The Kentucky Derby is the pinnacle of horse racing. Fans everywhere scour the Internet for the best betting opportunities on this event. This year marks the 145th running of the Derby, which will take place on May 4 at Churchill Downs. While this is a uniquely American sporting event, it attracts international interest, and betting on it is now commonplace around the world. Our guide will take you through North America's premier horse racing event, our picks to win, and provide much-maligned context that may actually ensure you enjoy the race.
The annual horse racing event brings thrills and chills to both fans and gamblers. People and a few well-dressed horses have a good time at the track. Yes, you can bet on almost anything there, even the amount of sunscreen your boyfriend will apply before finishing this sentence. Without further ado, here's our annual roundup of all the horseracing sports you can bet on. This includes, of course, the proper horse racing terminology you'll need to avoid sounding like a total idiot in front of a total horse. (And yes, we realize that was a bad segue into this part of the section. Whatever.)
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Kentucky Derby Online Betting Odds
2025 Kentucky Derby odds? No problem at all. All you have to do is visit one of the legal betting sites in any state where you can legally place online horse race bets and you'll be greeted by the latest and greatest Kentucky Derby odds. No need to hoof it all the way to Churchill Downs!
It's never too early to start researching potential contenders for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. As the event approaches, you may find yourself perusing the betting platforms and paying attention to some intriguing odds-related names. If you are a fan of online Kentucky Derby betting, you will probably make your first bets at this point. If you are more of a wait-until-the-last-minute type, you may want to wait until just before the break in betting.
When betting on the 2025 Kentucky Derby, it's absolutely necessary to keep an eye on the odds. Checking the online betting odds often is an excellent idea, as they can vary from day to day. To ensure that you get the most bang for your buck when placing a bet, be sure to compare the odds from several different bookmakers before settling on one.
Calculating the odds of a horse winning the Kentucky Derby in 2025 is done by the pari-mutuel platform, which determines the odds based on the wagers collected from bettors. A scenario won't be known until closer to race day, but you may have a good idea of which horses have the best chance of winning based on past performances and current betting information.
When a volume of money is wagered on the horses in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, the odds for each horse in the field are set by the bookmakers. As more bets are placed on each individual horse, those odds will decrease. Thus, the regular changes in the odds of all Derby race participants will be driven by the trends of our bettors.
How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby
Discover the process of betting on the Kentucky Derby over the internet with our knowledgeable horse racing advisors. Their tips should serve you well, not only if you're new to the world of horse racing and betting, but even if you consider yourself a veteran of this great American pastime. They look at what types of bets you can make, where you can make them, and most importantly, how to put yourself in the best possible position to come out on top.
- First of all, people who are betting on the Derby need to look at the past performances of the horses in the Derby. This is something that can be done easily enough by going on the internet and pulling up the performances of previous years' Derby horses. Derby bettors must also keep in mind that many factors can come into play that can affect the outcome of the race.
- Register with one of our legally operating online horse racing betting sites in Uganda. These sites will reward you with a whopping welcome bonus when you create an account and make your first deposit. You can then use this bonus to fund your bets on the exotic Kentucky Derby futures market.
- Fund your account and view the Kentucky Derby race schedule. Then place your bet.
- Choose the best odds you can find on the Derby horses and make some money betting on them.
History of the Kentucky Derby Race
The 2025 Kentucky Derby is fast approaching and people are already guessing who the winner will be. In fact, many have already gone ahead and declared some horses to be all but certain winners. Of course, the hype is heightened by the long lead up to Derby Day, which is in early May. But even now, as we're in the midst of the Breeders' Cup prep season, it's too early to pick a definite horse.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby adds to the thrill of this time-honored event. The Derby is the first in a three-part series that also includes the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Serious bettors will do their research to find out which horses are favored to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby and then place their bets accordingly, hoping to cash in on some good odds. Only thirteen horses have ever managed to win all three of the races that make up this elite series, and that is just looking at the horses that have done so, not the additional horses like Authentic and Justify that can also be considered winners of this elite series given the changed circumstances surrounding the races due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2025 Kentucky Derby betting lines have been released by the oddsmakers and they have listed Improbable, who happens to be Justify's stablemate, as the early favorite for the Run for the Roses. Some of the horses already making noise about their chances for the race, which will be run at its traditional time on the first Saturday in May, have us dreaming up scenarios that could see either a repeat of 2018, when Justify won the Triple Crown, or more like 2019, when Maximum Security crossed the finish line first but was disqualified and Country House was declared the winner.
Kentucky Derby Betting Lines
While it is easy to place safe bets on horses, with more than 256 different types of bets available on the Kentucky Derby, it is possible to make money by placing more exotic bets. The Kentucky Derby prep season offers the perfect opportunity to see some of the Thoroughbreds that are in pole position to win. The first leg of the Triple Crown will show which way the punters are leaning, with plenty of betting options offering the best odds. Below is a list of the most popular Kentucky Derby betting lines:
- Kentucky Derby Future Odds - bet on the Kentucky Derby future odds, looking at the jockey and trainer with the most potential to win the entire tournament.
- Exacta Betting - bet on the margin of victory in the race, looking at the two most prominent horses to finish first and second.
- Horse Racing Props - predicting various events surrounding the contest that are not necessarily related to the race.
- Morning Line Bets - Sportsbooks list all the entries for the race and the potential odds on each horse before betting begins.
- Win bets - although not the most rewarding, players can bet on the jockeys and trainers who have placed the best Thoroughbred to win the race.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby Strategy
There are several factors to consider when deciding which trainer or jockey to bet on. Check out our betting tips and strategies to help you make informed bets on the Kentucky Derby.
- Wagerers should pick the trainer who has done well in the prep season to win the Derby. Gary Stevens, Calvin Borel, Kent Desormeaux and Victor Espinoza are the only four trainers to win the race three times.
- Avoid expensive horses worth millions of dollars. Historically, the horses that have won the Kentucky Derby have been inexpensive.
- Generally, the horses that have won the Florida Derby have done very well when it comes time to run in the Kentucky Derby. If I am going to bet on a jockey, I want one who has either won the Kentucky Derby or at least won or placed in the Florida Derby. That is what I would call a safe bet.
Most Recent Kentucky Derby Winners in the Last 10 Years
| Year | Winner |
| 2022 | Rich Strike |
| 2021 | Mandaloun |
| 2020 | Authentic |
| 2019 | Country House |
| 2018 | Justify |
| 2017 | Always Dreaming |
| 2016 | Nyquist |
| 2015 | American Pharoah |
| 2014 | California Chrome |
| 2013 | Orb |
| 2012 | I’ll Have Another |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom |
| 2010 | Super Saver |
| 2009 | Mine The Bird |
| 2008 | Big Brown |