Horse Betting in Kentucky

The Kentucky Derby, also known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” is the most popular horse race in the world in terms of viewership and bettor participation. The event is the first race in the annual Triple Crown series, and it takes place on the first Saturday in May every year. With up to 20 horses taking to the starting gate to compete, horse enthusiasts have plenty of opportunities to wager.

Derby Day betting presents several different ways to wager on the horses. A “win” bet is placed on which equine athlete you believe will win the race, a “place” bet is on a horse to finish in the top two positions and a “show” is a bet on finishing in the top three spots. If you want to bet on which horses will finish first and second in a specific order, bet an exacta. A trifecta bet is similar, but you are betting on three horses to finish first, second, and third in the Kentucky Derby. Win-place-show bets are the most simplistic wager types, but they do not yield payouts as high as exactas, trifectas, etc.

The Run for the Roses takes place at the historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. However, you can still wager on the event from anywhere in the world. The same types of bets will be available and you can always live-stream the event from your location. Just visit your local race track, off-track betting facility, or online racebook sites like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI, or 5Dimes to start placing bets on this year’s running of the Kentucky Derby.

Betting On The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby, also known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” is the most popular horse race in the world in terms of bettor participation. The event is the first race in the Triple Crown lineup and it takes place on the first Saturday in May every year. With 20 horses taking to the starting gate to compete, horse enthusiasts have plenty of opportunities to wager.

Derby Day betting presents several different ways to wager on the horses. A “win” bet is placed on which equine athlete you believe will win the race, a “place” bet is on a horse to finish in the top two positions and a “show” is a bet on finishing in the top three spots. If you want to bet on which horses will finish first and second in a specific order, bet an exacta. A trifecta bet is similar, however you are betting on three horses to finish first, second, and third in the Kentucky Derby. Win-place-show bets are the most simplistic but do not yield payouts as high as exactas, trifectas, etc.

The Run for the Roses takes place at the historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. However, you can still wager on the event from anywhere in the world. The same types of bets will be available and you can always live stream the event from your location. Just visit your local race track, off-track betting facility, or online racebook site like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI or 5Dimes to start placing bets on this year’s running of the Kentucky Derby.

2020 Kentucky Derby Odds

The 2020 running of the 146th Kentucky Derby is shaping out to be a competitive one. Tiz The Law is the heavy favorite in this one for a reason as he has already claimed the Belmont Stakes back in June and less than two months later, he won the Travers Stakes. Art Collector, who was second on the odds board, unfortunately, has been scratched from the race due to injury. With Art Collector gone the odds have shifted but Tiz The Law has remained the heavy favorite to win. The Derby is set to begin on Saturday, September 5th at 2:30 p.m. EST.

GATE HORSE ODDS
17 Tiz The Law -150
16 Honor A. P. +650
18 Authentic +1000
10 Thousand Words +1800
6 King Guillermo +2200
15 NY Traffic +2500
12 Sole Volante +3300
2 Max Player +4000
3 Enforceable +4000
GATE HORSE ODDS
5 Major Fed +5000
7 Money Moves +5500
13 Attachment Rate +5500
4 Storm The Court +6600
1 Finnick The Fierce +8000
8 South Bend +8000
9 Mr. Big News +10000
11 Necker Island +12500
14 Winning Impression +12500
Betting On The Triple Crown

The final two jewels of the Triple Crown are the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. These take place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, respectively. In Triple Crown history, there have been 23 close contenders with only 13 actual winners. The most recent winner was Justify in 2018, who was the second Triple Crown champion in four years after a 37-year drought was ended by American Pharoah in 2015. As such, these two ponies inspired horse enthusiasts everywhere to more closely follow Triple Crown betting odds.

The best way to bet on the Triple Crown is to get in on the action early. Betting odds for horses will be most ideal in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby and tend to go down dramatically once the races begin. You will have a much larger potential payout if you place your bet before a horse wins both the Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Taking a look back, for example, American Pharoah’s odds to win the Triple Crown were at +1000 before the Derby, then after the race, they moved to +250. By the time of the Belmont Stakes, American Pharoah’s odds to win were at -130.

You can place the same bets on the Triple Crown as you can on any other horse race, such as win, place, and show. Betting across the board can be beneficial because you have the potential to receive all three payoffs should your horse win. Exotic bets are also favorable, as betting $2 on a trifecta or superfecta can yield a huge payout, especially when the underdog pulls through with an upset win.

