Bet you’ll love Derby Week gambling

CHURCHILL DOWNS REVEALS ACTION-PACKED WAGERING LINEUP FOR KENTUCKY DERBY WEEK

Churchill Downs press release by Kevin Kerstein (Churchill Downs photo)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, April 25, 2024) – Gamblers will be treated with massive pools and a wide variety of wagering opportunities on Kentucky Derby Week that will begin Saturday at Churchill Downs for Opening Night of the 44-day Spring Meet.

          The betting options will be plentiful, especially on Kentucky Derby Day which will feature 14 races and seven stakes contests. The betting menu will include five Pick 5s, five Pick 4s and a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot.

          Last year, the Pick 5 ending in the Kentucky Derby handled $5.2 million and paid a whopping $17,538 while the Pick 4 handled $3.3 million and returned $1,318. The Derby City 6 Jackpot handled $2.4 million and two winning tickets paid nearly $1.1 million each.

          Kentucky Oaks Day will feature five Pick 5s and four Pick 4s. Also featured on Kentucky Oaks Day will be the start of several two-day wagers including the 50-cent Oaks/Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic/Kentucky Derby Pick 3 (2023 handle $625,340) and the $1 two-day Pick 6 (2023 handle $524,179) that will feature six Grade I events over the two days of racing.

          The two-day Pick 6 will culminate in the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI). There will be two events Friday: the $1 million Fasig-Tipton La Troienne (GI) and the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks. On Saturday, the bet will also feature the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI), the $1 million Churchill Downs presented by Ford (GI) and the $1 million Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (GI). The two-day Pick 6 will have a mandatory payout and low 15% takeout.

          Additionally, fans can look forward to unique betting options such as the popular Oaks/Derby Double (2023 handle $2.9 million), the 50-cent All Dirt Pick 5 on Kentucky Derby Day (2023 handle $295,164) and the $3 All 3-Year-Old Pick 3 on Kentucky Derby Day (2023 handle $297,451).

          Starting Tuesday, fans will be able to bet the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks races along with the Oaks/Derby Double.

          Superfecta wagers will be a $1 minimum on Kentucky Derby and Oaks days but will be a 10-cent minimum on all other days.

For the full wagering menu and list of daily post times, visit: Churchill Downs Post Times.

Jennie Rees is a communications and advocacy specialist in the horse industry who spent 32 years covering horse racing for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal before taking a corporate buyout. In addition to handling communications for the Kentucky HBPA, Rees is Kentucky Downs’ publicity director, manages in-season racing publicity for Ellis Park and serves as a consultant to the National HBPA. Other projects include the Preakness Stakes, Indiana Grand’s Indiana Derby Week and work for various HBPA affiliates and horsemen’s associations.