Play in weekly live money handicapping contests with NYRA Bets! Win cash prizes, seats into the next week's contest each week while honing your handicapping skills.

Currently, most NYRA handicapping challenges are conducted online exclusively through NYRA Bets. Play from your desktop or the NYRA Bets App. Pre-registration is required for these live money handicapping contests. For questions regarding the Challenges, please see the FAQ below, or contact [email protected].

NYRA Bets customers in Colorado, Montana and Washington cannot participate due to state law.

Aqueduct Saturday Contest, March 18, 2023

Date: Saturday, March 18 (online)

Prizes include: Cash prizes + seats to next Saturday's contest

Buy-in: $300 ($200 bankroll, $100 to the prize pool)

Format: 5 Aqueduct races, Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double

Registration Closes: Friday, March 17, 5:00 PM ET

Official Rules

Leaderboard


Dates for upcoming Aqueduct Contests:

Saturday, March 18

Saturday, March 25

Saturday, April 1


Pre-Contest FAQs

How do I register? Registering for the Handicapping Challenge can be done via NYRA.com/challenge. You’ll be prompted to fill out a form gathering all information necessary to create your account for the challenge and well as pay your registration fee which funds the prize pool and funds your live contest bankroll. Do not deposit funds into your NYRA Bets account.

Why a second NYRA Bets account? We require separate accounts for NYRA Bets betting account and Challenge account. This is to keep track of all contests wagers in a simple and organized way. Because only certain tracks, races, and pools are offered in a particular contest you will only see and play on what is available per the contest rules. For instance, if Trifecta wagering is not available, “TRI” will not be available in the “Bet Type” drop down menu. Best of all, your NYRA Bets account(s) used for contests can be reused for all future contests you play. Customers will need two separate Challenge accounts if they wish to have two entries.

I’m registered to participate via NYRABets.com, but I haven’t received my username/password yet. How do I obtain them? Once you’ve registered and completed your registration and bankroll payment, you’ll receive your username/password to the email you provided upon registration within (2) days. If you do not see an email, please check your junk folder first to ensure it was not delivered there. If you still do not see this email, email the Tournament Director at [email protected].

I’ve forgotten my account information, how do I retrieve this information? Email the Tournament Director at [email protected] for information in regards to retrieve.

Why do I have to provide my main NYRA Bets account before filling out the form to play online? Providing your NYRA Bets credentials proves your NYRA Bets account is in good standing and that you reside in a state that is eligible to play in contests.

Can I fund the Challenge with money from my NYRA Bets account? No, funding your entry fee with money from your main NYRA Bets account isn’t allowed. Entry fees can be processed with payment such as Credit/Debit Cards, Cash, Wire Transfer, or Certified Bank Check.

When will I receive my winning from the Challenge? In the instance where you’ve won a cash prize, your Cash Payout from the Prize Pool will be mailed to you via Postage in the form of a check within two (2) weeks from the conclusion of the Challenge. However, if you’d like to have your Prize Pool winnings placed into your main NYRA Bets account, notify Tournament officials at [email protected], and request the above. This process can be completed within a week.

I’m unable to participate in the Challenge, and have already paid. How do I get my money back? For players in need of a refund of entry fee for the Challenge, a full refund can be processed up until the registration deadline. However, following the registration deadline, a refund of only your bankroll will be completed. In the instance of a refund request for any Challenge please contact the Tournament Director at [email protected] as soon as possible.

I have money left in my Contest account after the Challenge. When and how will I receive it? When the Challenge has ended, any remaining account balance (live bankroll) will be transferred into your main NYRA Bets account within (2) days (48 hours). This process is completed to ensure that your NYRA Bets Contest account is ready for use in the next Challenge you partake in. If you don’t see your account balance transferred to your main account within those (2) days please contact Tournament Officials at [email protected].

I’m a NYRA Bets customer, but unable to register to play the Challenge online. Why can’t I register? Washington, Montana and Colorado residents cannot participate in online contests due to state law. Locked and suspended NYRA Bets accounts are also ineligible to participate in the contest until the account is reopened.


In-Contest FAQs

How do I place a bet for the Challenge? To place a bet, select a Track from Today’s Races and select the race you want to bet. On the program, select Bet Type, Bet Amount and Runners. The bet will display under the Betslip tab (located on the right hand side). Click the Submit button and click Confirm to submit your bet. The Betslip tab will display a receipt indicating your wager has been placed.

How do I review my bets during the Challenge? To review your bets, click on the My Bets tab (located on the right hand side) and click the plus sign to the right of each bet to review the bet’s details.

I’ve registered and logged in to my Challenge account, but why is my balance $0? The account balance for each account will be funded the morning of the Challenge. Following the Challenge, the account balance will be moved to your main NYRA Bets account.

When can I place my bets? Any Challenge bets can be placed once the account balance has been funded on your NYRA Bets Challenge Account.

Can I bet through my regular NYRA Bets account during the Challenge? Yes! To place bets through your regular NYRA Bets account during the Challenge, just open a new tab in your browser or open a new browser and log into your regular NYRA Bets account. Be sure to only place Challenge bets in the account with the NYRA Bets Contest logo on the top.

I forgot my password/username, how do I reset it? An email is sent to the email you provided after you have registered with your username and password. Please refer to that email from the Tournament Director to obtain your credentials or contact the Tournament Director directly at [email protected].

After the contest, when does my account balance transfer to my main NYRA Bets account? How long does it take? Your remaining account balance (live bankroll) will be transferred over to your main NYRA Bets account within (2) days (48 hours) following the conclusion of the Challenge.

How will I be contacted if I won? An email will be sent out to contestants following the end of the Challenge with a leaderboard of the Top 10% of Contestants. Any contestant winning a prize will be notified via e-mail at the end of the Challenge. All Challenge participants can review the leaderboard to see the standings.

When do Official Standings come out? Official Standings for the Challenge will be available online to the public no later than (2) days (48 hours) after the Challenge has concluded.

How do I deposit/withdraw funds from my handicapping challenge account? During the Challenge you won’t have the ability to deposit or withdraw any funds from your account.

How do I cancel wagers? Cancelling wagers can be done through your mobile app under the My Bets section located on the drop down bar in the top left corner. On the desktop site, look under My Bets tab in the navigation on the right. In the instance where a bet may be above $500 for a Win, Place, or Show wager, and an exotic wager with a base amount greater than $50, the Tournament officials must be contacted to cancel your bet. They can be contacted at the following email, [email protected] or call Customer Service at 1-844-NYRABet (1-844-697-2238).

How do I tell the difference between my NYRA Bets main account, and my NYRA Bets challenge account? In your contest account, you’ll see the word “Contest’ prominently displayed next to the NYRA Bets logo at the top of the page. You will also have a separate username and password for the Challenge site. An example of the NYRA Bets Challenge account is also below:

Can I play the Challenge on my phone? Yes, the Challenge can be played from any device that you’d regularly sign into your main NYRA Bets account with.

I made a bet on my main NYRA Bets account and the race is over. Can I get those winnings on my Challenge account? No, bets placed on your main NYRA Bets are separate from your Challenge account and the bets and winnings will only appear on your main NYRA Bets account.

When will I see the leaderboard reflect any winnings I have from a race that just went official? The Challenge leaderboard calculates approximately 1-4 minutes after the race has gone official. The change in the leaderboard can be visible to contestants under the line “Last Race Settled at:” (Example: Last race settled at: March 9 th @3:00 PM – Aqueduct Race 6)