Preakness Stakes Home | 2016 | Betting | Odds | Handicapping | Prep Races | Winners | History | Results | Tickets | Contenders

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 Preakness is restricted to just two days.

After the Preakness 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 Preakness is on the Black-Eyed Susan Day program at Pimlico. The day before the Preakness, it is Pimlico’s second biggest day from an attendance and handle perspective.

Preakness Day starts early, with a first post of 10:30 a.m. (EDT) the norm in recent years. In 2015, the Preakness was the 13th race on a 14-race program.

The Kentucky Derby is far and away the most wagered-on horse race in the country, but the Preakness often attracts $50 million or more in wagers. That’s good enough to be the second, or third, most wagered-on race in the country every year. Total handle on the 2015 Preakness program was $85.161 million, surpassing the $83.786 million wagered in 2014.

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), Superfecta (first four), and Super High Five (first five) wagering are all offered.

The Preakness field is limited to a maximum of 14 horses.