Running the office sweep is a Cup Day tradition, and it only takes ten minutes if you have the right tools. This page gives you a free Melbourne Cup sweep generator that draws horses at random and splits the prize pool for you, a printable blank sweep sheet, and a plain-English guide to running a fair, legal sweep anywhere in Australia.
Here are the key details for the 2026 race so you can plan your sweep around them:
| Detail | 2026 Melbourne Cup |
|---|---|
| Race day | Tuesday 3 November 2026 (first Tuesday in November) |
| Start time | Approximately 3:00pm AEDT (Race 7 at Flemington) |
| Track and distance | Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne – 3,200 metres |
| Field size | Maximum 24 runners, no emergencies |
| Final field and barrier draw | Saturday 31 October 2026, after the last race on Derby Day |
| Prize money | A$10 million total, paid to the first 10 finishers |
| Public holiday | Victoria (Melbourne Cup Day) |
Tip: Collect names and money any time before Cup Day, but do the draw after the final field is confirmed on Saturday 31 October. That way every ticket is a horse that is actually running.
Our sweep generator works on any phone or computer. It uses your browser’s secure random number generator, so every draw is genuinely random and no one can be accused of picking the favourite for themselves.
Add your entrants, paste the 24 horses once the final field is out (or keep the numbered placeholders), then hit Draw. Everything runs in your browser – nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
A sweep is a simple lottery: everyone pays the same amount, each ticket is matched with a horse in the race, and whoever holds the horses that finish in the prize places wins the pot. Follow these steps and you will avoid the usual Cup Day arguments.
Decide and announce three things up front: the entry fee per horse, the prize split, and what happens if a horse is scratched. Victoria’s gambling regulator says the prize list must be finalised and clear to entrants before the sweep starts, which is good practice in every state.
Keep a simple list of who has paid. Most office sweeps use $2, $5 or $10 a horse. With 24 horses, a $5 sweep creates a $120 pool, and a $10 sweep creates $240. Our blank sweep sheet has a “Paid” column for exactly this.
The final field of up to 24 horses and the barrier draw are confirmed on Saturday 31 October 2026, after the last race on Derby Day. Drawing before then risks handing out horses that never make the race.
Draw in front of everyone, either from a hat or with the generator on a shared screen. For remote teams, run the generator on a video call and paste the results into the team chat straight away.
Horses can still be scratched on the morning of the race. Apply the scratching rule you announced in step 1 – see the scratchings section below for the two common options.
The Cup jumps at about 3:00pm AEDT and results are official shortly after the riders weigh in. Pay winners promptly, and keep your list in case anyone questions the result.
There is no official prize split. Pick the one that suits your group and tell everyone before the draw. The table below shows the most popular options using a full 24-horse sweep at $5 and $10 per horse.
| Prize split | How it works | $120.00 pool ($5 x 24) | $240.00 pool ($10 x 24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic 4-prize | 1st 60%, 2nd 25%, 3rd 10%, Last 5% | 1st $72.00 2nd $30.00 3rd $12.00 Last $6.00 | 1st $144.00 2nd $60.00 3rd $24.00 Last $12.00 |
| Top three | 1st 70%, 2nd 20%, 3rd 10% | 1st $84.00 2nd $24.00 3rd $12.00 | 1st $168.00 2nd $48.00 3rd $24.00 |
| Even spread | 1st 50%, 2nd 30%, 3rd 20% | 1st $60.00 2nd $36.00 3rd $24.00 | 1st $120.00 2nd $72.00 3rd $48.00 |
| Winner takes all | 100% to the winning horse | $120.00 | $240.00 |
The “last place” prize is popular in offices because it gives the person with the outsider something to cheer for right to the end. If you want more winners, you can also pay small prizes for 4th or for the horse that draws barrier 1 – just announce it before the draw.
The field is capped at 24, but your office might have 10 people or 60. Here is how to handle each situation fairly:
| Your situation | Best option | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Exactly 24 people | One horse each | 24 people x $5 = $120 pool |
| Fewer than 24 people | Sell extra tickets, so some people hold two or more horses | 12 people buy 2 horses each at $5 = $120 pool |
| Fewer people, and nobody wants a second ticket | Leave the leftover horses unsold, and agree what happens if one of them places (most groups re-draw that prize among everyone) | 15 people x $5 = $75 pool, 9 horses unsold |
| More than 24 people | Run two separate sweeps, or let pairs share a horse and split any prize | 48 people = two 24-horse sweeps |
| Kids or a no-money sweep | Use prizes instead of cash, such as chocolates or a morning off chores | Family sweep with a prize for 1st and last |
The sweep generator handles all of these. Choose “Share leftover horses” to spread spare horses across your entrants, or “Leave leftovers unsold” to keep them out of the draw.
Late scratchings happen most years, sometimes on race morning. The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) says either of these approaches is acceptable, as long as entrants are told in advance:
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| All-in | No refund. If your horse is scratched, you are out of the sweep. | Simple office sweeps where the fee is small |
| Refund and adjust | The holder of a scratched horse gets their money back, and the prize amounts are recalculated on the smaller pool. | Larger sweeps or groups that want it to feel fair |
Whichever rule you choose, write it on the sweep sheet before the draw. Most sweep disputes come from changing the rules after a scratching.