Kentucky Horse Racing Tracks
Churchill Downs
Track Types
  • Dirt - 1 Mile
  • Turf - 7 Furlongs
2019 Racing Seasons
  • April 27 - June 29
  • Sept. 13 – Sept. 29
  • Oct. 27 – Dec. 1

Kentucky is the home of American horse racing and the thoroughbred breeding industry, so it should come as no surprise that the Bluegrass State is home to several prominent horse racing venues, the most notable of which is the historic Churchill Downs in Louisville. The track is the site of a number of racing events including the Clark Handicap, the Kentucky Oaks and, most famously, the Kentucky Derby. The legendary track, known for its symbolic twin spires, was also the host of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup, bringing even more racing action to the state of Kentucky. When there are not live racing events, you can still bet on the races happening at other famous tracks as the venue offers simulcast wagering. The track is easy to find from the Nashville airport. Simply take Interstate 264 to Exit 10, and then turn right while heading north on Third Street (or Southern Parkway) toward Central Avenue. For Gate 10, you can make a left turn at Fourth Street and keep right around the barns. Gate 17 is straight off of Central Avenue.

Churchill Downs: 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY
Keeneland
Track Types
  • Dirt - 1 1/16-mile
  • Turf - 7½ furlongs
2019 Racing Seasons
  • April 4 – April 26
  • Oct. 4 – Oct. 26

Keeneland, located in Lexington, is another racetrack with a longstanding history of thoroughbred breeding and racing in Kentucky. The race track is considered a breeding ground for future champions, as there have been 21 Kentucky Derby winners, 23 Preakness winners, and 20 Belmont Stakes winners that have been sold at one of the facility’s famous horse sales days. When it comes to horse racing betting and events, many of the prep races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks take place at Keeneland, along with the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. Keeneland has made it easy to bet on the Spring Meet and other races with trackside betting experts to help answer questions and provide horse racing tips. Live simulcast horse racing allows you to watch and wager on races happening at Parx Racing, Mahoning Valley, Turf Paradise, and other tracks around the country. To get to Keeneland from Nashville, take Interstate 65 North to Elizabethtown and then swing onto the Bluegrass Parkway, heading east toward the U.S. 60 exit. From U.S. 60 East, the Keeneland race track will be located on the left across from Blue Grass Airport.

Keeneland: 4201 Versailles Road Lexington, KY
Turfway Park
Track Types
  • Dirt - 1 Mile
2019 Racing Seasons
  • Holiday Meet: Dec. 4 – Dec. 3
  • Winter/Spring Meet: TBA

Turfway Park is a horse racing track located in Florence, Kentucky, and it, like its more famous counterparts, has roots that trace back to the late 19th century – in this case back to the construction of the original 1883 Latonia Race Course. The track was the first in the Bluegrass State to start offering simulcast wagering, a wagering option that is now featured at every KY race track. It was also the first track to offer horseplayers Pick 3 wagering options. The venue at Turfway is the host of the Spiral Stakes, a race 9 furlongs in length, which has been around since the 1972 racing season. Thoroughbred racing takes place through April 1st, with simulcasts available Wednesday through Sunday throughout the entire year. To get to Turfway Park, take Interstate 71/75 to Exit 182 for Turfway Road. The racetrack will be just off the exit to the right, so getting to the venue is a cinch.

Turfway Park: 7500 Turfway Rd, Florence, KY
Off Track Betting in Kentucky

Even though there is plenty of live Kentucky hose betting action going on around the state, there are currently no off-track betting (OTB) locations. There are several on-track simulcast wagering options at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, The Red Mile and Turfway Park. That being said, there are still multiple ways for patrons to bet the ponies without having to physically visit one of the live horse racing tracks.

The closest you will get to off-track betting in KY is mobile horse betting. Mobile wagering allows you to bet on horse races while on the go. All you need is an internet connection, and an iPhone, Android or Windows device. Horseplayers can even place wagers from their iPad, Surface or other mobile tablet. The mobile betting platform is streamlined so that you can place bets fast, and there is no separate app download required to gain access if you are an account holder at Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI or 5Dimes.

Another OTB option is to bet on horses online. While certain local tracks offer their own online betting platforms, there are also a multitude of offshore online racebooks that provide even more wagering options and bigger bonuses. The best online horse racing betting sites allow horse bettors to place wagers from the convenience of their homes. You can get racing odds from all of the horse tracks in Kentucky, along with tracks all over the country. Live horse racing videos and real-time race information will be provided in the racebook.

Mobile racebook apps also enable users to view horse racing results, track your bets and live stream races all from one convenient platform while on the go. Offshore online racebooks also offer exclusive rebates that range from 4 percent to 8 percent of daily wagers. With Triple Crown betting being so popular, you will always find the latest updates and results on the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. For horseplayers that love Kentucky horse betting, overseas racebooks offer all of the wagering action you need.

