Where to Bet on the Kentucky Derby 2018

by Trevor Whenham - 4/18/2018

This is shaping up to be a great Kentucky Derby. The field is very deep, and the top end is exceptional. The 10^th-place horse this year could be better than Always Dreaming was to win the Derby last year. That means that this is not going to be an easy Derby to bet on. Far from it. And that's what makes it so exciting. A winning bet here will offer real bragging rights - it will be an impressive handicapping feat. So, you obviously need to be betting on this race. But where? Need some advice on where to bet on the Kentucky Derby? You have come to be the right place. Here are your options:

Online sportsbooks: Many of you reading this are sports bettors, so you are familiar with using sportsbooks to bet. That is a good place to go for betting on this race as well. Many sportsbook also have race books, so you can bet in that way if you want. But the futures bets are also an attractive way to bet on the Derby. The advantage of futures bets compared to pari mutuel betting is that you can lock in a price when you make the bet. When you bet at a track you are exposed to the whims of the market, and you won't know what return you are actually going to get until post time when all betting ends. You can bet thinking that the return justifies the bet only to find that the final price is significantly different - and perhaps less attractive. Futures don't have that problem. You can't use futures for exotics bets, but if you are drawn to win betting then futures could be the thing for you. Sportsbooks often also offer Kentucky Derby prop bets, and that is another way you can seek out value and leverage your opinions. Our top sportsbooks - BetOnline , GT Bets , Bovada , 5Dimes,Bookmaker, and MyBookie - all offer Derby betting. Be sure to shop around between them for the best prices and most attractive prop offerings.

Racebooks: Beyond the sportsbooks that offer race betting, there are online services that allow you to bet directly into the pari mutuel pools for the race. This is attractive if you want to bet exotics. Unlike sportsbooks, you don't need to shop around between these providers for the best prices since they all offer the track odds. Just make sure you find the best bonus you can when you sign up.

OTBs: Off-track betting locations can exist at race tracks that aren't currently racing, or, depending upon where you live, in casinos or bars or stand-alone venues. These are exactly like betting at a track, and you are betting into the same betting pool as people betting at the Kentucky Derby with all of the betting options available on the track. These are places where you can not only make your bets but also watch the races - likely surrounded by some real characters who could only really exist in a place like an OTB. If you can figure out where these people go and what they do when they aren't at the OTB then let me know - I've never been able to figure it out.

Local track: If you can't be at the Derby then the next best thing is to be at your local track. Most tracks that are running will have a special card of races on that day, with a few good stakes races mixed in with the top-quality racing you can watch and wager on TV. Tracks typically have special promotions as well, and they draw bigger-than-usual crowds. They are just fun places to be - on that day even more than most.

Churchill Downs: This is obviously the best option. Not the cheapest or easiest, but the best. I've been to the Derby twice and would suggest it for anyone. The last time was in 2009 when Mine That Bird shocked the world. My wife and I had two seats in a box for six. One of the other guys in the box hit a superfecta in the first race of the day for a very serious score - two long shots topped the result. For the next seven hours he made sure we always had a mint julep in our hands. My wife still can't even handle the smell of mint. It is a truly unique experience and one very worth checking out. And, of course, you can bet there. Just get your bet in early - by post time the lines are too crazy and you'll likely be too drunk.

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Pick:	KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -5.5
Start:	December 15, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #465 Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 over Cleveland Browns (1p.m., Sunday, December 15 CBS) The Chiefs keep winning games and sooner or later one of those wins will come by a comfortable margin. I look for that to be this Sunday against a Browns team that is just playing out the string. Cleveland currently sits at 3- 10 and will enter this game having lost 4 of their last 5 games. Their only win came against Pittsburgh in a snow game on a short week. All 4 of those losses by the Browns have come over the posted number for this game. Kansas City is better on both sides of the football, and I just do not see the Browns offense keeping pace. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend card featuring top plays in basketball, football, and hockey. We will feature our World-Famous Nonconference Game of the Year in College Basketball on Saturday. This game has won 13 of the 15 years it has been in existence and it is a must have for any big game hunter. Read More Read Less