the horses in the field have fared in recent races. Pay especially close attention to what place they have finished in on the biggest races on the docket.
- Money Earned: If you’re looking for a simple way to sort through the horses by overall strength and quality, this is one to check out. Just like in any other sport, the top performers make the most money. Horses that have a good track record of earnings have placed well in races, so they are, naturally, ones to watch.
- Average Speed Ratings: There are lots of stats involved with horse racing, but perhaps none is more important than overall speed rating. This is a metric that essentially places a strength rating on each horse in numeric form. The total speed rating is a good place to look, but the average speed rating for a horse’s last three races can be especially telling.
Horse racing in Colorado
There’s just one currently operating race track in the state of Colorado. The calendar of racing events typically runs from mid-May through August and features thoroughbred and Arabian horse racing. Here are the details.
- Arapahoe Park
- Mile High Racing & Entertainment
- 26000 East Quincy Avenue
- Aurora, CO 80016
Arapahoe also has full simulcasting on-site, featuring racing from tracks across the US. In addition, Colorado residents have a number of completely legal OTB facilities that they can place on their bucket list.
These venues also provide full simulcasting of the races, and you can legally and safely place your wagers as well. A full list of currently operating Colorado OTB facilities can be found here on the Colorado Department of Revenue website.
Also, don’t forget that you can bet online or via mobile with TVG at any time once you have created your account via our exclusive links.
The Preakness Stakes has been a major part of the racing schedule in America pretty much since it first came into existence. It was first held in 1873 as a way to pit top three-year-old horses against each other. And for the most part, it has continued uninterrupted since then, becoming one of the great traditional horse races in the United States.
What gave it even more importance was when it was first included as part of the three most important three-year-old horse races in the country. Once this “Triple Crown” gained more popularity, the Preakness Stakes became a must-win for horses (and their handlers) who wanted to achieve horse racing accolades.
On this page, we’ll be going over the race’s history, a few of the big contenders, how to place horse racing bets, as well as go over the types of bets you’ll be able to make at the best 2020 Preakness Stakes betting sites. As you can see, this will give you plenty of insight into making winning wagers on the 2020 Preakness Stakes. Keep reading below to learn more.
A Brief History on the Preakness Stakes
For most of its history, the Preakness Stakes has served as the second leg of the Triple Crown, in between the Kentucky Derby ahead of it and the Belmont Stakes. The order was shuffled this year, of course, and it is now the anchor race in the series.
The Triple Crown caught the attention of racing fans because of how difficult it is for a horse to win all three races in the same year. In most years, the three races take place in a span of five weeks. In addition to that, they are all contested at different distances, meaning that any horse able to win all three races would have to be extremely versatile.
In the case of the Preakness Stakes, it takes place at a distance of 1 3/16 miles. Generally, that is the shortest distance out of the three Triple Crown races. 1 3/16 miles is a somewhat unusual distance for Thoroughbreds, requiring a bit more getaway speed than the typical distance race.
The Preakness Stakes is a major cultural event in the state of Maryland. It is a race associated with the Black-Eyed Susan, which is the type of flower presented as a kind of trophy to the winning horse. Pimlico Race Course, which hosts the event, also has a rich tradition in the area.
Obviously, some of the traditions that people associated with the Preakness Stakes might be upended this year. But the delay in the race, from May to October, shouldn’t slow down the betting rush. Expect millions to be bet on the 2020 Preakness Stakes.
2020 Preakness Stakes Contenders
The horse to watch at the 2020 Preakness Stakes is undoubtedly Authentic. This is because of the dominant performance that he delivered in the Kentucky Derby a few weeks ago. In that race, the colt overcame an outside post and led most of the way as he gained a convincing victory.
In addition, Authentic was able to dispose of the challenge of Tiz The Law. That horse, trained by Barclay Tagg, was looking like a prohibitive favorite not just to win the Derby, but to go on to the Preakness as well. If he had managed that, it would have been a Triple Crown achievement, since Tiz The Law had already captured the Belmont Stakes in June.
But Authentic never got the memo and interrupted the coronation. And now, he goes into the 2020 Preakness Stakes as a likely favorite. It doesn’t hurt that he is trained by Bob Baffert, who has broken just about every major trainer record for stakes races.
Authentic won’t get the chance for a rematch with Tiz The Law. That horse’s handlers have decided to skip the Preakness Stakes and look ahead to future races (like perhaps the Breeders’ Cup). That means Authentic should be a heavy favorite.
The odd thing is that we’ll never know what might have been in terms of Authentic’s Triple Crown aspirations. Remember that Baffert kept him out of the Belmont Stakes back in June, believing that the race didn’t quite fit well with the horse’s training schedule. Instead, Authentic will have to settle for trying to win two out of three.
But he won’t be alone in this quest. Expect other horses who have competed in the Triple Crown to line up against Authentic in the 2020 Preakness Stakes. And expect some newcomers, who have perhaps been less tested throughout the year and might be fresher, to enter the field as well.
