$20,000 in guaranteed jackpots across the full Keeneland card on Championships weekend, led by $5,000 for Saturday’s top-scoring draft winner
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2026: Longshot Fantasy, a new way to play horse racing built on the draft that fantasy football fans know, today announced that it has been licensed by the North Dakota Racing Commission as an Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) Service Provider, and that it will offer real-money contests on the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course under an agreement with Breeders’ Cup Limited.
Draft. Sweat. Win. Small drafts mean more wins. Longshot keeps contests small, so they’re fast, social and easy to learn. Entries open Tuesday, October 27, for every race on the Keeneland card on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. Players can choose two ways to play:
3-Player Drafts. Three players take turns drafting horses, snake-draft style, and the best roster wins. Beat two people and win $150 on a $55 entry.
Horse Madness. Eight players. One bracket. Win and move on; lose and you’re out. Survive three rounds and win $120 on a $25 entry, and the runner-up takes $60.
Guaranteed jackpots. On top of contest prizes, Longshot is adding $20,000 in guaranteed jackpots, funded entirely by the company and paid to the five highest-scoring winners in each game, each day: $12,000 for the drafts and $8,000 for Horse Madness. First place in the drafts takes $2,500 on Friday and $5,000 on Saturday. First place in Horse Madness takes $2,000 on Friday and $3,000 on Saturday.
Every contest is scored on a mythical $2 win and place on each horse, with no real bets placed, and win and place payouts capped at 20-1 and 10-1. New players who complete their first paid contest receive a $25 bonus with code CHAMPS. A free-to-play version of Longshot, live since September, remains open to everyone.
“Horse racing has always been a great game to play, and we’re making it easier and more social than ever,” said Christian Hellmers, Co-Founder and CEO of Longshot Fantasy. “A fantasy football fan can learn Longshot in thirty seconds, and a lifelong horseplayer will love the strategy. Launching under a state license, at the Breeders’ Cup, is the best start we could ask for.”
“The Breeders’ Cup is always looking for new ways to welcome fans to the sport,” said Justin McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “Contests built on the drafts that millions of football fans already play give a new generation a simple, social way to get to know the best Thoroughbreds from around the globe and enjoy the World Championships.”
Throughout Breeders’ Cup week, Hellmers will broadcast The Price Is Wrong live from Keeneland every day, interviewing some of the world’s top horseplayers and running live Longshot drafts on YouTube and nightly X Spaces.
Longshot was built by horseplayers. Hellmers, the 2014 Horseplayer World Series champion, previously served as Director of North American Business Development for Betfair (now part of Flutter Entertainment), where he ran the company’s U.S. racing content business and co-led its 2009 acquisition of TVG.
About Longshot Fantasy
Longshot Fantasy Inc. is a San Diego-based company licensed by the North Dakota Racing Commission as an Advance Deposit Wagering Service Provider. Longshot offers small-group draft and bracket contests on horse racing. Learn more at longshotfantasy.com.
21+. Not available in all states; must be located in an eligible state. Void where prohibited. Jackpots are funded by Longshot Fantasy and paid to the top 5 qualifying winners each day. Bonus terms, eligible states and official rules at longshotfantasy.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available: call 1-800-GAMBLER. NY: call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369).
Media contact: Christian Hellmers, 310-625-9533 · chellmers@longshotfantasy.com
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