The 2024 Kentucky Derby will take the center stage on the first Saturday this May as the world’s most promising thoroughbreds compete for a place in horse racing history. Fans can watch the action live and bet on the Kentucky Derby online, in-person at Churchill Downs, or at OTBs nationwide.

For those who won’t be in attendance and don’t have an OTB nearby, licensed Kentucky Derby betting sites will offer all the same wagers plus live broadcasts and various promotions to celebrate the day.

The 150th edition runs on Saturday, May 4th, 2024, and the following guide has everything fans need to know to bet on the Kentucky Derby online. Read on for an explanation of where it’s legal to bet online, the latest Kentucky Derby odds, and much more.

Best Kentucky Derby Betting Sites

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Betting On The 2024 Kentucky Derby

  • When: Saturday, May 4th, 2024
  • Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
  • Watch It Live: NBC & Peacock from 2:30 to 7:30 PM ET
  • Watch the Kentucky Derby Online: TwinSpires.com
  • Kentucky Derby Post Time: 6:24 PM ET
  • Kentucky Derby Post Draw: Saturday, April 27th, 2024

Horse racing fans can take one of three avenues to bet on the 2024 Kentucky Derby:

  • Online via licensed ADW betting sites and mobile apps (recommended)
  • In-person at off-track betting facilities (OTBs)
  • In-person at Churchill Downs

Betting online is the most convenient option of the three, provided bettors stick with licensed operators. In most states, horse racing fans can choose from multiple horse racing betting apps and ADW websites that are legal, licensed, and safe. Additionally, fans can watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby live from across the country as they bet. NBC holds broadcasting rights and will be showing the Kentucky Derby undercard and main event starting at 2:30 PM ET.

In some states, customers can also visit off-track betting facilities (OTBs) to place wagers in person. Betting with an OTB works much like betting in-person at Churchill Downs, aside from where the bet is placed.

The quality of the experience varies by facility; some OTBs will host extravagant Kentucky Derby watch parties this year, while others will provide little more than a wagering menu and some TVs. Readers can view BettingUSA’s state-by-state pages to read more about horse racing betting options where they live.

For the most authentic and memorable experience, fans can visit Churchill Downs in Louisville to place their Kentucky Derby wagers in person at the track. Race day is quickly approaching, but Churchill Downs is still selling Kentucky Derby tickets for reserved seating and general attendance.

Where To Bet on the Kentucky Derby Online

Online betting is the most convenient method to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Licensed horse racing betting apps and online racebooks operate in most states, and they provide safe, legal, pari-mutuel wagering with full track payouts.

Below is a list of BettingUSA’s recommended Kentucky Derby betting sites. Readers can visit the following racebooks to sign up for accounts, download the official betting app, or place wagers from any desktop computer.

Not all legal online racebooks offer Kentucky Derby betting because every racing betting site must reach a contractual agreement with Churchill Downs to offer wagers on its races. Of the online racebooks that accept Kentucky Derby wagers, BettingUSA recommends one in particular:

  • TwinSpires: The Official Betting Site of the Kentucky Derby

Note: BettingUSA only recommends online racebooks and horse betting apps that are legal and licensed in the United States. TwinSpires is headquartered in the US and conforms to all federal and state laws.

Licensed operators pool all wagers placed online with bets placed at the track, meaning customers receive the same odds and payouts as if they were placing their wagers trackside at Churchill Downs.

The legality of online horse racing betting varies by state. Blue states on the following map permit betting on the Kentucky Derby online, while red states do not. Click or tap any state below for more information and recommended Kentucky Derby betting sites and apps.

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Horse Racing

Can I Bet On The Kentucky Derby In My State?

Horse racing fans in most states can bet on the Kentucky Derby one way or another. Online betting is the most convenient method (see map above), but off-track betting facilities (OTBs) offer a more personal, in-person experience in many states.

Note: See a complete list of OTBs by state here.

States in the YES column allow Kentucky Derby betting, either in-person at OTBs or online via licensed advance-deposit wagering operators (ADWs). States in the NO column do not allow horse racing betting at all.

YES

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi (at select sportsbooks)
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada (at select sportsbooks)
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas (simulcasting at race tracks)
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

NO

  • Alaska
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • North Carolina (state law allows Harrah’s Cherokee sportsbooks to offer horse racing betting, but neither does yet)
  • South Carolina
  • Utah
  • Washington DC (visit Laurel Park in MD to bet in-person)

Kentucky Derby Betting Bonuses And Promotions

Kentucky Derby week is the best time of the year for horse racing betting promotions. Below is BettingUSA’s roundup of the best Kentucky Derby betting promotions from the official online racebook of Churchill Downs: TwinSpires.

