Cue the music: It’s the final countdown! Eddie Olczyk skates to center ice in Week 8 of the 2024 Xpressbet Beat the Host free handicapping contest Saturday. He’ll put his picks up against contestants over the final five races at Gulfstream Park and the first five at Santa Anita. And for one standout player, Alexander Bertram, beating Edzo could be worth $6,500.

The 19th annual Xpressbet Beat the Host contest saw Xpressbet and 1/ST BET handicapper Jeremy Plonk post two winners last week. A total of 669 players have qualified for the BTH Championship round by topping the host’s totals through seven weeks, with 34 new players topping Plonk. He was unable to knock out Bertram and his pursuit of the Sweep the Host bonus. He’s already secured $4,000 as the longest-standing individual in the head-to-head matchups with the host and gets $6,500 if he beats Olcyzk’s total Saturday.

Week 7’s top player was Manuel Tolentino, who earned the $1,000 prize with a parimutuel total of $169.00. Joseph Crupi earned $750 in prize money for his $166.00 runner-up total, while James Kubiszewski’s $124.50 total was good for the $250 third prize. Kyle Newcomb, who won Weeks 4 and 5 of the contest, maintains the season lead at $698.50. He’s $108 up on the field with Brian Jones and Adam Haskins tied for second at $590.50. Bertram is fourth on the season leaderboard with $518.50.

Overall, eight contest weeks challenge horseplayers to out-earn our hand-picked hosts in a series of 10 parimutuel win bets ($5 each) at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita. Those able to Beat the Host bankroll total at least once in any contest week will earn their way to the BTH Championship Round on March 9 and play for approximately $60,000 in weekly and seasonal prizes.

Here is the 2024 host run-down:

COMPLETE: Saturday, January 6 - Pete Aiello
COMPLETE: Saturday, January 13 - Millie Ball
COMPLETE: Saturday, January 20 - Tom Quigley
COMPLETE: Saturday, January 27 - Jeff Siegel
COMPLETE: Saturday, February 3 - Brian Nadeau
COMPLETE: Saturday, February 10 - Frank Mirahmadi
COMPLETE: Saturday, February 17 - Jeremy Plonk
THIS WEEK: Saturday, February 24 - Eddie Olczyk

Weekly cash prizes total $2000 each Saturday with Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship and 1/ST Ultimate Betting Challenge seats valued at $6,000 each among the season standings prizes. Lucrative tournament seats also are on the line in the Beat The Host Championship Round as well as a potential $6,500 Sweep the Host bonus shared among players who defeat the hosts’ totals in each of the 8 weeks.

Last season, Thomas Bassett was the lone player to take down all 8 hosts and earned the full $6,500 Sweep the Host prize. Bassett also won the season leaderboard bankroll chase at $571 accrued. Watch his reaction here.

Last year’s Beat the Host competition saw 664 horseplayers earn their way to the Championship Round, which was won by Andy Muhlada.

Registration is open for Saturday’s Xpressbet Beat the Host. To sign up free and get more information, visit the Tournaments page.