Sports bettors are convening in Las Vegas the next two weekends for wall to wall college basketball betting on conference tournaments and March Madness. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) decided to join them March 10-12 for the 24th annual National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).
The newly rebranded Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally’s) will host the tournament for the fourth straight year with an estimated 760 player entries (130+ double qualifiers) shooting for the top prize of $750,000 from a $3.2 million prize pool.
“We’re excited to bring everyone back together in Las Vegas for all the excitement of the NHC,” said Tom Rooney, NTRA President & CEO. “The Horseshoe Las Vegas feels like it was made for this event, and we’re looking forward to the best NHC we’ve ever had.”
NTRA presents more about the 2023 NHC field
FanDuel Racing and it’s video streaming service will cover the select races for the tournament, and provide betting tools and tips for horse racing fans from the starting gate to the winners circle. You can follow the select ‘mandatory’ races and additional optional races for the tournament along with the leaderboard through the NTRA online and social updates, along with live racing coverage and results.
NHC Tournament Format and Contests
Tournament players will provide mythical win-and-place wagers on select races and tracks from across the country. Players earn the payouts for a horses first or second place finishes based on the odds, and accumulate points. The top 10% of players after Friday and Saturday’s action make the cut and earn a share of the prize money (minimum $10,000).
The highest 10 cumulative scores after the semifinals round on Sunday morning will fill out the final table. Those remaining players will make picks and bets over seven mandatory assigned races to determine a champion, who is honored with an Eclipse Award as outstanding handicapping, plus an estimated $750,000.
Ahead of Friday’s Day 1 NHC is the “Last Chance/First Chance” qualifying tournament to get into the National Horseplayers Championship. Racing analyst and NTRA contributor Rachel McLaughlin is onsite Thursday in Las Vegas and says there is a “huge 40% increase from last year” in player turnout and entries for the last chance qualifying to the 2023 NHC. The popularity of the NHC contests is continuing the growth of the NHC, and having it later this year during college basketball’s tournament time also adds to the race and sports betting interest.
Caesars Entertainment is a presenting sponsor along with Horseshoe Las Vegas and Racetrack Television Network (RTN). You can bet horseplayers will be betting on college basketball games this weekend as well on the Caesars Sportsbook app and onsite. Other official partners include Daily Racing Form, Race Lens, Caesars Sportsbook, Equinedge and Four Roses Bourbon.
Friday’s tournament card includes seven select ‘mandatory’ races from Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Laurel Park, Oaklawn, Tampa Bay Downs and Fair Grounds, along with 10 optional races. Saturday’s Day 2 tournament races include mandatory selections from races at mostly the same tracks plus Santa Anita.
Players cannot buy an entry to play in the NHC. You must join the NTRA’s NHC Tour and win a spot with a high finish in an NTRA-sanctioned contest held throughout the year on qualifying tournament websites, and at racetracks and off-track sites in the United States and Canada.
The NHC won’t produce a FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year without major stakes, Triple Crown or Breeders’ Cup races on the weekend tournament card. However, it will provide some fast and exciting finishes with horseplayers screaming as horses gallop down the stretch. More memorable moments for the National Horseplayers Championship contestants watching and wagering on live, simulcast horse racing from the Las Vegas Strip.
You can bet on it.