Kentucky Derby 2027 Betting Offers, Bet Types and Past Winners
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The 153rd Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. It is the most heavily bet horse race in the United States and, for many people, the only race they bet all year.
Betting on the Derby works differently from betting on a football game. The race is bet in pari-mutuel pools, and in most states those bets go through licensed racing platforms rather than sportsbook apps. offers.bet has checked the racing offers that apply to the Derby and the sportsbook offers that suit the rest of Derby weekend, and sets them beside the main bet types and the race’s recent history.
| Kentucky Derby 2027 | |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, May 1, 2027 |
| Kentucky Oaks | Friday, April 30, 2027 |
| Venue | Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky |
| Distance | 1 1/4 miles on dirt |
| Runners | Three-year-old thoroughbreds, maximum field of 20 |
| 2026 winner | Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz, trained by Cherie DeVaux) |
The Run for the Roses: What the Kentucky Derby Is
The Kentucky Derby has been run at Churchill Downs every year since 1875. It is the first leg of the Triple Crown, ahead of the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, and is open only to three-year-olds. The winner is draped in a garland of roses, which gives the race its nickname.
Horses earn a place in the starting gate through the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of prep races that award qualifying points. The top points earners fill the field, up to 20 starters. The race takes about two minutes. Secretariat’s 1:59.40 in 1973 remains the record.
The prize money is large and rising. The 2026 Derby carried a $5 million purse, with $3.1 million to the winner.
Kentucky Derby 2027 Date and Venue
Churchill Downs has confirmed Saturday, May 1, 2027, for the 153rd Derby, with the Kentucky Oaks for three-year-old fillies the day before, on Friday, April 30. The Derby is always run on the first Saturday in May. The one exception in recent history was 2020, when the pandemic pushed the race to September 5.
Post time is published by Churchill Downs closer to the race. The Derby is usually one of the last races on a long Saturday card, so the betting day starts hours before the feature.
The field is set in the final days before the race. The post-position draw, held during Derby week, assigns each horse a starting stall, and the track’s morning-line odds are published at the same time.
Kentucky Derby Betting Promos for New Players
Because the Derby is bet through racing platforms, the welcome offer that applies to the race itself comes from an advance-deposit wagering (ADW) site, not a sportsbook.
AmWager (horse racing)
100% first deposit match up to $50
Promo Code: AMWAGER50
Horse racing only; wager your deposit within 30 days, show bets excluded; paid within 7 business days; credit expires after 30 days 21+
Built around racing, AmWager lets you spread its c
