Melbourne Cup Sweep 2026: Rules, Setup and a Fair Office Draw
A Melbourne Cup sweep is simple: 24 horses in the final field, 24 tickets drawn at random, everyone pays the same entry, and the pool is split among the tickets holding the placegetters. Set it up after the final field is declared on Derby Day (Saturday 31 October 2026), agree the prize split and the scratching rule before the draw, and you're done in ten minutes.
The standard rules
One entry fee, one random draw, no skill required — that's the format that has made the sweep the way most Australians touch the Cup. Write the 24 final-field runners on slips (or use a spreadsheet), have everyone draw blind until the field is exhausted, and record who holds what. With more than 24 people, run two sweeps; with fewer, allow multiple tickets per person.
Agree the split before the draw. The classic is 60% to the winner, 25% to second, 15% to third; many offices add a 'last place' consolation from the winner's share. There's no right answer — only the rule that it's fixed before anyone knows their horse.
Scratchings and the fine print
Late scratchings are the one thing that derails office sweeps, so set the rule up front. The two clean options: refund the scratched ticket's entry and reduce the pool, or redraw scratched horses among affected ticket-holders using any emergency runners. Either works — announcing it after the scratching is what causes arguments.
Draw timing matters too: the final field is declared with the barrier draw on Derby Day, Saturday 31 October, but late scratchings can land right up to race morning. Offices that draw on Cup morning (Tuesday 3 November) dodge most of the problem.
If your horse gets you interested
Every year, a few million sweep tickets create a few million temporary racing fans. If you draw a runner and find yourself wondering whether it can actually win, our Cup guides cover it — what the race asks of a horse, how the handicap works, and how the contenders stack up. The sweep is luck; the race underneath it is a genuine puzzle, and it's a good one.
Run your sweep here
Paste your players below (one per line, or comma-separated). The draw assigns all 24 numbers randomly — with fewer than 24 players, names cycle so every number is held. Runner names fill in once the final field is declared on Derby Day, 31 October.
| No. | Horse | Drawn by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 2 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 3 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 4 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 5 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 6 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 7 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 8 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 9 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 10 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 11 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 12 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 13 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 14 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 15 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 16 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 17 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 18 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 19 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 20 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 21 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 22 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 23 | Final field declared 31 Oct | |
| 24 | Final field declared 31 Oct |
Agree the prize split and the scratching rule before the draw. Gamble responsibly — Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858.
Common questions
24 — the maximum field size for the Cup. The final field is declared on Derby Day, Saturday 31 October 2026.
Whatever rule you agreed before the draw: either refund that ticket's entry, or redraw the scratched horse. The only wrong approach is deciding after it happens.
The classic is 60/25/15 across first, second and third. Some offices pay last place a small consolation. Fix the split before the draw and put it in the email.
Small social sweeps are generally treated as exempt lotteries in Australian states, with conditions such as all entry money being returned as prizes. Rules vary by state — keep it social-scale and check your state's requirements if in doubt.
Guides teach the method. On race day, members see it applied: Kingsley's selections, ratings and maps on every card.
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