Legal Kentucky Derby Betting Sites
It is easy to find legal Kentucky Derby betting sites from wherever you are and without any hesitation. These betting sites are legal across the United States and have so much to offer to enhance your experience using them to its fullest potential. That is thanks to the bonuses and quality Kentucky Derby odds that you’ll be able to get in on. Any questions that you might have regarding legal betting on the Kentucky Derby can be found on this page.
You’ll find everything that there is to know about betting on the 2024 Kentucky Derby from which are the best online racebooks to use and what you can find on them, and the different bets that you can make on the race.
The 2024 Kentucky Derby wrapped up with Mystik Dan finishing first. The thoroughbred opened with +2000 odds and jumped to +400 odds to win the Preakness Stakes after the Derby win. Kenneth McPeek (trainer) and Brian Hernandez (jockey) got their first Kentucky Derby wins with Mystik Dan.
2024 Opening Kentucky Derby Odds
- 17. Fierceness +200
- 2. Sierra Leone +350
- 11. Forever Young +850
- 4. Catching Freedom +900
- 8. Just A Touch +1000
- 7. Honor Marie +1400
- 1. Dornoch +2000
- 3. Mystik Dan +2000
- 6. Just Steel +2200
- 18. Stronghold +2200
- 15. Domestic Product +2500
- 19. Resilience +2500
- 12. Track Phantom +3000
- 14. Endlessly +3000
- 10. T O Password +3500
- 5. Catalytic +4000
- 13. West Saratoga +4000
- 20. Society Man +4000
- 21. Epic Ride +4000
- 16. Grand Mo The First +5000
You can choose from some of the best online betting sites to bet on the Kentucky Derby and it isn’t hard to see why they are regarded so highly of. New users can sign up for accounts using bonuses that they offer, some of which are specific to horse racing. There are mobile platforms that are compatible with several devices. You’ll also find that these sites have strong security measures in place as well.
Bovada has one of the best bonuses for new users to take advantage of when betting on the Kentucky Derby online. New users can earn up to $250 when first signing up with their 50% deposit match where they’ll match it up to that amount. There are also no restrictions on what you can use your bonus funds to bet on meaning you’ll always be able to bet on any Kentucky Derby odds that you come across.
It is easy to bet on the Kentucky Derby on BetOnline right from your phone. They have a mobile-optimized site that they continue to work on to make it easy to come across all of their odds with just the touch of a finger. You’ll be able to bet on the Kentucky Derby from several smartphones that have internet access including iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Android, Google Pixel, and much more.
You won’t ever have to worry about safety on MyBookie as they make sure that you are secured when using their site to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Starting with their customer service, it is one of the best that you’ll find as it is 24/7 and they will literally get on the phone with you and will help guide you through any issues you might have. Also, their backend security features make sure that all of your information is stored safely as well.
Unlike the legal restrictions placed on sports gambling, horse racing betting is widely accepted in the United States. There are 43 states where pari-mutuel wagering has been made legal. Some of these states have a mixture of live racetracks and off-track betting (OTB) locations. Others have legalized pari-mutuel wagering but do not have any physical tracks. That leaves only 7 states and the District of Columbia that do not offer horse racing betting.
However, residents of these states (and all states) can use offshore online racebooks to safely bet the ponies. On a federal level, there is only one law that directly regulates horse racing: the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 (IHRA). The Act authorizes licensed racetracks and betting facilities to send and accept bets from persons not physically located within the state. The IHRA essentially allows bettors to wager on races all over the US as long as the pastime is legal in the wager’s originating state as well as in its destination state. Of course, if you use an offshore racebook to bet on the Kentucky Derby, you can even do so in states that don’t have tracks or pari-mutuel betting laws of their own.
Whether you are making a deposit or withdrawal when betting on the Kentucky Derby, there are several financial methods that you could choose from to do so. From everyday methods like credit and debit cards to crypto and other forms of online banking, you’ll never be left empty-handed. There are guidelines that you’ll need to abide by to complete the process though for both deposits and withdrawals such as fees, processing times, and limits that can vary based on which site and method you choose. Below are some of the banking methods you can use for deposits and withdrawals.
