posted June 5, 2008 at 13:51 EST in Triple Crown Betting Trends

The last time horse racing online betting fans were in this position, in 2004 when Smarty Jones was attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, bettors, online and off-line, flocked to the off track betting windows.

The total handle for the 2004 Belmont Stakes was a whopping $114,887,994. That’s incredible considering that Smarty Jones was a huge favorite. Smarty went off at 1 to 5 to win the Belmont Stakes that day. There wasn’t a single horse that had come close to beating Smarty Jones in his last three races. The only horse with ability to even finish within five lengths of Smarty Jones, Lion Heart, wasn’t even in the Belmont Stakes field.

Smarty Jones was a lock. Why, then, did people punch so much money into the race? Well, because there was so much interest in whether or not Smarty Jones would win the race, your usual laymen bettors came out in droves and pummeled Smarty Jones in Pick-3s, exacta, trifectas, show pools, and every other one of the pool wagers that Belmont offered that day.

According to the below online BetUS horse wagering odds, the same might not happen to Big Brown in his quest to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

Will the total all sources handle for the Belmont Stakes exceed the record $114,887, 994 wagered in 2004 when Smarty Jones attempted to win the Triple Crown?

Yes 1/1

No 10/13

The thinking, of course, is that the handles throughout the nation are down at almost every single track. Why? Have you folks paid attention to the gas prices in the United States this year? The Bush Adminstration has made such a shambles of our economy that we can’t afford to gamble on horse races any more, right?

Not so fast. As an online gambler who spends more then my fair share of time watching all sports, not just horse racing, I have to say that a lot of horseplayers are going to see the Belmont Stakes as a chance to make some serious money without having to wait for that I.R.S. refund. Or, some of us, me included, will be looking to use that I.R.S. refund, should we get one, on the Belmont Stakes.

It’s been proven that Americans are adept at spending money on gambling as well as other forms of entertainment no matter what the economic situation. We’re good at eating rice and beans as long as we can rent that DVD or put money on that long-shot that we feel threatens to beat up Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes.

That’s just who we are.

Because of that, getting even money in the BetUS future book on the amount of money being wagered on the Belmont Stakes this year is a good one - - 1 to 1.

I do believe that more money will be bet on this year’s Belmont Stakes then what was bet on it in 2004. I just have that feeling.

Check the BetUS Locker Room for the latest info on Horse Racing, Big Brown the Triple Crown, Full Track Odds, Past Triple Crown Winners, and the 2008 Belmont Stakes