How to Track Belmont Stakes Odds for Win

In order to track the odds that a particular horse will win at the Belmont Stakes, which is the final leg of the Triple Crown, you need to find out the total win pool for the race and the amount bet on a particular horse. By using one of many online resources, you can predict the amount of money you can win through a simple mathematical formula.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Track the odds for a particular horse to win at the Belmont Stakes by finding out the total win pool for the race and the total amount that has been bet on the horse. These figures can be found on the official website of the Belmont Stakes as well as through local bookmakers and online-betting parlors (see Resources below). If you are attending the race in person, the information should be readily available at the betting cages.
2. Deduct the approximate take of the total win pool, which is usually anywhere from 14 to 20 percent, depending upon the state in which you live. In New York, where the Belmont Stakes is held, the take ranges from 14 percent for straight betting to 25 percent for trifectas, superfectas and other complex picks.
3. Track the odds for your horse to win by subtracting the total amount of money bet on your particular horse from the remainder of the total pool.
4. Calculate the amount left over to find the total that will be paid out to the winning tickets. Divide that amount by the total that was bet on your horse to win, and you will get the exact odds.
5. Round off the total to the nearest dime (or sometimes nickel) to get the exact payoff amount for each winning ticket.
6. Use this example to clarify how to track the odds at Belmont Stakes. If the total pool of a race is $900 and 15 percent is subtracted for the take, $765 is left. If $300 was bet on your particular horse, that leaves $465, which divided again by $300 equals $1.55 or an exact odds of 1.55 to one (which will be rounded off to one and a half to one).

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared for a deduction. Each state deducts a varying amount of the total winning pool for a particular horse, which pays state and local taxes and expenses for the operation of the racetrack.