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
- Cryptocurrency
- MatchPay
- Wire Transfer
- Check By Courier
- Money Order
Making a deposit into your Kentucky Derby betting account is quick and painless and could take a total of 5 minutes. Some of the betting sites have different methods and minimum and maximum deposits that you’ll be able to choose from and abide by. They aren’t hard to abide by with some sites have as low of a minimum as $10.
| Sportsbook: | Min. Deposit: | Max. Deposit: |
|---|---|---|
| Bovada | $10 | $15,000 |
| BetOnline | $20 | $100,000 |
| MyBookie | $20 | No Maximum |
The withdrawal methods after betting on the Kentucky Derby range with the different options that you have. There are a few things that you’ll need to take note of though such as not being able to withdraw back to your debit or credit card. Also, you can only make a withdrawal with crypto if you make your initial deposit with that specific crypto.
| Sportsbook: | Min. Deposit: | Max. Deposit: |
|---|---|---|
| Bovada | $10 | No Maximum |
| BetOnline | $20 | $100,000 |
| MyBookie | $25 | $50,000 |
To start placing bets on the first jewel of the Triple Crown, you will need to become familiar with the legal Kentucky Derby wager types. Horse bet types are the same no matter where you choose to place your wagers. There are straight bets that are commonly wagered, as well as exotic horse bets that are more complex. Overall, horse racing wager types are much simpler than bet types associated with other sports. Here are some of the common types of bets that can be placed on the Kentucky Derby:
- Win – A bet on your horse to win the race.
- Place – A wager on your pick to finish in the top 2.
- Show – Betting on the horse to finish in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.
- Exacta – You must correctly select the horse to finish first and the horse to finish second in the Kentucky Derby.
- Trifecta – A bet on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in exact order.
- Superfecta – Correctly selecting the top four finishers in specific order.
Many times, fans of the Kentucky Derby will simply place a bet based on a horses name or on the clear favorite. Those looking to make more informed bets should learn the ins and outs of how to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Looking at past Kentucky Derby winners and historical betting odds can help with predicting how a particular horse might perform in the upcoming race. Trends can be noted in the success at certain post positions, how often favorites have won, and the number of winners that have gone onto secure the Triple Crown. With over 140 horses to have won the Kentucky Derby since its inception, here are the most recent winners of the Kentucky Derby and some of the biggest legends of all time (asterisks denote Triple Crown winners):
- Mystik Dan (2024)
- Mage (2023)
- Rich Strike (2022)
- Medina Spirit (2021)
- Authentic (2020)
- Country Horse (2019)
- Justify* (2018)
- Always Dreaming (2017)
- Nyquist (2016)
- American Pharoah* (2015)
- California Chrome (2014)
- Big Brown (2008)
- Barbaro (2006)
- Spectacular Bid (1979)
- Affirmed* (1978)
- Seattle Slew* (1977)
- Secretariat* (1973)
- Citation* (1948)
- Assault* (1946)
- Count Fleet* (2013)
- Whirlaway* (1941)
- War Admiral* (1937)
- Omaha* (1935)
- Gallant Fox* (1930)
- Sir Barton* (1919)
- Donerail (2013)
- Aristides (1875)
The track rules for betting on the Kentucky Derby can slightly vary depending on where you are placing your bet. One aspect that generally remains the same is that bets will close just a few minutes before The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports begins. When using an online horse racing betting site, you can also review any rules on betting limits, wagering restrictions (i.e. no parlays, payout ceilings, etc.), and scratches prior to placing your bets. Whatever book you choose, there will usually be an entire page dedicated to the house horse betting rules, and reading it beforehand will prevent any surprises.
Legal online Kentucky Derby betting sites offer the same bets that you are accustomed to placing at the racetrack. Horse racing betting sites will accept action on both straight and exotic wagers on horse betting odds. Some bets are more complicated than others, especially when betting on multiple races, but we can give you a crash course on the horse racing bets that you will want to know. The horse bet types that we mention are universal, and you will find them at any reputable online horse racing betting site that you use for betting on Derby Day.
- Win – A bet on your selected horse to win the race.
- Place – A bet that your selected horse will finish in 1st or 2nd place.
- Show – A bet that your selected horse will finish in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.
- Across the Board (Win, Place & Show) – When you bet “across the board”, you are essentially making three separate Win, Place, and Show bets. If you wager $2 across the board on horse #5, you are betting $2 to win, $2 to place, and $2 to show, thus risking a total of $6 (the price of the ticket). Should your horse win, you would receive the payouts for all three bets. Place, you receive the Place and Show winnings. Show, and you will receive the Show payout.
