Expert advice for playing tournaments from the TwinSpires team

July 24th, 2024

After much horseplayer feedback, and hard work by the teams of TwinSpires, we are very proud to introduce TwinSpires Tournaments!

Tournaments at TwinSpires are better than ever as the horse racing industry's authoritative betting solution presents a new experience for our horseplayers. Even being new, many familiar tournament styles are available that experienced tournament players will feel at home participating in. Real money $2 win/place leaderboards? Absolutely.

Real money tournaments with dynamic leaderboards, enhanced notification systems, and easier communication processes for curious new horseplayers, all combine in tools for competitive tournament playing. One new tool allows viewership of post race ticket structures of competitors, so be sure to take a test drive. We have feeders for the major tourneys and eagerly welcome the return of our exclusive Kentucky Derby centered KDBC!

View TwinSpires Tournaments Here!

For handicappers and bettors wondering what to consider as you begin exploring the new tournaments experience, please read our top tips by our TwinSpires racing analysts below. Learn what these veterans would suggest to keep in mind as you participate in this exciting new opportunity!

Jason Beem

Don’t be scared of going broke. All the tournament pros I’ve interviewed over the years all have a fearlessness to them. They know they will lose sometimes and they truly don’t care. Because they know in order to win you have to go for it and take big swings.

Kevin Kerstein

Set a price for your wagers and plan ahead. Identify the horses you like and decide what they're worth to you before placing any bets. Flexibility is key. If the odds are lower than expected, have alternative options ready. Success in tournaments comes from smart planning and disciplined betting.

John Mucciolo

My #1 strategy for tourneys (especially with a win/place format) is -- identifying false favorites. I like that angle even more than finding a horse I like in any particular race, on most occasions. Overbet favorites spike the payouts in both the win AND place pools.

Second is identifying races more likely to provide an upset. I personally would avoid maiden races/starter allowance/graded races in general, as they in my opinion, provide more formful outcomes compared to others. Turf races in general, especially sprints, at times yield some whacky payouts/results.

Kevin Kilroy

Don’t fall in love with your top pick. Demand a price and have alternatives in mind. That 5-1 to 10-1 range is the sweet spot but never be afraid to go for the jugular with a 30-1. Ideally, save one bullet for the last race of the card—make your pick based off the price you need to cash.

James Scully

When it comes to handicapping any program, I like to identify and play against perceived vulnerable favorites.

The same holds for handicapping tournaments where playing favorites can be characterized as a losing philosophy. In fact, there are numerous races every day in North America where short-priced horses (top three betting choices) finish out of the money.

Review the charts of recently completed programs. That provides an opportunity for tournament players, where a vertical exotics wager can yield significant returns without short-priced horses.

In handicapping tournaments, my strongest opinions will never center around short-priced runners.

Keeler Johnson

In almost any tournament, you're going to encounter races that yield longshot winners. Seek them out. If you're playing only favorites and second choices, it's hard to cash often enough to beat players who hit a couple of midrange or double-digit longshot winners.

Look for large, competitive fields, and find horses who have a clear-cut reason to improve, whether they're switching surfaces or dropping down in class. You don't have to exclusively play longshots, but taking a chance when a race is competitive, and the favorite looks beatable, can be a path to climbing the leaderboard.

Ashley Anderson

To borrow a phrase from Bruce Arians, "No risk it, no biscuit." To climb the leaderboard, you need to be bold in at least one or two races. If the contest requires wagering in three of five races, pick your spots wisely. It is perfectly fine to sit out one race if you lack a strong opinion or if you think the outcome will result in little return on investment. If I have a good feel for one or two particular races and see a good price horse, I will place a couple of wagers — maybe a win bet with an exacta or a win bet and a double with the next leg. Look for value and favorites to play against, and go big or go home!