Betting on the horses at the Belmont Stakes this weekend? Held on June 10th and June 11th, the horse races attract New Yorkers and out-of-towners looking to place some serious bets and show off their fashionable hats. If you're eager to have some fun hanging out at the track, here are a few things that you'll need to know.
How to Get Tickets:
► You can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster. Admission for the first rounds of races on Thursday is $5. Friday's races will cost $15 for general admission. On Saturday, general admission tickets are $20 and clubhouse admission is $50 if purchased in advance. Ticketing fees apply and admission prices on Saturday are $5 more if purchased day-of. You can also try your luck on StubHub.
How To Get There Via Public Transportation:
Belmont Park is in Elmont, Long Island (for the uninitiated, this is not a typo, Belmont is one town over) and there are different ways to get there.
► If you're taking a bus, use the Q110 from the Parsons Boulevard stop on the F train or the Archer Avenue stop of the E train. Or take the Q2 from the Jamaica Bus Terminal at 165th Street. You can also catch the Q2 at the 169th Street and 179th Street stops of the F.
► If you plan on taking the LIRR use the Belmont Special: some trains leaving Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal will go directly to Elmont. Check out prices and the train schedule for June 10th and 11th on the MTA's site.
► There's parking at Belmont Park that starts at $10 and goes up depending on the parking lot. For more rates go here.
► For more travel options go here.
Place Bets:
Don't just rely on going to Belmont Park to place bets, try these other options as well.
► If you like betting without having to deal with the crowds, make an account on the New York Racing Association's website and keep track of the Stakes from your living room.
► And if you'd like to place bets without having to leave the city, head to Aqueduct at 110 Rockaway Boulevard in Ozone Park. There's a casino there with huge flat screen TVs that are perfect for some indoor betting and watching.
► If you're in Long Island but live far from Belmont Park, go to The Race Place in 1600 Round Swamp Road in Plainview. It's a bit further into Long Island and if you reserve a table at the restaurant you'll get access to touch screens for placing bets while enjoying a few drinks.
Where to Watch:
If you'd simply like to watch the Stakes, here are a few ways to do that.
► Check out our handy roundup of bars in the city that will be showing the races.
► Watch the races on NBC Sports. Also tune in to NBCSN for more options.
► Watch the live stream on the official Belmont Park website.
