Betting on the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is appropriately called "The most exciting two minutes in sports" but what takes the excitement to a new level is making a bet and cashing a winning ticket.
Where to Place a Bet
- Attend the Derby at Churchill Downs
- Visit your local track
- Go to a simulcast facility
- Place your bets online using an Advance Deposit Wagering account (ADW)
Betting Strategy
There are many different ways to bet the Derby, but with the largest payouts of the year you won't want to miss out. The Derby, with 20 horses and so many betting options, offers tremendous value with large payouts.
Types of Wagers
Win/Place/Show
Collectively called straight bets, the most popular bets are the win, place, and show bets. If you bet to win, the horse must come in first. If you bet to place, it must be first or second, and if you bet to show, it must finish in one of the top three spots, a finish called "in the money". The minimum amount for these bets is $2. If you are playing straight bets for the Derby, you might want to consider betting several horses as it increases your chances to collect and the payouts will justify the wager.
Exacta/Trifecta/Superfecta
“Exotic” wagers start with the exacta, trifecta, and superfecta. In an exacta, you must pick the horses that will finish in the top 2 positions in order. For a trifecta, it’s the top three in order, and a superfecta is the top four in order. You can play any of these bets for $1. You can also “box” the bet, as well. For example, boxing a $1 exacta means that the two horses you picked can finish in either order in the top two positions, but the bet now costs you $2 because there are two possible winning combinations. A boxed trifecta of three horses will cost $6 instead of $1 because there are 6 possible winning combinations. In order to hit the exacta, trifecta, or superfecta on the Derby, using more horses in your box might be a good way to play. A $1 five horse trifecta box costs $60. Last year's $1 trifecta paid $20,750.30.
Daily Double/Pick 3/Pick 4/Pick 6
Multi race exotics can be extremely lucrative, but are difficult to hit especially when using the Derby as a leg. A Pick 3 bet is a bet on the winners of three straight races; a Pick 4 is bet on four straight winners; and a Pick 6 is a bet on six straight winners. Catching a multi race exotic, involving the Derby as a leg, usually results in a big payout. Last year's 50 cent pick 4 ending with the Derby paid $10,221.15.
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