Betting on the 2023 Melbourne Cup at bookmakers can be an exhilarating experience. New Zealand's biggest horse race is famous for its huge prize pool. But even casual fans of the event are likely to be found in and around the bookmakers' shops on Cup Day, looking to put some skin in the game and perhaps win $4.4 million by picking the horse to cross the finish line first in the 3,200-metre race.

Betting on the 2025 Melbourne Cup is almost certain to be more popular than ever, thanks to a surge in the prize pool that shows no signs of abating. When the race first started in 2005, the purse was a relatively modest $5 million. But by 2020, the prize pool had grown to a staggering $8 million! That number is sure to grow exponentially again by 2025, so it's time for bettors to get their plans in order for this can't-miss betting opportunity.

Players in New Zealand can bet on the odds for the 2025 Melbourne Cup at any of our recommended sports book sites. In the Melbourne Cup, it is easy to follow the carnival events. These include the Victoria Derby, the Kennedy Mile, the Coolmore Classic and the Oaks. Check out our professional Melbourne Cup betting advice and odds on the frontrunner to win the event and place a bet today.

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Melbourne Cup Betting Guide


What Is the Melbourne Cup?

We have covered the new people who may be feeling anxious. The Melbourne Cup is essentially a magnificent racing festival that takes place every year at Flemington Racecourse from the Saturday before the Cup to the Saturday after the Cup. There are seven Group 1 races in which all 24 runners have a chance to win the first prize. The race is run in seven series. The first prize is a purse of 500,000 Euros, and that's not counting the 150,000 Euros that goes to the winning horse. That's a total of 650,000 Euros for the winner. No wonder it is called the "King's Race". The excitement is everywhere at the event. The fastest thoroughbreds race around a 3200-metre track in Melbourne's inner north-west in front of thousands of spectators who go crazy for every step.

On Derby Day, gamblers can place live bets on not just one, but four of the most prestigious horse races - the Victorian Derby, Myer Classic, Kennedy Mile and Coolmore Stud Stakes. Elite New Zealand bookmakers are offering 2025 Melbourne Cup odds and that's where you can make money online. We provide helpful betting tips in our detailed guide that can help players avoid losses when betting on horses.

The 2025 Melbourne Cup Odds

The Melbourne Cup, held annually on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated horse racing events not only in the Pacific Rim, but around the world. This year, as we approach the 2025 edition of the Cup, we find that fans and punters are more eager than ever to discover the latest odds on this prestigious event.

  • Many horses have emerged as early favorites, and Incentivise can certainly be counted among them. The merits of this particular Sun Fish horse as a contender were to be found in a rather new form for most who had not seen Incentivise race before. In fact, the horse was new to most of the racing media up to that point, as Incentivise had not run in any major races prior to this particular major event. As for what we've found particularly impressive since then, Incentivise's form on the day has been described by many as being in the style and rhythm of a dominant stayer.
  • Another horse to watch is Spanish Mission, who has had a triumphant campaign in the USA and Europe. The horse has shown the ability to handle a variety of turf types and is currently 8-1 for the Melbourne Cup.
  • Another strong contender is Sir Dragonet, the 2022 Cox Plate winner, who is currently listed at around 10-1, odds that put him in the same company as Twilight Payment, the 2020 Melbourne Cup winner, who is listed at around 12-1.
  • However, like any horse race, the Melbourne Cup can throw up its fair share of surprises on the day, with a number of long odds winners over the years. For a bigger payout, if that is what you are looking for, consider backing some of the Cup's likely longer-odds runners, such as Explosive Jack or Toffee Tongue, both of whom seem unruly enough to merit around 20-1 odds at the moment.

Melbourne Cup betting requires extensive research and consideration of several aspects, not the least of which are a horse's recent performances, the skills and riding styles of its jockey and trainer, and the conditions of the track on the day of the race. There are several types of bets that can be placed, each with its own level of risk and reward. Win, place and each-way bets (which are a little like insuring against a horse not finishing first) are the main types of bets.

As the race approaches, the odds on the Melbourne Cup can fluctuate for a number of reasons, including whether the horse appears to be in top form, whether it or its jockey has sustained any injuries, and what the track conditions are likely to be like on race day. For this reason, it's important to keep up with the news and odds before placing a bet.

