Triple Crown Betting 2026
Table of Contents›
- Where to bet on the Triple Crown online
- 2027 Triple Crown schedule
- 2026 Triple Crown Schedule
- Where the 2027 Triple Crown stands
- What is different about the 2027 Triple Crown
- A bigger change could come in 2027
- How Triple Crown betting works
- How Triple Crown betting dynamics change in each race
- How the Triple Crown picture develops
- Legal Triple Crown betting sites
- States with Legal online Triple Crown betting
- Featured Bets
The prestige, majesty, and romance of the Triple Crown races go hand in hand with Triple Crown betting. In 2027, the Kentucky Derby runs at Churchill Downs, the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, and the Belmont Stakes returns to Belmont Park, giving horses three different tests across the five-week series.
The following page is your complete guide to betting on the Triple Crown. We’ll be covering all three races, how the betting dynamics shift across the five-week series, where to wager legally at the best online sportsbooks, and what bettors need to know before the Kentucky Derby gets Triple Crown season underway.
Where to bet on the Triple Crown online
Knowing where to bet on the Triple Crown races is just as important as knowing how to bet on the Triple Crown races. What follows here is a curated shortlist of online operators that offer Triple Crown betting markets to eligible customers. Each of the horse racing sites below has been selected for its Triple Crown coverage.
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2027 Triple Crown schedule
The Triple Crown schedule covers a five-week window. It begins on the first Saturday in May with the Kentucky Derby. In 2027, that’s May 1. A change this year will see the Preakness Stakes moved back eight days. It will be run on Sunday, May 23. The Belmont is set to go on Saturday, June 5.
2026 Triple Crown Schedule
The 2026 Triple Crown ran from May 2 through June 6. The Kentucky Derby stayed at Churchill Downs, while the Preakness moved to Laurel Park and the Belmont Stakes remained at Saratoga for one final year. The Belmont was also shortened from its traditional 1½ miles to 1¼ miles.
| Race | Date | Venue | Distance | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby | May 2, 2026 | Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY | 1¼ miles | $5 million |
| Preakness Stakes | May 16, 2026 | Laurel Park, Laurel, MD | 1 3/16 miles | $2 million |
| Belmont Stakes | June 6, 2026 | Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY | 1¼ miles | $2 million |
Where the 2027 Triple Crown stands
At this juncture, we’re a long way from establishing the legitimate Triple Crown horse betting contenders for the 2027 Triple Crown. Watching the two-year-olds in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will be a sound starting point, but as anyone who follows horse racing knows, going from two to three in the sport isn’t as simple as 2+1.
Things will become more real as the Kentucky Derby prep races begin in the late winter. The wheat will separate from the chaff. As things progress, continue to check in here for the latest updates on the 2027 Triple Crown bid.
What is different about the 2027 Triple Crown
Big changes are afoot with the Triple Crown series in 2027. There’s a homecoming of sorts for two of the three races. Along with the adjustment in scheduling, the Preakness Stakes is returning to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore following a one-year sabbatical to nearby Laurel Park. Renovations to the Pimlico track are now complete.
Major renovations at Belmont Park had also resulted in the Belmont Stakes relocating to Saratoga Race Course. However, the race will return home in 2027. That also means the Belmont will return to its traditional distance of 1½ miles. It’s viewed as the toughest challenge in racing. The Belmont had been shortened to 1¼ miles during its Saratoga sojourn.
A bigger change could come in 2027
A paradigm shift in the thoroughbred horse racing world has left the Preakness out in the cold. That’s leaving some to wonder if there should be worry about the future of the Triple Crown. There is a new six-race competition labeled the Thoroughbred Championship Series. The only Triple Crown race left out of the series is the Preakness.
This series, starting in 2027, was created by Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association. Races will be run at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course. The series announcement came just days after the state of Maryland spent $85 million on the acquisition of the Preakness Stakes.
