Places To Bet On The Kentucky Derby
At Churchill Downs on May 1, the 147th running of the historic Kentucky Derby will take place.
- Betting On The Kentucky Derby
- Kentucky Derby Bets Odds
- Bet On The Derby Online
- Places To Bet On The Kentucky Derby Today
- Best Place To Bet On Kentucky Derby
Meanwhile, if you have an Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) account you can bet on the Kentucky Derby and almost any other U.S. Thoroughbred race without going to a track. Scheduled post for the Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) at 1 1/8 miles for fillies is 5:45 p.m. Eastern on Friday. Scheduled post for the Kentucky Oaks is 7:01 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality is the 7-2 favorite in the early 2021 Kentucky Derby odds, followed closely by Life is Good at 4-1 and Greatest Honor at 6-1. The field, or every.
This is your Kentucky Derby reference page, examining the history, New York horse betting options, the road to the Derby and handicapping variables for the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.
The Kentucky Derby, dating back to 1875, assembles 20 of the nation’s top 3-year-old thoroughbreds. It’s also called The Run for the Roses as a nod to the garland of 554 red roses draped over the winner.
This event is the first jewel in racing’s Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes (May 15) and the Belmont Stakes (June 5).
The Derby is thoroughbred racing’s signature showcase, although its $3 million purse has been eclipsed by some Breeders’ Cup races in the fall. This event has brought the sport a rich national and international audience.
Pre-COVID-19, the Derby routinely packed more than 150,000 fans into Churchill Downs. The all-time record was more than 170,000 in 2015. Those days will return at some point.
In the meantime, the proliferation of mobile betting and media attention keeps the Derby in the limelight.
Best Kentucky Derby betting app in New York
How to bet on the Kentucky Derby in NY
COVID-19 regulations will determine whether New York tracks will allow spectators. If they do, residents can wager at those facilities on Derby Day. They include:
Facility | Address | City |
---|---|---|
Aqueduct | 11000 Rockaway Blvd | Ozone Park |
Belmont Park | 2150 Hempstead Turnpike | Elmont |
Buffalo Raceway | 5600 McKinley Parkway | Hamburg |
Finger Lakes | 5857 NY-96 | Farmington |
Monticello Raceway | 204 NY 17 B | Monticello |
Saratoga Race Course | 267 Union Ave | Saratoga Springs |
Tioga Downs | 2834 W. River Rd | Nichols |
Vernon Downs | 4229 Stuhlman Rd | Vernon |
Yonkers Raceway | 810 Yonkers Ave | Yonkers |
There’s also the border consideration for New Yorkers living close to New Jersey. Many bettors cross state lines, wager in the Garden State and return home. Some have made the trip on bicycles.
Another option is the TVG horse betting app.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby via TVG
The TVG app offers several features.
Tap “Live” and you can stream both the TVG Networks in HD, handicap and bet all on the same screen. Tap the track and race number to navigate upcoming races on the applicable network.
Other aspects include a complete redesign to put upcoming races and results in one spot. You can now filter by breed or region. Plus, get to the race you want faster with the “Up Next” slider and improved favorite tracks prominence.
On a race page, use the arrows to toggle between races or tap the drop-down, which gives you race condition info. In My Bets, tap the track to go back to the track that wager is on.
A highly functioning app enriches the tracks by enticing players and helps gamblers avoid the frustration of long betting lines that result in the occasional shutout at a live facility.
In many ways, TVG has earned the right to call itself the home of horse racing in the US. Active since 1999 and now the leading online horse betting site in the country, TVG is as regal as the sport of kings itself. Part of the FanDuel Group, which, in turn, is part of the mighty Flutter Entertainment, TVG is reputable and safe.
2021 Kentucky Derby odds and betting favorites
Derby prep races in March and April provide excellent betting insight.
They will determine whether early contenders like Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie pan out. Essential Quality won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year, while Hot Rod Charlie was a strong second.
Highly Motivated, Life is Good and Brooklyn Strong also attracted interest during the winter season.
Will they be there on Derby Day? Or will others emerge? The prep races will reveal that.
What are the Derby preps?
The Kentucky Derby has several tiers of qualifying races, with points, to determine the 20-horse field. The following events have the most value, with 100 qualifying points to the winners and 40 points for second place.
Race | Date | Track | Purse |
---|---|---|---|
Louisiana Derby | March 20 | Fair Grounds Race Course | $1 million |
Florida Derby | March 27 | Gulfstream Park | $1 million |
UAE Derby | March 27 | Meydan Racecourse, Dubai | $2.5 million |
The Blue Grass | April 1 | Keeneland | $1 million |
The Santa Anita Derby | April 3 | Santa Anita Park | $750,000 |
The Wood Memorial | April 3 | Aqueduct | $750,000 |
The Arkansas Derby | April 10 | Oaklawn | $1 million |
Of the last 10 Kentucky Derby winners, nine have finished first or second in one of the prep races. These events have become an excellent reference for sizing up the Kentucky Derby field.
