It’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend at ParisLongchamp racecourse in France with the headline race, more commonly known amongst UK punters as “the Arc”, taking place on Sunday, October 4th.
The prize money of over £5m and prestige of the festival and main race attract international entries. This year also sees the inaugural edition of the Festival of Nations.
The Standard’s gambling experts have put together a betting guide for the Arc, highlighting the best odds from betting sites, running down the leading contenders to win the prestigious race, while dishing out some strategy tips for betting enthusiasts.
2026 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe betting odds
The betting odds on the Arc make for intriguing reading with last year’s winner, Daryz, priced up as a warm favourite to repeat his success. In 2025, he was ridden to victory by jockey Mickael Barzalona in a time of 2:29.17.
The Francis-Henri Graffard trained bay colt is owned by Aga Khan Stud SC and has unsurprisingly been installed as favourite in the Arc betting. However, there are four horses priced at single figure betting odds, meaning there are more than a few with chances.
A field of 16 have been declared for this year’s race and these are the best Arc odds available on horse racing betting sites for each runner.
- Daryz - 7/4 ( William Hill)
- Maltese Cross - 5/1 ( William Hill)
- Kalpana - 7/1 ( Betfred )
- Diamond Necklace - 8/1 ( Ladbrokes )
- Thundering On - 10/1 ( Coral )
- Varandir - 12/1 ( bet365 )
- Minnie Hauk - 20/1 ( BOYLE Sports )
- Benvenuto Cellini - 25/1 ( Unibet )
- Bay City Roller - 25/1 ( Ladbrokes )
- Friendly Soul - 33/1 ( Unibet )
- Meisho Tabaru - 33/1 ( Coral )
- Saddadd - 40/1 ( bet365 )
- Admire Terra - 50/1 ( William Hill )
- Bright Light - 100/1 ( BetVictor )
- Arrow Eagle - 100/1 ( William Hill )
- Chesnut Rocket - 200/1 ( bet365 )
Odds correct at time of writing. Subject to change.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe betting: The contenders
Daryz
Bidding to become the first colt since Alleged in 1978 to win back-to-back Arcs and only the second male favourite since 2009 to justify his status as favourite. Already a three-time winner at Longchamp this season, his sole defeat came in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Maltese Cross
Maltese Cross is a progressive three-year-old and a Grade 1 winner via victory in the Grand Prix de Paris, though the bay colt hasn’t run since winning the Great Voltigeur - an extended break of almost two months. He is a top-level French-bred, English-trained champion racehorse trained by William Haggas and owned by George Waud.
Kalpana
Kalpana is now five but still an active British thoroughbred racehorse known for winning the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes. This high-performing mare has several career major victories under her belt. There have been only nine successful five-year-old winners of the Arc, historically.
Thundering On
Thundering On stood up to her name with a runaway Group 2 victory at the Curragh last month. The solid record of fillies and mares at recent Arc meetings is a big talking point, with them having won ten of the last 18 editions of the Arc de Triomphe.
Thundering On has a more than solid chance of victory this weekend. The British Group 1-winning thoroughbred racehorse was foaled in 2023 and is widely known for her come-from-behind victory in the Epsom Oaks on June 5, 2026.
Diamond Necklace
Star filly Diamond Necklace relinquished her unbeaten record in August and only two of the last nine Arc race winners were beaten in their final warm-up. Diamond Necklace is trained by Aidan O'Brien, one of three runners from Ballydoyle. Notable wins include the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2025 and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2026.
Varandir
Varandir could become the 13th horse to go back-to-back in the Prix Niel and the Arc. He is a French thoroughbred racehorse bred in 2023. He is owned and raced by the Aga Khan Studs and part of the notable Aga Khan family line.
Varandir debuted by winning at ParisLongchamp in April 2026 and has gone on to establish himself as a prominent middle-distance three-year-old on French turf.
Each way terms for Arc de Triomphe betting
There are 16 runners declared for Sunday’s race and for those thinking of backing an each-way contender, here are the all-important place payouts and terms on offer from UK bookmakers.
All bookies are offering 1/5 the starting odds on each-way bets.
4 places
BOYLE Sports, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair
3 places
Bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes, BetVictor, Spreadex, Unibet, Betfred, PricedUp, Betway, Coral
Tips for betting on the Arc
There are several factors to consider for a bettor learning how to bet on sport when looking at the Arc de Triomphe odds and form guide. This is especially true when the race is so open.
Here are some considerations punters may want to factor into their betting strategies if they are planning to have a bet on the Arc.
Odds movement: Big races attract big money, both from recreational punters and big hitters. This influx of money can move the Arc betting odds drastically and not always in the correct direction. It can pay to watch the odds move on betting apps and desktop sites ahead of the race and spot certain trends and patterns.
For example, often the favourite will drift closer to race time and there might be some value to bet it then. On the flip side, the value on a longer odds horse might disappear in the blink of an eye if they are backed significantly when some extra information comes out.