How Triple Crown betting works
The Triple Crown betting odds are established through pari-mutuel pools. Unlike fixed odds, where you get the number that the odds were at when you place your bet, with pari-mutuel odds, the numbers remain in flux right up until post time for the race. The morning line odds on a Triple Crown race will change dramatically by the time of the post-time odds, which are the final betting lines set when the race goes to the post.
The takeout, which is the cut of the betting pool that goes to the track, state regulators, and purse structures, is removed before the odds are set. Bettors can wager on all Triple Crown races online through advance deposit wagering (ADW) sites. These sites pool the money bet on each race, so no matter where you place your bet on an ADW site, you’ll get the same Triple Crown betting odds as everyone else. Use our handy odds calculator to determine what those odds will pay out on a winner.
How Triple Crown betting dynamics change in each race
Each race in the Triple Crown series is an individual test of both horse and bettor. All three of the races require fundamentally different handicapping skills. The Kentucky Derby is about surviving the chaos of a 20-horse field. In the Preakness, speed rules, while endurance is the requirement to capture the Belmont. Factors such as field size, turnaround time, and the presence or absence of a Triple Crown bid each reshape the betting picture race by race.
Kentucky Derby betting
Preakness Stakes betting
Belmont Stakes betting
When you are putting together a Kentucky Derby betting guide, horses that can survive will thrive. The Derby is known as the chaos race. Track position and avoiding getting caught up in traffic are vital factors in Kentucky Derby betting success. The field size – almost always set at 20 horses – makes post position a key element. The sheer amount of horseflesh on the track can create massive exotic pools.
Favorites often fall on Derby Day, simply because class is still being established. Many of the Derby horses will be seeing each other on the track for the first time when they enter the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Watching the outcomes of Derby prep races can help narrow betting choices. Casual money impacts the Derby more than any of the Triple Crown races. Just as everyone wants to own a Derby horse, betting on the Derby is also a badge of pride among horse racing bettors.
A horse can’t win the Triple Crown by winning the Preakness Stakes, but they sure can lose it. A Preakness Stakes betting guide calls into account many more variables than the Kentucky Derby betting strategy. With a much smaller field – often less than 10 horses – the Preakness is all about speed. But it is tactical speed that rules the Preakness. Horses that get into early speed duels will burn themselves out before the finish line. That can open up the race to horses coming from off the pace.
The new three-week gap between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness creates an entirely different handicapping picture. Will more Derby horses be inclined to enter the Preakness with that extra week’s rest? Golden Tempo, the 2026 Derby winner, skipped the Preakness before coming back to win the Belmont.
Courage and determination are staples of the Belmont Stakes. Covering the mile-and-a-half distance to finish the Belmont is challenging enough, let alone seeking to be the horse to win the race. If you’ve never witnessed the Belmont on-site, it is eye-opening how many of the horses are used up long before the finish line.
A Belmont Stakes betting guide must consider two scenarios: a race with a Triple Crown bid and one without it. Over Triple Crown history, 36 horses have come to the Belmont after winning the Derby and Preakness. Only 13 of those horses managed to complete the Triple Crown. Triple Crown experience is also a Belmont factor. Just about every Belmont winner has competed in one of the two previous Triple Crown races.
How the Triple Crown picture develops
Triple Crown series betting evolves in different directions following each of the three races. The five-week series exists as three distinct strategic windows: before the Derby, after the Derby, and after the Preakness. Leading into the Kentucky Derby, there will be betting favorites, but they certainly aren’t set in stone. In many years, no one knows for sure who the horse to beat is. In most years, there isn’t an obvious super horse like Secretariat or American Pharoah that looks set to dominate the three races.
