Breeders' Cup Adds Several Low-Takeout Wagers

The Breeders' Cup announced Oct. 23 the addition of several new wagers to its races, including several featuring low takeout, for its World Championships Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs.  

The new additions are highlighted by a late Pick 5 wager Friday and Saturday, as well as the popular Jackpot Super High 5, along with Head2Head wagering and daily double wagering linking Friday and Saturday races.

The complete Breeders' Cup wagering menu and official race order for the 2018 World Championships will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 24.

The late Pick 5 wagers Friday and Saturday will feature a player-friendly 15% takeout and $0.50 minimum wager. Both days the late Pick 5 wagers will solely encompass Breeders' Cup races and pools are expected to reach several million dollars. 

Among the featured new wagers to an already blockbuster menu of multi-race bets with million-dollar guarantees, is the Friday late Pick 5, dubbed the "Future Stars Friday Pick 5," which will group all five Breeders' Cup races exclusively for 2-year-olds. Saturday the late Pick 5 figures to be wildly successful as it will culminate with the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). In addition, should any of the three preceding Pick 5s which includes the early Pick 5 on Friday and the traditional Breeders' Cup early Pick 5 Saturday, not have a winner, that carryover pool will be added to the Saturday late Pick 5.

The Jackpot Super High 5 requires bettors to pick the first five finishers of a race in order, with a $0.50 minimum wager and 15% takeout. The wager will be offered on every race on the Friday and Saturday cards, including the undercard races, with the exception of the Saturday finale (there will be one race after the Classic). Should there be multiple winning wagers, then 75% of the pool will be paid out, with the remaining 25% of the pool carrying over to the next Jackpot Super Hi 5 race. Should there be one single winning $0.50 wager, then 100% of the pool will be paid to the winner. 

If the bet goes unhit and there are no winning tickets, therefore creating a carryover pool, then 100% of the net pool will move on to the next race. Should there be no single winning $0.50 wager in the Friday finale, the jackpot will carry to the first race Saturday. Regardless of the carryover entering the Classic, it will be paid out.

Head2Head wagering is not unfamiliar to fans of the Breeders' Cup and will be back this year, with three to-be-determined offerings Friday and four Saturday. The $10 minimum wager should appeal to a wide audience, as it offers just a 10% takeout and figures to include matchups that have a theoretical 50/50 chance against each other. An example of a head-to-head wager could be the Europeans vs. Americans in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), as well as possible individual matchups in other races. Fans of sports wagering could especially be enticed by these wagers, as they will essentially be offered as an even-money proposition, yet with no point spread involved.

The Breeders' Cup will again offer special Daily Double wagering that links a Friday race to a Saturday race, with a $1 minimum. While the Friday late Pick 5 is titled the "Future Stars Friday Pick 5," the special daily doubles link the future to the present, as they will offer wagering on the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) into the Classic, the Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) into the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).