Last updated on: September 11th, 2024
Triple Crown Betting
Triple Crown betting sites offer odds for all three of the major horse races that happen every year. These races are the Kentucky Derby (at Churchill Downs, Kentucky), the Preakness Stakes (at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland), and the Belmont Stakes (at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York). Because these races see the biggest names in horse racing compete every year, legal sports betting sites provide odds for if a single horse will win all three. This is a rare achievement that has only happened 13 times in history and has not happened since 2018. Because of this rarity, sites with legal Triple Crown betting offer long odds for it to occur each year.
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Best Triple Crown Horse Racing Betting Sites
Those interested in Triple Crown betting sites have a variety of options available between legal online racebooks and sportsbooks. In fact, many sports betting sites double as full racebooks. Prospective bettors should look at some of the Triple Crown betting sites that US players with good reputations. Doing so guarantees ease of use, valuable lines, and dependable payouts.
#1
Bovada Sportsbook
The Best Place To Bet On Horse Racing
Bovada is, without a doubt, the leading site for legal Triple Crown betting. It has an established reputation as trustworthy and easy-to-use, with a plethora of odds and lines for a variety of events (including the Triple Crown) to gamble on. Bovada also offers live betting, meaning you can wager on updated live odds for the action as it unfolds. When it comes to choosing an online sportsbook, more people have chosen Bovada than any other, and their sparkling reputation is a testament to the superb level of service they provide.
Rating: 
- Live Betting
- Big Bonuses
- Easy To Use
- Mobile Betting
- Best Odds
#2
BetOnline Sportsbook
Get Bonuses For Betting On Horses
Although they are often touted for their wide range of horse racing odds and many deposit methods, BetOnline’s bonuses within their racebook may actually be the site’s best feature. They consistently offer two bonuses, while also offering contests for the Triple Crown races. The most used bonus at BetOnline is the “Daily 9%”, which is a rebate where players get back 9% of all their losses all the time. Available only for players’ initial bets within BetOnline’s racebook, bettors get $25 dollars to bet risk-free, meaning they literally cannot lose.
Rating:
- User-friendly Layout
- Current NFL Events Props
- Wide Futures Selection
- Game Breakdowns On Bets
- Advanced Live Betting
#3
MyBookie Sportsbook
Easiest Racebook To Sign-Up with
MyBookie has streamlined its sign-up process to the point that players can sign-up quicker than Secretariat could run the Kentucky Derby (1:59:40). That two minutes or less sign-up speed means players do not need to sweat before the race. They know that they can join a trusted Triple Crown racebook like MyBookie in seconds. MyBookie has an entire racebook section on its site. Plus, they offer American Style odds on all Triple Crown races within their sportsbook as well.
Ratings:
- Good Parlay Payouts
- Accept Lots Of Cryptos
- Easy To Read Screen
- Alternate NFL Totals
- Player Comparison Props
Is It Legal To Bet On A Triple Crown Winner?
It is absolutely legal to bet on the Triple Crown. There are several locations where prospective bettors can place their Triple Crown bets, with legal horse betting sites the favorite of most US residents. Other options include land-based sportsbooks and non-participating race track locations that offer pari-mutuel simulcast services, as well as at the event venues themselves.
2025 Triple Crown Races
The three major Triple Crown Races are the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and the Preakness Stakes. These events see the biggest names in horse racing compete for glory. Winning the Triple Crown, or finishing first in all three races, is a rare feat that only 13 horses have ever accomplished with the last winner coming in 2018. Triple Crown betting sites host odds for horses in each individual race as well as odds for a single horse to win the Triple Crown.
What Is The Best Way To Bet On The Triple Crown?
How you bet on horse racing will depend on several factors, including your available bankroll, your knowledge of horse racing, and your risk tolerance. Even experienced sports bettors can be somewhat confused when faced with the different types of horse racing bets if they are new to the sport. The most common of these wagers are called “straight wagers.” With a straight wager, you are only betting on one horse. The different types of straight wagers are:
Win: The most straightforward option. You’re betting on the horse to win the race outright. This will accrue the highest payout of any straight bet.
Place: If you bet on a horse to place, you are betting that it will finish either first or second. Payouts are slightly lower than win bets.
Show: If you bet a horse to show, you’re wagering that the horse will finish first, second, or third. Since your odds of winning this bet are increased, the payout is decreased greatly.
Across the Board: If you bet on a horse across the board, you are placing three separate bets on the same horse–to win, place, and show. These wagers are more expensive, since it is technically three individual bets, but the payout for a winning horse is greatly increased.
Win/Place or Place/Show: These are similar to across the board bets, but with only two legs. You bet separately on the horse to win and place or place and show.
There is also a class of horse racing bets that are referred to as “exotic wagers.” These bets allow you to bet on more than one horse, greatly increasing your potential payout while also greatly increasing the degree of difficulty. Newcomers to horse racing would be wise to avoid exotic wagers in the beginning of their horse race betting careers. These exotic bets include:
Exacta: When you bet an exacta, you are betting on one horse to finish first and another to finish second. The horses must finish in first and second respectively for the bet to cash out. Some sportsbooks will allow you to “box” your exacta, allowing the two horses to come in any combination of first and second place. A boxed exacta is much more likely to payout than a regular exacta, so it will cost you double the amount of a typical exacta bet.
Quinella: A quinella is essentially the same as a boxed exacta, allowing gamblers to bet on two horses to finish in any order in the top two spots. The primary difference between a quinella and a boxed exacta is the payout: a boxed exacta costs more to place a bet than a quinella and therefore pays out at a higher rate.
Trifecta: A trifecta is similar to an exacta, but with three horses. This means that you wager on the exact first, second, and third place finishers. Also similarly to the exacta, you can box a trifecta, meaning that you bet that three particular horses will finish in any combination of first, second, and third place. A boxed trifecta will cost bettors six times the price of a standard trifecta bet.
Superfecta: A superfecta is a wager on the exact first, second, third and fourth place finishers of the race. This is perhaps the most difficult horse racing wager to win, meaning it also pays out extremely well.
Triple Crown Winners And Near-Winners
A horse is referred to as a Triple Crown winner if they win each of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. With legal Triple Crown betting, you have the chance to be a winner as well. In the history of the Triple Crown races, only 13 horses have won each race. That history dates back to 1875, the first year in which all three of these races were run. 1919 was the first year that a horse won the Triple Crown, with Sir Barton the winner. Even though it is rare, Triple Crown betting sites still take a lot of action every single year.
Triple Crown Winners:
- Sir Barton, 1919
- Gallant Fox, 1930
- Omaha, 1935
- War Admiral, 1937
- Whirlaway, 1941
- Count Fleet, 1943
- Assault, 1946
- Citation, 1948
- Secretariat, 1973
- Seattle Slew, 1977
- Affirmed, 1978
- American Pharaoh, 2015
- Justify, 2018
Horses To Win Two Legs Of The Triple Crown
- Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes Winners
- Burgoo King, 1932 (did not enter Belmont)
- Bold Venture, 1936 (scratched from Belmont)
- Pensive, 1944 (2nd at Belmont)
- Tim Tam, 1958 (2nd)
- Carry Back, 1958 (7th)
- Northern Dancer, 1964 (3rd)
- Kauai King, 1966 (4th)
- Forward Pass, 1968 (2nd)
- Majestic Prince, 1969 (2nd)
- Canonero II, 1971 (4th)
- Spectacular Bid, 1979 (3rd)
- Pleasant Colony, 1981 (3rd)
- Alysheba, 1987 (4th)
- Sunday Silence, 1989 (2nd)
- Silver Charm, 1997 (2nd)
- Real Quiet, 1998 (2nd)
- Charismatic, 1999 (3rd)
- War Emblem, 2002 (8th)
- Funny Cide, 2003 (3rd)
- Smarty Jones, 2004 (2nd)
- Big Brown, 2008 (did not finish)
- I’ll Have Another, 2012 (scratched)
- California Chrome, 2014 (4th)
- Preakness Stakes & Belmont Stakes Winners
- Cloverbook, 1877 (did not enter)
- Duke of Magenta, 1878 (did not enter)
- Grenada, 1880 (did not enter)
- Saunterer, 1881 (did not enter)
- Belmar, 1885 (did not enter)
- Man O’ War, 1920 (did not enter)
- Pillory, 1922 (did not enter)
- Bimelech, 1940 (2nd at Kentucky Derby)
- Capot, 1949 (2nd)
- Native Dancer, 1953 (2nd)
- Nashua, 1955 (2nd)
- Damascus, 1967 (3rd)
- Little Current, 1974 (5th)
- Risen Star, 1988 (3rd)
- Hansel, 1991 (10th)
- Tabasco Cat, 1994 (6th)
- Point Given, 2001 (5th)
- Afleet Alex, 2005 (3rd)
- Kentucky Derby & Belmont Stakes Winners
- Zev, 1923 (12th at Preakness)
- Twenty Grand, 1931 (2nd)
- Johnstown, 1939 (5th)
- Shut Out, 1942 (5th)
- Middleground, 1950 (2nd)
- Needles, 1956 (2nd)
- Chateaugay, 1963 (2nd)
- Riva Ridge, 1972 (4th)
- Bold Forbes, 1976 (3rd)
- Swale, 1984 (7th)
- Thunder Gulch, 1995 (3rd)