- Exacta –An exacta bet is when you wager on which horses will finish 1st and 2nd, in that exact order.
- Exacta Box – For an exacta box, you will select two or more horses and bet on them to finish first or second in any order. For example, being that the minimum bet amount is generally $1, you could assemble a $1 exacta box on 3 horses. There are 6 possible combinations that would result in you winning the bet. Thus, the cost of your exacta box would be $6. If it were a $2 exacta box, the price of the ticket would be $12, a $3 box would cost $18, and so on.
| Exacta Quick Reference Guide | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of HORSES | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| COMBINATIONS | 2 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 30 | 42 | 56 | 72 |
| COST FOR $2 | $4 | $12 | $24 | $40 | $60 | $84 | $112 | $144 |
- Trifecta – A trifecta is a bet on which horses will finish in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in that exact order.
- Trifecta Box – A trifecta box is where you pick 3 or more horses and bet on them to come in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in any order. Let’s say that you like horse #2, #5, #7, and #8. Your four-horse box would have a total of 24 different possible combinations for each horse to finish anywhere in the top 3. The minimum cost of boxing a trifecta is $1 per selection, which means you would pay $24 for this particular bet.
| Trifecta Quick Reference Guide | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of HORSES | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| COMBINATIONS | 6 | 24 | 60 | 120 | 210 | 336 |
| COST FOR $2 | $12 | $48 | $120 | $240 | $420 | $672 |
- Superfecta – For a winning superfecta wager, you must select the first four finishers of a race in that exact order.
- Superfecta Box – A superfecta box also involves the first four finishers, but it takes all possible combinations of your 4 or more horses to finish in any order. If you buy a $1 superfecta box and pick 5 horses, for example, you give yourself 120 possible winning combinations. Thus, such a ticket would cost $120.
| Superfecta Quick Reference Guide | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of HORSES | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| COMBINATIONS | 24 | 120 | 360 | 840 | 1680 | |
| COST FOR $2 | $48 | $240 | $720 | $1,680 | $3,360 | |
- Churchill Downs
- 700 Central Ave.
- Louisville, KY 40208
Driving from the west (St. Louis)
Take I-264 East from 1-64E. Take exit 9 (Taylor Blvd). Go north on Taylor Blvd, exit onto Longfield Ave for Gate 10 and Central Ave for Gate 17.
Driving from the east (Lexington)
Take I-264 West from 1-64W. Take Exit 10 (Third St/Southern Pkwy). Take a right and head north on Third St/Southern Pkwy. Go to Central Ave. Turn left for Gate 17, continuing on Central Ave. Turn left on fourth St for Gate 10, bearing right (You will pass the barns).
Driving from the south (Nashville)
Take I-65 North or I-264 West to Exit 10 (Third St/Southern Pkwy). Take a right and head north on Third St/Southern Pkwy. Go to Central Ave. Turn left for Gate 17, continuing on Central Ave. Turn left on fourth St for Gate 10, bearing right (You will pass the barns).
Driving from the north (Indianapolis)
Take I-65 South. Take exit 132 (Crittenden Drive). This exit veers left. Continue on Crittenden Drive, going straight. Take a right a Central Ave intersection, then continue straight down Central Ave for 1.6 miles, then you will reach the track.
Morning line odds are posted by a handicapper at the racetrack before wagering begins. These odds are meant to be a prediction of how the actual pari-mutuel odds will pan out at post time. While not binding for betting purposes, these numbers are reliable at forecasting who the betting favorite will be. Morning line odds are more informational than anything else, as they just give an idea of how the general public will bet. Your payouts will be determined by the actual odds, which will fluctuate throughout the day depending on the amount of money wagered on each horse. As such, understanding Kentucky derby betting odds is vital. After you have handicapped several other aspects of the race, you can factor in the morning line odds to see how it compares to your data. This is part of shopping Kentucky Derby betting odds so you can find the find the best values on the board.
