While you can wager on the Kentucky Derby locally in 40 US states, many residents of those states – and all the residents of the 10 states (plus Washington D.C.) that do not offer land-based horse racing betting – would prefer to wager on the ponies over the Internet. To that end, legal online Kentucky Derby betting is available to residents of all 50 states.
After all, even if you have racetracks, simulcast betting sites, and off-track betting (OTB) locations available to you, it’s likely more convenient to simply hop on your computer or pull out your phone to place your Kentucky Derby wagers.
Fortunately, signing up for legal online Kentucky Derby betting is fairly simple, and you can do it in just a few minutes. However, there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of websites out there that claim to offer proper racebooks to their members, and unfortunately, most of these are proven scams or unproven startups. In either case, they are untrustworthy, and you should only do business with the top racebook providers in the online sports betting industry.
Best Online Racebooks For Legal Kentucky Derby Betting
All the best online racebooks for legal Kentucky Derby betting – places like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI, 5Dimes, BookMaker, and others – have been offering robust horse racing action for years, and each one of them goes all out for the Kentucky Derby, as it’s the Super Bowl of “the sport of kings.” Record handles are turned each year at the Derby, and you can be a part of that no matter where you are by joining one of the above sites.
Even better, when you use one of these Internet betting shops, you’ll not only get to wager on the Kentucky Derby, you’ll get to bet on practically every national and international simulcast horse race, period. Horse racing enthusiasts can enjoy year-round Thoroughbred racing action on-demand, often with access to a dozen or more races in a given day.
As an added bonus, these legal online racebooks have something that land-based horse tracks and facilities do not: membership bonuses. From sign-up perks to boost your bankroll to cash-back rebate programs and site-wide points systems, you’ll have a distinct financial advantage if you go with a top online racebook over a local betting parlor.
As America’s number-one sportsbook, Bovada is the go-to destination for millions of sports bettors and horse racing enthusiasts. Legal online Kentucky Derby betting at Bovada is the closest thing you can get to actually betting on the ponies live at the racetrack, and their award-winning mobile and desktop websites are set up for easy browsing and quick wagering.
New members who join today can add Bovada’s $250 Sports Welcome bonus to their Kentucky Derby bankroll, netting a chance to win even bigger right out of the gate. (Note: Unfortunately, Bovada does not currently accept members from DE, MD, NV, NJ, or NY.)
BetOnline has been offering horse racing bets for better than a decade and a half, and they’ve got this Kentucky Derby thing down pat. Legal online Kentucky Derby betting at BetOnline is available to residents of all 50 states, and the site also offers among the most varied deposit and withdrawal options in the industry. (They even accept Ethereum and Litecoin!). Better yet, BetOnline’s Kentucky Derby wager limits are the highest you’ll find anywhere, making the site perfect for first-timers and high-rollers alike.
New members can get a $25 Horse Free Play to put towards the Derby, and every online horse racing bet you place is eligible for a 7% daily rebate. (Note: You cannot use BetOnline’s $2500 Welcome Bonus for horse racing, as this promotion is limited only to the site’s sportsbook service.)
Horse Racing Betting Laws
Some reluctant gamblers or first-time Kentucky Derby bettors may be skeptical about the legality of these kinds of websites, due to the heavily-regulated nature of the sport and all the associated horse racing betting laws out there. Though such concerns are valid, they are misplaced, and you can rest assured that online Kentucky Derby betting is 100% legal and by the book. Here’s a quick rundown on the particulars:
While horse race betting is specifically carved out and exempt from federal legislation like the Wire Act (1961), the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992), and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA, 2006), each state has its own distinct set of horse racing betting laws that focus on where, when, and how residents can put money on the ponies.
Naturally, most of these states have legislation in place that disallows Internet-based horse racing betting. But there is a catch in play: US states only forbid commercial bookmakers operating within state borders to offer or accept such bets, but private individuals are still allowed to place them. In other words, if you can find someone who can legally take your wager, it is completely legal for you to make that wager!
The Online Kentucky Derby Betting Loophole
Some critics or politicians may view this catch as an online Kentucky Derby betting loophole, but that’s not accurate. The laws in place are not being worked around – they are being honored to the absolute letter. These top sites are able to offer legal online Kentucky Derby betting because they operate overseas, outside of US state and federal jurisdiction. Fully regulated, licensed, and insured by the mandates of their home countries, these sites can freely accept your horse racing bets.
The best part of all, of course, is that legal online Kentucky Derby betting is very much akin to any experience you’d get anywhere but at Churchill Downs itself. You’ll get the same kinds of bet selections, the same (or perhaps even better) odds, and the same active windows wherein to make your wagers. You can bet the ponies straight up, picking from Win, Place, and Show bets, or you can expand your odds – and your potential payouts – by delving into all of the exotic bets on hand. From perfectas, exactas, and trifectas to superfectas, pick 5s, and more, you can be as conservative or as aggressive as you like.
So if you’re interested in the Kentucky Derby (and you know you are), you have absolutely no reason not to sign up at Bovada or another major provider, place your bets, pour your mint julep, and tune in on the evening of the big stakes race with a stake of your own. Don’t be left in the dust this Derby – legal online Kentucky Derby betting is the fastest way to wager on the fastest two minutes in sports.
