Some call it “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” Others claim its name is “the run for the roses.”

• Kentucky Derby Betting Sites
• Safe Betting On Kentucky Derby Odds
• Kentucky Derby Betting Games
• Kentucky Derby Betting Picks

Either way, it is officially the Kentucky Derby and the first leg of US horse racing’s Triple Crown.

The race is run annually in Louisville, KY, on the first Saturday in May at the at legendary Churchill Downs Racetrack. But you don’t have to travel to Kentucky to get in on the betting action.

Where to bet on the Kentucky Derby in PA

Anonymous betting is something that sets bitcoin apart from the traditional forms of betting, but aside from the benefit of discretion, it also ensures safety and security of bettors from malicious online.

In fact, there are six live horse racing facilities and eight off-track betting operations right here in Pennsylvania that are taking bets on the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4.

• The 2019 Kentucky Derby is almost underway. Here are some basic tips for everything that you need to know about the race including how to watch, how pick a horse and online betting.
• Make sure you bet on the Kentucky Derby. That's because betting on the Kentucky Derby is a great way to get a good return on investment. Here, are the best online horse racing betting sites, based on research: Bovada Intertops BetOnline MyBookie SportsBetting.ag So how do you place bets online? Sign up, or log into your favorite site; Select the race you wish to bet.
• Gambling online can be very safe as long as you work with a betting website that can be trusted to protect you. Our list of recommended Kentucky Derby betting sites showcased at the top of this guide.

Plus, there are five well-known horse racing mobile apps available in PA that allow you to place a bet on the race from the privacy of your home. These apps are:

• TwinSpires.com – Churchill Downs’ horse racing app and the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby.
• TVG.com – The top horse race TV and online horse betting site in the country.
• BetAmerica.com – Another Churchill Downs’ horse racing app that also operates online sports betting and online casino products in New Jersey.
• DRF Bets (bets.drf.com) – The online betting platform of the Daily Racing Form.
• NYRABets.com – The New York Racing Association’s online wagering site.

The six live PA horse racing facilities that offer simulcast wagering on the Kentucky Derby and full-scale casino operations are:

• Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester
• Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville
• The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Washington
• Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem
• Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre
• Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie

Of those, four also have attached PA retail sportsbooks. Presque Isle and Mohegan Sun are both in the process of launching sports betting.

Finally, each horse racing operation is authorized to offer simulcast wagering at state-approved PA off-track betting facilities.

These facilities are:

• Northeast Turf Club in Philadelphia’s Roosevelt Mall (Parx)
• South Philadelphia Turf Club on Packer Avenue in Philadelphia’s Stadium District (Parx)
• Valley Forge Turf Club near Valley Forge National Park (Parx)
• Lancaster OTW in Lancaster (Penn National Gaming)
• York OTW in York (Penn National Gaming)
• The Downs at East Stroudsburg in the Poconos (Mohegan Sun Pocono)
• The Downs at Lehigh Valley in Allentown (Mohegan Sun Pocono)
• Meadows Harmar on Anchor Drive in Pittsburgh’s Harmar Township (The Meadows)

How to bet on the Kentucky Derby

According to Churchill Downs, over $150 million is won by people betting on the Kentucky Derby every year. If you want to get in on that, it’s a good idea to learn a few horse racing betting basics first.

There are five basic ways to bet on any single horse race, including the Kentucky Derby.

Win bets

A “win” wager is exactly like it sounds. It’s a bet on a single horse to win the race. If the horse wins, you win, and you get paid based on odds set by the track.

Place bets

A “place” wager is a bet on one horse to finish either first or second. You win if the horse wins or finishes second. You get paid based on odds set by the track, but they’re sure to be smaller than the odds on the horse to win.

Show bets

A “show” wager is a bet on one horse to finish either first, second or third. You win if the horse wins or finishes second or third. You get paid based on odds set by the track, but they’re sure to be smaller than the odds on the horse to win or place.

Exacta bets

An “exacta” is a bet on two horses to finish first and second, in that order. You win if you exactly predict the winning sequence. The difficulty of picking two horses to win and place in exact order means exacta bets pay much bigger odds than most.

However, you can also “box” the wager, essentially betting on the same two horses to win and place in any order. This increases your chances of winning but also lowers your profit.

Trifecta bets

A “trifecta” is a bet on three horses to finish first, second, and third, in that exact order. You win if exactly what you predict to happen actually does. The difficulty of picking three horses to win, place, and show in exact order means trifecta bets pay the biggest odds of any basic bet.

However, you can also “box” the wager, essentially betting on the same three horses to win, place, and show in any order. Again, this increases your likelihood of winning, but also makes a bet more costly, lowering your potential profit.

Watching the Kentucky Derby in PA

The 2019 Kentucky Derby will air nationally on NBC. Coverage begins on May 4 at noon EST with the Kentucky Derby undercard airing on NBC Sports.

From 2:30 p.m. through 7:30 p.m. NBC takes over. Riders mount the horses at st after 6:30 p.m. and the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby is set to begin at 6:50 p.m. EST.

The NBC Sports Live website and NBC Sports app will also live stream the race. The app is available:

• iTunes App Store
• Google Play
• Amazon Fire TV
• Roku
• Box
• Samsung
• Microsoft

Additionally, TwinSpires.com, Churchill Downs’ horse racing app and the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, will host its own live stream online.

NBC Sports is available on DISH and DIRECTV in PA.

NBC affiliates in Pennsylvania include:

• Erie – WICU-TV 12
• Johnstown – WJAC-TV 6
• Lancaster – WGAL 8
• Philadelphia – WCAU 10
• Pittsburgh – WPXI 11
• Wilkes-Barre – WBRE-TV 28

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes (May 18) and the Belmont Stakes (June 8).

145th Kentucky Derby post positions and betting odds

Here is a look at this year’s Derby field.

With the original favorite, Omaha Beach, now a scratch, this is one of the more wide-open Derby’s in recent memory. With a chance of rain, look for horses that fare well in muddy conditions.

If you want to go with pedigree, the two Bob Baffert-trained horses, Roadster and Game Winner, seem to be the frontrunners, and for good reason. Baffert has trained a Derby-winning horse five times. With a win Saturday, he would tie the all-time record.

Last year’s winning jockey, Mike Smith, was set to ride Omaha Beach. However, the 2017 winning jockey, John R. Velazquez, will be in the race, riding Code of Honor. That horse is currently going off at 12-1.

Handicapping the KY Derby horses

1) Tacitus

After winning the Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood Memorial leading up to the Kentucky Derby, the Bill Mott-trained Tacitus comes in as one of the favorites opening at 6 to 1.

2) Vekoma

Vekoma won the 2019 Blue Grass Stakes heading into the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Louisville local George Weaver, Vekoma opened at 15 to 1.

3) Plus Que Parfait

Plus Que Parfait finished first in the UAE Derby, but Dubai-based horses have never done well in Kentucky. The Brendan Walsh-trained horse is a longshot to win opening at a lofty 50 to 1.

4) Roadster

Trainer Bob Baffert has compared Roadster to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. After surgery to correct a breathing problem, Roadster won the Santa Anita Derby this year and looks to be another Kentucky Derby favorite opening at 5 to 1.

5) By My Standards

The Bret Calhoun-trained By My Standards won at the Louisiana Derby on the path to the Kentucky Derby. However, horses from the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans have not finished strong in Louisville. By My Standards opened at 20 to 1.

6) Maximum Security

Maximum Security is an undefeated horse coming off a wire-to-wire win in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Jason Servis, Maximum Security opened at 10 to 1.

7) Game Winner

The Bob Baffert-trained Game Winner finished second to 2019 Kentucky Derby favorites Roadster and Omaha Beach in consecutive Kentucky Derby prep races. However, the horse won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and division championship as a 2-year-old. Game Winner opened at 8 to 1.

8) Code of Honor

The Shug McGaughey-trained Code of Honor earned the points necessary for a Kentucky Derby berth finishing third in the Florida Derby. However, the horse did win the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park and will open at the Kentucky Derby at 15 to 1.

9) Haikal

Haikal finished third in the Wood Memorial coming off a Gotham Stakes win at Aqueduct. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained horse opens at 30 to 1.

10) Improbable

Kentucky Derby Betting Sites

Improbable opens at 10 to 1 after two second-place finishes this year, the last one in the Arkansas Derby. The Bob Baffert-trained horse is possibly a threat to win and most definitely to place.

11) War of Will

War of Will opens at 20 to 1 coming off a ninth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby. However, Trainer Mark Casse had most pundits thinking War of Will was a Derby favorite before a bad start in that race. He won the Lecomte and Risen Star and the price is right.

12) Long Range Toddy

A sixth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby has the Steve Asmussen-trained Long Range Toddy opening at 30-1. However, he has four career victories, including a win over Improbable in the Rebel.

13) Tax

Tax finished second in the Wood Memorial. Trainer Danny Gargan has turned this one-time claiming horse into his first Derby starter, but not likely a contender. Tax opens at 30 to 1.

14) Cutting Humor

Cutting Humor is coming off a win at the Sunland Derby. However, the Todd Pletcher-trained horse opens at 30-1 with pundits giving Cutting Humor little chance of repeating that feat.

15) Win Win Win

Win Win Win probably won’t at the Kentucky Derby this year. Trainer Mike Trombetta got a win at Tampa Bay Downs in January, and a runner-up finish at the Blue Grass Stakes out of the horse. However, he never really challenged Vekoma in that race and will open at 30 to 1.

