Belmont Stakes live: stream 2020's first Triple Crown race and watch it online now

Sports aren't just played on video games anymore, folks -- all over the world, professional leagues and competitions are slowly resuming following the Covid-19 pandemic and accompanying lockdown. It's a particularly big Saturday for horse racing in that regard Not only does Royal Ascot culminate in the UK, but the Belmont Stakes takes place just outside of New York City in the US. The 'Test of the Champion' is one-third of America's fabled Triple Crown, so read on to learn how to watch a Belmont Stakes live stream in 2020 and catch all the drama online, no matter where you are in the world today.

This year marks the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes, though the $1 million race looks very different to previous iterations due to You Know What. For starters, it's the first leg of the Triple Crown in 2020, where normally it would follow the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes to conclude the series.

It's also being run over the shorter distance of 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) instead of the 1 and 1/2 mile (12 furlongs) ride that has been the calling card of the 'Test of the Champion' for some time. 

Needless to say, spectators will not be in attendance at Belmont Park today, which is located just outside of New York City on the way to Long Island. But in a what may well be some kind of first, the venue will be operating a drive-thru betting system for those wanting to throw down on the race.

The 10 horse field features 3-year-old Thoroughbreds and is led by favorite Tiz The Law, who has won four of its five career races, including the Grade I Curlin Florida Derby in its last outing. Other hot tips include Fore Left, which has won at Belmont Park before (in the Tremont) and is trained by Doug O'Neill, who will be looking to complete his own personal Triple Crown - previously, he's trained Kentucky Derby and Preakness winning Thoroughbreds.

Read on as we explain where to watch a 2020 Belmont Stakes live stream right now - don't miss today's Triple Crown race, no matter where you are in the world.

• More racing: here's how to get a Royal Ascot live stream today

How to watch the Belmont Stakes from outside your country 

Triple Crown horse racing fans wanting to watch the Belmont Stakes today may find they run into trouble if they're abroad, as geo-blocking restrictions are likely to prevent access to US-based streaming platforms from other countries.

Fortunately, there's a solution in the form of a VPN - a nifty piece of software that helps you get around digital borders and regain access to the services you normally use and pay for at home. But which one is right for you?

We've tested all of the major VPN services and we rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. It's compatible with loads of devices including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick, PlayStation, Apple TV and such, and we found it secure, speedy and simple-to-use. 

Those are just some of the reasons it's the Belmont Stakes live from abroad. Another is the fact that it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and 3-months FREE, so you can see if it's right for you with no strings attached.

Once you've registered and downloaded the software, just follow the prompts to install it then select the location you want to relocate your IP address to - it really is that easy - so grab your free ExpressVPN trial today.

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Belmont Stakes live stream: watch the race online in the US

Scheduled for a 5.42pm ET / 2.42pm PT start, Belmont Stakes coverage is being shown on NBC starting at 2.45pm ET. You can watch NBC online for free by logging in with details of your cable provider.

If you don't have cable, then you can stream NBC live by using an over-the-top service - such as the great value Sling TV. NBC is available on Sling in a number of major markets (including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Boston, Miami and Los Angeles) as part of its Sling Blue package - where a FREE trial is currently on offer that will let you watch the Belmont Stakes today without paying a penny.

Another good option to consider is streaming stalwart Hulu, where NBC comes standard as part of its Hulu + Live TV package. Normally $54.99 a month, it's a complete cable replacement service - and best of all, you can grab a FREE 7-day trial to watch the Belmont Stakes live today without paying a cent.

Horse racing fans from the US can tune back into their home coverage by using a good VPN to digitally relocate back to America. 

How to get a Belmont Stakes live stream and watch in the UK

Sky Sports is your destination for watching the 142nd Belmont Stakes in the UK, with coverage starting on Sky Sports Racing at 8.45pm BST ahead of an expected 10.42pm race start time.

If you don't have Sky or the necessary add-on enabling you watch Sky Sports Racing, don't worry. You've got a great alternative in the form of Now TV - Sky's streaming-only service.

Available on a contract-free basis, you can get access to all 11 Sky Sports channels with a Now TV Sky Sports Pass. This will set you back £9.99 a day, but we'd recommend going with the Monthly Pass - now over 25% off and available for just £25.

This gets you not only the Belmont Stakes today but also all of Sky's remaining Premier League matches - some 80+ at time of publication - as well as PGA Tour golf and a whole lot more.

if you're from the UK but happen to away from home right now, you can still live stream your usual sports coverage from abroad - but you'll need a VPN to relocate your IP back to the UK as per our guide above.

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