Horseplayers from around the country are descending on Lexington, Ky., this weekend for a pair of major handicapping contests at Keeneland that combined will offer an estimated 13 berths to the world’s richest and most prestigious handicapping contest, the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC). Saturday’s Fall Challenge and Sunday’s BCBC/NHC Handicapping Challenge also give players a chance at lucrative cash prize pools, in addition to chances at expenses-paid trips to the $2.8 million (estimated) NHC Presented by Racetrack Television Network, STATS Race Lens™ and Treasure Island Las Vegas, to be held February 9-11, 2018, at Treasure Island. Prize packages include roundtrip airfare and four hotel nights in addition to the contest entry.
Details on this weekend’s NHC qualifiers are as follows:
FRIDAY
HorseTourneys.com
Prizes: Two NHC berths
Format: $2 Win and Place mythical wagers, Pick and Pray (selections submitted before first contest race)
Entry: $75
More: https://horsetourneys.com/contest/253476
SATURDAY
HorseTourneys.com
Prizes: Two NHC berths
Format: $2 Win and Place mythical wagers, Pick and Pray (selections submitted before first contest race)
Entry: $165
More: https://horsetourneys.com/contest/253477
Keeneland Fall Challenge, Keeneland, Lexington, Ky.
Prizes: Three NHC berths (based on 200 entries) and cash prize pool
Format: Wager minimum $250 on Keeneland races
Entry: $400 ($150 to cash prize pool + $250 live bankroll)
SUNDAY
HorseTourneys.com
Prizes: One NHC berth per every 21 entries (special “Ultra-Low Ratio” contest)
Format: $2 Win and Place mythical wagers, Pick and Pray (selections submitted before first contest race)
Entry: $500
More: https://horsetourneys.com/contest/253475
Keeneland BCBC/NHC Challenge, Keeneland, Lexington, Ky.
Prizes: 10 NHC berths (based on 170 entries) and cash prize pool
Format: Bet at least $400 in minimum five of nine designated Keeneland races
Entry: $3,000 ($1,00 to cash prize pool + $2,000 live bankroll)
More: http://www.keeneland.com/sites/default/files/shared/13113/2017%20BCBC%3ANHC%20Rules.pdf
Monmouth Park $250 Handicapping Contest, Monmouth Park, Oceanport, N.J.
Prizes: Two NHC berths and cash prize pool
Format: WPS wagering on 10 races (min. $15 per race) from Belmont, Monmouth and Woodbine (min. five from WO)
Entry: $250 ($100 to cash prize pool + $150 live bankroll)
More: http://www.monmouthpark.com/contest_detail.aspx?id=11278
Each NHC prize package includes NHC entry, four nights at Treasure Island and airfare reimbursement up to $400. This past January’s NHC 18 offered a record prize pool worth more than $2.9 million, including an $800,000 first-place prize.
One must be a current NHC Tour member to be eligible to win NHC entries. To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership.
For more information on the NHC and NHC Tour, visit www.ntra.com/nhc.
About the National Horseplayers Championship
In its 19th year, the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (formerly known as the NTRA National Handicapping Championship) is presented by Racetrack Television Network, STATS Race Lens and Treasure Island Las Vegas. Equibase is the official data provider of the NHC and NHC Tour. The NHC is world’s richest and most prestigious handicapping tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards. The most recent NHC offered record prize money and awards totaling more than $2.9 million. NHC 19 will be held February 9-11, 2018, at Treasure Island Las Vegas.