TwinSpires Kentucky Derby Betting Promotions

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TwinSpires Kentucky Derby Bonus For New Customers: $200 Sign-Up Bonus

TwinSpires welcomes new customers with up to $200 in bonus cash. New users have 30 days to earn one of two different bonuses:

  • Wager $400 in your first 30 days: Receive $100 in bonus cash
  • Wager $800 in your first 30 days: Receive $200 in bonus cash

Use the TwinSpires Kentucky Derby offer code BET200 to claim this promo.

Money Back if Your Win Bet Selection Finishes 2nd or 3rd in the Kentucky Derby

TwinSpires is offering refunds of up to $10 to customers who place WIN bets on horses that finish 2nd or 3rd in all qualifying races on Kentucky Oaks Day and Kentucky Derby Day.

Kentucky Derby Odds And Contenders

The 2024 Kentucky Derby betting odds will slowly come into focus over the course of the year as the nation’s top thoroughbreds earn season points, win qualifying races, and make names as the next crop of up-and-comers.

Early betting odds will come out as the Road to the Kentucky Derby highlights this season’s most promising contenders, but the official morning line odds won’t come out until the post-position draw the week of the race.

Kentucky Derby Expert Picks

The BettingUSA team is not in the handicapping business, so instead, we compile Kentucky Derby expert picks from around the industry each year. As the biggest horse race of the year approaches, there is no shortage of experts and longtime industry insiders to turn to for quality analysis and predictions.

It’s still too early for high-quality 2024 Kentucky Derby picks, but BettingUSA will update this page as race day approaches. In the meantime, readers can scroll down to see how some of the industry’s most noted experts fared in their predictions last year.

Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby Expert Picks

Each year, Churchill Downs provides a convenient roundup of the top picks from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable insiders. Below are some of the most qualified Kentucky Derby picks readers will find anywhere on the internet.

Kellie Reilly Picks

Kellie’s top three 2023 Kentucky Derby picks consisted of Forte, Practical Move, and Kingsbarns in that order. Her selections largely followed the public’s view of the race, with the thee horses also leading the pack in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool odds, which ended on April 1st. Forte was the only horse in the final pool to end with single-digit odds at 5-2, with Practical Move priced at 14-1 and Kingsbarns at 11-1.

Vance Hanson Picks

Vance Hanson has been involved in horse racing for decades, and he now contributes regularly to Brisnet, TwinSpires.com, and KentuckyDerby.com. Most recently, Vance Hanson had Mandarin Hero as his 2023 Kentucky Derby favorite, followed by Forte at number two and Angel of Empire at number three.

See more picks from the industry’s top handicappers at KentuckyDerby.com.

Neil Greenberg Kentucky Derby Trifecta Pick

Neil Greenberg, a Washington Post staff writer who specializes in sports analytics, always publishes insightful articles on his Kentucky Derby favorites. The selections alone are useful, but newer handicappers should pay special attention to the rationale behind each pick when considering their 2024 Derby selections.

Most recently, Neil Greenberg wrote a piece on 2023 Kentucky Derby contenders to watch and avoid. Interestingly, Greenberg bucked public sentiment by not recommending four-time Grade I winner and public favorite Forte. Greenberg wasn’t sold on Forte because a) his Florida Derby win was against a “lackluster field” and b) his pedigree “raises questions” as to whether Forte could maintain his speed for 1 1/4 miles for the first time.

Instead, Greenberg named these five contenders in no particular order: Angel of Empire, Derma Sotogake, Kingsbarns, Reincarnate, and Two Phil’s. See the full article here for why Greenberg liked each of these horses.

Ed DeRosa Kentucky Derby Expert Picks

Longtime horse racing analyst and industry insider Ed DeRosa shares his expert Kentucky Derby picks with the Louisville Courier-Journal each year, and it’s always worth paying attention to what he says. His strategic approach to building Kentucky Derby bets is unique among racing pundits and can inspire fans to consider new ways of thinking about the race.

In 2023, Ed DeRosa published a Kentucky Derby exacta and trifecta betting strategy that organized the contenders into several categories:

  • His Kentucky Derby favorites: Tapit Trice and Skinner
  • The contenders he liked the least: Confidence Game, Continuar, Derma Sotogake, Jace’s Road, Mage, Kingsbarns, Raise Cain, and Reincarnate

That accounted for half the Kentucky Derby field, and he divided the remainder into two additional categories:

  • Win contenders: Forte, Practical Move, Two Phil’s
  • Exotics contenders: Angel of Empire, Disarm, Lord Miles, Hit Show, Rocket Can, Sun Thunder, and Verifying

With every contender categorized, Ed DeRosa built exactas and trifectas using a smart selection of horses from each category. Fans can see the full article for a more detailed explanation of his strategy and the exact contents of the wagers he placed.

