Want To Bet On Kentucky Derby
- Want To Bet On Kentucky Derby Entries
- I Want To Bet On Kentucky Derby
- Kentucky Derby Bets Odds
- Kentucky Derby Bet Online
- Best betting sites for the Kentucky Derby. Betting on horse racing has traditionally been an in-person activity. You know the deal: You walk up to a counter, hand over your betting slip and, hopefully, come back and collect your winnings soon after.
- Although sports betting is still illegal in some states, betting on horse races is legal almost everywhere. You can even bet on Kentucky Derby 2020 online in most states. In 2018, the race drew in well over $200 million dollars worth of bets. There is no shortage of money to be made.
At Churchill Downs on May 1, the 147th running of the historic Kentucky Derby will take place.
As the 2021 Kentucky Derby is rapidly approaching, we’ve put together our Kentucky Derby picks – along with their respective odds. Check them all out below.
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
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 most famous horse race in the United States. It's always run on the first Saturday in May and is often called 'The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports' or 'The Run for the Roses.'
2021 Kentucky Derby - Saturday May 1, 2021
The race takes place at Churchill Downs Racetrack from Louisville, Kentucky and features the top three-year-old horses in the world.
The 2020 Kentucky Derby took place on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 due to the global 'coronavirus' pandemic but the 2021 event is expected to go back to its normal schedule and be run on the first Saturday in May.
2021 Kentucky Derby Betting Odds
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools will once again be offered to bettors.
This betting market provides an opportunity for fans to bet early on the potential Derby horse they think will earn a spot in the starting gate and go on to win the Kentucky Derby race.
The wager can be golden or fool's gold, since you'll need the horse you bet on to qualify for the Kentucky Derby and that's not as easy as you think.
Want To Bet On Kentucky Derby Entries
The Future Wager offers 24 potential selections in each pool.
- 22 Individual Horses
- 1 All 3-Year-Old Fillies (Field)
- 1 All Other-3-Year-Old Males (Field)
The (Field) wager of All Other-3-Year-Old Males normally receives the most betting interest in these pools and bettors can get fixed odds on a horse that isn't included in the 22 selected horses already recognized.
The scheduled 2020-21 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools are listed below:
- Pool 1 - Nov. 26-29
- Pool 2 - Jan. 22-24
- Pool 3 - Feb. 12-14
- Pool 4 - Mar. 5-7
- Pool 5 - Mar. 26-28
2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager - Pool 4 Odds
The Kentucky Derby Pool 4 opened on Friday Mar - 5 and closed on Sunday Mar - 7.
As we inch closer to the first Saturday in May, the odds are starting to tighten around a handful of runners outside of the field wager too -
Kentucky Derby Pool 4 Contenders
- Life Is Good 2/1
- Essential Quality 5/1
- Greatest Honour 6/1
Listed below are the morning-line opening odds for Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
| 2021 Kentucky Derby Fuutre Wager - Pool 4 Odds (3/7/2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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I Want To Bet On Kentucky Derby
2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager - Pool 3 Odds
The Kentucky Derby Pool 3 opened on Friday Feb. 12 and closed on Sunday Feb. 14.
For the third consecutive pool, the Field wager that consists of All Other Three Year Olds closed as the betting favroite, this time at a 3/1 price (Bet $100 to win $300).
A total of $278,396 was wagered on Pool 3 with $52,558 placed on the Field bet (24).
As we inch closer to the first Saturday in May, the odds are starting to tighten around a handful of runners outside of the field wager too.
Kentucky Derby Pool 3 Contenders
- Life Is Good 7/1
- Essential Quality 8/1
- Greatest Honour 9/1
- Prevalence 14/1
- Caddo River 15/1
- Mandaloun 16/1
Listed below are the odds for Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
| 2021 Kentucky Derby Fuutre Wager - Pool 3 Odds (2/14/2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager - Pool 2 Odds
The second pool is underway and we saw a total of $240,767.94 was wagered on 24 choices.
The 24 position or the 'Field' wager on all other three year olds closed as a 9/5 betting choice (Bet $100 to win 180).
After that choice, Life is Good (7/1) and Essential Quality (8/1) received notice in the second pool.
Listed below are the closing odds for Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
| 2021 Kentucky Derby Fuutre Wager - Pool 2 Odds (1/24/2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager - Pool 1 Odds
The first Kentucky Derby pool opened on Thursday Nov. 26 and closed on Saturday Nov. 29.
As expected, the Field wager that consists of All Other Three Year Olds closed as the 6/5 betting favorite.
As far as top contenders, bettors showed their lean to the below horses with their closing odds.
- Life is Good 5/1
- Essential Quality 8/1
- Highly Motivated 18/1
- Jackie's Warrior 18/1
- Keepmeinmind 19/1
| 2021 Kentucky Derby Fuutre Wager - Pool 1 Odds (11/29/2020) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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How to Read the Kentucky Derby Odds
If you’re new to betting on horses, then your starting point for placing bets is understanding the odds for any race or the largest one of them all -- the Kentucky Derby Odds.
Every horse will have betting odds listed next to their number or name and the majority of tracks and sportsbooks list their odds in fractional form. Put simply, the odds are the return that you will receive on your stake or wager on the horse if it wins the race.
The Win wager is the most popular wager in all of horse racing and you’ll cash tickets on this bet if the horse you choose finishes in first place of the race.
Ex. Bet $10 on a horse at 2/1 to win $20
Ex. Bet $10 on a horse at 10/1 to win $100
Bettors wagering $10 on a horse at 2/1 would receive $30 if the horse won because you’ll win $20 on the bet and then receive your initial stake in return.
Where Can You Bet the Kentucky Derby Online in the US?
Kentucky Derby Bets Odds
If you are interested in betting the 2020 Kentucky Derby, there is something that you should be aware of. Online horse racing betting is not legal in all states within the United States but our list below will show you the ones that have legalized it.