After observing the prep races and picking a Derby horse, what are the betting options?
Common Kentucky Derby bet types
There are a number of common bets when it comes to the Kentucky Derby.
- Win: As it sounds, select the top horse. Odds are reasonable for any winner in this race, given the top competition. The minimum bet is usually $2.
- Place: Choose a horse to finish second or higher. This will pay less than the win bet, but it provides a payout in the first and second slots.
- Show: Bet on a horse to finish third or higher. This pays lower than win or place, but it pays out if your horse finishes first, second or third.
- Exactas: Select the order of the top two finishers. It’s always good to box them. You’d hate to have the right two horses in the wrong order, especially in the Derby, with a 20-horse field.
- Trifectas: Pick the top three finishers in order. Wagered via straight bet, this type of bet is a box of three or more horses, or a partial wheel.
- The Box: A $1 trifecta box with three horses costs $6. Any combination of these three horses in the top three positions becomes a winning ticket.
- The Key: For the same $6, bettors can place a horse in the first spot, followed by three others in the second and third slots. For example, a $1 trifecta key with the “1” over the “2-3-4” means the 1 horse must win and any combo of the 2-3-4 in the next two slots is a winning ticket. For $12, you can take that 1 horse in the first AND second position with the other three horses.
- Superfecta: Pick the top four horses in the correct order. Same combinations as can be used for trifectas. The superfecta is often lucrative, but extremely hard to hit. The $1 Derby superfecta last year paid $7,925.80.
Other bets include Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6. These involve bettors picking the winner in three, four, five and six straight races, respectively. If you make only one selection for each race, these bets can be entered for small amounts, such as $0.50 or $2.
Seasoned players will try to expand the ticket, taking multiple entries in most of the races. The key to this strategy is finding at least one race to have a “single.” That means you make just one selection in that race.
How to handicap the Derby
Combine the recent history of the race structure and modern technology. This has resulted in favorites usually winning the Derby or running very well.
A few years back, racing officials began disregarding sprint races in the qualifiers. That means Derby horses have to prove themselves at a distance.
For the Derby, this format eliminates the “speed” horses who set a blistering early pace and occasionally drew other horses into what’s known as a “speed duel.” This weakened the frontrunners and set up other horses, usually longshots, to rally from far back and win down the stretch. No more.
Now, the eventual race winner is usually close to the lead early on, and times are slower than in the past. Favorites now run well in the Derby. Recent winners (and pre-race odds) include:
- 2014: California Chrome (5-2)
- 2015: American Pharoah (5-2)
- 2016: Nyquist (2-1)
- 2017: Always Dreaming (9-2)
- 2018: Justify (5-2)
- 2019: Maximum Security (9-2); Country House (65-1) was later awarded the victory
- 2020: Tiz the Law (3-5) was nipped in a thrilling stretch duel with Authentic (8-1)
Handicapping tips
First off, respect recent history. The Florida Derby has been on a roll regarding Kentucky Derby winners. Consider that three of the last five Florida Derby champions went on to capture the Derby.
There is no acknowledged reason for Florida Derby horses converting so well to Kentucky Derby form. One possible explanation, however, is the five-week time between races, which may be ideal for some horses. In any case, this is a worthy handicapping variable.
Second, watch the prep races. You don’t even have to do this live. Simply watch a replay on YouTube. You want to evaluate the running style of the winning horse. Was he near the lead early or did he move late? Did he have an easy trip around the track or did he have to weave through a wall of horses to get top position? There is no prep race that exactly matches the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby. It may be asking a lot from a horse that was fading at the end of a 1 1/8-mile race to improve at a longer distance.
Next, obtain a daily racing form, usually available online. This details a horse’s full history and may reveal matchups against other Derby participants.
Watching the early races on Derby day could also pay dividends. How is Churchill Downs playing that day? Are the frontrunners winning or are the winners coming from off the pace? Is there an edge on the inside, the middle or the outside of the track?
Beware the conditions. If there is a sudden downpour or rain throughout the day, all handicapping angles may become moot. Check the weather throughout the week.
Lastly, don’t put everything on one horse. The Derby is famous for horses being trapped in logjams and never finding racing room. Have a backup ticket in case your favorite horse gets what’s known in the industry as a “bad trip.”
