Best Melbourne Cup Betting Sites in 2023

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24 horses, 3200m and $8 million in prize money. That is the race that stops a nation in numbers, and you won’t find any better Melbourne Cup betting guides than this one.

Our page has all the info you need on the race format, finding the biggest odds and our Melbourne Cup betting advice might even help you find the winner!  

Top 7 Melbourne Cup Betting Sites in the UK

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets Gift image
Payment methods
astropay bank_transfer bank_wire boku bpay cheque 24+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
5
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Open Account Offer

 

    • Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30* in Bet Credits. Once released your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable
    • To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
    • Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    • Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
      – Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
      – In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
      – Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
      – Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
      – Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
    • Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    •  Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
    •  The code CD365 doesn’t change the welcome offer.

*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

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Terms&Conditions
Open account offerNew Customers OnlyBet £10 & Get £30 in free betsSign-up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in free bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settledFree Bets are paid as Bet CreditsMin odds/bet and payment method exclusions applyReturns exclude Bet Credits stakeTime limits and T&Cs apply.18+ begambleaware.org • #ad*or currency equivalent
Betfair
5/5
Get £30 in Free Bets Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay bank_transfer boku cheque clickandbuy delta 13+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Key Terms:

    • New Customers Only. Must be 18+.
    • Deposit and bet £10 or more to receive a £30 free bet.
    • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/$10 placed on any sports markets
    • Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded.
    • Free bets credited within 24 hours after qualifying bet settlement and expire after 30 days
    • Free bet stakes not included in returns
    • Bets placed using free bets as the stake (in full or in part) will not qualify.
    • Offer excludes customers who make their first deposit using any method other than Credit/Debit Cards or Applepay.
    • Offer excludes customers who have not verified their phone number by SMS.

,

  • The offer excludes the following bet types: Canadian, Goliath, Heinz, Lucky 15, Lucky 31, Lucky 63, Patent, Super Heinz, Trixie & Yankee.
  • Full T&C’s apply – Gamble Responsibly .
Terms&Conditions
New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly
Money Back as Bonus up to £40 if Your First Bet Loses + £10 Casino Bonus Gift image
Payment methods
neteller skrill paypal echeck ukash webmoney 17+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
GermanyGermany SwedenSweden ChileChile PeruPeru ArgentinaArgentina BoliviaBolivia El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras ParaguayParaguay Dominican RepublicDominican Republic UruguayUruguay NicaraguaNicaragua
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details
  • £40 Money Back as Bonus on Your First Bet + £10 Casino Bonus.
  • The minimum qualifying deposit is £10.
  • You must wager your bonus money 3x to make it withdrawable at odds of 2/5 (1.40) in the Sportsbook, 25x for Casino.
  • Your first bet is not considered to be a qualifying bet if betting on horse racing, greyhound racing, trotting, and/or virtual sports
  • Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus
  • The bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in.
  • No deposit required for NI customers
  • This offer applies to your first bet only. If you win your first bet the bonus has been used. If you place a system bet only the first settled column of £10 or higher will count towards the bonus.
  • New Customers Only. 18+, Further T&Cs Apply.
Terms&Conditions
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply.
888sport
4.5/5
100% till 100cad Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay astropay bank_transfer bank_wire boleto_bancario idebit 20+
Withdrawal time
3-10 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta Schleswig-holstein Spanien
Accepted Players
CanadaCanada
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

100% of your first deposit up to $200 + $10 Casino Bonus!

  • Minimum qualifying deposit: $10
  • Maximum bonus amount: $200
  • Payment method restrictions: Deposits made with PayPal, Entropay, Neteller, Paysafecard, and Skrill are not eligible for this promotion
  • Sports Wagering requirement: 6x bonus amount
  • Odds restrictions: 1.50 (1/2)
  • Time limit: Wagering requirements must be met within 60 days
  • Users must opt-in to this promotion
  • Cashed out and voided bets do not contribute to the wagering requirements for this offer
  • Once the bonus has been activated, users may not withdraw any funds until the wagering requirements have been completed
  • This promotion is only available to users residing in Canada
  • 18+, New Customers Only
Terms&Conditions
New Customers only • $10 min deposit • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater • Wagering must be cleared within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Casino Bonus valid for selected games only • Bonus wins capped at $500, exc. JP wins • To withdraw bonus & related wins, wager 30 x (bonus amount) • Wagering requirements vary by game Full T&C’s apply
BetVictor
5/5
100% till 100cad Gift image
Payment methods
bacs delta diners_club entropay maestro master_card 8+
Withdrawal time
5 days
Minimum Deposit
5
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

