Kentucky Derby Wagering

Learn how to bet the Kentucky Derby, get live odds, expert picks, exclusive analysis and betting tips. Bet online at www.twinspires.com, the official wagering site of the Kentucky Derby.

 

Jump to: | Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge | Expert Betting Picks | Kentucky Derby Future Wager | Learn How to Bet |

 

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The Kentucky Derby holds a bit of everything when approaching the question of betting picks. Whether a casual fan, tuning in from home, a sports bettor, or a racing aficionado; we have an educational library to assist your learning in where start. Understand what the lingo means, and how to advance in your betting picks for all races on the card! Make TwinSpires Training to Win educational page your first stop for rookie, casual and expert horse players.

Bet the Kentucky Derby safely and securely with TwinSpires, the official Kentucky Derby betting partner!


Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge
The official betting tournament of the Kentucky Derby

Register for Feeders, Qualifiers and the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Tournaments at TwinSpires!

$300,000 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Live Bankroll Cash Tournament on May 2, 2026
• $5,000 Total Buy-In; $3,500 to Bankroll, $1,500 to Prize Pool
• Maximum of two (2) entries per person.
• Players must wager all $3,500 of their bankroll across all specified races at Churchill Downs.
• The following wager types will count as contest wagers: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Daily Double.
• 100% of Prize Pool is paid out as Prizes.
Entries will be accepted until 11:00AM ET, post time of the first race at Churchill Downs
on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) is returning to TwinSpires.com and offering a guaranteed prize pool of a quarter-million dollars. View the full KDBC Qualifier calendar here.


EXPERT PICKS

Discover who the experts think you should bet in the Kentucky Derby.

MEET THE EXPERTS

Kevin Kilroy
Kevin Kilroy is a racing and handicapping analyst covering the racing at Churchill Downs, Colonial Downs, Ellis Park, Fair Grounds and Turfway Park.
Kaitlin Free
Kaitlin Free is currently a reporter and analyst at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, and Colonial Downs. Kaitlin is also well versed in international races including stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in Europe and Asia.
James Scully
James Scully writes and handicaps for Brisnet.com, TwinSpires.com and KentuckyDerby.com. Find more coverage of the Kentucky Derby by James Scully here: https://www.twinspires.com/edge/authors/jscully/
Joe Kristufek
Joe Kristufek is the Senior Producer & Racing Analyst for Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds and Ellis Park.
Vance Hanson
Vance Hanson is a contributing writer and editor for Brisnet.com, TwinSpires.com and KentuckyDerby.com. Find more Kentucky Derby handicapping by Vance Hanson here: https://www.twinspires.com/edge/authors/vance.hanson/
Kellie Reilly
Kellie Reilly is a staff writer in the Editorial Department at Brisnet.com and is a regular contributor to the TwinSpires.com blog and KentuckyDerby.com. Find more coverage of the Kentucky Derby by Kellie Reilly here: https://www.twinspires.com/edge/authors/kellie-reilly/
Tony Calo
Churchill Downs Racing Analyst as well as Turfway Park and Ellis Park Announcer.

LEARN HOW TO BET

Explore the many methods to picking a winner in horse racing and grow confidence in your Kentucky Derby betting pick!

Beginner

Where to begin?

Placing a bet on the Kentucky Derby is a fun way to have a rooting interest in the race outcome, even if you don’t know much about the sport of horse racing.

Intermediate

How to improve your betting?

Step foot into exotic betting with exactas, trifectas and superfectas! Do you know the impact of training workouts, final race times, or the best way to bet your Kentucky Derby horse on a budget of $2, $10, $25, or $100!? Maybe you know a thing or two about betting on horse races, but expert horseplayers take multiple factors into consideration before making their selections and choosing their bets.

Advanced

Want to take your handicapping to the next level?

Have you attempted a vertical sequence such as a Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 or a Pick 6 before? Maybe you regularly watch and analyze horse racing and can understand a racing program with past performances, but can you spot a class improvement or class drop, or use speed and class ratings which could impact a race performance and the race competition?

Expert

Discover an additional edge. 

