Kentucky Derby Betting 2026

Yes. You can bet the 2026 Kentucky Derby online through FanDuel Racing from your phone or computer.

FanDuel Racing is available in AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, VA, WA, WV, and WY. FanDuel Sportsbook users in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, and WY can also wager directly through the Sportsbook app.

You can bet on horse racing directly through the Sportsbook app in the following states: AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY.

You can also bet on horse racing directly through our FanDuel Racing app in the following states: AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, VA, WA, WV, WY.

You can bet on horse racing directly through the Sportsbook app in the following states: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY.

Horse racing is not currently available via the Sportsbook app in D.C., KS, NC, NJ, TN, VT.

Yes! You can use all of your sportsbook deposits and winnings to place bets on the Derby. We make it easy for you to enjoy play with our integrated wallet.

The cost to bet the Kentucky Derby depends on the wager type you choose, but minimum bets are generally:

• Win, Place, Show – $2 minimum
• Exacta – $2 minimum straight bet ($1 boxes and wheels)
• Trifecta – $0.50 minimum
• Superfecta – $1 minimum
• Daily Double – $1 minimum
• Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 – $0.50 minimum
• Pick 6 – $0.20 per combination

You can start with just a few dollars, but more complex bets can cost more depending on how many combinations you play.

Advance betting for the Kentucky Derby typically opens at 9:00 a.m. EDT on the Friday before the race. For the 2026 Kentucky Derby, betting opens on Friday, May 1, 2026.

From that point, odds continue to change right up until post time on race day as more bets are placed.

Post time for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for approximately 6:57 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters, though Derby Week can begin with also-eligible horses on standby. In 2025, 21 horses were entered at the post draw, with Baeza listed as the lone also-eligible.

If a starter scratches before Friday morning’s official scratch time, the also-eligible horse can move into the field. That is why the AE list still matters every year—and why Rich Strike’s 2022 Derby win from that spot remains such a standout example.

A Daily Double asks you to pick the winners of two designated races. One popular Derby-week option is a Daily Double linking the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.

It is one of the best ways to add more excitement if you want action across two major races while keeping your ticket simpler than a Pick 3 or Pick 4.

Exact order means your horses must finish in the precise order listed on your ticket. For example, an exacta requires the top two finishers in order, a trifecta requires the top three finishers in order, and a superfecta requires the top four finishers in order.

These bets can produce bigger payouts, but they are harder to hit because both the finishing positions and the order must be right.

Horse racing is one of the most exciting and unique sports in betting, from the Kentucky Derby to the Belmont Stakes and beyond.

But it can also be a bit complicated sometimes.

FanDuel and all other sports betting providers rely on official statistics and results from leagues like the NFL or NBA. Horse racing is a little different depending on race course tracks and governing bodies, and it can include post-race inspection, video replay, and much more.

Because of this, it can take a little longer for any winnings to end up in your account following a race compared to other sports. This is called "bet settlement."

We must wait on any official results in case there are no disqualifications or issues with the confirmed outcome of the race.

You can make the same kinds of bets on the Kentucky Derby that you can on any horse race: straight bets (win, place, show), exotic bets (exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Super High Five), and pick wagers (Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Pick 6). In addition, Churchill Downs often offers special wagers that cover the Kentucky Derby, such as a Daily Double between the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.

Betting on horse races is pari-mutuel: this means the odds are based on how people are betting. If more money is bet on a horse, the price will be shorter; if little money is bet on a horse, then the odds will be higher. Note also that odds on American races like the Kentucky Derby are phrased in terms of the multiple of profit you will get over the money you originally bet. For example, if a horse wins the Kentucky Derby at 5-1 odds, that means the horse will pay $12 to win: $10 worth of winnings, plus your original $2 stake. Learn more about Kentucky Derby Odds.

The powerhouse Sovereignty picked the perfect moment to shine, surging past the favorites in the final stretch to capture the 2025 Kentucky Derby by 1 1/2 lengths over Journalism and Baeza. The victory gave trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado a career-defining win, while securing a historic weekend double for owner Godolphin, who had won the Kentucky Oaks the previous day with Good Cheer—marking the first time a sole owner swept both races since 1952.