Do you enjoy horse races? And do you enjoy gambling in horse races? Whether you have watched from the bleachers or the comfort of your own home via television or internet streaming, horse racing and betting can be fun. Betting on horse races were done for centuries, giving its bettors both the thrill in speculating which horse wins the race and in getting a prize from rooting for the winning horse.
A famous horse race in the US is the Preakness Stakes, an annual race held every third Saturday of May in the state of Maryland. Hailed as the second jewel of the so-called Triple Crown, it is one of the events that horse racing enthusiasts anticipate. Here is what you need to know to bet for the Preakness Stakes, and the measures it takes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
What is the Preakness Stakes?
Preakness Stakes is a race held every May each year in the Pimlico Race Course in Maryland. It is one of the races of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, which consists of two other races for thoroughbred horses.
The other races along the Preakness Stakes are Kentucky Derby, which happens every first Saturday of May, and Belmont Stakes, happening every first or second Saturday of June. The lucky 3-year-old thoroughbred horse who gets to win all three is a triple crown winner. As of 2020, there have already been thirteen Triple Crown winners.
The name for the race originated from the colt who won on the first race held in the Pimlico racecourse. This race is the shortest race among the triple crown, with the flat track spanning over one and 3/16 miles and is held after the Kentucky Derby.
Preakness Stakes has a tradition of singing the Maryland state song, the painting of the race course’s weather vane with the colors of the winners, and the draping of a blanket of daisies coated in black (to mimic Maryland’s state flower, Black-Eyed Susans) on the winning horse. Winners are given a replica of the Woodlawn Vase, the official trophy of the race.
How Do You Bet on the Preakness Stakes?
There are two ways of betting in the Preakness Stakes, which are betting on the day of the race, and through online betting. These two ways differ on the procedure on how you can place your bets.
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Betting on the horses live means that you have to go and watch the race personally. You have to deal with the transactions manually and by yourself. The following are what you have to do in betting for your desired horses to live.
Buy the Program and the Daily Racing Form
The racetrack sells a program providing information about the competitors for the race, as well as their jockeys, the person who rides the horses, and their trainers. The daily racing form (DRF for short) is a type of tabloid which has been recording the performances of the horses.
The DRF may also be found in the racetrack. Daily racing forms are often more detailed and thus may cost more over the program. If there are any, you may also purchase handicap newsletters that are written by professionals.
Choose the Competitor You Want to Bet On
After studying the program and the daily racing form, the next step you should do is to pick who you want to bet on. There are many factors in choosing a horse such as past performances or wins (if any), the trainer, jockey, and handicaps.
One popular way of choosing is by reading the odds. The odds refer to the ratio of the amount established for betting and its probability of winning. You can find the odds to Preakness Stakes 2020 Betting here.
Select the Type of Wager
In the Preakness Stakes, there are three main types of bets. These are the win, place, and show bets. The win bet refers to betting that the horse you chose ends the race in the first place. The place bet is betting that the horse either ends up in first or second place. The show bet refers to betting that the horse will place either first, second, or third.
Place Your Bets
After choosing the types of wager you want to bet on, it’s time to place your bets. The best time to do this is on the day of the race, where you can take a look at the horses personally or where you can still have time to change who you want to bet on. Go to the assigned area of the racetrack for betting, and buy the ticket from the customer service staff.
Betting online is for people who are either unable or unwilling to attend the race. Transactions here are mainly online, giving you less hassle to travel outside. The following are the procedures you have to do in betting online.
Choose and Register in an Online Sportsbook
A sportsbook is a website where you can wager on sports betting. There are several sportsbooks you can choose where horse race betting is available. Once you have chosen a site, sign up by providing necessary information such as name, contact information, and even the mode of payment for betting.
Look for the Event and Select Your Horse
Before having signed in for the sportsbook, you already know that the race you want to wager is available on the site. Once signed in, look for the Preakness Stakes and select it.
An advantage of signing up in a sportsbook is that the necessary information you need is already provided to you such as the program and the odds, so you do not have to travel to obtain this specific information. This will already help you select your horse in the comfort of your own home.
Select Your Type of Wager and Place Your Bet
After gaining access to the race, select the type of bet you want to participate, whether it’s the win, place, or show. This procedure should be done assuming you have chosen your competitor. Afterwards, you can place your bet by clicking on your chosen horse.
You may place your bet on the day of the race, where you can take a glance at them through a live stream. You may stream the race in verified sports news sources such as NBC Sports.
2020 Preakness Stakes
This year, the Preakness Stakes, along with the other Triple Crown races, were unable to happen on the usual date. The reason is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which infected over three million Americans and led to a decline in the progress of different industries around the country, including sports.
With this, the triple crown had to make adjustments. The party behind the Preakness States has stated in their website that the race has been moved to October 3, 2020. They also stated that people who have purchased tickets for the event which was supposed to be held last May 16 can still use the tickets for the new date. They may also opt to have a full refund or can issue a transfer request for the next Preakness race in 2021.
Takeaway
The Preakness Stakes, along with its fellow Triple Crown races, are events that horse racing fans always look up to annually. But with the situation that America is facing this 2020, postponements have to be made to ensure the safety and health of the people involved. I hope that this postponement does not discourage your love for horse racing and always keep safe.