100% Matched Free Bet Up To $100

  • Max. Bonus Amount: $100
  • Min. Odds for Qualifying Bet: 2.00
  • Qualifying bet must be placed within 7 days of registering your account
  • Restricted Payment Methods: PaySafe, Skrill, Neteller
  • Cashed Out or Partially Cashed Out bets are not considered to be qualifying bets
  • Void bets, Special Markets, BetBoosts, and Enhanced Accas are not considered to be qualifying bets
  • Free Bet Rules
    • Free bets can be used on any sports
    • Your free bet can be used on a whole bet, or a number of smaller bets
    • Profit Limit: Amount of stake
    • Free bets will expire within 7 days
  • No Wagering Requirements apply to this promotion
  • 18+ New Customers only
  • Residents of Canada only
  • Full Terms and Conditions apply
Terms&Conditions
New Customers opt in, deposit and bet up to $100 at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of registration, excludes cashed out bets. Matched bonus paid in free bets; 7 day expiry. Offer valid from 09:00GMT on 23/12/2019. Payment cards only. Geo Restrictions. T&Cs Apply See Below. Please Gamble Responsibly. 18+ .
William Hill
5/5
Bet £10, Get £30 Gift image
Payment methods
neteller skrill paypal bank_wire cheque ukash 40+
Withdrawal time
10 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
Costa RicaCosta Rica SpainSpain SwedenSweden MexicoMexico ChileChile PeruPeru ArgentinaArgentina BoliviaBolivia ColombiaColombia El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras NicaraguaNicaragua PanamaPanama ParaguayParaguay Dominican RepublicDominican Republic UruguayUruguay VenezuelaVenezuela
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Key Terms:

  • Only available to new William Hill customers in the UK or Ireland;
  • Customers must sign up using Promo Code P30;
  • Only one ‘new account offer’ per person, household address, email address, debit/credit card number, or IP address is allowed;
  • Duplicate accounts will not qualify for this offer;
  • This Promotion is not available to new accounts depositing funds with Entropay, Paypal, Neosurf, iDeal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay;
  • Offer will run from 00:01 on 12 November 2019 until 23:59 on 31 March 2020;
  • Only available for customers who deposit in GBP pounds (£) sterling or Euro (€) currencies;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed with a unit stake of £10/€10 or greater;
  • For bets placed as an Each Way bet, only the win part for the bet will count towards to offer;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed on the William Hill Sportsbook site only;
  • Qualifying bet must be struck using funds from your main balance;
  • Qualifying bet can be pre-match or in-play;
  • Cash in my bet is not available for bets placed that trigger a free bet as part of a promotion until at least one selection has been resulted or is In-Play. At this point, Cash in my bet will become available as long as all the other availability conditions are met;
  • Free bets will be paid as 2 x £15/€15 denominations;
  • Free bets can be used on any sportsbook product (excluding tote, pool, and lottery bets);
  • Free bets will be available for 30 days;
  • Free Bet is non-refundable and may not be withdrawn;
  • Free Bet stake will be excluded from any winnings;
  • Free Bet cannot be partially redeemed;
  • Cash in my bet will be available for bets placed using a free bet (minus the value of the initial free bet);
  • Player, country, currency, Market restrictions and terms apply.
Terms&Conditions
New customers using Promo Code P30 only, min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15 (30 days expiry), free bet/payment method/player/country restrictions apply.

Bet on the Melbourne Cup with Paddy Power

Firmly established as a household name in the UK, Paddy Power is Sportsbetting24’s number one Melbourne Cup betting site. They have live Melbourne Cup streaming available and all you need to do to qualify to watch the race live is place a minimum £1 bet. Paddy Power is also a rock-solid choice if you want to find the best Melbourne Cup odds.

Anyone that is considering having an each-way flutter on the Melbourne Cup should always check out Paddy Power. They are renowned for running lots of Melbourne Cup specials and chances are you’ll be able to get extra places for e/w bets. With an excellent selection of markets available too, Paddy Power have every angle covered for those who want to bet on the Melbourne Cup.

Anyone interested in Melbourne Cup betting should know what options are available to them. Punters already familiar with horse racing will be aware of the most popular markets like win or each-way, two markets that are good starting points for beginners and novices as you can see in our risk table* below.

Forecasts and tricasts are slightly more complicated and a lot riskier but on the upside, you will have a chance of landing a huge return for a small investment. For example, if you had just £1 on the winning trifecta in the 2019 Melbourne Cup you would have won £2953.40! Other options include Betting without the fav and match betting, both considerably less risky propositions than forecasts or tricasts.

Bet Type Risk Recommended For
Win 4 Beginners
Each Way 2 Beginners/Novices
Forecasts / Tricasts 5 Experts
Betting Without The Fav 3 Advanced
Match Betting 2 Novices

(*risk can be managed, not volatility)

Betting Advice

Finding the Best Melbourne Cup Betting Odds

To demonstrate the importance of spending the time on finding the best odds we have included a Melbourne Cup odds comparison table*. This table shows the odds for the 2020 edition and it enables us to easily compare and contrast the prices on offer from three of the best Melbourne Cup betting sites (888Sport, Unibet and Paddy Power).

