National Horseplayers Championship to offer $4.5 million in cash and prizes

Approximately 600 players will vie for an $800,000 top prize at this year’s National Horseplayers Championship, which begins Friday at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.

Held annually for the past 24 years, the National Horseplayers Championship offers more prize money than any handicapping tournament in the world. In addition to the grand prize money of $800,000, the winner receives an Eclipse Award as Horseplayer of the Year. A total of $4.5 million in cash and prizes will be awarded.

Players qualify by finishing in top positions in a variety of handicapping tournaments held throughout the preceding year. The 600 entrants this year, who each receive a complimentary four-night stay at the Horseshoe plus travel reimbursements, include approximately 150 players who earned two entries in the contest.

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This year’s tournament will follow the same format as in recent years, with the top 10 percent of the field after the first two days of play advancing to the semi-finals on Sunday. The top 10 players after a semi-final round on Sunday morning will advance to the “Final Table.” The player with the highest cumulative bankroll at the end of the final round will be declared the winner.

Live coverage of the final seven races of the championship, scheduled to run from 4 p.m. Eastern to 8 p.m., will be provided through a livestream on the NTRA’s social-media accounts and on its own website. The livestream will be co-hosted by Steve Byk, who runs the SiriusXM satellite radio show “At the Races with Steve Byk," and Rick Hammerle.

Rachel McLaughlin, the racing analyst at Horseshoe Indianapolis, will provide coverage throughout the weekend on the NTRA’s social-media platforms.

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The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the administrator of the tournament, has added a new Sunday mini-tournament this year. All individuals will be able to compete in the mini-tournament, with the top 25 highest bankrolls at the end of the day sharing in $100,000 in prize money.

The weekend will conclude with an awards ceremony that also will honor the three newest inductees to the NHC Hall of Fame. The inductees this year are Kevin “Duke” Matties, Jim Meeks, and Brett Wiener.

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