Can I Bet on the Kentucky Derby From Vegas? Deal Struck, Latest Odds

Those in Las Vegas this weekend will be wanting to bet on what many believe is the biggest wagering event of the year, the Kentucky Derby.  They’ll also have a fight to bet on with Mayweather Jr. vs. Maidana.  Floyd Mayweather, Jr. as a -1000 favorite, we’ll stick to the Derby, thank you.

All the Vegas sportsbooks will be tied into the track's pari-mutuel wagers for the Kentucky Derby following a last minute Thursday deal with Churchill Downs.  This means that gamblers in Sin City will have the opportunity to place wagers on the Kentucky Derby and get decent lines (though better lines can often be found on the Internet).  Churchill Downs continues to show its greed, demanding a bigger cut of the wagers from Vegas just as they have increased the take at the track, leading to a planned boycott that will likely go full throttle after the Derby.

The odds found in Vegas probably won’t be as good as those found online at books like Sportsbook.com, which also offer an 8% weekly rebate for qualified customers.

While many bookmakers consider this time of year the slowest in terms of wagering, nothing could be further from the truth.  The Kentucky Derby is the single most bet on one day sporting event after the Super Bowl, at least where the North American gambler is concerned.

“We have had years where the Kentucky Derby betting traffic has managed to top that of the Super Bowl,” noted Payton O’Brien, Senior Editor of Gambling911.com.

It’s a different type of bettor who gambles on the Derby.

Jay Kornegay of the LVH Sportsbook tells Sportingnews: “The biggest thing about the Kentucky Derby is that it's an early-arriving crowd and they stay all day long with constant wagering on all the tracks, so we try to get everyone into the mode of not waiting to wager until post time so no one gets shut out.”

Reminder:  Sportsbook.com is featuring its $2 million Kentucky Derby contest here.

The latest odds appear below.