Welcome to your guide on everything related to Melbourne Cup online betting! Here at AustralianBettingSites.net.au, we know just how important the Melbourne Cup is, so we have taken the time to develop this comprehensive guide. We have everything you need to know about Melbourne Cup betting and more.
Melbourne Cup Betting 2025
Melbourne Cup Markets & Betting Types
Thinking about how to bet on the Melbourne Cup online? Well, there are plenty of markets and bet types to choose from! You can stick with a basic bet type, or shake things up with something a little more exotic. Melbourne Cup exotic payouts can be huge, especially if a few roughies finish in the top four.
Here are some of the most common betting types for the Melbourne Cup:
Bet Type | Description |
Win | Placing a win bet on the Melbourne Cup means you are picking the horse you think will win the race. |
Place | Placing a place bet on the Melbourne Cup means you are picking a horse you think will run in the top three. |
Each-Way | An each-way bet is a way you can hedge your bets by placing equal stake amounts on a specific horse to win and to place in the Melbourne Cup. |
Exacta | For the exacta bet, you are selecting two horses that will finish first and second in the Melbourne Cup, in the correct order. |
Quinella | The quinella bet is similar to the exacta, except this time, the two horses you select in the Melbourne Cup can finish in any order. |
Trifecta | For the trifecta before, you are selecting the three horses that you believe will finish in the top three, in the correct order. You can “box” your trifecta, meaning the three runners you select can finish in any order. |
First Four | The first four is similar to the trifecta, it is just another step up and you must select the four runners that you believe will finish in the top four, in the correct order. You can also “box” your first four. |
Quadrella (Quaddie) | With the quaddie, you select the winner of four pre-nominated races across the Melbourne Cup race card. You can select more than one runner per race if you like. |
Treble | Similar to the quaddie, except this time you are selecting the winner across three races on Melbourne Cup Day, not four. |
Double | With the double, you are selecting the winner across just two races on Melbourne Cup Day. |
Melbourne Cup Streaming
If you aren’t one of the lucky people who get to watch all the action from Flemington Racecourse, you don’t have to worry because there are plenty of streaming options! Channel 9 signed a six-year deal for the rights to the Melbourne Cup, so you can tune in to Channel 9 or stream 9Now for all the action.
If you are placing a bet on the Melbourne Cup, you probably want to watch the race live and there are more options than just Channel 9 as well. Racing.com will have a live stream of the Melbourne Cup and TAB also offers a live stream. So, you are certainly well equipped to watch the big race and hopefully you come out as a winner.
Melbourne Cup Order of Entry
If you want to bet on the Melbourne Cup online, it is important to understand the order of entry. Each year, we see 24 horses confirmed for the Melbourne Cup, but it doesn’t start that way. Upwards of 100 horses are nominated for the Melbourne Cup each year and as we get closer to the event, there are different order of acceptances.
At each stage, the connections of each runner are required to pay a fee and the list of nominated runners dwindles. Each runner is given a handicap and the top runners will find themselves in the final field. So, connections of each runner need to think about whether their runner has a genuine chance of making the final field, so they don’t pay the necessary fees.
Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw
Each year, when the Melbourne Cup barrier draw is released, you’ll notice the Melbourne Cup betting odds change dramatically. Some barriers have been more successful than others over the history of the Melbourne Cup. This means that connections want to see their runner draw a favourable barrier.
The barrier draw is done at random and takes place the Saturday before the big race. Getting the right barrier draw can really make a difference, even in a race like the Melbourne Cup, which is run over a distance of 3,200m.
Melbourne Cup Winning History
Before completing your Melbourne Cup online betting, it is a good idea to take a step back and look at the history of winners. By checking out the history, you can see if any patterns can potentially point you in the direction of the next winner.
Here is a brief history of all the winning horses in the Melbourne Cup (up to 2010):
Year |
Horse |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Age |
No. |
Barrier |
Weight |
2024 | Knight's Choice | Robbie Dolan | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | 5 | 11 | 5 | 51 |
2023 | Without A Fight | Mark Zahra | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 7 | 3 | 16 | 56.5 |
2022 | Gold Trip | Mark Zahra | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 6 | 1 | 14 | 57.5 |
2021 | Verry Elleegant | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 6 | 4 | 19 | 57 |
2020 | Twilight Payment | Jye McNeil | Joseph O'Brien | 8 | 6 | 12 | 55.5 |
2019 | Vow And Declare | Craig Williams | Danny O'Brien | 4 | 23 | 21 |
52 |
2018 | Cross Counter | Kerrin McEvoy | Charlie Appleby | 3 | 23 | 19 | 51 |
2017 | Rekindling | Corey Brown | Joseph O'Brien | 4 | 22 | 4 | 51.5 |
2016 | Almandin | Kerrin McEvoy | Robert Hickmott | 7 | 17 | 17 | 52 |
2015 | Prince of Penzance | Michelle Payne | Darren Weir | 6 | 19 | 1 | 53 |
2014 | Protectionist | Ryan Moore | Andreas Wohler | 5 | 5 | 10 | 56.5 |
2013 | Fiorente | Damien Oliver | Gai Waterhouse | 6 | 6 | 5 | 55 |
2012 | Green Moon | Brett Prebble | Robert Hickmott | 6 | 14 | 5 | 53.5 |
2011 | Dunaden | Christophe Lemaire | Mikel Delzangles | 6 | 3 | 13 | 54.5 |
2010 | Americain | Gérald Mosse | Alain de Royer Dupre | 6 | 8 | 14 | 54.5 |
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Melbourne Cup Betting Tips
There is no one best way to bet on the Melbourne Cup, but over the years, we have developed some tips to help improve your chances of success. If you want to bet on the Melbourne Cup online, here are some of our top tips:
- Shop Around - There are plenty of betting sites out there, so you should take the time to shop around and see if you can get better odds or take advantage of different promotions.