Here is a look at a few of the possible contenders for this year’s race, a week ahead of the official announcement of the field and the official field with their post positions.
- Art Collector: Winner of five consecutive races, Art Collector seemed like one of the top Derby contenders but was held out at the last minute due to a foot injury. Luckily, the injury seems to be healing in time to have him trained for the Preakness. If he can shake off the rust, it could be interesting to see how he handles a matchup with Authentic.
- King Guillermo: Much like Art Collector, he was a hot sleeper pick heading into the Derby, only to be scratched right before the race because of injury. Unlike Art Collector, King Guillermo’s injury might not be healed in time for the Preakness. If he does run, he has already proven to be game when not given much of a chance to win.
- Dr Post: The good news is that he has had good experience facing graded stakes horses this year. But the bad news is that this horse hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since April. Dr Post has to prove that he can step up against classier competition and be more than just best of the rest.
- Big News: Nobody gave him much of a chance when he entered the Kentucky Derby. Yet there he was, coming from nowhere for a surprising third-place finish. If he can build on that, he could present an interesting challenge for Authentic.
- Finnick The Fierce: This horse might get some name recognition points as one of those who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby in the hours leading up to the race. The concern is that he hasn’t won at anything higher than an allowance level. On top of that, he might have to deal with Art Collector, who handled him (and the rest of the fields) in their last two stakes races together.
- Thousand Words: This is an interesting situation in that this colt would be a second Bob Baffert entry and could steal the thunder from his more celebrated stablemate. Thousand Words seemed poised for a big day at the Derby before being scratched. He was outstanding in beating highly-touted Honor A.P. in a stakes in California in his last race.
- Mystic Guide: This colt could be peaking at the right time. In his last start, he knocked off Dr Post in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Now, he could be in line to face his first ever Triple Crown competition while he’s at the absolute top of his game.
- Pneumatic: He hasn’t raced since winning the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth in August. Pneumatic does have the benefit of Triple Crown experience, having finished fourth in the Belmont behind Tiz The Law in June. A return to the center stage could be in the offing for him.
- Happy Saver: It’s not unusual for a local horse to take his chances in the Preakness Stakes. This year’s local boy could be Happy Saver. He won the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park, another Maryland track, earlier this month. The question is whether that’s enough of a springboard for him heading into this tough challenge.
How to Bet on the Preakness Stakes
Betting on horse races can be a bit confusing for those who have done it before. But it’s really a simple system once you get the hang of it. Once you do understand, you’ll be able to make wagers on the 2020 Preakness Stakes and just about any horse race that you can imagine.
The key to understanding horse racing betting has to do with figuring out pari-mutuel wagering. Pari-mutuel is just a fancy name that essentially lets you know that your odds are not set, even after you’ve made the wager. This is in opposition to fixed odds wagering, which is in play for most other sports bets.
For example, if you were betting on a team to win a certain game in football or basketball, you might be given odds for the team in question. You might also get a point spread added to the equation.
But in either case, these conditions would not change for your bet, no matter what happens from the time that you bet to the time that the game begins. If you bet on a football team that is a seven-point underdog, those odds will stay in place for you even if the team they’re playing against gets 10 players hurt in the run-up to the game. The odds will change for everybody else who hasn’t bet yet, but your odds are fixed.
In horse racing, the odds aren’t final until the race begins. And those odds are determined by the different pools for each horse and each wager.
For Example:You might bet at a horse at 4 to 1 to win. This means that, conceivably, you would make $4 back for every dollar that you bet. But if the horse receives a lot of betting attention leading up to the race, those odds could easily drop to 3 to 1, 2 to 1, or lower. The odds that you would be paid if the horse wins would be based on the final odds, not the odds that were quoted when you originally wagered on it.
You might find gambling websites that allow you to make fixed odds bets on the 2020 Preakness Stakes. Because it is such a popular race, websites might look to accommodate all kinds of action.
But you have to be careful with fixed odds betting on a race like the Preakness Stakes. Because of the possibility of a horse scratching right before race time (something that happened with several horses in the 2020 Kentucky Derby), you might end up placing an early wager on a horse that doesn’t even run. It’s doubtful that a site will offer you anything in return if that happens.
If you find a site offering pari-mutuel wagering instead, you can avoid this. A scratched horse will allow you to have your bets refunded to you in most cases.
Placing Your Bets
It’s a good idea to have an idea of how to place a wager on a specific horse (or horses) in the 2020 Preakness Stakes at a reputable gambling website. Once you get to the site, you don’t want to become confused by the different terminology, especially if you’re running low on time.
Here are the key pieces of information you have to have when placing a bet on a race like the Preakness Stakes:
- Track: You have to remember that many tracks will be hosting races. In the case of the Preakness Stakes, you have to make sure that you identify Pimlico Race Course as the track in question. Since it is such a popular race, you might find that gambling websites dedicate a page to it that eliminates the need for identifying the track.
- Race Number: There will be many races in a particular program at a track like Pimlico Race Course, even on Preakness Stakes day. That’s why you need to make sure to identify which race on the program it is that you went to bet. Again, if you find a page dedicated to the race, you won’t have to worry about this.
- Amount of Bet: In the sport of horse racing, the traditional bet size is $2. You can raise it from there if you wish, but that is often the minimum. Different 2020 Preakness Stakes betting sites might tinker with this formula somewhat, but you still have to identify the amount you want to bet.
- Type of Bet: We’ll elaborate a bit on the different types of bets and what whey entail in a bit. Just keep in mind that you have to settle on the type of bet (or bets) you want to place once you settle into the site to make your selection.
- Horse (or Horses) Involved: In most cases, you will need to identify the number of the horse that you want. You can find this in the program for the Preakness Stakes, which will easily be located online. But you might also find that websites include the names on the page for a race as big as the Preakness Stakes.
Types of Bets on the 2020 Preakness Stakes
Each horse racing wager brings you different levels of potential risk and reward. Once you know how each of these bets work, you can start to hone in on how you want to wager on the race. This overview will tell you all you need to know.
For the most part, horse racing bets can be broken down into two types: straight or exotic bets. Straight bets generally involved picking a single horse in a single race. Exotic bets require multiple horses to be involved in some way.
Straight bets are generally better if you want to improve your chance of getting something in return. It is easier to predict the performance of one horse than many. But your potential payback is generally capped when you bet in this manner.
On the other hand, exotic bets are harder to hit in any given race. The chances of multiple horses coming in the order you need them to finish diminish from what you could get with a straight bet. Because this is the case, exotic bets often pay back much higher than straight bets.
Here are the main types of straight bets:
- Win: Your horse must win the race for you to win your bet
- Place: Your horse must finish first or second for you to win your bet
- Show: Your horse must finish first, second or third for you to win your bet
And here are the main types of exotic bets:
- Exacta: Bet on the first two horses in the order of finish in a single race
- Trifecta or Triple: Bet on the first three horses in the order of finish in a single race
- Superfecta: Bet on the first four horses in the order of finish in a single race
- Daily Double: Pick the winner of two consecutive races on the card
- Pick 3 and so on: Pick the winners of three races in a row or however many are listed in the name of the bet
How to Pick the Winner of the 2020 Preakness Stakes
Picking winning horses in horse racing is not an easy thing to do. You’ll find veterans of horse racing wagering who claim to have a system to help them out. Others will go off of their intuition.
If you’re a newcomer to betting on horse racing, you can start your handicapping (which is another name for deciding which horses to pick) in a number of ways. You can watch lots of races and get a feel for the horses involved. That takes a lot of time and dedication, especially because you need to keep at it for a while to collect the information you need.
But you could also go about it by simply looking at a horse racing program. Programs, or “racing forms” as they are sometimes called, give you all the necessary statistical information on every horse in every race at a particular track. Since the 2020 Preakness Stakes will be garnering a lot of betting attention, it’s a good possibility that you can find the program page for it online.
What should you be looking for when you look at a program? Here are some of the things which can help you identify the top horses in each race:
Pimlico Race Track
- Past performances: These will be the lifeblood of every program page. You’ll be able to see the most recent races for each of the horses in the race and how they performed. In other words, you can see where they finished in the race (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).
- Class: It can sometimes be better to focus on the class of horses that a horse has been facing rather than on the order of finish. A horse who has been finishing last against great horses might be better equipped to win a race than a horse who has been performing well against much weaker horses. Focus on the purse amounts for their most recent races.
- Distance: This is an underrated factor in terms of handicapping races. Sometimes, a horse just seems to fit a certain distance better. In terms of the 2020 Preakness Stakes, you should be focusing on distances similar to 1 3/16 miles, which is the distance they’ll be running at Pimlico.
- Post Position: Post position refers to where the horses line up in the gate each race. Occasionally, you can spot a handicapping advantage in a particular horse who has been dealing with tough, outside post positions for several races in a row. When they move to the inside, they can be primed for a big performance.
- Connections: By connections, we mean the owners, trainers, and jockeys involved with the horses. There’s a reason why you see familiar names like Bob Baffert (trainer) or Mike Smith (jockey) year in and year out in the Triple Crown conversation. By the same token, it can often be difficult for an inexperienced jockey or trainer to break through in a race as big as the Preakness Stakes.
- Pedigree: This one can be a bit more difficult, in that it requires some working knowledge of the history of horse racing. The bottom line is that, if a horse comes from a bloodline of great performers, there is a good chance that pedigree will rub off on them. If you don’t know the names of top thoroughbreds from the past, you can often find information in race programs concerning the most successful sires to help you along.
How To Bet On The Preakness Online
Now that you’re familiar with the history and how to bet on the 2020 Preakness Stakes, feel free to browse our other guides on horse racing betting.
How To Bet On The Preakness
Or if you’re into other sports, check out our site’s latest pages! You’re sure to find something you’ll be interested in. Lastly, good luck with your horse racing bets!
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