How To Bet on The Kentucky Derby in PA: Legal Online Kentucky Derby Betting
Yes, it is legal to bet on the Kentucky Derby in Pennsylvania. While PA online sports betting has not gone live yet, horse racing betting holds a special place in the gaming world for reasons that aren’t worth getting into here. Point is: you can bet on the Kentucky Derby in PA and a handful of other states.
We’ve turned this into a full Kentucky Derby betting guide, but we’ll start with the where and how to bet on the Derby.
Online Kentucky Derby betting
| Site | Offer | Bet |
|---|---|---|
| BetAmerica | Deposit match up to $100 | Claim offer |
| TwinSpires | $100 bonus after betting $500 | Claim offer |
BetAmerica
BetAmerica is actually owned by Churchill Downs, the track that holds the Kentucky Derby. They are a legal horse racing betting site and a burgeoning online sportsbook, currently live in New Jersey.
Their app offers Kentucky Derby betting to residents of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts New York, and many other states.
You can sign up here to receive a 100% deposit match up to $100.
TwinSpires
TwinSpires, too, is owned by Churchill Downs, so your legal Kentucky Derby betting options are loosely associated with the event itself.
TwinSpires offers legal Kentucky Derby betting options in Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and other states.
You can sign up here to receive a $100 bonus after betting.
Kentucky Derby odds by post
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| War of Will | 20-1 |
| Tax | 20-1 |
| By My Standards | 20-1 |
| Gray Magician | 50-1 |
| Improbable | 5-1 |
| Vekoma | 20-1 |
| Maximum Security | 10-1 |
| Tacitus | 10-1 |
| Plus Que Parfait | 30-1 |
| Cutting Humor | 30-1 |
| Haikal | 30-1 |
| Omaha Beach (Out) | 4-1 |
| Code of Honor | 15-1 |
| Win Win Win | 15-1 |
| Master Fencer | 50-1 |
| Game Winner | 9-4 |
| Roaster | 5-1 |
| Longe Range Toddy | 30-1 |
| Spinoff | 30-1 |
| Country House | 30-1 |
| Bodyexpress | 30-1 |
Betting guide
The Kentucky Derby. The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports. There is nothing quite like watching the ponies majestically gallop, racing their way towards immortality. There is also nothing quite like wagering on said ponies and spending the ensuing two minutes screaming obscenities at the television, hoping to cash a ticket. It’s simply the best.
This year’s running at Churchill Downs marks the 145th edition of the race, and casual horse racing fans are probably familiar with the man taking center stage. Trainer Bob Baffert has the field’s three largest favorites, with Game Winner (9-2), Roadster (5-1), and Improbable (5-1) all expected to contend.
Clearing the way for what looks to be Baffert’s record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby win was the mid-week scratch of morning of 4-1 morning-line favorite Omaha Beach. Still, this year’s race lacks what experts to believe a slam dunk definitive favorite, and even Baffert’s entries should figure to draw a decent return for bettors should they win. Also consider that the 2018 Kentucky Derby featured nearly a quarter of the field listed at 50-1 payouts, while only two horses check in with similar long odds this year. That said, let’s take a look at what many horse racing experts believe to be a wide-open field.
Kentucky Derby betting PA
BetAmerica and TwinSpires are both allowed to take bets on horse races in Pennsylvania. Both apps are owned by Churchill Downs and fall under off-track betting locations.
States where it’s legal to bet on the Kentucky Derby
You can bet on the Kentucky Derby online with BetAmerica and TwinSpires in the following states:
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Type of bets
There are multiple ways to bet on a horse race besides just picking the winner.
Exacta
This requires you to get the first two horses correct.
Trifecta
First three horses.
Superfecta
First four horses.
Super High Five
First five.
Win-place-show
This allows you to bet on a horse to finish first (win), place (second), or show (third). You will win less than the total odds on the horse since there’s a greater chance of hitting.
