Betting on The Kentucky Derby
One of the most famous and prestigious horse races in the world, the history of the Kentucky Derby stretches back to 1875, when Aristides crossed the finish line as the winner of the very first Derby. Known as the Run for the Roses – due to the fact the winner is draped in a carpet of the flowers – and also as “the most exciting two minutes in sports”, the Derby is held every year on the first Saturday in May under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Derby is run at the “American classic” distance of 1 1/4 miles (ten furlongs) on the dirt track. The purse was raised to $5 million as of 2024, with $3.1 million going to the winner, making it one of the riches horse races in the world. And, no wonder: the race features up to 20 of the best three-year-old Thoroughbred horses in the country. Between this race and the Kentucky Oaks, the three-year-old fillies’ feature, the day before, this is the betting event of the year!
Restricted to three-year-old horses, the Derby signifies the very basic idea behind the history of racing – who has the fastest young horse in their barn? It also carries major significance as the first leg of the American Triple Crown series. Obviously, only one horse can win the Derby, and then that horse is the only one with a shot at sweeping both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, achieving legendary status as a Triple Crown winner.
Since recognition of the Triple Crown started with the first running of the Derby (the Preakness first ran two years earlier, and the Belmont debuted in 1867) only 13 horses have managed the feat.
Kentucky Derby Betting Guide
No wonder every horseplayer enjoys betting on the Kentucky Derby: not only is it one of the most exciting races of the year, but the 20-horse field means big payouts in exotics and even in the win pool. In recent years long shots like Rich Strike and Country House have offered enormous win payouts, and even if a favorite wins there is always a Kentucky Derby longshot who helps exacta, trifecta, and superfecta wagers pay big.
Such is the nature of betting the Derby, where smart handicapping leads to big exotic payouts, especially when the wager is placed with Bovada, our #1 recommended online racebook.
Kentucky Derby Betting Online
When betting on the Kentucky Derby, it pays to play online! There is nothing more convenient than betting from home, on the go, or anywhere with an internet connection. If you bet from one of our recommended online racebooks, you are guaranteed market-leading odds, trusted payouts, and a great betting experience. Our racebooks make horse racing betting as easy as any kind of sports betting!
These racebooks also offer bonuses that bettors will never find at the racetrack. From welcome bonuses to horse racing rebates to exclusive promo codes and bonus codes, you’ll make more money betting the Kentucky Derby from an online sportsbook. Let our expert recommendations and reviews take the mystery out of how to bet on the Kentucky Derby!
Best Kentucky Derby betting sites
It is no mystery where to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Our experts have done the homework and know what the best betting sites are. These are your best choices for online betting for Kentucky Derby 2025 as well as horse racing betting and even sporting events betting all year long:
* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!
Kentucky Derby Trail
If you have ever wondered, how early can you bet on the Kentucky Derby? The Road to the Kentucky Derby begins in September with the Iroquois Stakes. Kentucky Derby futures typically begin when the prep races start, and continue until the Run for the Roses. Kentucky Derby betting payouts can be extra sweet if you bet early and you choose the right horse!
It runs through the autumn, past the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and on to the traditional winter tracks. It reaches its high points in races like the Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and the Wood Memorial in New York.
In short, once you have your account created for the best online betting sites, you can play the Kentucky Derby online for most of the year, all the way until Derby Day! (And, naturally, you can bet all of those prep races, too!)
2025 Kentucky Derby Bets
With Kentucky Derby betting online, you can bet the you can play the same types of bets you would from the track and more from the comfort of your own home. This includes straight wagers like win bets, place bets, and show bets on each horse. These are simple: if your horse finishes first, second, or third respectively, you win!
You can also shoot for a huge score with exotic wagers like exactas, trifectas, superfectas, and multi-race wagers. Dive deep into the past performances; these can be harder to hit, but you can win life-changing amounts of money if you are correct.
Make sure to use a Kentucky Derby Betting Odds calculator to find out how much your wager costs and ensure that you are getting the right odds on the horses you are playing. If the Kentucky Derby betting payouts are bigger than you would expect given the horses’ actual chances, that is an overlay and it’s the perfect time to bet!
2025 Kentucky Derby Best Bets
The 2025 Kentucky Derby is coming up on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The 20-horse field has been drawn, with 21st entrant Baeza on the outside looking in. Betting is coming in hot, so it's time to meet the major contenders and place your bets!
2025 Kentucky Derby Odds
These are the odds on the horses at the top of the 2025 Kentucky Derby betting market. Make sure to follow them all the way until post time. They could change based on how they are training, if the trainer announces a jockey change, what the post position draw is, or if a horse defects from the field.
Track the Kentucky Derby online betting odds all the way until post time. If you see a better price than you think you should get on a horse you think can be the Kentucky Derby winner, it’s the perfect time to place your bet and lock in your odds! Remember, you can only do that when you bet the Kentucky Derby online: if you bet at the track, pari-mutuel odds will change until post time. So, playing online is better.
2025 Kentucky Derby Favorites
Journalism is the favorite in most markets for the Kentucky Derby. It makes sense: he is undefeated at two turns, he has won at three different tracks, and he has beaten the best California has to offer, over and over again. With tactical speed he should be able to stay out of a pace battle, and he proved in the Santa Anita Derby, his final prep, that he does not need an easy trip to win.
Sovereignty, the second favorite in many markets, also has a chance. The Bill Mott trainee is already a graded winner at Churchill Downs, and at three he won the Fountain of Youth (G2) and ran a good second in the Florida Derby (G1). He is a closer with sharp turn of foot who should be able to take advantage of the red-hot early pace signed on for the run for the roses.
2025 Kentucky Derby Best Bet
Burnham Square is the 2025 Kentucky Derby best bet. He comes into the run for the roses off of a very smart prep race, a nose victory in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, where he rallied from last. That day he ran down lone leader East Avenue, though this time he is going to have a lot more speed to chase down. In short, it's an even better setup.
Burnham Square also has the versatility to not have to close from far off of it, if track biases demand that. Pace versatility, especially from a good middle gate like Burnham Square got, can be the key to winning the Kentucky Derby.
2025 Kentucky Derby Longshots
A couple of longshots to keep your eyes on include Chunk of Gold and Grande. Chunk of Gold rallied for place in the last two preps at Fair Grounds, and should get a good trip at a huge price under underrated jockey Jareth Loveberry. Grande only has three races, but he drew a good middle gate and he has shown the ability to run well from either a stalking style or an off-pace style, a tractable nature that always helps in the Kentucky Derby.
