Champions Day Betting

British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse signals the climax of the Flat racing season in Britain. In essence, the world's fastest horses and most talented jockeys head to Berkshire for one final, high-stakes showdown to be crowned the year's champion over their chosen distance. Champions Day is now a seven-race card, headlined by five Group 1 races, and in recent years has become Britain's richest raceday.

First staged in 2011, Champions Day has always taken place during October, with the 2025 renewal held on Saturday 18th October. The card is now worth over £4.3 million in prize money and includes a newly added two-year-old conditions race alongside the established championship contests.

With such a prestigious finale that draws worldwide interest, it's little wonder Champions Day betting dominates the narrative in the lead-up to the last Flat racing hurrah of the year.

Champions Day Odds

You'll be able to access the latest Champions Day odds for every race at Paddy Power. Making sense of the prices is straightforward: the lower the odds a horse is given, the more likely it is to reach the finishing line first. Conversely, the higher the odds, the less likely that horse is to win.

Champions Day Betting Markets

The main Champions Day betting markets revolve around the outright winners of the headline races at Ascot. These include the British Champions Long Distance Cup, British Champions Sprint Stakes, British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Champion Stakes, and the Balmoral Handicap, with a two-year-old conditions race now opening the card.

To place a bet, simply click the odds of a horse in one of these races and enter your preferred stake.

Champions Day Ante Post Betting

An ante-post bet is best thought of as a wager placed on a race before the runners and riders are officially confirmed. Betting well in advance often means finding odds that offer greater value.

While this could mean a bigger payout should your horse win, it's important to remember that you will usually lose your stake if the horse you backed does not run (unless the bet is placed under non-runner, no-bet terms). It is a risk-and-reward market, and the Champions Day ante-post odds reflect that — the big middle-distance clash in the Champion Stakes between the likes of Ombudsman, Delacroix and Calandagan has been among the most eye-catching markets of recent seasons.

How do I bet on Champions Day online?

Placing a bet on Champions Day can be done on the Paddy Power website. First, log in and look for the horse racing tab at the top left of the homepage. This takes you to Paddy's main horse racing page.

From there, tap the Champions Day option partway down the page to access the latest odds for every race at Ascot. Select the odds you want to bet on and a virtual betting slip will appear in the top-right corner. Finally, enter your chosen stake and click the green 'Place Bets' banner.