Join Horse Racing Tournaments at TwinSpires
We are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated TwinSpires Handicapping Tournaments have arrived! This is your chance to showcase your handicapping skills and compete for prizes or spots in other prestigious events.
Get ready to Race to Victory!
Bettors can find tournaments at TwinSpires that include qualifiers to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), Turfway Handicappin Championship (THC) and the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC).
Join the hundreds of horse-players who have come together to compete among one-another in the TwinSpires Tournaments platform. Reaction has been positive, so come see what the energy is all about!
Qualify for most major horse racing tournaments
Compete in our tournaments to secure your spot in the following major events
Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge
National Horseplayers Championship
Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge
Why Participate in TwinSpires Horse Racing Tournaments?
Big Prizes
Win big cash prizes or achieve exclusive tournament entries.
Skill-based
User your handicapping skills to compete and win.
Safe and trusted
Bet confidently with TwinSpires, backed by Churchill Downs.
The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge
The official betting tournament of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC), is returning to TwinSpires.com and offering a guaranteed prize pool of a quarter-million dollars.
- $250,000 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Live Bankroll Cash Tournament on May 3, 2025
- $5,000 Total Buy-In
- $3,500 to Bankroll
- $1,500 to Prize Pool
- Maximum of two (2) entries per person.
- Players must wager all $3,500 of their bankroll across all specified races at Churchill Downs.
- The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
- 100% of Prize Pool is paid out as Prizes.
- Entries will be accepted up until 11:00AM ET, post time of the first race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Qualifier Tournaments Calendar
| Date | Tournament Type | Racetrack | Seat Implications | Min. # of Races | Minimum $per Race |
|---|
10/12/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (1) | Charles Town | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 20 Participating Players | 5 | $10.00 |
10/13/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (2) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 20 Participating Players | 5 | $10.00 |
10/14/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (3) | Presque Isle | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 42 Participating Players | 6 | $4.00 |
10/15/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (4) | Horseshoe Indianapolis | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 25 Participating Players | 5 | $4.00 |
10/16/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (5) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 20 Participating Players | 5 | $5.00 |
10/17/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (6) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 20 Participating Players | 5 | $5.00 |
10/18/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (7) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 14 Participating Players | 5 | $10.00 |
10/19/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (8) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 10 Participating Players | 5 | $20.00 |
10/20/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (9) | Keeneland | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 20 Participating Players | 5 | $10.00 |
10/21/24 | KDBC/BCBC Feeder - 10/27 Qualifier (10) | Presque Isle | One (1) Qualifier Seat for every 42 Participating Players | 6 | $4.00 |
Showing 1 to 10 of 167 entries
- $10,000 Turfway Handicapping Championship Live Bankroll Cash Tournament on December 14, 2024
- $2,000 Total Buy-In
- $1,500 to Bankroll
- $500 to Prize Pool
- Maximum of two (2) entries per person.
- Players must wager all $1,500 of their bankroll across at least five of the races at Turfway Park.
- The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
- 100% of Prize Pool is paid out as Prizes.
- Online Registration will begin at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.
- Entries will be accepted up until 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 14, 2024.
Turfway Park Handicapping Championship
| Date | Buy-In | Racetrack | Seat Implications | Min. # of Races | Minimum $Per Race |
|---|
Wednesday, Dec. 4 | $300 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 13 entries | 5 | $15 |
Thursday, Dec. 5 | $400 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 10 entries | 5 | $20 |
Friday, Dec. 6 | $500 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 8 entries | 5 | $25 |
Saturday, Dec. 7 | $500 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 8 entries | 5 | $25 |
Sunday, Dec. 8 | $400 | Fair Grounds | One (1) THC seat for every 10 entries | 5 | $20 |
Wednesday, Dec. 11 | $300 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 13 entries | 5 | $15 |
Thursday, Dec. 12 | $500 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 8 entries | 5 | $25 |
Friday, Dec. 13 | $500 | Turfway | One (1) THC seat for every 8 entries | 5 | $25 |
NHC Schedule
Please find the tournaments tied to a National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) qualifying events and secure your spot
August 3rd at Ellis Park - Two guaranteed seats and eligible for tour points
August 10th at Colonial Downs - Features Arlington Million
August 24th at Ellis Park
September 7th at Kentucky Downs
September 14th at Churchill Downs
September 21 at Churchill Downs
September 28th at Churchill Downs
October 5th at Keeneland
October 12th at Keeneland
BCBC Schedule
Participate in these key tournaments to qualify for the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC).
