Reston man wins BC Betting Challenge

Robert Hansan, a resident of Reston, Va., used a bold late bet in the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge handicapping contest on Friday and Saturday at Churchill Downs to grab the top prize of $137,000.

With only the Breeders’ Cup Classic left, Hansan placed his entire bankroll of $7,236 on Blame to win, a wager that returned $44,863. The win vaulted Hansan into first place by a wide margin. James Henry, the second-place finisher, had a bankroll of $30,010.

This was the second year that Breeders’ Cup held a live bankroll handicapping contest in conjunction with the two-day event. The tournament requires a $10,000 buy-in, with $7,500 of that total being used for the player’s live bankroll. All winnings are returned to the player.

Ninety-five players participated in the event this year, compared to 75 last year, with 21 of the players earning their entry fees from online handicapping tournaments. The tournament allowed players to make win, place, show, exacta, and trifecta wagers on any of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races.