Key information: Look for key nuggets of info regarding the horse’s form, the jockey, trainer and historic stats. For example, 20 of the last 23 winners of the Arc have run between 21 and 29 days prior to the race, so these horses will be primed for their peak.
Draw: Check to see which stall the runners have been drawn in as that can have a major bearing on the race outcome. The majority of Arc winners (17 of the last 24) have started the race in stalls one to six.
Course and turf: The track shape for the Arc at ParisLongchamp racecourse is right-handed, flat, and set on natural grass turf, featuring the famous Longchamp hill that tests the stamina of competing thoroughbreds. Look for horses that can stay the pace and have high endurance.
Age of the horses: Four and five-year-old horses have won six of the last eight renewals of the l’Arc de Triomphe but three-year-olds have won the race in 60% of the last 30 editions. Maltese Cross and Thundering On are standout three-year-olds at this year’s meeting.
Shop around: With the odds moving due to the weight of money, prices differ at competing betting sites. Test the odds at different bookmakers and make sure to get the best prices.
History of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and previous winners
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, “the Arc” in short, is also known as Europe's richest flat race with over £5m up for grabs. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe dates back to 1920 and is the centrepiece of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend held at ParisLongchamp at the start of October in Paris, France.
The premier two-day international horse racing festival hosts the world’s most talented racehorses paired with top international jockeys. The race meeting takes place each year in the autumn, typically on the first weekend in October.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race for thoroughbred horses aged three years or older. Punters are treated to the best middle-distance horses in the world battling it out over 1 mile 4 furlongs to see who will join the pantheon of greats to win this prestigious race.
Here are the last 10 winners of the Arc, including their starting price and conditions on the day of the race.
Year |
Horse |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Arc odds (SP) |
Going |
2025 |
Daryz |
Mickael Barzalona |
Francis-Henri Graffard |
166/10 |
Very soft |
2024 |
Bluestocking |
Rossa Ryan |
Ralph Beckett |
11/2 |
Very soft |
2023 |
Ace Impact |
Cristian Demuro |
Jean-Claude Rouget |
19/10f |
Good to soft |
2022 |
Alpinista |
Luke Morris |
Sir Mark Prescott |
33/10f |
Very soft |
2021 |
Torquator Tasso |
Rene Piechulek |
Marcel Weiss |
72/1 |
Heavy |
2020 |
Sottsass |
Cristian Demuro |
Jean-Claude Rouget |
73/10 |
Heavy |
2019 |
Waldgeist |
Pierre-Charles Boudot |
Andre Fabre |
131/10 |
Very soft |
2018 |
Enable |
Frankie Dettori |
John Gosden |
EVS(f) |
Good |
2017 |
Enable |
Frankie Dettori |
John Gosden |
10/11(f) |
Soft |
2016 |
Found |
Ryan Moore |
Aidan O’Brien |
6/1 |
Good |
Where to bet on the Arc
The following online bookmakers all offer strong racing-focused promotions for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. All our recommended betting sites come with welcome offers than can be used to wager on the Arc.
Bettors should look to bookmakers with a solid in-depth range of horse racing markets that extends beyond the race winner markets. The biggest name operators will have plenty of specials and promos for the Arc like money back if your horse finishes 2nd, or extra place terms on offer.
Bookmaker |
Sign up offer |
Key racing feature |
|---|---|---|
Tote |
Bet £5, get £20 in free bets |
UK’s only pool betting operator |
BOYLE Sports |
Bet £10, get £40 in free bets |
Strong Irish horse racing markets and coverage |
Spreadex |
Bet £10, get £60 in free bets |
Spread betting operator with racing features |
Bet365 |
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets |
Early prices on UK & Irish racing |
LiveScore Bet |
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets |
Weekly money-back races |
Betfred |
Bet £10, get £50 in free bets |
Highest-value welcome offer on the market |
Paddy Power |
Bet £5, get £30 in free bets |
Extra place promotion |
Kwiff |
Bet £10, get £40 in free bets |
Money back if 2nd to SP fav |
Coral |
Bet £5, get £30 in free bets |
Coral Rewards loyalty programme |
Responsible gambling
Racing bettors are reminded to always gamble responsibly by making use of the safer gambling tools available on horse racing betting sites.
The Standard recommends that betting should only be viewed as a source of entertainment, never as a reliable income. Never chase losses.
Find more information about problem gambling and how to bet responsibly via:
- GambleAware ( gambleaware.org ),
- GamCare ( gamcare.org.uk ),
- Gamblers Anonymous ( gamblersanonymous.org.uk )
- NHS ( nhs.uk )
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - frequently asked questions
What is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
The Arc is a prestigious annual Group 1 flat horse race where international horses compete at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting in a bid to win their share of over £5m.
Where is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
ParisLongchamp racecourse in Paris, France is the venue for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
What bookmakers are best for betting on the Arc?
The bookmakers that offer the best odds, biggest spread of markets and the best horse racing-specific bonuses are the best for betting on the Arc. This comes down to the preference of the bettor.
How do I find value in the Arc betting markets?
Refer to our betting strategy section above to find some hints and tips to spot value in the Arc racing markets.
