Belmont odds have been around longer than Kentucky Derby odds or Preakness odds.
The first winner in Belmont odds was the filly Ruthless in 1867. Belmont odds have seen small fields and large fields with the smallest being only two horses in 1887, 1888, 1892, 1910 and 1920. The largest Belmont Stakes odds field was 15 in 1983.
Belmont odds have paid the short price with Count Fleet in 1943, who won and paid $2.10 and the high price when Sherluck won in 1961 and paid $132.10. Belmont odds have gone the way of the favorite in history although the last decade that has changed a little bit. Up until 1997 the favorite had won 58 of 129 races, which is almost half. That trend has reversed in recent Belmont Stakes odds with favorites doing poorly in the past decade with six big favorites trying for the Triple Crown coming up short.
Belmont odds history have shown that six times in history there was not place or show wagering for the Belmont. The last time it happened was in 1978 when no show wagering was offered when Affirmed won the Triple Crown. Sometimes in Belmont odds if a horse has dominated the first two races of the Triple Crown they sometimes don’t face a lot of opposition in the Belmont. Recently though, that trend has changed with so many upsets occurring in Belmont odds betting. There have been a number of horses in Belmont odds history that have been listed as odds-on favorites. Strangely enough, more than half of those favorites have lost in Belmont Stakes odds. In 1957 there were actually two horses that went off at odds-on in Belmont odds as Gallant Man and Bold Ruler were both less than even money in Belmont odds.
The most popular race in Belmont Stakes odds was in 1993 when almost $3 million was wagered on the Belmont. Recently, the most disappointing Belmont for bettors was the 2004 race when Smarty Jones finished second. That second place finish continued the Triple Crown draught in horse racing.