BetOnline 7% Horse Betting Rebates + Fast Payouts

BetOnline has everything you need and more when it comes to online horse betting. Over a decade of experience has allowed BetOnline to offer one of the best online racebooks on the internet. There are exclusive horseplayer promotions that you will not find anywhere else, such as the 7 percent rebate on each and every horse bet. There is no maximum on the number of wagers you can place, or the rebate amount that you can receive. In addition, BetOnline offers new racebook members a $25 risk-free bet for their first wager. If your bet wins, you can continue wagering and making more profit. If your bet loses, BetOnline will reimburse your account with the original $25 that you wagered. You can put money on the Kentucky Derby completely risk free! No special promo code is required, just email freeplay@BetOnline.ag within 24 hours of your losing ticket.

BetOnline also has the fastest and most reliable payout methods. No other racebook guarantees cash delivery within 36 hours or less. Bitcoin is the most expedient option and you can withdraw anywhere from $20 to $5,000 with the same day payout option. There are never any fees for using Bitcoin, which is also why it is the No. 1 recommended payout option. The cashier now offers person-to-person payouts online, which the process is even faster and you can receive funds within a day or two. The banking limits for these methods usually have $50 minimums and $400 maximums, and there is a small fee that will have to be verified with the cashier. The BetOnline racebook accepts horseplayers from all 50 states and from all over the world. Visit BetOnline.ag now and start betting on the Triple Crown!

Bovada The Leader In Mobile Kentucky Derby Betting

The Kentucky Derby is America’s most famous thoroughbred horse race. So why not use America’s No. 1 most trusted racebook when betting on the Kentucky Derby? Bovada’s racebook works exclusively with American bettors, allowing them access to the earliest and best betting odds for races around the world. Here, you will be able to wager on anything involved with Kentucky horse betting, and even more important, you’ll be able to bet from almost anywhere in the country.

The Bovada racebook site has the absolute best mobile betting site. With a browser-based interface, you will be able to access this book from any mobile device, be it Apple, Android, or Windows. Everything you do on the computer can now be done on your smartphone or tablet. You’ll never miss out on any of the action, and best yet, races that you can stream on the computer can now be streamed through your mobile device, so you can bet on the race and watch it wherever you are. Bovada’s online racebook is one of a kind, giving bettors the absolute best in mobile Kentucky derby betting. To get in on all of the action, create an account today.

SportsBetting 75% Bonus Up To $1,000

Using an online horse racing betting site has its perks. Chief among those advantages are the bonuses you become eligible for. I mean, who doesn’t like free money or playing the ponies on the bookmaker’s dime? For the absolute best horse racing bonuses, you’ll need to check out SportsBetting.ag. When you sign up for SportsBetting racebook, this book will match your deposit by 50 percent, giving you up to $1,000 in free play money (promo code “SB1000”). After you’ve worked your way through that, you’ll be eligible for so many more promotions. Their bonus for life matches 25 percent of every single deposit you make, going up to $1,000 each time (promo code “FORLIFE”). All that extra cash in your account allows you to place bigger and better bets.

At this racebook, you’ll have so many different races available to you that you will never run out of events to wager on. SportsBetting also offers free play credits to its members for trying new features, like the mobile site. No matter whether you win or lose the bet, you’ll be a winner because SportsBetting will cover you up to $25 the first time you use their mobile site. You will be hard-pressed to find better online racebook than SportsBetting.ag, especially if bonuses and other perks are your thing.

5Dimes Rebates Up To 9% Daily

As one of the oldest and most established online racebooks, you can expect a lot from 5Dimes. One of the best things you can receive daily from this racebook is their 9 percent rebate. For every day you place a wager on a horse race, whether it is $5 or $500, you can earn up to 9 percent back when you create an account with their rebate racebook. 5Dimes has one of the largest selections of races for you to wager on, including events that take place in Canada, Japan, and even in Australia. You’ll never run out of wagering options at this site either.

You will always have your basics like win, place, or show. But you’ll also always be guaranteed the opportunity for Daily Doubles, exactas, trifectas, and even superfectas. 5Dimes has remained a top name in the online horse racing betting world by offering its players more than a thousand wagering options daily. The perks that come with signing up for an account with this racebook are borderline limitless. So what are you waiting for?

Top Sportsbooks for Kentucky Horse Betting
FAQ's About Kentucky Horse Betting

Is It Legal To Bet On The Kentucky Derby Online?

Yes, it is completely legal to bet on the Kentucky Derby online. The only difference between using an online racebook to bet on the Kentucky Derby and using a land-based location is the greater convenience of doing so via the internet. Both methods are completely legal to use so long as you are betting on the races through the pari-mutuel form of wagering. Using an online racebook ensures that residents in states without convenient off-track betting (OTB) locations are getting a legal option for betting on the Kentucky Derby, that being one that allows horseplayers to place whatever bet they’d like.