Kentucky Derby post time and TV Schedule
The expected post time is 6:50 p.m. ET Saturday and the race can be viewed on NBC. The network’s coverage is expected to begin at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday afternoon with an extensive pre-race show.
Kentucky Derby weather
The weather in Louisville is expected to present challenges for this year’s field. Scattered thunderstorms were expected on Friday afternoon and the current forecast calls for rain on Saturday, meaning the race will likely be run on in the mud.
Something to Know
The Washington Post did a great breakdown on the correlation of age and Kentucky Derby success. If you’re planning to bet on the race, I highly suggest you give it a read. Two things you absolutely, positively must know are this:
- The Kentucky Derby hasn’t been won by a horse born after June since 1966.
- The last six Kentucky Derby winners were born in February or March.
If these historical trends hold true, then that’s bad news for Vekoma, Roadster, Maximum Security, Code of Honor, War of Will, Long Range Toddy, Tax, Cutting Humor, and Country House, all of which were born after April.
Kentucky Derby favorites
Game Winner is the current overall favorite at 9-4 odds.
A talented horse, Game Winner enters with some pedigree and legitimate hype, but he hasn’t won a race this year, which includes a loss to another race favorite, Roadster.
The overall favorite has had some success in recent years, and there’s obviously a strong case to be made for Game Winner, but backing him on Saturday requires some projection and a leap of faith because the results haven’t been there in 2019.
Speaking of Roadster, I love his story.
Roadster’s jockey abandoned him for race favorite Omaha Beach, who is now out. If Roadster was, you know, a human being that was aware he was ditched for bigger and better, I’d be all over him here because he would be playing the disrespect cared. As it stands, I reckon Roadster probably doesn’t know he’s out to show his former jockey, and the world, that he’s the real deal. In order to win, Roadster needs to get out quick and hang with the pace early in the race.
Improbable, another Baffert horse, is in the No. 5 post, and I’m a fan. Baffert describes him as “a little bit feisty,” and as having “a bigger engine on him.” I like an athlete with a little bit of edge that competes angry, but how Improbable handles the moment—and the mud—will likely determine his fate. There’s a feeling that he’s a high-ceiling, high-floor horse, meaning that we should expect a solid, possibly spectacular performance.
Horses I like
Running out of the No. 14 post, Win Win Win might require a little bit of stomach to back. Don’t expect him to come storming out of the gate, or to set the pace, but if the race breaks right, Win Win Win has some hop and the ability to close late in the race. It would be surprising if he didn’t factor down the stretch.
By My Standards, a Kentucky-bred bay colt, isn’t considered the most talented horse in this race, but he’s gained some late momentum and even grabbed a win in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby despite facing long odds. He’s got a decent start in the No. 3 post and trainer Bret Calhoun believes a recent boost in the horse’s confidence and aggressiveness could score owner Chester Thomas an upset win.
Horses I hate
No offense to War of Will, but I’m out. At 20-1, it’s not the horse as much as it is his post. Horses starting from the No. 1 post haven’t won since 1986 and have been historically bad navigating the clutter near the start of the race. War of Will has some speed and may be able to get out fast, but again, the weather is a concern and I’m banking that it’s going to make for a messy start up front.
Plus Que Parfait is a terrible name. No way a horse by that name wins the Kentucky Derby, and even with a 30-1 payout, I’d look elsewhere. He’s an underperformer, which I don’t like. Considered a wild card with some decent speed, but doesn’t flash the high-end upside, or consistency to break through—even in a wide-open field like this.
Kentucky Derby longshot
If you really want to roll with a longshot, then I’d consider Cutting Humor an intriguing option at 30-1 odds. The owner of the track record at Sunland Park in New Mexico, Cutting Humor has been a consistent performer in his runs leading up to the Kentucky Derby. I’m also intrigued that jockey Mike Smith, who was set to ride Omaha Beach before the race favorite was scratched earlier this week, will now have ride. Smith, you may know, rode Justify to a Triple Crown a year ago.
Bet on the Kentucky Derby with BetAmerica here.
Bet on the Kentucky Derby with TwinSpires here.