- Form Guide - You don’t have to do the form guide yourself, but one of our top Melbourne Cup bet tips is to look at historical trends, as they will help you determine some patterns of the Melbourne Cup winners.
- Look Beyond Favourites - When it comes to the Melbourne Cup horses, favourites to win are always looked into. However, the favourite doesn’t always win the race, so it can pay to look beyond the favourite and see what else is out there.
- Recent Race History - It’s a good idea to look into some of the recent races to see how runners have performed in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup. Races like the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Moonee Valley Cup are good places to start.
Melbourne Cup Horse Odds
These days, finding the best odds for the Melbourne Cup is pretty easy! You can use odds comparison tools to compare the odds from different betting apps, or you can check the odds manually for the exact bookies you want to bet with, like Betfocus, PlayUp or Bet365, for example.
It is a good idea to shop around for the best odds when betting on the Melbourne Cup because you will usually find different odds for the same runners. For example, at Bet365, the Melbourne Cup favourite might be paying $6.50, but at a different bookie, the same runner is paying $6.00.
Another thing that is important to remember when it comes to Melbourne Cup betting sites is that the odds will be changing constantly. Horse racing betting sites will open up their Melbourne Cup markets well in advance of race day and from the time their markets are released to race jump the odds will fluctuate.
So, if you think you’ve nailed down your Melbourne Cup winner predictions, it is best to jump on while you still can. Waiting around could result in a change in the odds and you may end up having to settle for lower odds and therefore a lower payout potential. When finding Melbourne Cup betting odds, these are some of the most important things to look out for.
Melbourne Cup Betting Offers
Betting bonuses for the Melbourne Cup are always a hot topic and while sign-up inducements are no longer available in Australia, bookies, including new betting sites, will offer a range of promotions. The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest days of the year for betting, so there will be a lot of different promotions available for you to take advantage of.
If you are planning to bet on the Melbourne Cup online, then you’ll have to sign in to your account to see the full range of promotions available to you. Different bookies will likely offer a slightly different range of promotions, so if you want to take full advantage, you can place your bets with a couple of different betting sites.
Melbourne Cup Online Betting FAQs
All throughout this page, we have gone through some fun facts about the Melbourne Cup and hopefully you have a better picture of what’s involved when it comes to Melbourne Cup betting. If you still have some burning questions about the Melbourne Cup, this is the section for you. We go through some of the most commonly asked questions here.
Where to bet on the Melbourne Cup?
There are a lot of options available to you when it comes to betting on the Melbourne Cup. Betting sites like Betfocus, PlayUp and Bet365 always have a great range of markets and fairly competitive odds for the Melbourne Cup. They also provide tennis betting, NRL betting, AFL betting markets if you are interested in more than just the Melbourne Cup.
How to bet on the Melbourne Cup online?
If you are thinking about how to place a bet on the Melbourne Cup, you’ll be pleased to know that the process is quite simple. After you have decided which bookie you are going to bet with, head to their Melbourne Cup markets. Simply select the runner/s you want to bet on and add them to your bet slip. Choose your stake amount and confirm your bet.
When is the Melbourne Cup barrier draw?
If you want to bet on the Melbourne Cup online, knowing when the barrier draw takes place is important. Each year, the barrier draw takes place on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup. The barrier draw is done completely at random and some barriers have been more successful over the years compared to others.
How does Melbourne Cup betting work?
The majority of Melbourne Cup betting sites will have a similar betting process. The first step is to decide which runner and market you are going to bet on; you can use horse racing tips to help you decide. Then, you can use a bookie’s app or website to find the specific market and place your bet.
How to fill out a betting slip for the Melbourne Cup?
In the past, you may have had to fill out a betting slip for the Melbourne Cup and this still occasionally happens, especially if you are at the racecourse. However, most of the time these days, your bet slip is digital through the bookmaker you are using, meaning you no longer have to manually fill out a betting slip.
When does betting close for the Melbourne Cup?
Melbourne Cup online betting is available right up to the race jump. Once the race starts, the markets will close, so if you do want to bet on the Melbourne Cup, make sure you leave yourself enough time to get your bets sorted.
Does the Melbourne Cup pay 4th place?
Most of the time, bookmakers will only pay the place bet down to the first three runners. However, sometimes you might see betting sites offer promotions for the Melbourne Cup and this could include paying down to fourth place. Also, if you are betting on the first four, this includes the first four finishers in the race.
Where can I place a bet on the Melbourne Cup?
You’ve got a few options available to you when it comes to Melbourne Cup betting. You can side with one of the more established bookies on the market, or opt for a new player that is shaking up the game. We do recommend checking out more than one bookie, though, because you might be able to pick up better odds or different promotions.
What is the Melbourne Cup first four payouts history?
Landing the first four can be extremely lucrative, which is why many bettors try their hand at a first-four bet each year for the Melbourne Cup. For example, in 2025, there were a few roughies in the top four, resulting in the first four payout of $728,015.70.