Kentucky Derby Betting History
How Much Money Gets Bet on the Race?
The Kentucky Derby is the longest-running annual sporting event in the United States, with the inaugural running on May 17, 1875. The horse racing event draws worldwide attention, with hundreds of thousands of spectators visiting Churchill Downs to watch the fastest two minutes in sports. However, it is important to remember that people are not only watching the iconic race- they are wagering as well. While the capacity of the venue may be 165,000, more than 100 times this amount is bet on the Kentucky Derby each year. Even those who are not horse fans will still take the opportunity to potentially win thousands on a $1 or $2 bet. During the 2015 Kentucky Derby where we saw American Pharoah go on to win the 12th Triple Crown, $137.9 million was wagered at Churchill Downs and off-track betting locations. KentuckyDerbyPreview.com estimates that online racebooks make at least $16 million on the Kentucky Derby each year.
You can take a look at exactly how much has been wagered since 2003 at the track and from licensed simulcast facilities. Keep in mind that these numbers do not include Vegas or popular offshore racebooks, which would easily add millions to the figures listed below:
| Race Day: |
| September 5, 2020 |
| Post Time: |
| 7:01pm EDT |
| Horse Track: |
| Churchill Downs |
| Track Location: |
| Louisville, Kentucky |
| Track Length: |
| 1.25 Miles |
| Kentucky Derby Betting History Since 2003 (In Millions) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Attendance | On-Track Wagers | OTB Wagers |
| 2017 | 158,070 | $20.1 | $139.2 |
| 2015 | 170,513 | $12.0 | $137.9 |
| 2014 | 164,906 | $11.9 | $129.2 |
| 2013 | 151,616 | $11.5 | $130.5 |
| 2012 | 165,307 | $12.3 | $133.1 |
| 2011 | 164,858 | $11.5 | $112.0 |
| 2008 | 157,770 | $12.1 | $114.6 |
| 2007 | 156,635 | $12.1 | $118.3 |
| 2006 | 157,536 | $12.1 | $106.2 |
Those who bet on the underdogs are especially enticed by betting on the Kentucky Derby, because horses often have astronomical odds. There have been several moments in Derby history where a longshot has caused a huge upset, which means humongous payoffs for those that were smart enough to root for the underdog. Weather conditions, bad starts, and even just a bit of bad luck can put a favored horse in the losing circle.
The payouts only get more prolific when betting exactas, trifectas, and other exotic horse bets. If you would have bet a $1 superfecta on the 2017 Kentucky Derby, you could have made $75,974.50 in the span of 120 seconds. In 2005, when Giacomo won at 50-1 odds, there was a $9,800 exacta, $133,000 trifecta, and $864,000 superfecta paid out.
The highest paying winner was Donerail in 1913, with the horse posted at odds of 91-1. This means that a $2 bet paid out $184.90, which earned Donerail the title as the longest shot to ever win the Kentucky Derby. He was not alone, as there have been several other three-year-olds to defy the odds over the last three centuries. Here are the 10 biggest betting upsets in Kentucky Derby history to date:
| Biggest Longshots To Win The Kentucky Derby | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Odds | Payout On $2 |
| 1908 | Stone Street | 24-1 | $123.60 |
| 1913 | Donerail | 91-1 | $184.90 |
| 1918 | Exterminator | 29-1 | $61.20 |
| 1940 | Gallahadion | 36-1 | $72.40 |
| 1953 | Dark Star | 25-1 | $51.80 |
| 1967 | Proud Clarion | 30-1 | $62.20 |
| 1995 | Thunder Gulch | 25-1 | $114.6 |
| 1999 | Charismatic | 31-1 | $64.90 |
| 2005 | Giacomo | 50-1 | $102.60 |
| 2009 | Mine That Bird | 50-1 | $103.20 |