Best Kentucky Derby Betting Sites for Beginners & Experienced US Bettors
The countdown is on to the 151st Kentucky Derby at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, the biggest day for horse racing betting. We’ve got the full report on the best Kentucky Derby online betting sites and bonuses and how you can start off with a major welcome promo. The race is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, with post time at 6:57 p.m. ET.
Trusted Kentucky Derby betting sites for new users
- Up to $500 Back if Your First Bet Doesn't Win
- Get Boosted Odds & the Best Promotions
- Easy Deposits, Fast Withdrawals
- To Claim: Click Play Now
Breaking down the best Kentucky Derby bonuses for new users
FanDuel is one of the biggest online sportsbooks in the world with a deep list of events, and bettors can wager on horse races all over the world through its FanDuel Racing platform.
FanDuel Racing
FanDuel Racing is the safest place to bet on the 2025 Kentucky Derby and it offers a welcome bonus to new customers
- Welcome Offer: No-sweat first bet up to $500
- Additional Promotion: Up to $10 no-sweat win bet on Kentucky Derby
- Promo Code: Click to claim promo
- Available in: AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, SD, VA, WA, WV, WY
- Live streaming: FanDuel Racing provides FDTV with live streams from tracks around the world. The Kentucky Derby will be available on NBC and the NBC Sports online platform.
How we rate Kentucky Derby betting sites
We go the distance — in this case a mile and a quarter — when it comes to evaluating the best Kentucky Derby betting sites. Much like horses have skills and attributes, so do Kentucky Derby betting sites. Here are some of the main factors we look at:
- Welcome bonus: Some sites offer a set amount when you sign up, some require your first bet to win, or, like FanDuel Racing, it could be a refund in site credit if your first bet loses.
- Customer service: I’ve had this happen to me — you don’t understand what happened to a credit or what you thought was a payout you were due, so you try to find a phone number, email address, or better yet, a live chat where you can get your questions answered. We only recommend sites that have elite customer service that will help you when you need it.
- Bonuses and promotions: After the buzz of the welcome offer wears off, we look for sites that enhance your horse betting adventure with regular perks and promotions. FanDuel Racing gives back credit on racing days if the horse you pick to win instead finishes second or third. These bonuses drive customer loyalty and happiness.
- Security: You can be sure that when you use one of our recommended sites for the 2025 Kentucky Derby that the site has modern technology keeping your money and personal information safe.
Best Kentucky Derby promo and bonus codes right now
We break down the best 2025 Kentucky Derby welcome codes currently available in the days before post time.
| Kentucky Derby Betting Site | Welcome Offer | Kentucky Derby Promo Code | Legal States |
| FanDuel Racing | No-sweat first bet up to $500 | Click to claim promo | AR, AZ, AK, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, SD, VA, WA, WV, WY |
Kentucky Derby betting: What do you need to know?
This will be the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, also known as the “Run for the Roses” (because the winning horse receives a blanket of roses) and the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”
Betting on the Kentucky Derby is an American pastime, made easier with today’s technology. Last year’s race came down to a three-way photo finish, with Mystik Dan winning by a nose.
- Date: May 3, 2025
- Race start time: 6:57 p.m. ET
- Location: Churchill Downs (Louisville, KY)
- Purse: $5 million guaranteed
Qualifications: Horses seek to amass points in a series of Kentucky Derby prep races starting in September to be one of the 20 automatic qualifiers. Two spots are reserved for horses who win the separate Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby and European Road to the Kentucky Derby. Twenty-four horses may enter, with the last four spots saved in case there are scratches.
Last winner: At 18-1, Mystik Dan won a three-way photo finish.
Where is Kentucky Derby betting legal?
Betting on the 2025 Kentucky Derby is available in some form in most areas of the US. The exceptions are Alaska, Washington, DC, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. States with active horse racing tracks typically allow for betting on the Kentucky Derby through off-site betting platforms or in person at physical tracks in legal states.
Kentucky Derby betting package
Looking to get in the action ahead of the Kentucky Derby? Click our exclusive link below to check out DRF’s Kentucky Derby package ahead of the race.
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Kentucky Derby betting sites FAQs
There are multiple types of bets available for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The main bets are win, place or show. Win is the bet you make on a horse to win the race. The place bet has a lesser payout, because it pays off if your horse wins or places second. The show bet pays off if your horse finishes first, second or third.
Avid sports bettors would call them parlays. Exotic bets involve selecting two or more horses and their finishing spots. An exacta is where you bet on the first and second place horses. A trifecta is picking the first three horses in order. A superfecta allows you to bet on the first four, while the extremely rare Super High Five tasks bettors with correctly picking the first five spots.
Do a little research. Horses all have pedigrees and times you can find easily. You may choose a horse that has had success against lesser competition, horses who may have been close to the front of several races, or just compare times that have been run in a mile and a quarter. Or you can just pick a name you like.
In 2022, Rich Strike went off at 80-1 odds and staged a magical victory to win the Derby. His odds are the longest for a winner in the modern era. For the history buffs, Donerail won the 1913 Derby at 91-1. The most recent favorite to win the Derby was Justify in 2018.