The NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) is just around the corner with the 27th annual event scheduled for March 13-15 at Horseshoe Las Vegas. The NHC is a $4 million handicapping tournament open only to players who have qualified with a win or high finish in a feeder contest online or at various racetracks and racebooks throughout the year.

Trophy hardware at the NHC. (Noel Michaels)

If you are a tournament player still in search for an NHC qualifying spot as of February 2026, you will be happy to know that there is still a major opportunity remaining to earn in a seat in the 2026 NHC finals in Las Vegas.

Thursday, March 12

NHC Last Chance/First Chance Contest – Horseshoe Las Vegas

A last-minute scramble for NHC qualifying berths is not a new phenomenon as urgency to get into the NHC field of approximately 800 entries grows on the eve of the event. For this reason, thankfully there is just such a contest that caters directly to hopefuls who still find themselves on the outside looking in. Or, if you are already qualified for the 2026 NHC, this tournament can also be played as a “first chance” opportunity to qualify for the next NHC finals in 2027.

The granddaddy of all Last Chance/First Chance tournaments takes place on the eve of the NHC at the NHC venue at Horseshoe Las Vegas and is hosted by the NTRA. The event has gotten so big that if it were a standalone tournament, it still would be one of the biggest tournaments of the entire year both in terms of purse money and number of entries. The NHC Last Chance is still growing, too. The number of entries into this tournament annually increases by as much as 40% since drawing 532 entries in 2022. More than 1,000 entries are expected in March 2026.

NHC 2024 champ Mike Gillum w/ "The Big Check" (Noel Michaels)

The 2026 NHC Last Chance/First Chance Contest will cost $600 to enter (an increase from $500 in past years) and the on-site-only tournament will be a direct qualifier for the NHC that starts the next day. There is no better place to try to qualify for the NHC. Based on an estimation of 1,000-plus entries, the 2026 tournament will award a staggering number of roughly 45 NHC qualifying berths (exact number determined by the actual number of entries). The NTRA’s take-out for this tournament is 8%, after which 70% of the entry fees will go directly into the prize pool for the NHC main event. The remaining 30% of the entry fees are returned as cash prizes to the top finishers.

The NHC Last Chance/First Chance is one of the few remaining tournament events using the traditional $2 win-and-place mythical money format. Mirroring the format of the NHC finals, players make a specified number of mythical $2 WP bets on a selection of mandatory and optional Thursday simulcast races. Go to the NTRA’s tournament section at www.NTRA.com/NHC for all you need to know.

Are you still trying to punch your ticket to an upcoming NHC? Best of luck in the Last Chance/First Chance tournament. We hope to see you in Las Vegas!