This Friday and Saturday the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas will host the 12th DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship where over 300 horseplayers will compete for total purses of over $1 million with the winner taking home $500,000.
The contest involves 30 $2 Win/Place wagers over two days - 15 on Friday and 15 on Saturday. Eight races each day will be mandatory plays with the other seven involving option plays on any of the contest tracks. Traditionally, the mandatory plays involve races at Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Tampa, Santa Anita and Oaklawn, with races at Golden Gate, Laruel and the Fair Grounds sprinkled in.
Unlike the World Series of Poker, which anyone can play as long as they pay the required buy-in, the NHC is contested solely by players that won a sanctioned qualifying contest throughout the 2010 racing season. As a result, it's a fairly exclusive tournament.
Next year's NHC will receive a huge boost in purses next year when first place will be worth $1 million and the total purse is expected to top $2 million.
The Daily Racing Form will provide coverage of NHC XII, including videos from the Red Rock and updates on their Twitter feed - @DRFInsidePost.