New Jersey Horse Racing Betting
Horse Racing in New Jersey
What horse racing tracks currently exist in New Jersey?
The state of New Jersey today has just one major thoroughbred racing track and two major harness racing facilities:
- The Meadowlands (Harness)
- Freehold Raceway (Harness)
- Monmouth Park
The origins of horse racing in the Garden State go all the way back to 1853 and the earliest races at Freehold. Pari-mutuel racing was established in New Jersey in 1941. The mid-twentieth century was arguably the golden age of horse racing in the state, with multiple thoroughbred racing tracks in operation including the now-defunct Garden State Park and Atlantic City Race Course.
While the rise of the Atlantic City casinos created significant competition for New Jersey racetracks, the state still has a significant place in the sport. To this day, The Meadowlands in home to the Hambletonian Stakes, thought of as the "Kentucky Derby of harness racing." Additionally, the Haskell Invitation Stakes, held annually at Monmouth Park, is one thoroughbred racing's most prestigious event.
Betting on the Jets? Not for the Faint of Heart
It's been a rough run for the "New York" Jets (based in New Jersey) for quite some time now. Even those looking to bet on the typical underdog Jets with the points have be ready for wild swings during any given game. A 2014 matchup between the Broncos and Jets epitomized this phenomenon.
Going into the game, the underdog Jets were getting a healthy 9.5 points against the spread. Nonetheless, things looked dire for those favoring the Jets as the Broncos took a commanding 24-7 lead into the third quarter. But suddenly, the New York team came to life, scoring ten unanswered points and then getting the ball back with less than a minute to go in the game. Those who took the Jets at +9.5 (and those who bet on the "under" as the O/U line was set at 46) were feeling good.
Alas, those newfound hopes were quickly snuffed out as Geno Smith threw a wayward pass from his own end zone that Aqib Talib picked off at the 22-yard line without a Jets receiver anywhere near by. After trotting into the end zone, suddenly the Jets no longer had the cover, and Under bettor were busted as well with the final score at 31-17 (48 points).