Kentucky Derby Results

The 2023 Kentucky Derby concluded with 15-1 underdog Mage pulling ahead on the last stretch to claim victory just ahead of Two Phil’s and Angel of Empire.

(Pos.) HorseML OddsFinal OddsPost Position
(1st) Mage15-115-18
(2nd) Two Phil’s12-19-13
(3rd) Angel of Empire8-14-114
(4th) Disarm30-127-111
(5th) Hit Show30-124-11
(6th) Derma Sotogake10-17-117
(7th) Tapit Trice5-19-25
(8th) Raise Cain50-133-116
(9th) Rocket Can30-128-118
(10th) Confidence Game20-121-14
(11th) Sun Thunder50-133-113
(12th) Mandarin Hero20-117-122
(13th) Reincarnate50-114-17
(14th) Kingsbarns12-111-16
(15th) King Russell50-132-123
(16th) Verifying15-114-12
(17th) Jace’s Road50-133-112
(18th) Cyclone Mischief30-129-121
Skinner20-1Scratched9
Practical Move10-1Scratched10
Forte3-1Scratched15
Lord Miles30-1Scratched19
Continuar50-1Scratched20

The result was anything but predictable, with five horses withdrawing from the Kentucky Derby for reasons ranging from fevers to a suspension after one trainer lost two horses in the days preceding the Derby. Among the 2023 Kentucky Derby scratches was betting favorite Forte, who withdrew just hours before the race with a bruised foot.

A spate of seven horse deaths at Churchill Downs in the days leading up to the race marred the occasion and still needs to be unpacked. But the show went on, and Mage emerged from a field of 18 to win the 149th Kentucky Derby. Two Phil’s and Angel of Empire secured the second and third place positions a length and a length-and-a-half behind Mage.

The deaths also established a sense of not-taking-any-chances. In the final days and hours before the race, Practical Move, Continuar, Lord Miles, Skinner, and Forte withdrew from the Kentucky Derby. Three alternates, Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero, and King Russel ran from the outside posts but kept their original program numbers.

Practical Move and Skinner withdrew after spiking fevers, while Continuar withdrew for unclear reasons. Continuar’s trainer, Yoshito Yahagi only stated that the horse “has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby.”

Meanwhile, Lord Miles scratched from the Kentucky Derby at the demand of local racing officials and Churchill Downs. Just two days before the race, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and the Board of Stewards announced that all horses trained by Saffie, Joseph, Jr. would be scratched, “effectively immediately and until further notice.”

The KHRC did not immediately provide an explanation, but its decision came following the deaths of multiple horses at Churchill Downs during the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby. Two of the horses were trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. Just earlier that day, Saffie Joseph, Jr. told local media that investigators had already looked into his barn and had “found no wrongdoing.”

Shortly after the KHRC announcement, Churchill Downs announced the indefinite suspension of Saffie Joseph, Jr. In a statement, Churchill Downs said this:

CDI’s decision follows the highly-unusual sudden deaths of two horses trained by Joseph at Churchill Downs Racetrack: Parents Pride on Saturday and Chasing Artie on Tuesday. Lord Miles, trained by Joseph, has been scratched from Saturday’s 149th running of the Kentucky Derby.

How To Bet On The Kentucky Derby

The vast majority of wagers placed on major races such as the Kentucky Derby are simple enough that anyone can get started with a bit of guidance. Ultimately, the goal with every wager is to pick a horse that will finish either in first place or very close to first.

The following wagers are the most common types that most casual race fans can pick up and run with in no time.

Basic Kentucky Derby Bets

  • Win: This is the most straightforward horse racing wager of them all. Bettors pick a horse and place a wager of $2 or more. The bet wins if the selected horse wins the race outright. Any result other than a first-place finish results in a loss for the wager.
  • Place: A place bet wins if the selection finishes in either 1st or 2nd place. This one gives bettors a little more leeway but comes at the cost of a lower total payout.
  • Show: A show bet wins if the horse finishes anywhere in the top three. Bettors get even more leeway with this wager, but it pays even less than a place bet.

