If you’re one of the thousands who enjoy having a once-a-year bet on the Melbourne Cup but want to avoid the queues with the bookies on Raceday?
We have put together an easy guide on how to bet on the Melbourne Cup that’ll help you put your bets on in a matter of minutes and without having to leave the house!
How to Bet on The Melbourne Cup Step by Step
Step 1: Browse the different races on offer across the Melbourne Cup race day .
Step 2: Select your race(s) and browse the different runners and bet types that are available for it (expanded upon below).
Step 3: Select your runner(s) and bet type(s) you wish to wager on.
Step 4: Choose your stake and confirm your bet.
Step 5: Sit back and watch the race that stops the nation.
How is Melbourne Cup Day Structured
Melbourne Cup Day is one of the busiest days on the Racing calendar in Australia.
The Day, staged at Flemington racecourse, consists of 10 Races, commencing at 10:45 am.
The Melbourne Cup is Race Seven, with a scheduled jump at 3:00 pm AEDT.
How to Place a Bet on the Melbourne Cup
What betting type will you choose in the 2025 Melbourne Cup?
For once-a-year punters, the Melbourne Cup will most likely be the only race that you bet on. However, before you put your $5 on yet another win or place bet, look into the wide range of other betting types available for the Melbourne Cup.
When it comes to Melbourne Cup betting, there is a wide range of options available for any type of punter placing a bet on the big day – get involved for your chance to win big this year.
From Trifectas, First 4s to Quinellas, Fixed Odds to Tote Betting, Sportsbet can provide you with everything you need to know.
Types of Bets You Can Place on the Melbourne Cup
Understanding the types of Melbourne Cup betting options is crucial to making informed decisions. From the Traditional Win Bet to the Each-Way Bet to the Future Betting, Sportsbet offers several different betting types and options for the Melbourne Cup.
Win Bet
The most basic type of bet there is. Put your money on the horse that you think is going to win the Melbourne Cup.
Place Bet
Pick a horse that you think will place in the top three in the Melbourne Cup
Each-Way Bet
An Each-Way bet is a bet where a punter places equal amounts on a horse for either a Win or a Place. It’s the equivalent of placing two bets.
Quinella Bet
A Quinella Bet is a bet on the horses you think will finish first and second. They can finish in either order. There are options available on Sportsbet to include a number of selections to increase your chances of winning.
For example, you can pick one horse to finish first and a selection of three other horses that you think could finish second. Alternatively, you could select four horses to finish in first or second.
Exacta Bet
An Exacta Bet is, as it sounds. You are picking the horses to finish exactly in the positions you think they will. It differs from a Quinella in that you must pick the horses in the exact finishing order. Like the Quinella, you can nominate horses just to win, and come second.
Trifecta Bet
Just like the Exacta, the Trifecta bet is correctly choosing the placings of first, second, and third, placing the correct finishing order.
The Trifecta is a great Exotic Bet for Punters who want to not only back the Melbourne Cup winner, but get behind the first three horses over the line.
First 4 Betting
A First 4 Bet involves choosing the horses that finish first, second, third, and fourth in the correct order. You can either choose four horses straight, or a number of horses and where you think they will finish.
It is incredibly difficult to just pick the first four finishers, let alone the exact order they finish in. This is why most serious bettors making a Melbourne Cup First Four bet will make it a box bet.
Quadrella Bet
The Melbourne Cup Quadrella, or Quaddie as it’s commonly known, involved choosing the winner for four nominated races on the day, including the Melbourne Cup itself. You can have as many selections as you wish in each race. The fewer selections, the better, as it gives you a greater percentage of the eventual betting pool.
The Quaddie rule is held for the last four races of a meeting.
That should set you up nicely with all the knowledge you need on How to Bet on the Melbourne Cup! Before you settle into the big day, why not read up on some Australian Horse Racing Terminology to get a better understanding of some of the terms and lingo you might hear around the race track?
Keep clicking back to The Huddle to find our 2025 Melbourne Cup Tips & Predictions.