How Can I Bet On The Kentucky Derby?

Betting on the Kentucky Derby can be done in a number of different ways. You’ve got your straight bets – win, place, and show – where you bet on a single horse to come in either first place (win), first or second (place), or first, second, or third (show). These are considered safer and have small payouts.

You can also bet on the Kentucky Derby by placing exotic wagers. These are bets like an exacta, where you choose the finishing order of the first and second place horses. Trifectas require you to name the horses that will finish in first, second, and third place in order. Superfectas add another level of difficulty by requiring the bettor to name, in exact order, the first, second, third, and fourth place horses.

These are just a few of the most common ways to bet on the Kentucky Derby. There are multi-race bets and other exotic wagers that can be placed, but not all land-based locations will have these. For these and even more wager types, head to an online racebook. They’ll give you the widest selection of wagers to choose from.

Do Online Racebooks Offer Mobile Horse Betting Apps?

Due to the in-depth software that goes into online racebooks, it is hard to put everything you would need into an app. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use a mobile device to bet on your favorite racing events. Online horse racing betting sites have mobile versions of their sites, which allow you to access your account through your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet. All you have to do is log on through your device’s browser. The best thing about this mobile format is that it doesn’t matter if you have an Apple or Android product – the sites are compatible with all operating systems.

Is Betting Online Similar To Wagering At The Track?

Betting online is very similar to wagering at the track. There are a few key differences, however. The first is the convenience – placing bets online is much easier than buying a ticket to attend the race and betting at the track or driving to an OTB shop. The second is that online racebooks are able to offer more wager types because they have the sources to cover the bets. This is because they are open to millions more people than land-based locations are. Online racebooks also allow you to choose between several different payment methods when placing your bets. Most racetracks and off-track betting shops only deal with cash, which does limit what you can do. Online racebooks allow you to use credit cards, digital currency, and even checks or money orders.

How Many Horses Are In The Kentucky Derby?

The total number of horses that can run in the Kentucky Derby is 20, although the total number of starters doesn’t always reach the maximum each year. Horses that qualify must pay the entrance fee, which some owners can’t afford. Other horses that earn a starting spot might become injured or sick prior to the race and pull out. If the race does reach full capacity, however, you will see 20 3-year-old thoroughbreds lined up at the gate awaiting their chance to make history.

What Does it Mean To Scratch A Horse?

When you hear that a horse is scratched, it means that they won’t be running in the race that they had entered into. Scratches happen for a number of different reasons, like illness or injury. Trainers can also pull a horse from a race if they don’t like what the weather has done to the track – i.e. too much rain making the dirt too soft – or if they don’t think the horse has trained hard enough. Horses can also be scratched from a race by failing the pre-race inspection.

If you wager on a horse that is scratched, two different scenarios will occur. The first is that you made a single race bet on the scratched horse. If this is the case, the ticket becomes void and the track will return your money to you. The second is that you placed a multiple race bet that included the scratch horse such as a Daily Double wager. The track will change your pick from the scratched horse to the race favorite.

How Important Are Jockeys To Winning The Race?

You might think that jockeys aren’t that important in terms of how a horse performs on race day, but they do play a crucial role, especially if you’re betting on the race. The horse has to do all of the heavy lifting, but when it comes to the strategy and knowing when to run full throttle and when to hold back a little, that’s where the jockey comes in. Having a horse with all the talent in the world will win you a number of races, but the big ones, like the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, rely just as much on strategy as they do on raw talent.

That’s why you see so many of the same jockeys winning these big races year after year – they know how to guide a talented horse into first place. So, if you’re unsure of which horse to bet on, take a look at their jockey. If they’ve won that particular race before or won similar races to it, they’ll be a safer bet than an untested jockey.

How Do you Collect A Deposit Bonus?

Depending on the online racebook you’ve signed up for, you have the chance to earn a deposit bonus. If you would like to add it to your account, all you have to do is select that bonus type when you’re making your deposit, and the book will automatically calculate how much should be credited to your account.

There are a couple of stipulations to collecting that bonus after you’ve added it to your account.

Most only racebooks have something called a rollover. This is a number of times you’ll need to bet your bonus money before you can withdraw it. The money must be wagered the requisite number of times in full before you can take it out of your account.

For example: You earn $100 bonus after depositing $100. The rollover on this bonus is 6x. So, you have to wager the deposit you made ($100) + the bonus ($100) = $200 six times. That’s a total of $1200 that has to be wagered before you can collect your bonus. Wagering this amount doesn’t have to be done all at once, but the total amount does have to be wagered before you can collect any of it. Before you add any bonuses to your account, make sure you check what the rollover amount is.