Leading into the Kentucky Derby, betting a longshot isn’t a bad strategy. Another popular play leading into the Derby with its usual 20-horse field is to assemble some exotic wagers and look to hit one for a high price. Once the Derby is won and everyone is looking ahead to the Preakness, the focus can go down two paths. Does the Derby winner look like a Triple Crown contender? Should you back the horse in the Preakness? Or is the Derby a one-off and it’s time to look for a speed horse that can get the job done in the Preakness? Following the Preakness, we’re either looking at a horse gunning for a Triple Crown, or a wide-open third race in the series. The added distance of the Belmont calls for horses with a strong finishing kick. Check the form charts to see which Triple Crown horses are turning in the fastest final quarters.
Legal Triple Crown betting sites
Advance deposit wagering (ADW) sites enable you to bet on the races online. So you don’t need to be in Kentucky to bet on the Derby. Like online sportsbooks, ADW sites are licensed by state regulators. Unlike a sportsbook, ADW sites don’t give you fixed odds on horse racing. You will be betting into pari-mutuel pools. The takeout from these pools goes to the track. The ADW sites have no control over that aspect of the wager.
ADW sites will all offer wagering on major races. ADW platforms differ from each other in terms of rebates, promotions, account minimums, and crucially whether they carry all three Triple Crown races. Go with the site that offers the best online bonuses.
| Platform | Kentucky Derby Access | Preakness Access | Belmont Access | Welcome Offer | Rebate Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYRA Bets | Yes | Yes | Yes | $200 deposit match | No |
| DRW Bets | Yes | Yes | Yes | $200 deposit match | Yes |
| 1/ST Bet | Yes | Yes | Yes | $550 deposit match | Yes |
| Twin Spires | Yes | Yes | Yes | $200 deposit match | No |
| AmWager | Yes | Yes | Yes | $50 deposit match | Yes |
Last updated on: September 29, 2026
States with Legal online Triple Crown betting
The vast majority of US states will offer access to Triple Crown wagering either online through advance deposit wagering sites or at off-track betting sites. Pari-mutuel wagering operates under a separate legal framework from fixed-odds sports betting. That matters, because it means bettors in states that restrict online sportsbooks can still offer wagering on horse racing.
Check the list below to see which types of horse betting are legal in your state and what forms of horse betting are nearby. The OTB pages populate naturally where individual states are mentioned. Bettors without online access can gain access to the general OTB near me page.
| State | Online ADW Legal | Recommended Platform | OTB Available | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | AmWager | No | No live racing |
| Alaska | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| Arizona | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | Must be 21 to bet |
| Arkansas | Yes | Oaklawn Anywhere | No | Legal age is 18 |
| California | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Colorado | Yes | XpressBet | Yes | Pari-mutuel legal age 18 |
| Connecticut | Yes | MyWinners | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Delaware | Yes | FanDuel Racing | No | Offers live racing |
| Florida | Yes | DKHorse | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Georgia | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| Hawaii | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| Idaho | Yes | NYRA Bets | Yes | Only one OTB in state |
| Illinois | Yes | AmWager | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Indiana | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | 21+ is legal age |
| Iowa | Yes | FanDuel Racing | Yes | Only one racetrack in state |
| Kansas | Yes | NYRA Bets | No | Eureka Downs back after 15-year absence |
| Kentucky | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | Offers historic horse racing machines |
| Louisiana | Yes | DRF Bets | Yes | Four tracks with live racing |
| Maine | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Maryland | Yes | NYRA Bets | Yes | Five tracks with live racing |
| Massacusetts | Yes | FanDuel Racing | Yes | Limited OTB sites |
| Michigan | Yes | TwinSpires | No | TwinSpires is only ADW in state |
| Minnesota | Yes | 1/ST Bet | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Mississippi | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| Montana | Yes | BUSR | No | 10% rebate on ADW wagers with BUSR |
| Nebraska | Yes | AmWager | Yes | ADW is not state regulated |
