The Kentucky Derby is one of the most heavily wagered races in the world, and the 153rd running is set for Saturday, May 1st, 2027 at Churchill Downs. This guide explains how to bet on the Kentucky Derby, what every wager means and how to build a ticket. For the date, venue and Road to the Kentucky Derby, visit the Kentucky Derby page, or follow the early contenders on the Kentucky Derby odds page.
| 2027 Kentucky Derby Betting at a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Race Date | Saturday, May 1st, 2027 |
| Track | Churchill Downs |
| Post Time | Approximately 6:57 PM ET |
| Field Size | Maximum of 20 |
| Where to Bet | BUSR |
| Bet Types | Win, place, show, exotics, multi-race bets and futures |
| Rebate | 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers |
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Betting the Kentucky Derby online takes a few minutes. Follow these four steps to place your first wager:
Derby Day offers straight bets, exotic bets and multi-race bets. Straight bets are the simplest, while exotics ask you to pick several finishers and can pay much more.
| Kentucky Derby Bet Types | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bet | Type | What You Need |
| Win | Straight | Your horse must finish first. |
| Place | Straight | Your horse must finish first or second. |
| Show | Straight | Your horse must finish in the top three. |
| Exacta | Exotic | Pick the first two finishers in order. |
| Trifecta | Exotic | Pick the first three finishers in order. |
| Superfecta | Exotic | Pick the first four finishers in order. |
| Super High 5 | Exotic | Pick the first five finishers in order. |
| Daily Double | Multi-race | Pick the winners of two consecutive races. |
| Pick 3 | Multi-race | Pick the winners of three consecutive races. |
| Pick 4 | Multi-race | Pick the winners of four consecutive races. |
| Pick 5 | Multi-race | Pick the winners of five consecutive races. |
A box covers your chosen horses finishing in any order. The cost is the number of combinations multiplied by your base bet, so wider boxes cost more.
| Boxing Your Kentucky Derby Bets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Horses | Combos | Cost at $1 |
| Exacta | 2 | 2 | $2 |
| Exacta | 3 | 6 | $6 |
| Trifecta | 3 | 6 | $6 |
| Trifecta | 4 | 24 | $24 |
| Superfecta | 4 | 24 | $24 |
| Superfecta | 5 | 120 | $120 |
Your profit on a winning bet is your stake multiplied by the odds, and your return includes your original stake. These examples show what winning win bets pay at different prices.
| Kentucky Derby Payout Examples | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Win Bet | Odds | Profit | Total Return |
| $2 | 8/1 | $16 | $18 |
| $10 | 5/1 | $50 | $60 |
| $10 | 10/1 | $100 | $110 |
| $10 | 20/1 | $200 | $210 |
| $20 | 3/1 | $60 | $80 |
| $50 | 15/1 | $750 | $800 |
Exotic payouts depend on how many tickets are sold on each combination, so a longshot in the trifecta or superfecta can pay far more than a straight win bet. Learn how prices work on the Kentucky Derby odds page.
Futures let you bet on a horse months before the race, before the field is set. Early prices can be longer than race day odds, and they shorten when a horse wins a major prep race. A horse still has to earn its place in the 20-horse field, so check the terms of the wager before you bet.
| Kentucky Derby Futures Options | |
|---|---|
| Option | How It Works |
| Fixed Odds Futures | With fixed odds, the price is locked in when you place the bet, so later changes in the market do not change your payout. |
| Kentucky Derby Future Wager | Churchill Downs also runs the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, a pari-mutuel pool offered in the months before the race that lets bettors back a horse before the field is set. |
With up to 20 horses in the gate, the Kentucky Derby is hard to handicap. These are the main angles bettors look at.
| Kentucky Derby Betting Angles | |
|---|---|
| Angle | What to Look For |
| Prep Race Form | Look at how a horse ran in the major preps and whether it collected enough qualifying points to make the field. |
| Distance | The Derby is run over 1 1/4 miles, farther than most three-year-olds have raced, so stamina and pedigree for the distance matter. |
| Pace | A big field often produces a fast early pace, which can set the race up for horses that finish strongly. |
| Post Position | The post position draw before race day sets the starting gates, and a wide post in a 20-horse field can be a disadvantage. |
| Trainer and Jockey | Experience at Churchill Downs and in Derby week can matter for a horse stepping up to its first Derby. |
| Value | Longshots have produced major upsets in the past, so the favorite is rarely the whole story. |
| Kentucky Derby Race Day Checklist | |
|---|---|
| Item | What to Know |
| Before the Race | The morning line is released at the post position draw before race day. Check it against the odds board on race day, because final odds change with the betting action until the gates open. |
| Track Conditions | A fast track and a sloppy track can produce very different results, so check the track condition and the weather forecast before you finalize your ticket. |
| Late Scratches | A late scratch removes a horse from the race and can change the odds on the rest of the field. Check the terms of your wager to see how scratches are handled. |
| Bet Responsibly | Set a budget before you bet, only wager what you can afford to lose and never chase losses. |
You can bet on the Kentucky Derby online at BUSR. Open and fund your account, go to the racebook, choose the Churchill Downs race card on Derby Day, then pick your horse, wager type and stake before post time.
An exacta box covers every first and second place combination among the horses you choose, in any order. The cost is the number of combinations times your base bet, so a $1 exacta box on three horses covers six combinations and costs $6.
The Super High 5 is an exotic wager where you pick the first five finishers of a race in exact order. Churchill Downs has offered it on the Kentucky Derby Day card in recent years.
When Kentucky Derby futures are available, you can bet them at BUSR. With fixed odds, the price you take when you place the bet is the price you are paid, even if the odds change later.
Futures markets open months before the race, before the field is set. Churchill Downs also runs the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, a pari-mutuel pool offered in the months before the Derby.
Rules depend on the wager and the platform, so check the terms before you bet. In general, a scratched horse is removed from the race, and late scratches can change the odds on the rest of the field.
The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters. Horses earn their place by collecting points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
The 153rd Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 1st, 2027 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky Oaks is run the day before, on Friday, April 30th, 2027.
Not yet. The prep season is still under way and most contenders have not run, so official Kentucky Derby odds are not available. Follow the early contenders on the Kentucky Derby odds page as markets develop.
A win bet cashes only if your horse finishes first. A place bet cashes if your horse finishes first or second, and a show bet cashes if your horse finishes first, second or third. Win bets pay the most and show bets pay the least.
A trifecta asks you to pick the first three finishers in exact order. It is harder to hit than an exacta, and with a 20-horse field it can pay very large prices. A trifecta box covers every finishing order for the horses you pick at a higher cost.
| Kentucky Derby Guides and Tools | |
|---|---|
| Page | What You'll Find |
| Kentucky Derby | Race facts, the road to the starting gate, early contenders and the full replay. |
| Kentucky Derby Odds | Early contenders, how odds work and how the prep season moves the market. |
| Kentucky Derby Prep Races | The full prep race schedule by date, track and points. |
| Road to the Derby Leaderboard | Which three-year-olds lead the points race. |
| Kentucky Oaks | The Friday fillies race that opens Derby weekend. |
| Churchill Downs | The home of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville. |
| Preakness Stakes | The second leg of the Triple Crown. |
| Belmont Stakes | The final leg of the Triple Crown. |
Ready to Bet the Kentucky Derby?
Pick your wager, then bet the first leg of the Triple Crown from Churchill Downs.
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