16) Country House

Country House will open at 30 to 1 after coming in third at the Arkansas Derby for trainer Bill Mott. Unless you believe the sloppy track at Oaklawn Park was to blame, Country House will not be a real factor in the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

17) Gray Magician

Gray Magician is a real longshot to win the 2019 Kentucky Derby opening at 50-1. This is the Peter Miller-trained horse that finished runner-up in the UAE Derby.

18) Spinoff

Spinoff is yet another horse that will open at 30 to 1 after a runner-up finish in his last race. Spinoff’s second came in the Louisiana Derby where the Todd Pletcher–trained horse gave up the lead down the stretch.

19) Master Fencer

Safe Betting On Kentucky Derby Odds

Master Fencer is the Japanese invite to the race and will come in as the other true longshot opening at 50-1. Trained by former jockey Koichi Tsunoda, Master Fencer has never won a stakes race. Co-owner Katsumi Yoshizawa said he feels lucky just to be there and his biggest hope is that the horse returns home safely.

The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race of the year in North America and one of the biggest in the world. In some parts of the United States, the Kentucky Derby is treated almost like a holiday complete with people taking off work, hosting watch parties and (of course) betting on who will win it this year.

Betting and horse racing are intimately intertwined, and the Kentucky Derby is one of the most extreme examples of this. Last year, the Kentucky Derby attracted nearly $140 million in total wagers from legal, trackable sources just in the USA.

Best Betting Sites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby

Those lucky enough to attend the 2018 Kentucky Derby in person are far from the only people who will be betting on the race this year. No matter where you live, there is a way to bet on the Kentucky Derby. Whether you live in the United States or anywhere else in the world, you can bet on the Kentucky Derby online and watch this year’s race with something on the line.

The best website to bet on the Kentucky Derby is different if you live in the United States versus anywhere else in the world, so we’ll tackle this subject in two stages. Let’s begin with our horse racing fans in the USA.

If you live anywhere else, click here to skip down to the relevant portion of today’s post.

Best USA Betting Sites for the Kentucky Derby

Horse racing betting is one of the few forms of online gaming in the USA where is no legal grey area. Licensed betting sites such as BetAmerica and TwinSpires comply with all federal and state laws so there is no question regarding their legality.

Betting with Legal US Racebooks

There are three major advantages to betting at a site such as BetAmerica or TwinSpires that is licensed in the USA:

• 100% Legal: Unlike other forms of online betting, horse racing does not operate in murky legal waters. When you bet at a licensed racebook, there are absolutely no questions that it is 100% legal.
• Based in the USA: It’s nice doing business with sites that are based in the USA because you know they must adhere to US law and there is legal recourse if something goes wrong. You also get all the benefits of knowing these sites are regulated and monitored by local licensing authorities.
• Paid at full track odds: One of the best things about betting at licensed US racebooks is that all wagers taken online are pooled with the wagers taken at the track. This creates bigger betting pools and also ensures that you will be paid at full track odds – the same as if you would have placed the bet in-person at the track.
• Easy deposits and withdrawals: Because these sites are legal and licensed, financial firms are not afraid to work with them in order to process transactions for customers. Thus, it is much faster and easier to make deposits and receive withdrawals at US-licensed sites than it is at offshore sportsbooks.

Best Kentucky Derby Betting Sites for Everyone Else

Our readers who live in the rest of the world have many more options as far as choosing where to bet online. Racebets.com, ComeOn, and William Hill are just a few of the many dozens of licensed, reputable and safe betting apps our international readers have at their disposal.

In fact, those are my three top picks for anyone interested in betting on the 2018 Kentucky Derby from anywhere outside the United States. These three sites hold licenses from the demanding UK Gambling Commission but are authorized to take wagers from many other countries as well.

Here’s a quick look at the top 10 as of 29 April:

Racebets.com is also one of my favorites for promotional offerings. If you visit the Racebets.com homepage and then click on “offers,” you’ll see a whole page full of promotions that add a lot of value to your time there. Any time I’m in need of a boost, Racebets.com is the first place I check.

Second Pick: ComeOn.com

ComeOn.com will be covering the Kentucky Derby as well and has already posted early odds on all anticipated runners. The promotional offerings at ComeOn are not quite as numerous as those at Racebets, but ComeOn is still a solid place when it comes to getting extra value for your action.

Kentucky Derby Betting Games

The latest odds on the top 10 runners at ComeOn.com as of 29 April are:

Third Pick: William Hill

William Hill is just a solid all-around bookmaker whose roots date all the way back to 1934. Very few bookmakers today come even close to William Hill in terms of history and experience. The promotional offering is a little weaker here than at Racebets or ComeOn, but William Hill does still offer a few special promotions for horse racing that you may want to consider.

Kentucky Derby Betting Picks

Here are the odds on the top 10 Kentucky Derby runners as of 29 April at William Hill: