Belmont Stakes 2023 predictions, odds, betting guide: Expert picks for win, place, show, trifecta, superfecta

The 2023 Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday at Belmont Park. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Todd Pletcher teamed up with Mo Donegal to win the Belmont Stakes last year. They'll join forces once again with Forte, who returns to action after his race-day scratch at the Kentucky Derby. Forte is the 5-2 favorite in the 2023 Belmont Stakes odds, but he's far from the prohibitive favorite in a 2023 Belmont Stakes field full of closing speed. Tapit Trice is priced at 3-1 after Tuesday's 2023 Belmont Stakes post position draw, while Angel of Empire is 7-2 and Preakness winner National Treasure is 5-1 among the nine talented 2023 Belmont Stakes horses. 

Post time is scheduled for 7:02 p.m. ET at Belmont Park. With so much to consider while making your 2023 Belmont Stakes picks, a little expert help can go a long way.

Except in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belmont Stakes has been contested at 1 1/2 miles every year since 1926. The purse has been $1.5 million since 2014, with the winning horse earning $800,000 for its connections. The winner is also blanketed in white carnations. This year's race will mark the 155th Run for the Carnations, making it the oldest of the three Triple Crown races. The Belmont Stakes 2023 will also mark the 112th time the race has been run at Belmont Park, which will open up to full capacity after the COVID-19 pandemic and construction limited seating from 2019 to 2022.

Given all the history, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Belmont Stakes like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2023 Belmont Stakes picks possible.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the 2023 Preakness Stakes. Demling also enters the Belmont Stakes 2023 having nailed the winner of the final Triple Crown race four of the last five years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also called Flightline's win at the Breeders' Cup Classic last November.

Additionally, he has hit 10 of the last 15 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but five times in the last 15 tries. Anybody following him in those races saw huge returns. Now, he's sharing all of his 2023 Belmont Stakes bets here.

Top 2023 Belmont Stakes expert picks

Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:

Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $27.60 at the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal and Nest.

Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $187.50 at the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal, Nest and Skippylongstocking.

Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned $692 at the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal, Nest, Skippylongstocking and We the People.

While Demling has no quibbles with the favorite status of Forte (5-2), he is also holding tickets with Tapit Trice (3-1) and is using a middle-of-the-pack longshot in his exotics who could spice up the payouts. You can see his picks here.

How to make 2023 Belmont Stakes bets

Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Belmont Stakes 2023. He's sharing them over at SportsLine.