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Unlike the Kentucky Derby, which can be bet on at various times during the winter and spring leading up to the race in the form of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), pari-mutuel betting on the Belmont Stakes, like the Preakness, is restricted to just two days.

After the Belmont field is drawn on the Wednesday before the race, fans will have less than 48 hours to wait before wagering on the race is available at racetracks, simulcast centers, and on Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platforms, including TwinSpires.com. The first opportunity to wager on the Belmont is on the day before the race.

Belmont Park has joined Churchill Downs and Pimlico by carding a stakes-laden, marathon program on its biggest day. In recent years, the Belmont Stakes Day program has commenced at 11 a.m. (EDT).

The Kentucky Derby is far and away the most wagered-on horse race in the country, but the Belmont often attracts enough handle to make it the second, or third, most wagered-on race in the country each year. It is usually the second-most watched and wagered on race if the field includes a Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner attempting a Triple Crown sweep.

In addition to the traditional “straight” wagers (Win, Place, Show), fans can also attempt to cash big in the various “exotic” pools. Exacta (first two), Trifecta (first three), and Superfecta (first four) wagering are all offered.

The Belmont field is limited to a maximum of 16 horses, and longshot winners have been prominent in recent years.