Horse Name 888 sport logo888Sport unibet logoUnibet paddy power logoPaddy Power
Russian Camelot 7/1 (8.0) 6/1 (7.0) 7/1 (8.0)
Surprise Baby 8/1 (9.0) 8/1 (9.0) 15/2 (8.50)
Tiger Moth 10/1 (11.0) 10/1 (11.0) 10/1 (11.0)
Ashrun 16/1 (17.0) 16/1 (17.0) 16/1 (17.0)
Anthony Van Dyck 20/1 (21.0) 16/1 (17.0) 20/1 (21.0)
Verry Elleegant 20/1 (21.0) 16/1 (17.0) 25/1 (26.0)
Master Of Wine 25/1 (26.0) 14/1 (15.0) 25/1 (26.0)
*Odds For Display Purposes Only

Verry Elleegant provides the perfect example of why shopping around is so important. This mare was 16/1 (17.0) with Unibet, 20/1 (21.0) with 888Sport and 25/1 (26.0) with Paddy Power. If you had £20 win on with Unibet you’d get £340 back if she won, whereas with Paddy Power the return would be £520! 

On this occasion, both 888Sport and Paddy Power had the best Melbourne Cup betting odds for 6 of the 7 horses listed. Unibet fared worst of all and were best price about just 3 of the runners. We strongly recommend checking the odds at all of the bookies that make our top 7 Melbourne Cup betting sites list before you put your hard-earned cash down.

Event Format

The Melbourne Cup is part of the annual Spring Carnival at Flemington Racecourse in Australia. It is the highlight of the 4 day festival and one of the most valuable turf races on the planet with a total prize fund of $8 million. That is a huge pot in comparison to the £1 million on offer for the Aintree Grand National. The race distance is 3200m, which is a shade under 2 miles, and it is a handicap. Other important races held during the Spring Carnival include the Victoria Derby, VRC Oaks and VRC Stakes.

As we highlighted in our Melbourne Cup betting advice there are a number of factors that need to be considered when having a bet, including the draw and the ground. If the horse you fancy starts from a favourable barrier and gets their ideal ground, don’t be afraid to increase your stake. Alternatively, if your horse has a poor draw and is unproven on the ground then proceed with caution and reduce your stakes accordingly.

Past Winners

Year Horse Name Avg. Odds
2019 Vow And Declare 10/1 (11.00)
2018 Cross Counter 8/1 (9.00)
2017 Rekindling 14/1 (15.0)
2016 Almandin 10/1 (11.0)
2015 Prince Of Penzance 100/1 (101.0)
2014  Protectionist 7/1 (8.0)
2013 Fiorente 6/1 (7.0)
2012 Green Moon 19/1 (20.0)
2011 Dunaden 15/2 (8.50)
2010 Americain 12/1 (13.0)
🥇 Melbourne Cup Pedigree Pointer: Irish bred horses have a fine record in the race and this was most apparent in 2012 when the first 7 horses home in the Melbourne Cup were all bred in Ireland.

The History of the Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup has a long and rich history. First run in 1861, 17 went to post and Archer was the winner. He became the first multiple winner of the race when he won it again the following year. The Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival was introduced in 1869 and in 1875 the race was held on the first Tuesday in November for the first time. That remains the start date of the race to this day and race-day is a National Holiday in Victoria. The race is currently sponsored by Lexus, who succeeded Emirates as the main sponsors in 2018.

In 1972 the race distance was shortened to 3200m from 3218.6m and there was a shock result with 40/1 shot Piping Lane winning. The first woman to ride in the race was Maree Lyndon in 1987 while the first Northern Hemisphere trained winner was Vintage Crop for Irish trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Mick Kinane. In 2005 Makybe Diva made history when she became the first horse to win the Melbourne Cup for the third time.

The Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival is one of 6 ‘Carnival’ racing festivals held during the year in Australia. It is preceded by the Bendigo Carnival and followed by the Sandown Carnival. The Melbourne Cup official website is worth visiting if you are looking for up to date info on this year’s edition.

Melbourne Cup Betting FAQs

When is the Melbourne Cup?

The Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday in November every year. It is part of the 4 day Melbourne Spring Carnival and it is the biggest and most important flat race in Australia. Make sure you choose your Melbourne Cup betting markets wisely if you are planning on having a bet.

Where does the Melbourne Cup take place?

The Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington Racecourse in Victoria, Australia. If you look back at the history of the Melbourne Cup you will see that every single edition of the race has been held at Flemington and the track can accommodate over 120,000 fans. The record attendance came in 2006 when just under 130k fans attended on VRC Derby Day.

What is the best betting site for Melbourne Cup betting?

Sportsbetting24’s top pick for betting on the Melbourne Cup is Paddy Power. They have quality Melbourne Cup odds, lots of markets and they more than deserve their place at the top of our list of the best Melbourne Cup bookies.

What bookmakers has the best Melbourne Cup betting odds?

If you are wondering where to find the best Melbourne Cup betting odds there is no easy solution. You have to spend the necessary time shopping around to guarantee that you get the best price about the horse that you fancy. Paddy Power and 888Sport are usually reliable, but don’t limit yourself and try to have as many options as possible.

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