Yes – a small private sweep where all the money goes back to the players is allowed in every state, but each state has its own conditions. The common rule everywhere is that the organiser cannot keep a cut. Here is a summary of what the regulators say:
| State or territory | Key conditions for a sweep |
|---|---|
| Victoria | All money collected must be returned as prizes, the total value of prizes must not exceed $5,000, and the organiser cannot keep money for costs or expenses. A sweep can be run anywhere, including the workplace. |
| New South Wales | All money must be paid out as prizes (less any expense properly incurred). An authority from Liquor & Gaming NSW is only needed if the total value of prizes exceeds $30,000. |
| Queensland | A sweep can be run as a “category 1” game under the Charitable and Non-Profit Gaming Act 1999, provided all proceeds are returned to the players as prizes. |
| Western Australia | Sweeps are expected to be spontaneous, low-value games among the people taking part. |
| ACT | Private lottery rules apply, and all entrants must work in the same premises. |
| SA, Tasmania and NT | Small private sweeps are generally permitted where all money is returned as prizes. Check your state regulator for current limits. |
Please note: This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, and larger fundraising sweeps or a Calcutta (where horses are auctioned) usually need a permit. Check your state regulator, such as the VGCCC in Victoria or Liquor & Gaming NSW, if you are running a big sweep.
Print the blank sheet, pin it in the kitchen and let people write their names in. Draw on Monday 2 November or Cup morning, then watch the race together at 3:00pm AEDT.
Run the generator on a video call, paste the draw into your team chat, and collect money by bank transfer. Name one person to hold the funds and confirm who has paid before the draw.
Swap cash for small prizes such as chocolates, stickers or choosing dinner. It is a fun way to involve the whole family without any gambling.
Run one sweep on the race finish and a second, separate sweep on barrier numbers. It doubles the fun for small groups without raising the entry fee.
Sweeps are not just for the Melbourne Cup. You can run the same format on the Victoria Derby, the Oaks or the Stakes Day feature during the Cup Carnival.
| Date | Raceday | Why it matters for your sweep |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 31 October 2026 | Victoria Derby Day | Final field and barrier draw announced after the last race – do your draw after this |
| Tuesday 3 November 2026 | Melbourne Cup Day | The Cup runs at approximately 3:00pm AEDT |
| Thursday 5 November 2026 | Oaks Day | Good day for a second, smaller sweep |
| Saturday 7 November 2026 | Stakes Day | Final day of the Carnival |
A quick look at recent winners is a reminder of why sweeps are so popular: the Cup is a 3,200-metre handicap with a big field, and outsiders win often enough that any ticket can come good.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Half Yours |
| 2024 | Knight’s Choice |
| 2023 | Without A Fight |
| 2022 | Gold Trip |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment |
In 2025, jockey Jamie Melham rode Half Yours to win, completing the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double.
A sweep is pure luck. If you would rather pick your own horse, these are the most common bet types on the Cup. Our guide on how to bet on horse racing like a pro covers each one in more detail.
| Bet type | You win if… | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Win | Your horse finishes 1st | Backing one horse you really like |
| Place | Your horse finishes in the top 3 (top 3 in a 24-runner field) | A safer bet with a smaller payout |
| Each way | Half your stake is a Win bet and half is a Place bet | Outsiders with a real chance |
| Quinella | You pick the first two horses in either order | Small stake, bigger payout |
| Exacta | You pick the first two horses in the exact order | Confident punters |
| Trifecta | You pick the first three in the exact order (often “boxed” to cover any order) | Big payouts from small stakes |
| First Four | You pick the first four in the exact order | The Cup’s biggest pools |
New to racing? Start with how horse racing win bets work and our horse racing betting guide. Bet only with a licensed bookmaker, set a budget before Cup Day, and never chase losses.
The 2026 Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse, with the race starting at approximately 3:00pm AEDT.
Draw after the final field and barrier draw are announced on Saturday 31 October 2026. Many offices collect money during the week and do the draw on Monday or on Cup morning.
Up to 24. The Melbourne Cup field is capped at 24 runners with no emergencies, so a full sweep has 24 tickets.
There is no set price. $2, $5 and $10 per horse are the most common amounts in Australian offices. A $5 sweep with 24 horses creates a $120 prize pool.
A common split is 60% for 1st, 25% for 2nd, 10% for 3rd and 5% for last place. You can use any split, as long as everyone knows it before the draw.
It depends on the rule your organiser set. In an “all-in” sweep there is no refund. In a refund sweep you get your money back and the prizes are recalculated. Both are acceptable if entrants are told beforehand.
No. In Victoria the organiser cannot keep money for costs or expenses, and all money must be returned as prizes. Other states have similar rules for private sweeps.
Yes. It uses your browser’s cryptographic random number generator to shuffle the horses and entrants, and nothing is stored or sent to our servers.
Yes. The same format works for the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate, the Victoria Derby or any country cup. Just paste that race’s field into the generator.
A good sweep needs three things: clear rules, a fair draw and a quick payout. Set your entry fee and prize split now, collect names during the week, and use the free sweep generator once the field is confirmed on 31 October. Bookmark this page – we use the same address every year.
Sweeps should be fun. If betting stops being fun, visit our responsible gaming page or contact Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
👉 Read our horse racing betting guide before you bet.
© 2026 OZ Sports Pick | All Rights Reserved | Sitemap
