May 1 marks the annual Kentucky Derby, one of the most popular sporting events in the entire world. Not only do fans enjoying watching the race, but it’s also a good opportunity for sports bettors to get in on the action. Sports betting and horse racing have gone hand-in-hand for decades now and, with our growing digital world, it’s as easy as ever to participate.
While a lot of bettors will just wager on who’ll win the race or other traditional head-to-head matchups, some may opt to participate in prop bets and special markets. These type of bets are more unique and specific rather than choosing the outright winner.
As is tradition, Bovada has released its fair share of Kentucky Derby prop bets and special markets for the reason. With a lot of interesting options to choose from, here’s a look at some of them that stand out the most.
Kentucky Derby Odds: How Long Will It Take To Sing “My Old Kentucky Home?”
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Over 100 seconds (-120)
- Under 100 seconds (-120)
One of the biggest traditions at the Kentucky Derby is the annual singing of the event’s anthem, “My Old Kentucky Home.” Right now, the total for this market is set at 100 seconds and bettors have decided whether it’ll take a longer or shorter amount of time to get through it.
The song’s length can vary, especially depending on who sings it. While it’s often gone over 100 seconds, there’s the possibility that someone could do a shorter rendition.
How Many Lengths Will the Winner of the Kentucky Derby Win By?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Under 2.5 lengths (-155)
- Over 2.5 lengths (+115)
At -155 odds, Bovada is predicting that the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby will be victorious by less than 2.5 lengths. To put this into perspective, the last three winners of the event have all won by 2.5 or fewer lengths, which seems to align with Bovada’s prediction.
Will the Last-Place Horse’s Saddlecloth Number Be Odd Or Even?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Odd (-120)
- Even (-120)
Was the 2021 Winner Bred In Kentucky?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Yes (-1600)
- No (+700)
There’s an overwhelming possibility that the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby was bred in Kentucky at -1600 odds. The top three horses who are favored to win this weekend are Essential Quality (+275), Rock Your World (+450) and Known Agenda (+800). All three of them were also bred in Kentucky, meaning there’s a real possibility that the winning horse is a “hometown” hero.
Kentucky Derby Odds: Where Will Winning Horse Start?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Gate 11-20 (-170)
- Gate 1-10 (+130)
What Will Be the Color of the Winning Horse?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- Dark Bay (+150)
- Grey (+225)
- Bay (+270)
- Chestnut (+350)
Will the Winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby Win the 2021 Triple Crown?
Odds via Bovada as of Thursday, April 29
- No (-800)
- Yes +550
The legendary Triple Crown is not only one of the most coveted accomplishments in horse racing but in all of sports as a whole. It’s only accomplished when a three-year-old Thoroughbred horse wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. It’s such a rare accomplishment that it’s only occurred twice in the last 43 years. However, both of those occurrences happened since 2015.
With that being said, it’s unlikely that it’ll happen this year (-800). It takes the perfect storm to occur and whoever wins the Kentucky Derby will have a lot of pressure on their shoulders if they’re after all three major races. However, if any horse does win the 2021 Triple Crown, it’s likely to be Essential Quality at +1000 odds, according to Bovada.