Kentucky Derby highlights
Betting On The Kentucky Derby
Legendary Secretariat set the Derby record in 1973 with a time of 1:59.40. Secretariat had the all-time Triple Crown run in 1973, establishing records in the Derby, the Preakness (1:53) and Belmont Stakes (2:24) that still stand nearly 50 years later.
The biggest Kentucky Derby longshot win came in 1913, when Donerail paid out at 91-1 odds.
The highest attendance ever was in 2015, with 170,513 people.
Thirteen horses have gone on from the Kentucky Derby to win the Triple Crown. They are:
Horse (Year) |
---|
Sir Barton (1919) |
Gallant Fox (1930) |
Omaha (1935) |
War Admiral (1937) |
Whirlaway (1941) |
Count Fleet (1943) |
Assault (1946) |
Citation (1948) |
Secretariat (1973) |
Seattle Slew (1977) |
Affirmed (1978) |
American Pharoah (2015) |
Justify (2018) |
The last two Triple Crown champions have been led by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He is tied with Ben Jones for most Derby wins (six) and will likely have horses entered again this year.
The Kentucky Derby is the highest profile horse race of the year in the United States. This years Derby was postponed from it’s normal time slot on the first Saturday in May, to this coming Saturday, September 5th. This postponement has bumped the Derby to the second leg of the 2020 Triple Crown because the Belmont Stakes ran as scheduled on June 20th.
Even with the changes I’m expecting the Derby to take center stage in the United States this Saturday, with the Kentucky Derby being broadcast on national television (NBC) for 5 hours on race day (starting at 2:30pm EST). This national interest definitely plays a part in the Kentucky Derby being the second most bet on sporting event in a typical year in the USA, next to only the Super Bowl.
On this page I will outline the best sportsbook for Florida residents looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby and touch on the different options you have for Derby betting from the State of Florida. At the bottom of the page I provide an easy to follow 3 step guide that will help you get your Kentucky Derby bets placed online in minutes.
Best Online Sportsbook for Florida Residents
Sportsbook | Rating | Bonus | Review | Visit |
---|---|---|---|---|
50% up to $1000 |
Kentucky Derby Bets Odds
BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for Florida residents looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby.
They are offering new players a risk free $25 bet on the Derby, in addition to a 7% rebate on your daily horse racing wagers and a sign up bonus of up to $1000. Here’s our full review.
Kentucky Derby Betting in Florida
In addition to betting online through an offshore sportsbook such as BetOnline.ag, you can also place your Kentucky Derby bets through the simulcast racing betting option at your local racetrack. Some of the more popular tracks in the State that offer simulcast betting include Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. The tracks will often have special events to go along with their simulcast betting on the events, so if you would like a fun atmosphere then perhaps heading to the track is the way to go. Check out our Florida sports betting section for a more in depth look at the top race tracks in the various cities of Florida.
However, like I said above, you don’t need to leave the comfort of your own home to get action on the Kentucky Derby. BetOnline is paying out winnings of up to $100,000 on each Derby wager and you can watch the race on NBC.
How To Bet On The Kentucky Derby from Florida – 3 Step Guide
Follow this 3 step guide to bet on the 2020 Kentucky Derby online.
Step 1. Open an Online Betting Account
BetOnline.ag is our recommended offshore betting site for Florida residents. They accept players from everywhere in the world, but are primarily focused on providing the best betting platform possible for American clients.
Click here to visit BetOnline.ag and fill out the short form on the home page to open your account.
Bet On The Derby Online
Step 2. Deposit Funds
BetOnline accepts deposits through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, bitcoin, Neteller, Skrill, bank wire and more.
Your first deposit at the site is eligible for a 50% matching bonus up to $1000. Use bonus code ‘BOL1000’ when making your first deposit to opt-in to this bonus offer.
You can cash out your winnings through bitcoin, Neteller, Skrill, bank wire or check through the mail.
Places To Bet On The Kentucky Derby Today
Step 3. Place Your Bets!
Click on ‘Racebook’ from the top navigation bar and then select ‘Churchill Downs’ from ‘Thoroughbred’ drop down menu.
From here you should select ‘Sep 05’ and race #14 (post time 7:01 pm EST). Select the wager you want to make (win/place/show, exacta, etc), pick your horse(s) and add the wagers to your Bet Slip. When you are happy with the bets click ‘Submit All Bets’ on your Bet Slip to lock in the wagers.
It’s as easy as that. Are you ready to bet? Click here to visit BetOnline.ag.
You can also check out our horse race betting section and our dedicated Kentucky Derby betting page for more information and tips about the various bets you can make on the race.
Best Place To Bet On Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby • Kentucky Derby betting