Tickets on sale for 2026 Call of the Card

Racing Victoria (RV) is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for the iconic Call of the Card presented by Ladbrokes at the Palladium, Crown Melbourne on Monday, 2 November 2026 and with last year’s event a sell-out, punters are being urged to book early.

Held annually the day before the $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, the Call of the Card has formed a vibrant part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival for over six decades and last year proved one of the most in-demand events of the Spring Racing Carnival.

The 2026 Call of the Card luncheon will be hosted by Seven Horse Racing presenter Jason Richardson and feature interviews with former Melbourne Cup winners and connections of some of this year’s leading local and international contenders.

First launched in 1958 by the Victorian Club, the event welcomes a room full of punters who take on four of Australia’s most renowned bookmakers in trying to find the winner of the race that stops a nation.

The ‘call’ sees the four bookies put up their best price for each runner in the Melbourne Cup, with audience members then invited to place bets (minimum $400) with that bookmaker via the bid spotters.

Call of the Card is this year expected to again host a sell-out crowd boasting some of the world’s biggest punters and others more partial to a casual flutter in a battle of wits and opinions against the bookies.

The excitement in the room was palpable at the 2025 Call of the Card where over $2 million was wagered on the 24 Lexus Melbourne Cup runners across more than 300 individual bets. 

In 2026, RealBookie’s Chris Lester, who is Chairman of the Victorian Bookmakers’ Association, returns alongside Betlocal’s Lyndon Cleary, SwiftBet’s Natalie Hinkley and high-profile bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse.

Lester last year admitted that his “head was spinning” after accepting a $500,000 bet on behalf of Easygo on the Australian Bloodstock-owned Al Riffa to collect $4 million. The bet sparked chaotic scenes and was met with a massive roar from the crowd when accepted by Lester.

With a three-course lunch paired with premium beverages and the chance to have a photo with the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy, the Call of the Card offers a unique opportunity to soak up the atmosphere ahead of the great race. Pre-lunch drinks start at midday with the luncheon set to run to 4.30pm.

Individual tickets are priced at $340 (inclusive of GST & booking fees). 
 

For more information or to book your place, visit www.callofthecard.com