The Breeders' Cup announced Aug. 8 that registration is now open for the sixth Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge, which will be based at Santa Anita Park Oct. 31-Nov 1 but for the first time will include other outlets.
The Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge expects to award $575,000 for this year's event and each player is required to make a $10,000 buy-in.
Due to the enormous popularity of the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge, Breeders' Cup Ltd., for the first time, has established satellite tournament locations. Players may participate at premium wagering rooms at Keeneland in Lexington and with the New York Racing Association's Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.
The Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge is unique in its format as $7,500 of the $10,000 entry fee is dedicated to each player's live money bankroll and the remaining $2,500 going into the overall prize pool. The BCBC permits win, place, show, exacta, and trifecta wagering as part of the contest. The tournament winner is the player that has accumulated the highest live money betting bankroll over the two-day event. Players keep all funds remaining in their betting bankroll. The top 10 finishers share the estimated $575,000 prize pool.
The 2014 BCBC estimated prize pool distribution (based on 225 players) is as follows:
1st $210,000
2nd $100,000
3rd $70,000
4th $55,000
5th $40,000
6th $30,000
7th $25,000
8th $20,000
9th $15,000
10th $10,000
"The success of the Betting Challenge has exceeded our expectations in developing the event into an elite tournament on a grand scale," said Tim Schram, tournament director. "We are delighted to be working again with the staff at Santa Anita, who have been excellent hosts for our players the past two years and provide us with an ideal venue in the Regency Room for the tournament.
"We are equally excited about our expansion of the BCBC to satellite locations at Keeneland and Aqueduct and look forward to working with our new racetrack partners in attracting more players to participate in the tournament in Kentucky and New York."
"Keeneland is proud to partner with the Breeders' Cup in hosting a satellite location for the 2014 BCBC," said Keeneland director of mutuels and simulcasting Jim Goodman. "The growth of this premier tournament has been amazing, and will only be enhanced by the addition of alternate sites for the players. As the host track of the 2015 Breeders' Cup, we are also looking forward to the participation of satellite sites next year."
"We look forward to welcoming horseplayers for the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge, from far and wide to Longshots, our new, state-of-the-art simulcasting center and sports bar in Aqueduct," said Christopher Kay, president of the NYRA. "With more than 270 individual handicapping carrels and 55 self-service betting terminals located across four separate seating areas, Longshots is the perfect place for our East Coast fans to join in the excitement."
In another BCBC added benefit this year, the top 15 finishers will be awarded berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship that takes place at Treasure Island Las Vegas in January 2015. BCBC participants will have access to a premium tournament room at Santa Anita Park, Keeneland, and Aqueduct; guest credential, and discounted hotel rooms while available. To register for the BCBC, go to www.breederscup.com/bcbc.
