Best Kentucky Derby Betting Sites: Where to Bet on the Kentucky Derby in April 2025

Best Kentucky Derby betting sites

To maximize the value of your Kentucky Derby bets, claim the top sportsbook promos from leading operators:

FanDuel Racing - Best for Kentucky Derby odds

  

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My expert analysis

I know this might be bold, but I truly believe that FanDuel Racing is the only option for Kentucky Derby betting in 2025. Not only can you score sharp odds on every race for the day, which you can track easily thanks to its slick 'Scheduled Races' section on the side, but you can also register now and claim its generous welcome offer ahead of the 151st Kentucky Derby — a '$500 No Sweat Bet'. The ability to receive such a large safety net for the year's marquee horse racing event is too good to pass up, in my opinion. 

Where FanDuel Racing wins and fails

No FanDuel Racing promo code is required to unlock a '$500 No Sweat Bet' welcome offer, which rewards a bonus equal to your qualifying Kentucky Derby wager if it loses. 

Live streaming is available on-site via FanDuelTV.

Score several additional exclusive bonuses for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, such as a 'Race of the Day' bonus and a 'Money Back Special' for second or third place finishers on select races. 

You must wager $500 to maximize the FanDuel Kentucky Derby bonus. 

Top user review

"Truthfully I enjoy FanDuel Racing. The live streams seem more clear and faster, the UI is much more clean then other apps I have used, and overall I just enjoy it a lot more. I am switching over from TVG, and I just seem to enjoy it more."

- Reddit user

FanDuel Racing at a glance

Sign-up bonus	$500 No Sweat First Bet
Payout speed	Within 24 hours
App availability
Legal states	AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, VA, WA, WV, WY
Last app update	April 2025

Uncover more about the best Kentucky Derby betting site via our FanDuel review and FanDuel promo code guide.

How to bet on the Kentucky Derby

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is rapidly approaching. With so much hype surrounding the horse racing's yearly marquee event, we've provided horse racing fans a brief breakdown below of everything you need to know about how to bet on the Kentucky Derby in 2025: 

When is the Kentucky Derby? 

The 151st Kentucky Derby is on May 3, 2025. 

Where is the Kentucky Derby?

The 2025 Kentucky Derby will be held at Churchill Downs, a legendary horse race track in Louisville, Kentucky. 

What time is the main Kentucky Derby race? 

The post time for the main event of the 151st Kentucky Derby is scheduled for approximately 6:57 PM ET on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

How to watch the Kentucky Derby? 

There are several ways to watch the 151st Kentucky Derby this Sunday. If you have access to FanDuel, you can live stream the 2025's biggest horse race via FanDuel TV — a commercial-free sports network. You can also watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, or Fubo. 

What horse is favored to win the Kentucky Derby in 2025? 

Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism is the favorite to win the 151st Kentucky Derby as of 29 April. Journalism will break from post eight when they spring the latch on the "Run for the Roses" on May 3rd.

Covers Expert Analysis

"Bookmark our Kentucky Derby odds and Kentucky Derby analysis pages for the latest information ahead of Sunday's big race."

Carson Deveau, Betting Editor

FanDuel Kentucky Derby betting

FanDuel Racing is the best Kentucky Derby betting site in 2025. You can access the online racebook in various ways, depending on where you reside, as the dedicated FanDuel Racing app is only available in select states. Meanwhile, bettors in the remaining regions where horse wagering is permitted can access the platform via the traditional FanDuel Sportsbook. 

State	FanDuel Racing app	FanDuel Sportsbook & Racing
Arizona	✅	❌
Arkansas	✅	❌
California	✅	❌
Colorado	✅	✅
Delaware	✅	❌
Florida	✅	❌
Illinois	✅	✅
Indiana	✅	✅
Kentucky	✅	❌
Louisiana	✅	✅
Maryland	✅	✅
Massachusetts	✅	✅
Michigan	✅	✅
Minnesota	✅	❌
New Hampshire	✅	❌
New Mexico	✅	❌
New York	✅	✅
Ohio	✅	✅
Oregon	✅	❌
Pennsylvania	✅	✅
Rhode Island	✅	❌
South Dakota	✅	❌
Virginia	✅	✅
Washington	✅	❌
West Virginia	✅	✅
Wyoming	✅	✅

Both FanDuel platforms provide an exceptional Kentucky Derby betting experience but with a few minor variations, such as: 

You must download the FanDuel Racing app in the select states where Kentucky Derby betting is unavailable via the FanDuel Sportsbook app. 