| Nevada | No | None | No | Can only bet on horse racing in sportsbooks |
| New Hampshire | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | ADW is strictly regulated |
| New Jersey | Yes | 4NJBets | Yes | Only recently allowed more than 1 ADW site |
| New Mexico | Yes | TVG | Yes | In-state tracks are off limits for ADW |
| New York | Yes | NYRA Bets | Yes | NYRA Bets is state run |
| North Carolina | No | None | No | Awaiting legal approval of ADW |
| North Dakota | Yes | WatchandWager | Yes | Allows multi-jurisdictional account wagering hubs |
| Ohio | Yes | FanDuel Racing | Yes | 18 different ADW sites offered |
| Oklahoma | Yes | AmWager | Yes | No state regulation of ADW |
| Oregon | Yes | NYRA Bets | Yes | National regulatory hub for ADW |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | FanDuel Racing | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Rhode Island | Yes | AmWager | Yes | No live horse racing |
| South Carolina | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| South Dakota | Yes | NYRA Bets | Yes | ADW sites must acquire a state license |
| Tennessee | Yes | FanDuel Racing | No | No live horse racing |
| Texas | No | None | No | No online betting on horse racing |
| Utah | No | None | No | No horse racing |
| Vermont | Yes | AmWager | No | No live racing since the 1970s |
| Virginia | Yes | 1/ST Bet | Yes | Year-round OTB at Colonial Downs |
| Washington | Yes | TwinSpires | Yes | All ADW sites are state regulated |
| West Virginia | Yes | WatchandWager | Yes | Legal age is 18 |
| Wisconsin | Yes | DRF Bets | No | No live horse racing |
| Wyoming | Yes | GamePlay | Yes | All ADW sites are state regulated |
Last updated on: September 29, 2026
Triple Crown winners: complete list
Only thirteen horses have completed the sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes to capture the Triple Crown. Twenty-three others won the Derby and Preakness but came up short in the Belmont. After Citation won the 1948 Triple Crown, no horse completed the set until Secretariat’s 1973 Triple Crown win. Following Affirmed’s success in 1978, there wouldn’t be another Triple Crown winner until American Pharoah in 2015. Below is the full list of winners in chronological order.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Kentucky Derby Odds | Belmont Stakes Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus | H. Guy Bedwell | 11/5 | 7/20 |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | Jim Fitzsimmons | 2/1 | 8/5 |
| 1935 | Omaha | Willie Saunders | Jim Fitzsimmons | 19/1 | 7/10 |
| 1937 | War Admiral | Charles Kurtsinger | George Conway | 8/5 | 9/10 |
| 1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | Ben Jones | 3/1 | 3/2 |
| 1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | 2/5 | 1/20 |
| 1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | 8/1 | 2/5 |
| 1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | Horace Jones | 2/5 | 1/5 |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | 3/2 | 8/5 |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | Billy Turner Jr. | 3/2 | 2/5 |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera | 9/5 | 3/5 |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | 2/5 | 3/4 |
| 2018 | Justify | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | 2/5 | 3/4 |
Last updated on: September 29, 2026
Why Triple Crown sweeps are so rare
The odds of winning the Triple Crown are extremely long. When a contender is attempting to complete the Triple Crown sweep, after wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, that horse is typically installed as the favorite in the Belmont. History shows how difficult the feat truly is, as 23 horses have won the first two legs without capturing the third, while only 13 have completed the Triple Crown.
The Belmont Stakes has repeatedly spoiled Triple Crown bids with dramatic upsets. Da’ Tara won at 38-1 in 2008 to deny Big Brown, and Birdstone prevailed at 36-1 over Smarty Jones in 2004. Sarava delivered one of the biggest shocks in racing history at 70-1 against War Emblem. Even well-backed contenders such as Charismatic fell short despite strong momentum entering the race. These outcomes highlight the pressure and unpredictability that surround any attempt to sweep the series, making Triple Crown futures both enticing and historically difficult to cash.
In recent years, handlers of contending horses have opted not to pursue Triple Crown glory. Sovereignty (2025) and Golden Tempo (2026) both skipped the Preakness after winning the Kentucky Derby.
Triple Crown Betting FAQ
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