Kentucky Derby Odds Expert and Oddsmaker Facts

Kentucky Derby HorsesEach year when the Kentucky Derby approaches, people that do not normally follow horse racing get excited about placing a bet. Now that smartphones and tablets are commonplace, people feel natural inclination to want to place a bet online for the Kentucky Derby. While you can certainly make a quick decision and choose a horse at random, understanding what defines horse racing will help you ensure you place a winning Kentucky Derby wager. Detailed below are several popular questions that new bettors have about horse racing, odds, and oddsmakers.

It should also be noted that the Kentucky Derby has a unique betting culture that differs from other horse races in America. Whether you are a beginner or a horse racing pro, this tutorial will surely improve your ability to choose the right horse and place the best bet online for the Kentucky Derby.

What are Kentucky Derby futures?

It is easy to get confused when you see the words Kentucky Derby futures because amateur bettors tend to think it is a list of horses they can bet on. This is not true, and instead the information listed online for the Kentucky Derby “Future Wager” is a promotional/advertising game that Churchill Downs does every year about 6 weeks before the Derby. If your patience is running out and you want a trusted source of information before Churchill Downs releases the official copy of betting odds for Kentucky Derby horses, the Glantz-Culver Future Book Odds gives a list of the current odds of 50-1 or less. We also list these odds on our website as soon as they are available.

When do official Kentucky Derby odds appear?

When you are excited about the Kentucky Derby, you want to place your bet as soon as possible. However, it can be disappointing when you go to your favorite betting website and do not see any of the odds listed for the Kentucky Derby. Sometimes, you will see projected odds, but they are not ready for bettors to wager on. While there are many top 10 lists and polls about predicting which horse will win the Kentucky Derby in the weeks before the race, the official odds do not appear until they are released by Churchill Downs a short period of time before the Kentucky Derby. At that time, bettors can start to put their money down on the race.

Can I place a bet on a future race?

Typically, when you log onto an online betting account, it will only allow you to bet on races that take place that date. At some websites, the futures section is where you can find the betting odds or values for various types of sports. However, the morning line odds that are used for horse racing in America follow specific time-sensitive rules. Mainly, they use the pari-mutuel style of betting, and this means that odds are dictated immediately before the race by an independent third party that is associated with the racetrack. Once the odds are released, bettors are welcome to place a bet on a horse they think will win.

Who is the authority on the odds for the Kentucky Derby?

The main person of interest that all Kentucky Derby bettors should be aware of is named Mike Battaglia. It is up to him to release the official odds and start the Kentucky Derby betting process. Naturally, he cannot release his methods of evaluation, but he does regularly give his opinion on Kentucky Derby horses to the press.

Are there different types of horse racing odds?

When you are ready to place a bet on the Kentucky Derby, logging onto an American horse betting website will usually show you the “morning line odds” for the Kentucky Derby. In Europe, they call morning line odds “American Odds” because they do not typically use them overseas. Instead, Europe tends to use decimal or fractional odds instead. If you get confused over what the odds mean and how much money you will get if you win, you can always use an online betting calculator that will decipher it for you.

What is the difference between Kentucky Derby contenders and favorites?

Kentucky Derby terminology definitely takes some getting used to for the amateur horse racing bettor. In order to get your facts straight, a Kentucky Derby contender is a horse that will officially run in the race that year. A favorite is a Kentucky Derby contender that experts predict will likely win the race that year.

What are points standings and how do I use them for betting?

In 2012, Kentucky Derby officials changed the way that the horses were selected for the big race. Instead of adding up all of the money that a horse wins and using that to define which ones will be Kentucky Derby contenders, they switched to a point system. In the weeks before the Kentucky Derby, various websites will highlight the horses that have the most points because they are most likely to be running in the next Kentucky Derby. In general, the point accumulations from the prep race season will be listed on a webpage as “point standings.”

Can you place points spreads or over/under bets for horse racing?

If you frequently bet on other types of sports, the system that is used for horse racing can get you confused. In particular, for betting on the Kentucky Derby, it is only straight odds to win. This is different from football betting where you have the extra benefits of over-under betting and points spreads. However, instead of placing all of your money on one horse, you can split up your investment over the several horses with the exotic wagers (like the Exacta, Trifecta and superfecta) found in the horse gambling world.

When you feel confident about placing a Kentucky Derby bet, our website is here to give you all of the important information you need to make the best choice. Whether it is getting started with setting up your first horse betting account or advice about racebooks, we have all the resources you need.

Published On May 1, 2013