First Pegasus Challenge qualifier Jan. 1

DRF Tournaments has unveiled its schedule for qualifying for the upcoming Pegasus World Cup Betting Challenge. The first Grade 1 qualifier where players can win their $12,000 buy-ins to the Pegasus Challenge will take place on Monday, Jan. 1. Players can purchase in directly to that event for $960, with one in 15 winning seats. Another option is to win into that event through a two-stage process. Each Saturday – including this one – players can put up $220 and one in five will win their Grade 1 buy-ins. And every operating day there is an opportunity to win into the Round 1’s for just $50, where once again one in five entries will go forward.

The Pegasus Challenge will be a first-of-its-kind live-bankroll betting contest, with no entry fee, and a five percent player rebate program for non-contest wagers. The event costs $12,000 to enter, all of which can be used as a live-bankroll for wagers at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26-27 in conjunction with the Pegasus World Cup.

The money paid out to players will be funded by the Stronach Group, Xpressbet, and the handle of the contest itself – 8.75 percent of every dollar bet in the tournament will be returned to players in the form of the prize pool. The Stronach Group is guaranteeing a prize pool of $300,000 and that number could swell higher based on participation.

Also on Saturday, DRFT will be running another Grade 1 qualifier for the World Championship of Handicapping, Daily Racing Form’s $1 million, no-takeout online contest to be held Feb. 3-4 exclusively at tournaments.drf.com. For the Grade 1, players put up $580 and one in 10 win their $5,000 entry fee for the WCH finals.

Every operating day DRFT holds Round 1 contests that feed into those Grade 1 events. Players put up $95 and one in seven will win their $580 buy-ins. You can feed into the Round 1’s as well if you’re looking to get involved at an even lower price point.

Every day DRFT also offers feeders for the Horse Player World Series, a mythical-money tournament that takes place at the Orleans in Las Vegas March 8-10. Players can win $94 qualifier entries for just $11. The next HPWS qualifier is happening on Saturday, Dec. 23.

For a full list of all the games happening this weekend at DRF Tournaments, go to tournaments.drf.com.