When it comes to handicapping horse races, knowing how to bet is every bit as important as knowing who to bet. Expert horseplayers spend a large portion of their time constructing sound, logical wagers designed to give them the best chance at generating profits. Bankroll management, sound ticket construction and data inclusion into your opinions are paramount for optimal success in wagering.

Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Kentucky Derby and Oaks Future Wagers allow racing fans to bet on potential contenders in the Derby and Oaks before the races’ final entrants are determined. The odds are locked in for the Kentucky Derby following the open betting period and traditionally pay better than final odds for the race.

KENTUCKY DERBY & OAKS FUTURE WAGER POOLS
Pool 1:
October. 29, 12:00 pm - October. 31, 6:00 pm
Pool 1 (COMING SOON)
Pool 2:
November. 27, 12:00 pm - November. 30, 6:00 pm
Pool 2 (includes Sire Future Wager) (COMING SOON)
Pool 3:
January. 16, 12:00 pm - January. 18, 6:00 pm
Pool 3 (COMING SOON)
Pool 4:
February. 13, 12:00 pm - February. 15, 6:00 pm
Pool 4 (COMING SOON)
Pool 5:
March. 13, 12:00 pm - March. 15, 6:00 pm
Pool 5 (includes Oaks Future Wager) (COMING SOON)
Pool 6:
April. 2, 12:00 pm - April. 4, 4:00 pm
Pool 6 (COMING SOON)
WAGER NEWS
LATEST NEWS Oct 23, 2025
Expert Pick of the Week: 2025 Street Sense Stakes

A field of seven three-year-old colts will run 1 1/16 miles over the famed Churchill Downs dirt surface in Sunday’s $200,000 Street Sense S. (G3).

Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Qualifier Calendar

All KDBC Qualifiers will have related feeder tournaments; check TwinSpires.com/bet/tournaments for more information. The first official Feeder Tournament will be held on Kentucky Derby day 2025! *Denotes subject to change

 

Date Tournament Type Racetrack
Friday, May 2 KDBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Saturday, May 3 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge Churchill Downs
Saturday, May 31 KDBC/BCBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Saturday, June 28 Stephen Foster Betting Challenge Churchill Downs
Saturday, July 5 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Horseshoe Indianapolis
Saturday, August 2 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Saratoga
Saturday, August 16 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Saratoga
Saturday, September 6 Mint Millions Betting Challenge Kentucky Downs
Saturday, September 13 KDBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Saturday, September 27 KDBC/BCBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Saturday, October 11 Keeneland Fall Challenge Keeneland
Saturday, October 18 KDBC/BCBC Qualifier Keeneland
Friday, October 31 Breeders Cup Betting Challenge Del Mar
Sunday, November 16 KDBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Friday, November 28 Clark Betting Challenge Churchill Downs
Saturday, December 6 KDBC Qualifier Aqueduct
Saturday, Decmber 13 Turfway Synthetic Champopnships Turfway
Saturday, December 20 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn/Fair Grounds
Saturday, December 27 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn/Fair Grounds
2026
Saturday, January 3 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn/Aqueduct
Saturday, January 10 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Oaklawn
Saturday, January 17 KDBC Qualifier Fair Grounds
Sunday, January 25 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Oaklawn
Saturday, January 31 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn/Aqueduct
Saturday, February 7 KDBC Qualifier Tampa Bay
Saturday, February 14 KDBC Qualifier Fair Grounds
Saturday, February 21 KDBC/NHC Qualifier Fair Grounds
Saturday, March 1 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn
Saturday, March 7 KDBC Qualifier Tampa Bay/Oaklawn
Saturday, March 14 KDBC Qualifier Colonial/Oaklawn
Saturday, March 21 KDBC Qualifier Fair Grounds/Turfway
Saturday, March 28 KDBC Qualifier Oaklawn
Saturday, April 4 KDBC Qualifier Keeneland/Aqueduct
Saturday, April 11 Grade One Gamble Keeneland
Sunday, April 12 KDBC Qualifier Keeneland
Saturday, April 18 KDBC Qualifier Keeneland
Saturday, April 25 KDBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Thursday, April 30 KDBC Qualifier Churchill Downs
Friday, May 1 Kentucky Oaks Betting Challenge Churchill Down

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