The 2016 Preakness Stakes is almost here, and those trying to find out how to bet online or who might need a bit of help with which horse to pick can find a full betting guide along with complete odds for the race right here.
After Nyquist’s big win in the Kentucky Derby, many are looking to him again to dominate the competition at Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. While the horse is still considered a long shot to take the remaining two races and match American Pharoah’s Triple Crown, Nyquist is still a 3-to-5 favorite to win in the Preakness.
But experts say those odds actually make Nyquist a bad bet, and instead many are looking to some of the long shots to tie in a trifecta or superfecta. Others suggest simply accepting that the bet won’t pay off very much and putting money on the favorite.
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/733643475787386880
Nothing like a bath time pep talk! @TheNyquistHorse enjoying a pat from groom, Elias Anaya, on #Preakness #Eve . ?? pic.twitter.com/AOImjSDlsM
— Breeders’ Cup (@BreedersCup) May 20, 2016
When it comes to betting on the 2016 Preakness Stakes, most experts are still predicting Nyquist to win. Aside from the fact that he dominated the same competitors at the 2016 Kentucky Derby, the predicted race conditions for Saturday appear to favor him as well. The National Weather Service has predicted a 90 percent chance of rain on Saturday, and Nyquist has experience on a wet surface, noted Barbara Bowley, co-founder of the horse racing tournament website The Tournament Edge .
But, Bowley told Forbes that Nyquist is not a very good bet for Saturday’s race, as his odds are so low that it is “virtually unbettable.” She instead suggested a trifecta with a long-odds horse in the third spot.
I’ll be singling Nyquist in first place over Exaggerator and the intriguing Stradivari in second place, then including Awesome Speed, Laoban, Abiding Star, Collected, and Uncle Lino. I’m going to keep my ticket small, because the chaos of the wet track makes this an interesting race to take a shot at but not bet the house on.
“Wager: $1 Superfecta: Nyquist (#3) / Exaggerator (#5), Stradivari (#11) / Exaggerator (#5), Collected (#7), Laoban (#8), Abiding Star (#9), Stradivari #11) / Uncle Lino (#2), Exaggerator (#5), Collected (#7), Laoban (#8), Abiding Star (#9), Stradivari (#11)”
Other experts say betting the 2016 Preakness Stakes may not net a big win, but can produce some reliable money for those who suck it up and bet the favorites. Brian Nadeau, a handicapper at Horseplayer Now , told Forbes that picking Nyquist is the boring but necessary move.
“So how to play it? Giving you a $7.40 exacta of Nyquist over Exaggerator isn’t too sexy, but that’s the most likely scenario Saturday. So let’s take it a step further and play the trifecta straight, sliding in Stradivari into 3rd. If you really like to gamble, you can play the superfecta straight too, with the stretch-running Cherry Wine in the fourth slot. That’s the approach I’ll take Saturday, while eagerly anticipating Belmont Park in three weeks’ time.”
Here are the full odds for the 2016 Preakness Stakes.
1. Cherry Wine 20-1
2. Uncle Lino 30-1
3. Nyquist 3-5
4. Awesome Speed 30-1
5. Exaggerator 3-1
6. Lani 30-1
7. Collected 10-1
8. Laoban 30-1
9. Abiding Star 30-1
10. Fellowship 30-1
11. Stradivari 10-1
Betting on the race online can sometimes be a tricky endeavor, as it’s not always clear what betting sites are on the up-and-up (or even legal for a given state). But those looking to bet on the 2016 Preakness Stakes online will have at least one site backed by the race itself. XPress Bet is the official partner of the Preakness Stakes and even promoted on the race’s website. Full information about how to bet on the race online can be found here .
[Photo by Patrick Semansky/AP Images]