Kentucky Derby 2015 Betting Guide: How To Bet Online, Expert Picks, And Complete Odds For Saturday’s Race

The 2015 Kentucky Derby is almost here, and fans hoping to make a bet online will find plenty of help in making their pick and some good options for laying down a bit of money on the race.

This Saturday will be the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby, the most first and generally most popular leg of the Triple Crown. It is also shaping up to be a fairly wide open race. Unlike last year, when experts nearly uniformly agreed that California Chrome would win the race – and he did – there are a number of horses picked this year.

The front-runner, American Pharaoh, will have to start from post position 18 in a field of 20 horses. Other favorites include Dortmund and Carpe Diem.

The 2015 Kentucky Derby odds, updated in real time, can be found here.

Experts appear to be torn as to the favorite for the 2015 Kentucky Derby. The Washington Post‘s Neil Greenberg actually has an interesting argument about why favorites American Pharaoh and Dortmund should be avoided, and it has to do with the former racer Storm Cat in their ancestry line.

“Since 1988, Storm Cat’s progeny are 0 for 44 in the Derby,” he wrote. “Last year, eight runners had him in their pedigree — three of them finished in the last four spots. In 2013, six horses were descendants of Storm Cat, and four were among the last-place finishers. In 2012, eight Storm Cat runners ran and five finished in the bottom half of the field.”

Other experts are have some upset selections as well. Newsday‘s Ed McNamara is picking Frosted, which comes in a 15-1 odds.

He wrote:

“I landed on Frosted, a 15-1 shot with lots of plusses. He’s bred exceptionally well for 1¼ miles and gives the impression he can improve off his Wood Memorial victory. Top rider Joel Rosario came from far back in 2013 on Orb, and I’m confident he can work out a good trip from midpack. So is trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.”

McNamara suggests betting Frosted across the board and in exacta boxes with Dortmund, American Pharoah and Danzig Moon, who he has picked second, third and fourth. Those who want to bet on the Kentucky Derby in 2015 will actually have some simple (and legal) options. The Kentucky-based TwinSpires has been touted as the easiest option, and it has some strong backing. The betting outfit is actually owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated, and the Kentucky Derby even places a link for it on its official site.
For the more inexperienced betters, CNBC has a complete Kentucky Derby betting guide that lays out exactly how to bet and defines terms like exacta and trifecta.

[Image via Getty Images/Rob Carr]