Bet the Kentucky Derby Online
When is the Kentucky Derby?
The Run For the Roses will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2024.
The Kentucky Derby, and prep-races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, bring tradition and action into a focused energy for the country and world. The Kentucky Derby spans to the European Road to the Kentucky Derby as well as the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and the UAE Derby in Dubai frequently produces a contender on the First Saturday in May. The global phenomena of the Kentucky Derby provides lucrative betting opportunities for both casual observers and high action bettors. There is a skill element at hand with handicapping angles in play.
Kentucky Derby Odds & Handicapping
When placing bets on the Kentucky Derby, knowing how to place the bet is as important as which horse you want to bet! Here are steps and knowledge to know for betting on the Kentucky Derby.
- When entering your bet:
- Know the racetrack (Churchill Downs in this case)
- Know the race number (12 is the race number for Kentucky Derby 150, noted below)
- Know the amount you want to bet (typically $2 for one horse in straight bets like a WIN bet)
- Know the wager type you want to bet (straight: win 1st, place 2nd, show 3rd OR exotics: exacta 1st & 2nd, trifecta 1st & 2nd & 3rd)
- Betting is PARIMUTUEL
- You are NOT betting against the house, you are betting against OTHER PEOPLE. The money you enter is combined into a pool of total funds for the bet type made.
- Example: If you were to make a win bet, your money enters into a pool of everyone's funds used towards a WIN bet. Then the payout is the distribution of funds in that pool, minus a few fees.
- You are NOT betting against the house, you are betting against OTHER PEOPLE. The money you enter is combined into a pool of total funds for the bet type made.
- Odds for the Kentucky Derby are drawn as 'Morning Line'
- Later odds become influenced by parimutuel shifts in wagering volume by the public as money enters the betting pools.
- There are analysts who handicap for a living, consider their insights
- With one of America's oldest sports in horse racing, betting is a part of the experience. Racing truly is a game of skill and provides real opportunities to utilize data, pedigree and history as views into a horse's performance. Allow those who live and breath horse racing to guide your opinions formed on who could win!
TwinSpires
The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge
The 2025 Kentucky Derby will see the return of a major tournament in the Official Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge and offer $250,000 in guaranteed prizes at TwinSpires.com!
Register here for the next upcoming tournament at TwinSpires!
The first official Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Qualifier Tournament will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27 featuring the opening day card of the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs. One KDBC seat will be guaranteed. In addition, one BCBC seat will also be guaranteed as a part of this Qualifier event. A series of feeder tournaments will take place prior to this qualifier, beginning on Saturday, Oct. 12.
- $5,000 Total Buy-In
- $3,500 to Bankroll
- $1,500 to Prize Pool
- Maximum of two (2) entries per person.
- Players must wager all $3,500 of their bankroll across all specified races at Churchill Downs.
- The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
- 100% of Prize Pool is paid out as Prizes.
- Entries will be accepted up until 11:00AM ET, post time of the first race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Official Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Qualifier Calendar
| Date | Tournament Type | Racetrack | Seat Implications | Min. # of Races | Minimum $ per Race | Wager Types |
|---|
10/27/24 | KDBC-BCBC Qualifier | Churchill | One (1) KDBC Seat and One (1) BCBC Seat Guaranteed | 5 | $70.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
11/9/24 | KDBC Qualifier | Churchill | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
11/23/24 | KDBC-NHC Qualifier | Churchill | One (1) KDBC Seat and One (1) NHC Seat Guaranteed | 5 | $70.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
11/30/24 | KDBC Qualifier | Churchill | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
12/7/24 | KDBC Qualifier | Oaklawn | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
12/21/24 | KDBC Qualifier | Fair Grounds | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
12/28/24 | KDBC-NHC Qualifier | Turfway | One (1) KDBC Seat and One (1) NHC Seat Guaranteed | 5 | $70.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
1/4/25 | KDBC Qualifier | Oaklawn | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
1/18/25 | KDBC Qualifier | Fair Grounds | One (1) KDBC Seat for every 33 Participating Players | 5 | $25.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
1/26/25 | KDBC-NHC Qualifier | TBD | One (1) KDBC Seat and One (1) NHC Seat Guaranteed | 5 | $70.00 | Win, Place, Show, Daily Double, Exacta, Trifecta |
Showing 1 to 10 of 24 entries
Kentucky Derby Horses & Contenders
Horses set to run in the Kentucky Derby have typically earned points in a prep-race series known as The Road to the Kentucky Derby. These races each provide points that can accumulate to further assure admittance into the starting gate on the First Saturday in May. Click on a horse name to read a brief bio about each Kentucky Derby contender on KentuckyDerby.com.
Find the list of Kentucky Derby horses by points earnings soon.
When, Where and How to watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby
FREE streaming of the Kentucky Derby simulcast feed, which holds all racing, paddock footage and all on-air analyst handicapping, is found at the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, TwinSpires.com - All dates subject to change until officially drawn.
| RACE | POST TIME | WAGERING MENU |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:30 AM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P5 |
| 2 | 11:01 AM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P4 |
| 3 | 11:31 AM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P5 |
| 4 | 12:04 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P4, (All Stakes, All Dirt P5) |
| 5 | 12:36 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P5 |
| 6 | 1:14 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P4 |
| 7 | 1:56 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, DC6 |
| 8 | 2:46 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P5 |
| 9 | 3:40 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P4 |
| 10 | 4:31 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P5 |
| 11 | 5:27 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD, P3, P4 [Old Forester Turf Classic] |
| 12 | 6:57 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD [Kentucky Derby 151] |
| 13 | 8:00 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5, DD |
| 14 | 8:35 PM | WPS, EX, TRI, SUPER, SH5 |