How to Bet in the 2023 Kentucky Derby

There are a few weeks left before the 2023 Kentucky Derby, and fans are preparing themselves for the first jewel of the Triple Crown Series. Of course, predicting the race winners is one of the most popular things to do during the Run for the Roses.

Racing fans are now causing traffic on many online betting sites. Many bettors monitor the Kentucky Derby odds and await the best timing to finalize their bets. There's still enough time to study the competition and pick the best horse to back in the race. To help you place a successful wager, here's a guide we have prepared for you.

Best Horses in the Kentucky Derby

Before anything else, let's look at the horses heavily wagered by spectators in the upcoming Kentucky Derby this May 6, 2023. These Kentucky derby contenders have dominated the race's latest betting lines.

Forte

Forte is the offspring of Violence and Queen Caroline. This dark bay colt was owned by Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable and trained by Todd A. Pletcher. His major wins were the 2022 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, 2022 Breeders' Cup, 2022 Hopeful Stakes, 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes, and 2023 Florida Derby. Moreover, Forte received the American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse Award in 2022. As of the present, he has earned a total of $2,409,830.

Tapit Trice

Whisper Hill Farm, LLC, and Gainesway Stable own Tapit Trice. The legendary Todd Pletcher also trained him. Tapit sired the three-year-old grey colt out of Danzatrice. His major stakes wins were the 2023 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and the 2023 Blue Grass Stakes (G1). 

Angel of Empire

Angel of Empire was the offspring of Classic Empire and Armony's Angel. His debut as a two-year-old was the 2022 Horseshoe Indianapolis. His three-year-old debut was the 2023 Smarty Jones, where he placed second. He won the prep race Arkansas Derby last April 1 at Oaklawn Park. His total earning as of today has reached $342,125.

Practical Move

Practical Move has 100% wins in 2023 so far. His trainer is Tim Yakteen, and he was racing for his owners Pierre and Leslie Amestoy. He was sired by Practical Joke out of Ack Naughty. His race history includes winning the 2023 RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby, 2023 San Felipe Stakes, and Los Alamitos Futurity. His current stakes earnings are $822,000.

Derma Sotogake

This horse's sire was Mind Your Biscuits, who was a two-time Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner. Trained by Hidetaka Otonashi, the Japan-bred horse was the 2023 Group 2 $1 million UAE Derby winner. He earned 100 points for the Run for the Roses from that win. His 2023 earnings have reached $730,000 with a 50% winning rate.

Types of Bets in the Kentucky Derby

Many bettors are interested in the Kentucky Derby because of its varied wagering options. Here are some of the most popular bets you can try in the upcoming Run for the Roses.

Win- Pick one horse to win the race. If your horse finishes the race first, you win the bet.

Place- You must select two horses to finish the race in the first or second position.

Show- You must pick three horses to complete the race in the first, second, or third position. This pays less than win and place, but your chance of winning the bet is high.

Exacta- This is an exotic bet that requires punters to pick two horses to finish first and second in the Derby, in exact order. It's one of the most popular exotic bet expert punters across different races enjoy. 

Quinella- This is almost the same as exacta, only that a punter must pick two horses to finish the race as first or second placer. The punter wins the bet if the two horses have secured any of the two positions. 

Trifecta- Picking the exact horses to win first, second, and third in a race is challenging, but it pays a hefty return. It entails extensive research on the participating horses since you have to predict the first three positions in exact order.

Superfecta- This is a more complex version of the previously exotic wagers. Superfecta requires punters to pick three thoroughbreds to place first, second, third, and fourth in the Kentucky Derby, in exact order. It promises a jackpot prize to the punter with the winning ticket. 

Super Hi-Five- This is the last exotic bet on the list. It requires punters to select five horses to secure the top five positions in the final order of finish. Like the superfecta, a super hi-five bet promises a jackpot prize to the bettor with the rare winning ticket.

Takeaway

Betting on a major horse racing event like the Kentucky Derby requires extensive analysis and commitment to knowing each of the competing thoroughbreds. The Run for the Roses often features a field of 20. Researching such a large number of horses can be challenging, so bettors with strong will and devotion to horseracing are the ones who are likely to succeed in betting.