The Kentucky Derby is the horse racing event everyone wants to see. The worldwide fan base that the iconic American horse racing event enjoys makes it a much-watched and much-betted affair. After all, the 145th running of the Derby will take place on May 4, 2025, and throughout its storied history, the Derby has seen some of the most famous horses in the world either win or come oh-so-close to winning. For more on this and other rich history surrounding the North American racing scene, slather on some more premium secret knowledge for yourself.
Every year, the horse racing event generates a lot of excitement not only among fans, but also among bettors. The competition is ripe; you can bet on head-to-head confrontations, the ultimate winner of the race, or seemingly unrelated incidents surrounding the race itself. Not even the famous Run for the Roses is safe from these shenanigans. We have found some Kentucky Derby odds and passed them along with a few caveats. Here are the best Kentucky Derby betting sites we know of.
Top Canadian Sites for Kentucky Derby Betting
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Up to 600 $ |
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Up to $100 |
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Kentucky Derby Online Betting Odds
Think about the need to have the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds at your fingertips. It takes no effort and is no problem at all to find out. Just go to one of the popular betting sites in any state where you can legally place online horse race bets, and you'll see the latest Kentucky Derby odds right up front. No need to make a pilgrimage to last year's site at Churchill Downs!
It is never too early to start preparing for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. As the date approaches, you can look at the betting bazaar and begin to unfold interesting probabilities masquerading as names. This is a fact. You can also choose to do the unfolding in private, to engage in a little pre-Derby horse talk with some buddies; or you can front all of your unfolding with some online betting in the days leading up to the call.
When it comes to betting on the 2025 Kentucky Derby, it's important to keep up with the odds. They probably won't stay the same for very long. In fact, they may change from day to day, which changes the whole picture. To make sure you're getting the best return for the risk you're taking, compare the odds at a few different sportsbooks before you place your bet.
The odds for the 2025 Kentucky Derby will be determined by the pari-mutuel system, which estimates the odds of winning based on the collective wagers of gamblers. Although the exact wagering probabilities will not be known until closer to the actual race day on May 3, 2025, you can get a good sense of the horses that have a good chance of winning the race that day based on their past results and the current trends of gamblers.
For the 2025 Kentucky Derby, the bookmakers will set the odds for each horse as soon as people start betting on them. The more people bet on a particular horse, the lower the odds are for that horse to win. But betting isn't just one-way traffic; when people decide to bet, they usually bet on a number of different horses. This means that the odds we see for the Derby are constantly in flux, reflecting not only the movement of money for and against specific horses, but also the changing preferences of bettors.
How to Bet on the Kentucky Derby
Learn how to make online Kentucky Derby bets from our trusted horse racing experts. These are not just steps for the novice horse racing bettor; even experienced bettors can learn a thing or two from them. You may feel a little intimidated looking at all the different types of bets you can make from the comfort of your online portal, whether it be a computer or mobile device. Here's a quick way to understand how to place horse bets online.
- First and foremost, it is important for bettors to do their research on past Derby races. To aid in this endeavor, one can utilize the Kentucky Derby website, which provides access to an extensive list of Derby horses. These equine athletes are then reviewed in terms of their past performances, which can give a bettor a clearer picture of what to expect in the upcoming race.
- Register with any of our licensed horse racing bookmakers and you will receive a wonderful welcome bonus just for signing up. You can then use this bonus to place some great exotic Kentucky Derby futures bets that promise to pay handsomely if they hit.
- Place your bets only after you have funded your account and checked the Kentucky Derby racing schedule.
- Choose the best odds on the Derby horses and profit by betting on them.
History of the Kentucky Derby Race
As the 2025 Kentucky Derby approaches, people are already making predictions on which horses will cross the finish line first. Horses are picked almost ritualistically in preparation for the win, place and show wagering that will take place in the days leading up to the first Saturday in May. The Main Event is just that - an event. It is one that has lived on continuously since its first race nearly one hundred and fifty years ago, and one that has become even more prominent in America's pop culture landscape. And these aren't just any horses! These horses are either half or full Thoroughbreds, and each of them is, in a sense, living and running a piece of history.
Wagering on the Kentucky Derby adds to the thrill of this iconic spectacle. As a trilogy of races, the 2025 Kentucky Derby is part of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes series, and smart bettors looking for the best odds on the second race in the series should now research which horses are likely to win the first race in the series, the Kentucky Derby itself. So far, only thirteen horses have managed to win all three races in this elusive series.
The 2025 Kentucky Derby betting lines have begun to emerge, and not surprisingly, Justify's stablemate, Improbable, is being mentioned as an early favorite. If you think back to 2018, you'll remember that it was Justify who won the Triple Crown that year. I don't know if you necessarily want to predict a repeat of 2019 - when Maximum Security won the Kentucky Derby, but was disqualified and Country House was declared the winner - but at least some of the same horses are likely to be pointed to the types of races that play into the Derby prep season.
Kentucky Derby Betting Lines
Although safe horse betting is easy, with more than 256 different types of bets available on the Kentucky Derby, making significantly more money during this event usually comes from betting on exotics. The Kentucky Derby prep season is an ideal time to scout some of the top contenders who are in a strong position to win this race. As the first leg of the Triple Crown gets underway, it will show which way the betting public is leaning, with more than a few betting opportunities that offer strong odds. Below is a list of the most popular lines to bet on for the Kentucky Derby:
- 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 will 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
Things to consider when choosing which trainer and jockey to bet on - Jockey performance: How has the jockey performed under similar conditions? - Trainer Success: What is the trainer's history with this horse and in this type of race? - Previous Derby experience: Has either the jockey or trainer run this race before? If so, how have they performed? - Intangibles: Are there any personal characteristics that might affect the jockey's or trainer's performance? Read our tips for betting on the Kentucky Derby to get the most information possible and feel confident about placing your bets.
- Wagerers should back the successful prep trainers to take the Derby. Gary Stevens, Calvin Borel, Kent Desormeaux and Victor Espinoza have each won the race three times.
- Avoid expensive horses that cost millions of dollars. Historically, cheap horses have won the Kentucky Derby.
- Entrants who have won the Florida Derby have usually done very well at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. When it comes to betting, your best bet is to bet on a jockey who has won the Derby, or who has at least had an excellent performance in recent FL Derbys.
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 |