Exciting news: You can now participate in the BCBC directly from your TwinSpires account! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to compete against the best and prove you have what it takes to be a champion.
August 10th at Colonial Downs - Features Arlington Million
August 24th at Ellis Park
September 7th at Kentucky Downs
September 21st at Churchill Downs
September 28th at Churchill Downs
October 5th at Keeneland
Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge
Nov 1 - Nov 2, 2024
Registration Closes on November 1st, 2024 2:00 PM EDT
- 2025 NHC Entry + Cash
- $10,000 Total Buy-In
- $7,500 to Bankroll
- $2,500 to Prize Pool
- Maximum of two (2) entries per person.
- Players must wager all $7,500 of their bankroll across two days at Del Mar.
- By the end of Friday, November 1, 2024, a minimum of $600 must be wagered per race on a minimum of three (3) of the five (5) Breeders’ Cup Championship races occurring on Friday, November 1, 2024. By the end of Saturday, November 2, 2024, a minimum of $600 must be wagered per race on a minimum of seven (7) of the nine (9) Breeders’ Cup Championship races occurring on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
- Players can wager as much as they want, including the winnings from their bankroll.
- The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
- For Daily Doubles to count toward the minimum wager requirements, the first leg of the double must be a Breeders’ Cup Championship race.
- Tournament wagers will not count toward TwinSpires promotions unless stated otherwise. Check the individual promotion for clarification.
- Online Registration will begin at 9:00AM ET on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
- Entries will be accepted up until 2:00PM ET on Friday, November 1, 2024.
- Official BCBC Leaderboard
- $10,000 Total Buy-In
| 1st Place = $360,000 | 6th Place = $60,000 | 11th Place = $25,000 | 16th Place = $12,000 |
| 2nd Place = $240,000 | 7th Place = $50,000 | 12th Place = $20,000 | 17th Place = $11,500 |
| 3rd Place = $130,000 | 8th Place = $40,000 | 13th Place = $17,500 | 18th Place = $11,000 |
| 4th Place = $90,000 | 9th Place = $35,000 | 14th Place = $15,000 | 19th Place = $10,500 |
| 5th Place = $70,000 | 10th Place = $30,000 | 15th Place = $12,500 | 20th Place = $10,000 |
TOURNAMENT DETAILS
Players MUST wager all $7,500 of their bankroll across two days at Del Mar on Friday, November 1, 2024 and Saturday, November 2, 2024. By the end of Friday, November 1, 2024, a minimum of $600 must be wagered per race on a minimum of three (3) of the five (5) Breeders’ Cup Championship races occurring on Friday, November 1, 2024. By the end of Saturday, November 2, 2024, a minimum of $600 must be wagered per race on a minimum of seven (7) of the nine (9) Breeders’ Cup Championship races occurring on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
All remaining funds including pari-mutuel winnings will be transferred to the players primary TwinSpires account following the conclusion of the contest.
This tournament is being run by Breeders' Cup on site as well as several other ADWs. Please see their official rules for any additional questions or concerns.
National Horseplayers Championship
March 14 - 16, 2025 in Las Vegas
March 13 - 15, 2026 in Las Vegas
There are three Championship qualifying events you are able to participate in on TwinSpires.com: the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), and the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC).
You will notice a menu of weekly NHC contests at varying price points and entry to prize ratios. There are "feeders" and there a "featured qualifiers." Feeders are lower entry contests that feed into the featured qualifiers that offer entries. 2024 Champion Mike Gillum won over $4.4 million in prize-money and awards, which led to the honor of Horseplayer of the Year Eclipse Award. The NHC is one of the world’s richest and most prestigious handicapping tournaments of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments.
How do horse racing tournaments work?
Horse racing tournaments let you bet on multiple races in an attempt to outscore fellow horseplayers in competition of big prizes. Compete in skill-based events and experience the excitement of horse racing in every race.
Want to learn more about playing tournaments? Check out the following insight from our team!
Tournament Terminology
Feeder – lower entry contests that feed into the featured qualifiers that offer entries (also known as seats or berths)
Berth – a qualifying entry to a tournament (also known as a seat)
Seat – a qualifying entry to a tournament (also known as a berth)
Qualifier – a contest that offers an entry and prize package
Mandatory Race – a race which is required to be played during a contest
Optional Race – a race that may be selected to be played in a contest by the player
Real Money Format (also known as Live Bankroll) – a contest which requires cash to be used for pari-mutuel wagering as part of the contest entry fee, or all of the entry fee; all winnings are retained by the player
Pick & Pray – a contest format where all contest selections must be made prior to the first contest race closing and selections may not be edited throughout the contest