How Much Money Is Bet On Kentucky Derby

Posted : admin On 4/12/2022

Here’s how the 2019 Kentucky Derby prize money breaks down:. $1.86 million for the Kentucky Derby winner. $600,000 for the Kentucky Derby runner-up. $300,000 for third place. $150,000 for fourth place. $90,000 for fifth place. That is at least $50,000 but more people would've won money if Maximum security had been the winner. Wilkinson did not specify how much money was bet on each horse but only said they made six.

Money

So you want to bet on the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but you’ve seen all these words like “exacta” and “trifecta” and you have no clue what those two terms mean.

It’s okay. You’ve come to the right place. We’re here to help. This is the guide to the casual bettor who wants some skin in the game but who doesn’t know a thing about the types of bets you can make on the “fastest two minutes in sports.”

With some of these, it’s as easy as picking one horse to win it all, but there are a bunch of other options. Here they are:

Win

This is the simplest of them all. You pick one horse, and if it wins, you get paid money against its odds.

Place

You’re betting on a horse to win or finish in second place. But it means the money you’d win will be lessened because you have more of a chance to win.

Results

Show

A bet that one horse will finish in the top three, and like “place” above, your payout is even lower because you have a trio of chances to win.

Exacta

You have to pick two horses to finish first and second in the exact order. Hence the term “exacta.”

Quinella

This bet also requires you to pick two horses to finish 1-2, but you don’t need them to finish in that exact order.

Trifecta

Just like an Exacta, but with three horses in the exact order of finish.

Superfecta

This is picking FOUR horses in the exact order of finish. If it sounds impossible, it is, partially because of the money you can win if you’re right:

“Box” bets

You can ask for your exacta, trifecta or superfecta bets to be “boxed” — that means if the two, three or horses you picked finish in the top-2, -3 or -4 in any order, you win. You just have to pay more up front because you have a better chance to win.

Good luck!

How Much Money Is Bet On Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race in the world each year. That’s why it’s no surprise that the handle for the Kentucky Derby is also the highest of any race. Millions of people from around the world bet on the Kentucky Derby at various live tracks and online sportsbooks.

While it’s not known how much is bet everywhere, I have pulled up some numbers from Churchill Downs and all North American Racetracks in recent years. Let’s take a look at these betting totals, plus the attendance numbers.

North American Racetracks: Money Bet on the Derby (Simulcast)

Betting on the Kentucky Derby in 2019 set records across the board, including the simulcast at all North American racetracks. These wagers totaled $165.5 million last year, up 10% from $149.9 million in 2018. There really is nothing quite like it in the world of horse racing.

We have included wagering totals for the entire day of racing (program), as well as the main event (race). On-track numbers show the amount of money wagered at Churchill downs on the day of the race, while the numbers from all source represent money coming in from all over the country at casinos/racetracks that offer simulcast betting on the Derby.

How Much Money Is Bet On Kentucky Derby

YearOn-Track (Program)On-Track (Race)All Sources (Program)All Sources (Race)
2019$48.4m$30.2m$250.9m$165.5m
2018$39.2m$24.6m$227.5m$149.9m
2017$32.8m$20.1m$209.2m$139.2m
2016$23.5m$11.3m$192.6m$124.7m
2015$23m$12m$194.3m$137.9m
2014$23.4m$11.9m$186.6m$129.2m
2013$21.1m$11.5m$184.6m$130.5m
2012$23.7m$12.3m$187m$133.1m
2011$23.4m$11.5m$165.2m$112m
2010$21.5m$11.1m$162.7m$112.7m
2009$21.1m$10.2m$156m$104.6m
2008$24.2m$12.1m$164.7m$114.6m
2007$24.1m$12.1m$168.1m$118.3m
2006$24.5m$12.1m$175.1m$106.2m
2005$22.8m$10.1m$155.8m$103.3m
2004$19.2m$9.5m$142.8m$99.3m
2003$20.6m$9.1m$140.4m$88m

Attendance at Churchill Downs & Total On-Track Wagers

Kentucky Derby Bets Odds

Attendance at the track came in at 150,729 in 2019, the fourth straight year the race has seen a drop in ticket sales. More and more people are opting to watch the race at a local casino or at home as ticket prices continue to rise. It’s still an experience that any fan should try at least once, but the quality of coverage on the race has gotten so good that it’s not as big of a draw as it had been in the past.

How Much Money Is Bet On Kentucky Derby Contenders

The record for attendance was set back in 2015 with 170,513 fans packed into Churchill Downs, but it has seen a steady decline from that peak ever since. Until there is a big name running like Bob Baffert’s American Pharaoh in 2015, these numbers are likely to remain near the average for the last 10-15 years.