States Without Legal Kentucky Derby Betting
Though the first jewel of the Triple Crown draws in millions of dollars each May, there are a few states without legal Kentucky Derby betting. Generally speaking, horse betting looked upon favorably. Many states have live racing dates at local racetracks, such as Churchill Downs in Louisville. There are also off-track betting locations, like restaurants and bars, where patrons can wager on races happening at tracks all over the United States. You will find that quite a few states have both options, plus online racebooks that can be accessed anywhere with Wi-Fi.
Being that each state is able to determine what forms of betting are permitted within its jurisdiction, there are residents that will find no local options for betting on the Kentucky Derby. Even if this is the case, there are options for wagering on which three-year-old will win the Run for the Roses. Horse racing betting sites offer a solution and provide even more wagering options than would be found at a physical betting facility. If you want to know if you can legally bet on the Kentucky Derby in your state, continue reading. Whether you have land-based options or not, we can give suggestions on the best sites for legal Kentucky Derby betting.
To fully understand the legality of horse betting, you will first want to know exactly what pari-mutuel wagering is. Pari-mutuel betting is a system where all horse bets are placed into a pool and the payoff is formulated by sharing the pool amongst all winners. This is different from sports betting, which is considered gambling and has its own federal restrictions.
Federal laws such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) and Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) have specific carve-outs for pari-mutuel wagering. For example, an excerpt from 28 U.S. Code § 3704 (PASPA) reads that “Section 3702 shall not apply to… parimutuel animal racing or jai-alai games.” Each individual state can determine their own laws related to pari-mutuel wagering.
Even with its widespread acceptance, a handful of states have opted not to legalize pari-mutuel wagering. With no tracks or OTB locations, residents in states without legal Kentucky Derby betting must use online racebooks. Horse racing betting sites are completely safe to use and offer the same Kentucky Derby odds that you would find at Churchill Downs or any other track. The straight and exotic horse bets accepted are also the same. Here is a full list of the current states without legal pari-mutuel horse wagering:
Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, and the District of Columbia.
There’s a high probability that you reside in one of the states with legal Kentucky Derby betting. 43 out of 50 states offer some kind of horse betting option, and even if there is no physical track, pari-mutuel betting is still legal. There is no need to feel compelled to visit Louisville when the federal Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 (IHRA) makes it legal for licensed racetracks to accept wagers from out-of-state bettors. Here are the states that have legalized pari-mutuel wagering:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The majority of horse enthusiasts are using online racebooks to bet on the Kentucky Derby, regardless of if their proximity to a live racetrack or OTB. The best sites for legal Kentucky Derby horse betting accept residents from all 50 states. Racebook deposits are secure and you can always count on receiving your Kentucky Derby winnings. Online racebooks also provide huge bonuses that allow bigger bets on your favorite Thoroughbred. The top online sportsbooks for betting on the Kentucky Derby are BetOnline and 5Dimes.
| Race Day: |
| Saturday, May 3, 2025 |
| Post Time: |
| 6:57 pm EDT |
| Race Day: |
| Churchill Downs |
| Track: |
| Louisville, Kentucky |
| Track Length: |
| 1.25 Miles |
BetOnline is one of the leading online racebooks for USA horse bettors. The site accepts players from all 50 states, which means that anyone can join regardless of where they reside. Highly reputable, BetOnline has been providing horse betting odds for decades and has plenty of action during the Kentucky Derby. You can even get your bets in early by checking out Kentucky Derby future odds. Horse enthusiasts can place bets on the race up until the official post time.
When you join BetOnline Racebook, there are a few offers to take note of. The first is the $25 Risk-Free Horse Bet. You can make a bet of up to $25, and should it lose, you will be credited with a free-play of an equal amount. All you have to do is email customer service with your ticket number. BetOnline also has daily horse bet rebates of up to 7% on all horse bets. You can take advantage of all that BetOnline Racebook has to offer today.