The Kentucky Derby Betting Tips Sportsbooks Don’t Want You To Know

The Kentucky Derby is just days away and for many horse racing betting fans this is the premier event of the year. But rather than throwing your hard-earned dollars on a single horse at bad odds, punters are beginning to bet smart.

These days there are scores of online sports betting sites to choose from, and plenty of bet types to keep you covered. Long gone are the years when you could only bet on the Kentucky Derby winner. Indeed, the options are seemingly endless – and this is posing a threat to established bookmakers.

Why? Because punters are now more knowledgeable than ever. Not just about horse racing betting, but also where to bet and how to structure winning wagers.

It means racebooks are being forced to work harder to gain your custom. They need to offer better odds, more varied markets and additional bonuses to attract a smart consumer base.

Just like the Grand National in England and Australia’s Melbourne Cup, the Kentucky Derby betting is great for sports betting fans to place wagers on horses for the first time. And if you’re one of these punters, it’s time to tackle the bookmakers head on!

Kentucky Derby Tips

You’re likely to hear plenty of horse racing betting tips over the coming days about the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Of course, here at GambleOnline.co we’ll also be on hand to offer our top racing tips and picks for the Run of the Roses.

Kentucky Derby tips such as betting early on the futures markets can put you at an advantage before the post position draw

But tipping a horse isn’t the only smart way to get one over the bookies. Indeed, there are some practices mobile sports betting aficionados are hot to take up, in order to keep one step ahead of the competition.

And so, here are three tips on placing horse race bets that you might not have considered when looking at the Kentucky Derby odds…

1. Move Before The Kentucky Derby Draw

There are two types of horse racing betting markets: futures and racetrack. The futures markets – also known as antepost markets – provide bettors with a chance to wager on a race before the full list of competing horses is known.

Even though you don’t get your money back if you bet on a horse that then doesn’t run, you also get far better horse odds in the futures markets. This is because bookmakers can’t be sure any horse will definitely compete until raceday – and so they offer improved prices to attract punters.

So, if you’re sure a horse will run in the Kentucky Derby and want to secure a better price, consider wagering on the futures markets.

What’s more, the Kentucky Derby Draw takes place the week before the big race. Here, all 20 horses will be given their gate number – and those in the high or low gates have a worse chance of winning. The futures market is therefore your chance to wager on a horse at high odds before the draw potentially slashes those prices.

2. Shop Around

You’d be surprised how different the odds can be between online sports betting sites when it comes to the Kentucky Derby. Of course, they’ll all price the favorites at shorter odds. But when it comes to the outsiders the disparity between the odds can be enormous.

What’s more, sportsbooks are all desperate for your custom during Kentucky Derby week, and will be offering great casino bonus’ to join their communities. So shop around, find the best betting promos and take a look at the Kentucky Derby racebook, and see which odds suit you!

3. Consider Other Bet Options

The majority of Kentucky Derby betting fans wager on the winner and nothing else. But in a field of 20 horses it’s difficult to confidently pick a winner. Indeed, bookmakers like it when casual punters back a sole horse because they’re likely to lose that bet.

But sportsbooks are less keen on Place and Show bets. A Place bet is when you wager on a horse finishing first or second in a race. A Show bet is when you back a horse to finish first, second or third in a race.

The Kentucky Derby features 20 horses and so wagering on a Place or Show acts as insurance should your pick narrowly miss out on the win. These bets are well used by expert horse racing betting tipsters because there’s almost always one against-the-odds horse that secures a top-three finish.

And this is what bookmakers don’t want you to know. You can bet on wild outsiders at huge odds but risk only small stakes, and still potentially win big.