Horse racing bet types. You can pick the horse you think is going to win the Kentucky Derby, place your bet and call it a day. While there’s nothing wrong with that approach, you could miss some potentially lucrative opportunities. There are several wagering types to consider when betting on horse racing. The Kentucky Derby 2021 will be the 147th running of the race. Its origins date back to 1875, so this race has the longest-running history in the USA. People usually associate the Derby with extravagant hats, mint juleps, and lots of betting happening. But there are lots of those who are unfamiliar with how this race came to be.

While it may go by in a flash, few things in sports are more exciting than the KentuckyDerby. It’s the biggest horse racing event of the calendar year. As such, it captures attention on a national scale, not to mention betting volume.

Diehard racing fans may stay engaged with the sport all year round, but scores of casual fans join the party on DerbyDay. In 2019, more than $165 millionwas wagered on the race, and millions of fans watched it live.

Also known as “the Run for the Roses,” the Derby is held annually at ChurchillDowns in Lexington, KY. It’s a festive atmosphere and a highly sought after ticket. More than 150,000 fans were in attendance last year to experience the thrill in person.

Folks in Pennsylvania don’t need to make the trek down south to get in on the action. It’s completely legal to bet on horse racing in the Keystone State. You can get wager on the ponies online or via mobile app legally and safely.

We’re going to tell you how. We’ll also examine everything else you need to know to place your horse racing bets and hopefully cash some tickets. Read on.

Best Kentucky Derby betting sites

You don’t need to be horse racing savant to bet on the Kentucky Derby; new players can get involved with ease. While there are options to consider if you’re looking to do so in person in Pennsylvania, it’s pretty hard to beat the flexibility of betting when and where you want.

You can do so online or via mobile legally and safely. The best place to do so is with the PABets racing app, which offers a popular and user-friendly platform. Through TVG, PABets happens to be a broadcasting outlet for live horse racing action.

You’ll be able to place bets on races from around the globe, including the Kentucky Derby. To get started, all you need to do is click on our exclusive links to create an account. Form there, it’s just a matter of entering a few simple details such as yourname and email address.

Once that’s all set, click on “CompleteRegistration.” Your new account will be created right away. Mobile Appleusers should take the time to download the iOSapp from the main website. Afterward, log in on mobile, and you’ll be ready to bet from wherever you are.

Android users aren’t out of luck. The site is fully optimized to work on mobile. After you have created an account via our exclusivelinks, visit the site on your device and log in for mobile access.

From start to finish, you’re looking at just a couple of minutes of your time. TVG is a top-notch operator that offers all the bells and whistles you need to place your bets on the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby odds and betting favorites

In the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby, post positions and the first batch of KY Derby odds for runners are released. As you would expect, the release is highly anticipated as bettors get their first peek at how the oddsmakers see the race shaking out.

On the day of the race, you’ll see plenty of oddsmovement. The favorites will see plenty of action, as will the popular sleepers. If you’re in the market for picks on how the race will shake out, you won’t lack information.

Odds on the 2020 Kentucky Derby

By the time the race took off, two horses were scratched and unable to run. MaximumSecurity was the betting line favorite, and he would go on to win. Then he didn’t. In one of the most controversial finishes, a further review led to the horse being disqualified for interference.

Longshot Country House was declared the winner. Code of Honor took down second place, while Tacitus finished in third. The 2019 running of the Derby was one for the record books.

Horse racing bet types

You can pick the horse you think is going to win the Kentucky Derby, place your bet and call it a day. While there’s nothing wrong with that approach, you could miss some potentially lucrative opportunities.

There are several wagering types to consider when betting on horse racing. Here are the simplest ones on the list of options:

• Win: This is a bet on the winner of the race.
• Place: A wager on a horse to come in second place or better.
• Show: A bet on a horse to finish in third place or higher.

You can place all the above wagers for as little as $1 at some tracks, while others have a minimum wager of $2. Payouts will vary based on the amount of money in the pool. You can also combine the above bets on a single horse, such as a Win/Place/Show or Win/Place bet.

Next up are the exoticwagers. These are bets that require you to go beyond the winner and also project out top finishers. Here are the wagers that fall into that category.

• Exacta: A bet on the top-two finishers.
• Quinella: Similar to an exacta.
• Trifecta: Wager on the top-three finishers.
• Superfecta: Bet on the top four horses.
• Super High Five: A wager on the top-five finishers in the race.

For each of the above bet types, you can place either straight or “box” bets. A straight wager means that you are picking the horses to finish in the exact order as listed on your betting slip. For a box bet, you can group several horses.

As long as the horses you box finish in one of the designated finishing positions for the bet, you’re covered. There are additional variations for these bet types as well, such as a “wheel” bet, which means you choose a single or multiple horses in one leg and do the same down the ticket.

While all the attention on Derby Day is on the signature race, there are plenty of other races for you to consider. Beyond the above bet types, that also opens the door to other wagers:

Kentucky Derby Race Odds

• Pick 3: Pick the winner of three straight races.
• Pick 4: Pick the winner of four consecutive races.
• Pick 5: Pick the winner of five races in a row.
• Pick 6: Pick the winner of six straight races.

If you only make one selection for each race, these bets can be entered for nominal amounts, such as $0.50 or $2. When you want to take your chances with multiple runners in each race, the cost of your ticket will rise based on the number of selections.

While these wagers are tough to hit, they’re lots of fun and increase your engagement with the entire card of racing. They can offer up some nice payouts to boot, especially if you pick some long-shots to win along the way.

The road to the Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby Virtual Race Odds

If a horse qualifies for the Kentucky Derby, they have proven themselves to be among the best 2- or 3-year-old runners for the season. So, how do they go about doing that?