Exotic Kentucky Derby Bets

  • Exacta: With an exacta wager, the bettor picks two horses to finish in 1st and 2nd place. The exacta bet only wins if the two horses finish in the exact order specified. This one is more difficult than a basic win wager, so the payouts are higher.
  • Trifecta: A trifecta involves picking three horses to finish in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in that order. The chosen horses must finish in that exact order for this wager to win. The payouts for trifectas are even higher than any other wager described so far. More on Kentucky Derby trifectas below.
  • Superfecta: Moving up one more step in both difficulty and payout is the superfecta bet. In this one, the bettor chooses four horses to finish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place in that exact order. Superfectas are difficult to win but pay very well. See more about Kentucky Derby superfectas below.

Horse racing fans can learn more about these wagers and others at the BettingUSA horse racing betting guide. There, fans can read about all the bets described above plus other options such as boxing and keying horses.

Minimum Kentucky Derby Bets

Churchill Downs offers standard, two-dollar minimums on straight bets, but it imposes special minimums on other wagers on Derby Day:

  • Win/Place Show minimum: $2
  • Exacta minimum: $2 straight bet; $1.00 box/wheel
  • Superfecta minimum: $1
  • Daily Double and Super High-5 minimum: $1
  • Trifecta, Pick-3, Pick-4, Pick-5 minimum: $0.50
  • Derby Day Pick-6 minimum: $1.00
  • Derby City-6 minimum: $0.20

Kentucky Derby Trifectas

The Kentucky Derby trifecta bet is one of the race’s most recognized wagers for one reason: the potential for large payouts. Most years, some of the biggest payouts to bettors are the result of successful trifecta picks.

Choosing three horses to win the Kentucky Derby in that exact order is harder than it sounds, but it’s still within the realm of possibility for casual bettors. Kentucky Derby trifecta payouts vary every year based on which horses place.

When public favorites dominate the top three finishing positions, trifecta payouts can be a few hundred dollars on a $2 bet. On the other hand, when long shots finish in the top three, trifecta payouts can balloon well into five-figure territory. The average Kentucky Derby trifecta payout on a $2 wager going back to 2010 stands at nearly $7,000.

YearWinner$2 Trifecta Payout
2010Super Saver$2,337.40
2011Animal Kingdom$3,952.40
2012I'll Have Another$3,065.60
2013Orb$6,925.60
2014California Chrome$3,424.60
2015American Pharoah$202.00
2016Nyquist$173.40
2017Always Dreaming$16,594.40
2018Justify$282.80
2019Country House$22,950.60
2020Authentic$2,623.60
2021Mandaloun$3,393.80
2022Rich Strike$29,741.40
2023Mage$1,964.72

Kentucky Derby Superfectas

As impressive as trifectas are, Kentucky Derby superfectas put them to shame. Anyone skilled or lucky enough to pick the four winning horses in the correct order stands to win a sizable payout, sometimes worth more than half a million dollars.

Past Kentucky Derby superfecta payouts have ranged from just over $1,000 to nearly $650,000 since 2010, with an average of just over $101,000 over that time.

YearWinner$2 Superfecta Payout
2010Super Saver$202,569.20
2011Animal Kingdom$48,126.00
2012I'll Have Another$96,092.80
2013Orb$57,084.00
2014California Chrome$15,383.80
2015American Pharoah$1,268.20
2016Nyquist$1,084.20
2017Always Dreaming$151,949.00
2018Justify$39,236.40
2019Country House$102,800.20
2020Authentic$15,851.60
2021Mandaloun$18,912.80
2022Rich Strike$643,000.20
2023Mage$31,287.3

How Kentucky Derby Odds Work

The payout odds on each horse are calculated based on current betting action. As money comes in before the race, the odds refresh in real-time (or as close as possible to real-time). The odds posted publicly are subject to change dramatically as more wagers come in but generally provide an accurate representation of which horses are favorites and long shots.

Tracks take all the money that comes in, collect a fee off the top and then distribute the remainder to the winners. Long-shot horses pay the most in this system because fewer people bet on long shots, so fewer people split the pool. Horses perceived as strong pay less because more people bet on the favorites, which results in more winners splitting the pool when that horse wins.

The actual process of calculating the odds is quite complex because there are so many different types and sizes of wagers that will need to be paid off at the end of the race. But generally speaking, it all comes down to how much action bettors put on each horse.

Read more:

Placing any of the above wagers begins with choosing a betting site (see our recommendations above) and making a real money deposit.

Horse racing betting sites provide several methods customers may use to fund Kentucky Derby betting accounts. In most cases, users may fund their accounts via credit card, debit card, electronic bank transfer, and even cash via prepaid betting vouchers. Read more about the various deposit methods here:

Note: You may want to consider making a deposit sooner rather than later. Some deposit methods take a few days to get everything set up before your first deposit. Plus, it’s wise to get it out of the way now in case you have any problems depositing.