In conclusion, the Melbourne Cup is an exciting event that attracts horse racing enthusiasts from all over the world, especially those who like to place bets. There are many choices to make when it comes to who to back and there are a variety of betting options. The thrill and excitement that one feels leading up to the race itself is probably unmatched in the world of horse racing.


Melbourne Cup Betting

Melbourne Cup Betting Tips

People all over the world are putting their heads together to work out how much the 2025 Melbourne Cup is likely to pay and which horse is most likely to win it. While we Kiwis may be a bit behind the curve when it comes to the select platforms and exclusive forums that some of our pals across the ditch on the Gold Coast are said to have access to, we still have a decent line on what has given us a clue as to which horses are worth backing. Our professional punters have found the following tips to be worthy of consideration.

  • It should come as no surprise that a horse's pre-race position and gate assignment have historically had almost no bearing on the horse's ultimate likelihood of winning. So don't worry about your favorite horse's gate assignment.
  • The track at Flemington tends to be rough and the Internationals currently hold the record for most wins - seven - in the last 15 Melbourne Cups.
  • Remember that all horse racing odds are based on the assumption that the bookmakers' figures will prove to be correct. You can consistently defy the favorite and increase your payout by picking the less popular horse alternative.
  • If you take a quick look at the history of the Melbourne Cup, you will see that less than 25% of the horses picked by the bookmakers have gone on to win the entire contest. This has been especially true over the past four years. Horse 1: Prince of Penzance (2015) Horse 2: Almandin (2016) Horse 3: Rekindling (2017) Horse 4: Cross Counter (2018) None of these four horses were picked by bookmakers or horse racing experts as likely to win. They have all been given long, long odds.

Who Will Win Melbourne Cup 2025?

Cups a Caulfield, Counter Cross is a safe bookmaker's favorite, but his chances are better than bad. In the 50 years of this event, four horses have won consecutive Cups and that's the only yardstick to judge Mer De Glace, who is currently a close favorite. He won the Japanese version of this race to make him one of the favorites. Any horse that can win six races in a row coming into this event and show the momentum to do so is certainly on a whole new level.

Horse Jockey Trainer
1. Cross Counter (5) William Buick (57.5kg) Charlie Appleby
2. Mer De Glace (5) Damian Lane (56.0kg) Hisashi Shimizu
3. Master Of Reality (5) Frankie Dettori (55.5kg) Joseph O’Brien
4. Mirage Dancer (6) Ben Melham (55.5kg) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
5. Southern France (5) Mark Zahra (55.5kg) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
6. Hunting Horn (5) Seamie Heffernan (55.0kg) Aidan O’Brien
7. Latrobe (5) James McDonald (55.0kg) Joseph O’Brien
8. Mustajeer (7) Damien Oliver (55.0kg) Kris Lees
 9. Rostropovich (5) Dwayne Dunn (55.0kg) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
10. Twilight Payment (7) Hugh Bowman (55.0kg) Joseph O’Brien
11. Finche (6) Kerrin McEvoy (54.0kg) Chris Waller
12. Prince Of Arran (7) Michael Walker (54.0kg) Charlie Fellowes
13. Raymond Tusk (5) Jamie Spencer (54.0kg) Richard Hannon
14. Downdraft (5) John Allen (53.5kg) Joseph O’Brien
15. Magic Wand (5) Ryan Moore (53.5kg) Aidan O’Brien
16. Neufbosc (5) Luke Nolen (53.5kg) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
17. Sound (7) James Winks (53.5kg) Michael Moroney
18. Surprise Baby (5) Jordan Childs (53.5kg) Paul Preusker
19. Constantinople (4) Joao Moreira (52.5kg) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
20. Il Paradiso (4) Wayne Lordan (52.5kg) Aidan O’Brien
21. Steel Prince (6) Brett Prebble (52.5kg) Anthony Freedman
 22. The Chosen One (4) Tim Clark (52.0kg) Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
 23. Vow And Declare (4) Craig Williams (52.0kg) Danny O’Brien
 24. Youngstar (5) Tommy Berry (52.0kg) Chris Waller