Best Way for Beginners to Bet $10 on the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby (G1) is undoubtedly among the most exhilarating sporting events across the globe. Dubbed “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”, the Run for the Roses attracts 20 three-year-olds on a yearly basis in a spectacular race beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs on the First Saturday in May. A crowd eclipsing 150,000 is the norm, and in 2015 more than 170,000 people went through the turnstiles! 

Of course, one will not have to attend the Derby to place a wager on it, which is a luxury. While I personally believe that everyone should try and experience the entire week in Louisville leading up to the race at least once, it is still a magnificent spectacle that can be enjoyed from afar.

For a novice or first-time horse player, wagering on the sport can be confusing and intimidating, as there are numerous ways to bet on a race, with words like exacta, trifecta, and superfecta, among the options. So my advice is to keep it simple and don’t overthink it. And realize that before you place a bet, that cashing in on the Kentucky Derby is one of the most daunting tasks that you can come across from a gambling standpoint. But who doesn’t love a challenge?

The most simplistic plays in the sport are Win, Place, Show – which represent the first, second, and third-place finishers in a race, respectively. And if you are planning on making bets just once a year, I recommend sticking to this platform as there is nothing wrong with doing so. 

For Kentucky Derby ‘investments’, I would suggest one of two styles. The first would be sticking to the Win pool by selecting one horse to win for $10, or perhaps, wager on five individual runners at a $2 base on each one. Both have a lot of merit in my opinion, and obviously picking five horses improves your chances of cashing a ticket. And, successfully choosing the Derby winner gives you bragging rights, even if you chose five horses to get there!

The second option is to stick to your guns while tabbing a single horse and bet on him to Win, Place, AND Show, also known as ‘across the board’ in racing lingo. This path will reward you with a return if your pick finishes first, second, OR third. There is something of a safety valve to this wager, as you have some room for error if your selection is only third best on the day. Personally, my recent trend of betting the Derby has resulted in my top pick finishing second or third (or fourth), so the across-the-board bet has allowed me to cash a ticket despite not choosing the winning horse.