It’s Preakness weekend! The 2026 Preakness Stakes is set to run this Saturday, May 16th at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland (due to construction at Pimlico Race Course).
Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby winner, decided not to run in the Preakness and instead focus on the Belmont Stakes next month, which means there is no chance of a Triple Crown winner this year. That said, the Preakness still has a solid field, with five horses having morning line odds between 9-2 and 6-1, showing that there are several serious contenders to win the race on Saturday.
On this page I will look at where Alabama and Louisiana residents can bet on the Preakness Stakes, touch on the betting options available in both states, and provide a simple 3 step guide.
Where To Bet
Online horse racing apps such as TwinSpires accept residents of both Alabama and Louisiana. Louisiana residents can also bet in person at the state’s racetracks and off-track betting parlors. Most racing apps require you to be at least 18, or 21 in some states, and they verify your identity and location when you sign up.
Other options include prediction markets such as Kalshi, which have listed winner markets on Triple Crown races, and offshore racebooks, which accept US customers but are not licensed or regulated by any state. Our horse racing betting guide explains how each option works.
Preakness Stakes Betting in Alabama and Louisiana
Regulated sports betting began in Louisiana in January of 2022, and there are several mobile sportsbook apps available to Louisiana residents. It is currently not legal to operate a sportsbook in Alabama.
Louisiana residents can also place Preakness Stakes bets at local horse racing tracks that offer simulcast betting. Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans and Louisiana Downs in Bossier City are two popular tracks that accept Preakness wagers.
Bet On The Preakness From Alabama or Louisiana – Step By Step Guide
Follow this three step guide to place your Preakness Stakes bets from Alabama or Louisiana.
Step 1. Choose a Racing App
Pick an online racing app that accepts your state, such as TwinSpires. All of the major racing apps carry the full Preakness day card from Laurel Park. Louisiana residents can also bet in person at a racetrack or off-track betting parlor.
Step 2. Sign Up and Fund Your Account
Open an account with the app you picked and complete its identity check, which usually asks for the last four digits of your Social Security number. Then make a deposit, most commonly with a debit card or bank transfer.
Step 3. Bet On The Preakness
There are two ways to bet on the Preakness: fixed-odds bets before race day, and the full menu of pari-mutuel bets once the race day card opens.
Before Race Day (Fixed Odds)
Before race day, fixed-odds bets on the Preakness winner are offered by prediction markets such as Kalshi and by offshore sportsbooks. With fixed odds, your price is locked in when you place the bet. Regulated US sportsbook apps generally do not take bets on horse racing, and there is no official future wager pool for the Preakness.
On Race Day (Pari-Mutuel Betting)
Racing apps and tracks open betting on the Preakness day card a few days before the race. Find Laurel Park in the track list and go to race #13 on May 16th, which has a post time of 7:01pm ET (6:01pm CT). Choose your horse and bet type, enter your stake, and confirm the bet on your bet slip. Popular Preakness bets include:
- Win, Place or Show – Your horse must finish first (win), first or second (place), or in the top three (show).
- Exacta – Pick the first and second place finishers in the exact order.
- Trifecta – Pick the top three finishers in the exact order.
- Superfecta – Pick the top four finishers in the exact order.
These are pari-mutuel bets, so your payout depends on the final pool at post time. Check out our horse race betting section for more information about this betting system and the various bets you can make on a horse race. Most licensed apps let you set deposit and time limits in your account settings. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER.
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