2024 Kentucky Derby Futures

Kentucky Derby futures allow horse racing fans to place wagers well in advance of the race, even before the eventual runners have secured their post positions.

Futures are usually the domain of traditional sports betting in which fans bet against the house. However, Churchill Downs offers pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools each year that allow fans to get their bets in on the winners very early.

Kentucky Derby futures are fraught with uncertainty being so far out from race day but offer payouts that are potentially much larger. Horse racing fans should be aware that futures are not refundable. Once they place a future bet, there is no taking it back, even if the selected horse withdraws.

Each year, Churchill Downs hosts four futures Kentucky Derby future pools. The first begins at the end of the previous year, while the next three occur in intervals over the run-up to race day.

Each Kentucky Derby future pool offers 24 individual selections: 23 for horses expected to race and one for “all others” that covers any other potential candidates not yet on the radar.

How The Road To The Kentucky Derby Works

Kentucky Derby prospects get exactly one chance in their lives to take a crack at the Kentucky Derby due to it being open to three-year-olds only. A total of twenty slots are available, so competition to even earn an appearance at the starting gate is fierce.

Most horses vie for one of the twenty slots through a series of 35 prep races called the Road to the Kentucky Derby, beginning in the fall of the year preceding the race. The top four finishers in each prep race earn points for their performances and move up the leaderboard to determine who gets to run in the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs also runs the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and the European Road to the Kentucky Derby to invite one horse from each region.

The number of points up for grabs in each race varies as some races along the way are worth more than others. Early prep races, for example, may award 10 points for a first-place finish, 4 points for a second-place finish, 2 points for a third-place finish, and 1 point for a fourth-place finish.

Some higher-profile races award significantly more points and are therefore highly anticipated as key races to watch for potential Kentucky Derby standouts. For example, the Belmont Stakes issues 150-60-30-15 points for the first four finishers.

After the final race in the series, the top 18 horses with the most points and the winners of the Japan and European roads receive invitations to run in the Kentucky Derby. Fans can track point totals and look for potential contenders each year here.

Kentucky Derby Betting FAQ

No. A support rep confirmed to BettingUSA via e-mail that AmWager does not yet have a contract with Churchill Downs Inc. to offer betting or streaming on the Kentucky Derby.

Yes. It is legal to bet on the Kentucky Derby in most states. Only a handful of states (AK, GA, HI, MO, NC, SC, UT) have zero legal Kentucky Derby betting options.

Kentucky Derby ticket prices vary by year and seating access. Most recently, visitors could buy general admission tickets for as little as $110, with prices going up to $12,000 for an eight-seat table on Millionaires Row.

It’s still much too early to name the 2024 Kentucky Derby betting favorites.

However, the current Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard has some horses worth watching as the race approaches:

Last year, Forte (3-1), Tapit Trice (5-1), and Angel of Empire (8-1), opened as the 2023 Kentucky Derby betting favorites after the post-position draw. All three held strong as the pre-race favorites heading into the final days before the Derby, with Forte shortening to 9-2 and Angel of Empire to 6-1 following the withdrawals of Practical Move and Lord Miles.

Yes. Nevada sportsbooks host annual Kentucky Derby watch parties and take wagers on every race on the card. Additionally, online betting apps like Boyd Sports, STN Sports, and South Point Racebook allow fans to watch and bet on the Kentucky Derby.

No. Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby do not offer quinella wagers. However, bettors can place exacta bets and exacta boxes to approximate quinella wagering.

TwinSpires is the only online racebook authorized to stream the Kentucky Derby live. Alternatively, fans can find watch the Kentucky Derby live stream on Peacock.

Louisville’s Courier-Journal streams the Kentucky Derby draw live each year.

More Information and Resources

The Kentucky Derby is a 1.25-mile race hosted on the first Saturday each May in Louisville, Kentucky. This race is open to 3-year-old Thoroughbreds only. If a horse qualifies to run the derby, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for that horse. Out of all the racing events in the world, the Kentucky Derby is the most prestigious.

The first Kentucky Derby was hosted in 1875 and has run every year since. This year will be the 149th running of the event. Today, the Kentucky Derby is open to exactly 20 horses. To qualify, horses must run the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of 35 races hosted around the world. Each race awards points for first through fourth-place finishes. The 20 horses with the most points at the end of the Road earn a spot at the starting gate.

Useful and Interesting Resources