How To Bet Kentucky Derby: Simple Options For Novice Bettors
You don't need to make big bets to have fun with the Derby
Betting on the ponies, especially for non-horse racing fans who just want to drop in for the Kentucky Derby, can be a little intimidating. However, horse racing betting perhaps more than any other sport gives bettors a chance to get down a little with the potential of a major payout.
There’s no shortage of systems or criteria for bettors to digest when it comes to making Derby bets. The most important decision novice bettors have to make, though, might just be what kind of bet they want to make. Therein lies some of the confusion and intimidation about betting horse racing. There are lots of different ways to bet each race outside of just putting some pizza money on the long shot whose name you like.
But if you’ve done some actual research and still are having problems pulling the trigger on one specific horse you like, there are options, like the exacta box. If there are two horses you’re eyeing, you can throw them in an exacta box bet and end up winning if those two horses finish first and second — in either order.
“I’m a big exacta box girl … because I’m very indecisive,” FanDuel and TVG reporter/analyst Andie Biancone told NESNBets betting analyst Sam Panayotovich on Thursday’s “Ultimate Betting Show” episode on NESN. “Sometimes I’ll go in and see two horses that look good, (and) I’ll go ahead and put them in an exacta box.”
Those super casual bettors chasing a major payday the one day of the year they bet on horse racing might instead be drawn to the superfecta. It’s a wildly difficult wager to hit, but if you do, back up the Brinks truck.
“This is one of those races, I don’t typically advocate for superfecta wagering — meaning you need to pick the correct order one, two, three and four — in a 20-horse field, it’s obviously not an easy thing to do, but if you connect with a $1 superfecta in the Kentucky Derby, it’s not just a year-maker, it could potentially be a life-changer,” FanDuelTV analyst Matt Bernier said on “Ultimate Betting Show.”
“We’ve seen multiple six-figure returns with $1 superfectas in the past. If you’re ever going to give the super a chance, Derby Day is the day to do it.”
The 2023 Run for the Roses is set to storm out of the gates Saturday at 6:45 p.m. ET.