To make it to “the Run for the Roses,” horses have to go through a qualifyingphase and rack up points while doing so. It’s akin to a team going through a regular season with the reward being a spot in the playoffs for the best performers.

There are two phases to be aware of: the PrepSeason and the ChampionshipSeries. The former gets underway in September of the year before the actual race and goes through the following February.

For races during Kentucky Derby Prep Season, several horses compete with the top-four finishers awarded points on a sliding scale, which is generally 10-4-2-1.

Once it’s time for the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the stakes rise tremendously. Points are still awarded to the top four in each race, but the amount awarded bumps up to 50-20-10-5.

At the tail end of qualification is a series of races known as the SuperSix. Once again, the stakes go up as the top finisher in these races is awarded 100 points.

These races are among the biggest highlights of the spring horse racing calendar. Here’s a look at the events, listed along with the hosting track:

• Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park
• Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland
• Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park
• Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds
• Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Park
• Wood Memorial Stakes, Aqueduct

Horses who excel in these races will be among the favorites for the Derby itself, so keep that in mind as you prepare to handicap the race. We’ll walk through some other tips to look out for as you break down the race in a bit.

History of the Kentucky Derby

The first running of the Kentucky Derby took place in 1875. A horse known as Aristides won the inaugural race, which was contested over 1 1/2 miles in a time of 2:37:35.

Beginning in 1896, the length of the race was adjusted to 1 1/4 miles. That adjustment has stood the test of time as the Derby is still run at that length to this day. For the 2019 edition, CountryHouse was the winner in a time of 2:03:93.

The Derby has a rich history that has spanned over a century. Here are some of the most interesting tidbits:

• Triple Crown Winners: Thirteen horses have won the trifecta of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Justify was the last to turn the trick in 2019.
• Fastest Time: Secretariat completed the 1 1/4 mile run in 1:59:4 back in 1973.
• Second-Fastest Time: Monarchos was the victor in 2001 at a time of 1:59:97.
• Largest Margin of Victory: Then, eight-length victory has been accomplished four times, most recently by Assault in 1946.
• Biggest Long Shot to Win: Donerail took down the Derby in 1913 at odds of 91-1.
• Owner with Most Wins: Calumet Farm leads the way with eight, the last of which happened in 1968.
• Jockey with Most Wins: Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack are tied for the all-time lead with five apiece. Arcaro’s last victory was in 1952, while Hartack last won in 1969.
• Trainer with Most Wins: Ben A. Jones has guided six horses to victory with his last win coming in 1952.

Horse racing in Pennsylvania

If you are looking to experience the thrill of live horse racing action, folks in Pennsylvania have six racetracks that they can place on their bucket list. Here are the details:

• The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono: 1280 Pennsylvania 315, Wilkes-Barre
• Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack: 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Chester
• Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course: 777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
• The Meadows Racetrack & Casino: 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington
• Parx Racing at Parx Casino: 3001 Street Rd., Bensalem
• Presque Isle Downs & Casino: 8199 Perry Hwy., Erie

How to handicap the Kentucky Derby

As mentioned, you won’t be lacking for opinions on how the Kentucky Derby will shake out. There will be plenty of picks to be found online and social media, as well as the preview shows that break the race down from top to bottom.

While there’s nothing wrong with considering advice from sources you trust, there’s also something to be said for doing some of your legwork and handicapping the race.

Like betting on any other sporting contest, there are several factors to consider which can point you in the right direction.

Here are a few simple ones to key in on as you work toward handicapping the Kentucky Derby:

• Lifetime Winnings: All the runners in the field are going to be of the quality variety, but there are ways to separate them into tiers. One of the first things you can look at is lifetime winnings. This is a bottom-line stat as those that perform the best make more money. However, keep in mind that some horses may have racked up earnings by competing in more events than their counterparts.
• Performance on Road to Kentucky Derby: The road to the Derby provides us with valuable intel to consider. If you take a look at the points standings, you’ll have a good sense of the horses’ overall strength in the field. Also, take it a step further and see how the runners performed in the key races. Where did they finish? Who did they finish in front of or behind?
• Power and Speed Ratings: As with other sports, horse racing is chock full of stars. It can be pretty easy to get lost in the numbers as a result. However, you can still keep it simple and seek out all-encompassing numbers. Known as power or speed ratings, these numbers quantify the overall strength of the horses in the field. Compare them with all the entrants and break them down into tiers to gain a sense of how the field shakes out.

If you can at least go through the above three steps, you’ll be way ahead of those who just wing it on Derby Day. As time permits, you can dig even deeper and further research handicapping strategies that may work well for you.

Bet Head-to-Head Horse Matchups!

You can now bet on the Kentucky Derby!

Get great future odds with amazing payouts on the leading Kentucky Oaks and Derby horses and even the leading Jockeys and Trainers. Bet the 'Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports' running on May 1st, 2021 at Churchill Downs.

2021 Kentucky Derby Match Races

Make head-to-head bets on horses at the Derby!

What are match races and why would you want to bet them at the Kentucky Derby?

Match races are simple wagers where you bet whether one particular horse will beat another horse. Sometimes this is called head-to-head betting. At the Kentucky Derby, bettors have the option to place win, place, show and exotic bets like trifecta and superfectas-- but match races are another way to bet at the track and are lots of fun, too.

Kentucky Derby Race Betting Entries

Once the field for the Kentucky Derby is finalized and post positions drawn, you will be able to see the odds of 'match races.' Let's review: what are match races in horse racing? Answer: Match races are bets that punters can place on individual horses in a particular race. Instead of betting on whether a horse wins, places or shows, you are instead betting whether one horse will beat another horse!

Kentucky Derby Race Betting Odds

Good luck with your bets and when we get closer to the start of the Kentucky Derby, you will find match more race odds posted online.