Belmont Stakes Bets

If you are new to horse racing, but you are looking to jump right into the action this week with all the buzz surrounding Big Brown racing for the Triple Crown, then this article will get you up to speed in a hurry. Jimmy Boyd goes over some of the popular the Belmont Stakes bets which can be placed and explains them in this informative tutorial. You'll have no problem betting one of the biggest events of 2008 come June 7th.

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Straight Bets –

A "Win" bet is a type of straight bet and they don't get any easier than this. You simply pick the horse you think will win the race and you win if the horse wins.

A "Place" bet usually pays less than the win bet because your odds improve. For this wager, you select a horse which you think will place first or second.

A "Show" bet then is place on a horse you feel will come in either first, second, or third.

One bet you may want to consider for the Belmont Stakes is the "Across the Board" wager. This is an easy way to say that you want a horse to finish in any of the first three spots. For example, $2 Across the Board = $2 to win, $2 to place, and $2 to show. If the horse wins, you'll collect on all three wagers. If the horse comes in second, you'll collect on the place and show, and if the horse comes in third, you'll just collect on the show bet. This would be a great way for you beginners to bet the Belmont Stakes.

Exotic Bets –

The "Quiniela" is a form of exotic bet. With this bet, you must accurately pick the horses that will come in first and second. Either horse can finish in either place and you still win.

The "Exacta" bet is just like the Quinella except that you must pick the top two finishing horses in the exact order as its name would have you believe. This wager pays better than the Quinella because it's slightly more difficult to pull off.

The "Trifecta" exotic bet cashed when you pick the first three finishing horses in the exact order of their finish. We were able to pull off this wager in last year's Belmont Stakes and hopefully will do it again.

The "Superfecta" bet is a nice payout if you can pull it off. It requires a bettor to pick the first four finishing horses in the exact order of their finish. It is not a hugely popular wager by most because of its difficulty. This bet is usually placed when you feel a field is top heavy and the top four horses can easily be weeded out.

These exotic bets can also be boxed, keyed, or wheeled, which is something that veteran track goers are very familiar with. Sportsbook.com does a great job of explaining how much money it takes to place such bets and all the winning combinations that will pay for you. So head on over to Sportsbook.com to bet the big race. It's extremely user friendly and you won't have any hassles getting paid quickly.

• 2008 Belmont Stakes picks

May 30, 2008