The greatest two minutes in sports will occur this Saturday, May 4th, 2024, when the Kentucky Derby opens its gates for 21 horses and their jockeys.
The 2024 derby will be the 150th installment of the “Run for the Roses” competition at Churchill Downs racetrack. According to ESPN, it is the oldest continually run sporting event in the United States.
The Kentucky Derby is the first race in the Triple Crown, which also consists of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown, with “Justify” being the most recent winner in 2018.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown is available online, with legal sportsbooks providing odds for the races. Since there are no game lines for horse racing, all odds consist of futures and props.
Below, we will look at the odds for the 2024 Kentucky Derby and discuss how you can legally bet on the competition online.
2024 Future Odds For Kentucky Derby – Churchill Downs
Online, you will find future odds for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, along with other future races included in the Triple Crown. Future odds offer great value to bettors as the odds often pay well to bets that hit.
It is important to remember that future odds offer the most value when placed early. As the race draws near, odds for the favorites will creep down to even or below in some cases. I enjoy horse racing, so I typically throw $20-$40 on a few horses to add more excitement to the 1.25-mile race. Right now, future odds for betting on the Triple Crown are offering crazy payouts, but with three races to go, that is a long ride. However, if I win my derby bets, I will lay some action on the Derby winner to win the 2024 Triple Crown.
Below, you will see that “Fierceness” is favored to win the upcoming derby with +225 odds. The following odds can be played at Bovada’s online racebook.
💵 odds via Bovada
Kentucky Derby 2024 Winner – Race 12
- Dornoch +2000
- Sierra Leone +300
- Mystik Dan +2000
- Catching Freedom +900
- Catalytic +4000
- Just Steel +2200
- Honor Marie +1400
- Just A Touch +1000
- T O Password +3500
- Forever Young +850
- Track Phantom +3000
- West Saratoga +4000
- Endlessly +3000
- Domestic Product +2500
- Grand Mo The First +5000
- Fierceness +225
- Stronghold +2200
- Resilience +2500
- Society Man +4000
- Epic Ride +4000
Derby Props
In addition to futures on which horse will win the race, you can also play the props. Horse racing props include off-track and on-track occurrences. Popular props for the derby include the top three finishes, winning gate number, margin of victory, horse number, and more. I personally like to bet on the top five or top eight finishes.
Below, we have listed a few select props that we like from Bovada.
Top 5 Finish
- Dornoch +280
- Sierra Leone -200
- Mystik Dan +280
- Catching Freedom +130
- Catalytic +550
- Just Steel +280
- Honor Marie +240
- Just A Touch +145
- T O Password +500
- Forever Young +120
- Track Phantom +425
Brad Cox To Train The Winner
- Yes +500
- No -900
How Many Words Will Be in The Name of the Derby Winner?
- 1 (+170)
- 2 (-150)
- 3 Or More (+650)
Is It Legal To Bet On Horses Online?
Yes, betting on horses online is legal in the United States, as no federal laws set consequences for the action. Some states have passed laws concerning horse racing, so you should double-check state laws, but all 50 states have access to online racebooks in some aspect.
Online sports betting sites will usually accept players over the age of eighteen; however, age verification is required before you can receive a payout. If you are new to betting on horse racing and want to learn more about betting on this weekend’s big event, see our legal online sportsbook reviews, where our industry professionals list key features of each legal sportsbook site we recommend to our readers.