The “tote board” has been a staple of horse racing betting since it was first brought to the US in the 1930s. In modern times, the tote board – “tote” is short for “totalizator”, which is another name for pari-mutuel betting – is run by computer software that supplies bettors with real-time odds and updates on the betting activity happening at the track. The tote board serves as a useful handicapping tool because it allows you to see how the public is betting and how this affects the odds. The tote board can also help with timing your bets. Once you understand how to read the tote board, you can use it to your advantage when determining a betting strategy. Below is a list of typical information that you will find on the tote board at Churchill Downs (or any other racetrack):
- Race Number
- MTP – (minutes until the start of the race)
- Post Time – (the time the race is scheduled to begin)
- Time of Day
- Track Condition – (takes weather conditions into consideration)
- Pools – (total amount of money wagered)
- Odds
- Will Pays – (for exotics involving multiple races)
- Fractions
- Final Time
- Unofficial/Official – (when the results of the race have been made official)
- Pay Outs
There are a few things that every horseplayer should know before placing a bet. One of the great aspects of horse betting is that the protocol is the same no matter where you place your wager. This means that whether you are at the ticket counter or online, the same information will be necessary. For efficiency and consistency, all tickets will contain the following details:
- Track Name
- Race Number
- Dollar Amount Of Bet
- Type Of Bet
- Horse Number
All of this information is pretty self-explanatory, but let’s say you were placing a Derby Day bet at your online racebook. You would be able to easily navigate through the necessary screens to select the bet details, and the information on your ticket would look something like this: Churchill Downs, Race 4, $4 to Place on horse #2.
Triple Crown betting involves making a wager on the horse that you believe can win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby is the first opportunity to see how up to 20 selected Thoroughbreds perform in the sport’s most highly competitive environment. Once a winner is announced at the Derby, there is now a possibility that there could be a Triple Crown winner when all is said and done. When you start betting on the Triple Crown after Derby Day, you are betting on a particular horse to win the next two races. Triple Crown betting is one of the most exciting ways to wager because Triple Crown winners are few and far between, though they historically tend to come in bunches.
The 2024 Triple Crown season is once again upon us, with millions of fans ready to watch the races. Each leg of the Triple Crown will showcase the most talented three-year-old Thoroughbreds in the world. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg (aka the first jewel) of the Triple Crown, always taking place on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. This is followed by the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD, just three weeks later. Finally, the Triple Crown races conclude with the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, two weeks later. Below is the complete Triple Crown 2024 schedule.
- The Kentucky Derby - Saturday, May 4, 2024 - Churchill Downs – Louisville, KY
- The Preakness – Saturday, May 17, 2024 – Pimlico Race Course – Baltimor3, MD
- The Belmont Stakes – Saturday, June 8, 2024 – Belmont Park – Elmont, N.Y.
There have been 13 Triple Crown winners in the history of American Thoroughbred racing, and each year, horse enthusiasts speculate if yet another champion will arise. Each of the following three-year-olds accomplished the feat of winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in the same year. With the races occurring within mere weeks of each other, the journey is a true test of endurance and stamina. The most recent winner of the Triple Crown is Justify, who was only the second horse to do so since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978. Will this year’s race to the Triple Crown bring a new champion?
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus | H. G. Bedwell | J.K.L. Ross |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | James Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1935 | Omaha | Willie “Smokey” Saunders | James Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1937 | War Admiral | Charles Kurtsinger | George Conway | Samuel D. Riddle |
| 1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | Mrs. J. D. Hertz |
| 1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | King Ranch |
| 1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | William Turner, Jr. | Karen L. Taylor |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | Lazaro S. Barrera | Harbor View Farm |
| 2015 | American Pharaoh | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables |
| 2018 | Justify | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | WinStar Farm |
The Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest and most well-revered sporting events in American history. The event itself dates back to 1875, though the concept of the Derby began a few years prior. In 1872, Meriwether Lewis Clark decided to create a marquee horse racing event in the US after taking inspiration from his experiences at Epsom Derby in England and his interactions with the French Jockey Club. He was gifted land by his uncles Henry and John Churchill, and the rest is history. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was Aristides (1875), who was ridden by jockey Oliver Lewis and finished first in a field of 15 by clocking a time of 2:37.75.
The Kentucky Derby was originally contested at 1 1/2 miles, but the race was shortened to 1 1/4 mile in 1896. It was also in this year that winning horse Ben Brush and jockey Willie Simms received a wreath of roses for their efforts. Many often wonder where the race got its nickname “Run For the Roses”, and we can speculate that this marked the beginning of the Derby’s association with that particular flower. By 1904, when Kentucky made the red rose its official flower, the rose had already become synonymous with the Derby in terms of decoration and its traditional gifting to winners. It was in 1925 that New York sportswriter Bill Corum coined the phrase “Run for the Roses”, and it eventually became an official nickname of the Kentucky Derby.
The 1 1/4th-mile race - also known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” due to the approximate length of time it takes for the winner to run from the gate to the finish - is run by 3-year-old male and female Thoroughbred horses. The race is run on the dirt track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. To receive an invitation to compete in the Derby, a horse must first compete in various contests known as the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Road to the Kentucky Derby consists of roughly 45 races, though most horses only run a select few of these. There is a point system used in the races, and the 18 horses with the most points after the series concludes earn a spot in the Derby. Two slots are reserved for the winners of the European Road to the Kentucky Derby series and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
The famed Kentucky Derby garners spectators from all over the world, and the winning pony takes nearly $2 million of the total $3 million purse. The top five horses each get a portion of the total purse. This purse increases fairly regularly, but the winnings pale in comparison to the lifetime studding fees that a well-performing Derby pony will earn after retiring from racing (typically as a four-year-old).
Most horse enthusiasts that are new to betting on the Sport of Kings will have additional questions. You might wonder what happens if your horse is scratched, or you’ll want to learn more about how to bet on the Kentucky Derby at a local track. You can find detailed explanations of horse bet types, deposit methods, and more throughout this site, but we also want to help fill in any blanks. Take a look at our full list of Kentucky Derby FAQs and find out the answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding betting on the Run for the Roses.
What happens if my horse is scratched from the Kentucky Derby field?
If your horse is scratched from the Kentucky Derby, your resolution will be determined by the house rules of the venue where you wager. Typically, refunds will be offered, but some racebooks will assign alternate horses as outline in their rulebooks. If the scratched horse was part of a larger exotic wager, you will only have that aspect of your wager refunded or adjusted. If you place a futures bet on the Kentucky Derby winner and this horse fails to race for any reason (including injury, illness, owner’s decision, etc.), you simply lose the wager.
What happens if the Kentucky Derby ends in a tie?
No Kentucky Derby race has ever ended in a tie, also called a “dead heat.” With the photographic and electrical sensor technology used in modern races, dead heats are less likely than ever. However, if the Derby does end in a tie, most tracks will combine the pools for the two horses and share the winnings proportionally.
How do I wager on the Kentucky Derby at my local track?
If your local track or OTB facility has simulcast horse racing wagering, betting on the Kentucky Derby at such a venue is as simple as visiting the ticket counter and placing your wager. With venues with electronic kiosks, you can place your wager as you would for any other race. Note that the pool at your track will not mirror the odds at Churchill Downs, as the payout will be determined only by action at that particular track.
How can I handicap horses when betting over the Internet?
Normally, handicapping horses is one of the pleasures of onsite horse betting. Bettors can observe the horses as they warm up, analyze their gaits and course conditions, get a look at the jockeys, and more. Online, none of that is possible to do first-hand, and you’ll need to find a reliable newswire service to pass along appropriate, pertinent information in a timely manner. You can get a look at the horses on pre-race TV broadcasts, and many websites offer live coverage and pre-race analysis of the Kentucky Derby. And, as always, Google is your frenemy.
What are the best deposit methods to use at online Kentucky Derby racebooks?
Most horseplayers use credit or debit cards to fill up their accounts at overseas racebooks. However, these transactions are limited in the amount that you can deposit at any given time, and they can even be blocked by your bank on rare occasions. For the best, most reliable, fastest deposit strategy for Kentucky Derby betting, it’s best to use Bitcoin or a supported cryptocurrency. These transfer in just minutes, and they are 100% guaranteed.
What are the fastest payout methods at Kentucky Derby betting sites?
By far the fastest way to claim your Kentucky Derby winnings from an offshore racebook is to be paid out in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. Instead of paying large fees and waiting up to two weeks to receive your money via traditional methods like courier checks, money orders, or bank wires, crypto allows you to receive your funds in a matter of hours with no extra fees attached!
Do I have to pay taxes on my Kentucky Derby winnings even if I use an offshore racebook?
Yes, you always have to pay taxes on your Kentucky Derby winnings. This is also true for all other horse betting winnings, online casino game winnings, online sportsbook winnings, and online poker winnings. For instructions on how to claim your winnings on your income taxes, you can visit this official IRS primer * https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc419 * on the subject.