FanDuel Sportsbook bettors can access FanDuel Racing immediately via their pre-existing credentials, while FanDuel Racing users must log in initially. 

FanDuel Sportsbook bettors must navigate to the different betting properties listed at the top of the app to access FanDuel Racing.

Bonuses from FanDuel Sportsbook to FanDuel Racing are not transferable. However, any existing funds or winnings can be used on both platforms. 

TVG — a live horse betting and streaming feature — is exclusive to the FanDuel Racing app. 

Where to bet on the Kentucky Derby in Canada

Of the top sports betting Canada options for horse racing, we recommend using BetVictor, Pinnacle, and 888sport for your Derby wagering.

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Reading Kentucky Derby odds

Although some U.S. sportsbooks may use American odds, Kentucky Derby odds are typically displayed as fractions.

Fractional odds (ex. 10/1) can be interpreted by taking the numerator (the top number), dividing it by the denominator (the bottom number), and multiplying the sum by the amount you wish to bet.

For example, if you wagered $100 on 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan at his final odds of 18/1, you would've walked away with $1,800.

18 / 1 = 18
18 x $100 = $1,800

When the denominator is "1," fractional odds are easy to calculate. However, sometimes you'll see a "2" or maybe even a "5" here. In this case, follow the same formula to calculate potential winnings. For example, placing a $100 wager on 9/5 odds would suggest you’re in line to win $180.

9 / 5 = 1.8
1.8 x $100 = $180

Check out our horse racing odds page and our odds calculator to switch between fractional, decimal, and American odds and calculate potential Kentucky Derby payouts.

Popular Kentucky Derby bet types

There's more to Kentucky Derby betting than simply picking a single horse to win. Trusted Kentucky Derby betting sites offer odds for a wide range of online wagers, giving handicappers plenty of exciting bets to sweat on race day. Here are some of the most popular choices:

How we rate Kentucky Derby betting sites

Learn how we rate sportsbooks

Trusted Kentucky Derby betting sites should check all of the boxes. We recommend online horse betting sites and app that are safe, reliable, and feature-rich. The following criteria should be top of mind when choosing where you place your Kentucky Derby wagers:

Legal Kentucky Derby betting states

While sports bettors can enjoy some form of online or retail wagering in 38 states (+ DC), horse racing enthusiasts have even more legal options if they cannot physically be at Churchill Downs for the event. Refer to the table below to see if horse race betting is legal in your state via the FanDuel Racing app.

State	Legal horse racing	FanDuel Racing
Alaska	❌	❌
Alabama	✅	❌
Arizona	✅	✅
Arkansas	✅	✅
California	✅	✅
Colorado	✅	✅
Connecticut	✅	❌
DC	❌	❌
Delaware	✅	✅
Florida	✅	✅
Georgia	❌	❌
Hawaii	❌	❌
Idaho	✅	✅
Illinois	✅	✅
Indiana	✅	✅
Iowa	✅	❌
Kansas	✅	❌
Kentucky	✅	✅
Louisiana	✅	✅
Maine	✅	❌
Maryland	✅	✅
Massachusetts	✅	✅
Michigan	✅	✅
Minnesota	✅	✅
Mississippi	❌	❌
Missouri	✅	❌
Montana	✅	✅
Nebraska	✅	❌
Nevada	❌	❌
New Hampshire	✅	✅
New Jersey	✅	❌
New Mexico	✅	✅
New York	✅	✅
North Carolina	❌	❌
North Dakota	✅	✅
Ohio	✅	✅
Oklahoma	✅	❌
Oregon	✅	✅
Pennsylvania	✅	✅
Rhode Island	✅	✅
South Carolina	❌	❌
South Dakota	✅	✅
Tennessee	✅	❌
Texas	❌	❌
Utah	❌	❌
Vermont	✅	❌
Virginia	✅	✅
Washington	✅
West Virginia	✅	✅
Wisconsin	✅
Wyoming	✅	✅

Blacklisted Kentucky Derby betting sites

See all blacklisted sportsbooks

Some offshore betting sites claim to be legal Kentucky Derby wagering platforms. However, these sites are not regulated or licensed in the U.S. and have been known to treat customers poorly. We strongly recommend steering clear of these blacklisted betting sites at all costs.

• Allegations of withdrawal issues
• No license information available on site
• Poor customer service

• Multiple reports of slow payments
• Allegations of non-payments
• Risk of account closure simply for winning bets

• Reports of confiscated winnings
• Slow customer support response times

See all blacklisted sportsbooks

Best betting sites by sport

Interested in the best betting sites for other sports? We've identified and highlighted the top operators for each of the following sports: