The Kentucky Derby is upon us and its time to increase your bookie profits
North America’s most popular horse race, the Kentucky Derby, takes place in a week and a half. On May 4, the top three-year-olds in the world will run on the Churchill Downs dirt and under the Twin Spires in what many have dubbed the most exciting two minutes in sports.
Pay per head agents shouldn’t find it too difficult to make Kentucky Derby bookie profits. Derby profits happen every year. All horseplayers wager on the Kentucky Derby. More importantly, all non-horseplayers know what the Kentucky Derby is. Many want to have some action on America’s most prestigious and popular horse race.
Making profit on the Derby is simply a matter of knowing what’s happening surrounding the race, understanding the people and horses involved, and capitalizing on the majesty of the biggest race in the Sport of Kings. This blog should help you get up to date on the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Once up to date, you can then spread that knowledge to your players. If they have a grasp on this year’s Derby, players will be more likely to wager on Derby futures through your online racebook, and then wager on the actual race on May 4.
Check out particulars on this year’s Kentucky Derby including future odds, where the action’s going, as well as a strange Run for the Roses trend, some thoughts on long shots, and a refresher on how to manage Derby betting action.
Kentucky Derby Odds
- Game Winner 5/1
- Roadster 5/1
- Omaha Beach 6/1
- Improbable 7/1
- Tacitus 10/1
- Maximum Security 11/1
- Vekoma 12/1
- Code of Honor 14/1
- Cutting Humor 20/1
- Tax 20/1
- War of Will 20/1
- Win Win Win 20/1
- By My Standards 25/1
- Haikal 25/1
- Long Range Toddy 25/1
- Plus Que Parfait 25/1
- Spinoff 25/1
- Country House 33/1
- Master Fencer 66/1
Money flowing to the Bob Baffert horses
If you don’t know the name Bob Baffert, you should. The former University of Arizona alum is the greatest three-year-old trainer in the history of horse racing. He won his first Kentucky Derby in 1997 when Silver Charm outworked rival Free House and held off the on coming Captain Bodgit. Baffert repeated as Derby winning trainer the next year when Real Quiet took home the Run for the Roses. He won yet again in 2001 when War Emblem, under Victor Espinoza, went wire-to-wire and then he won yet again in 2015 with American Pharoah.
Baffert has so dominated the Kentucky Derby, that he trained last year’s winner, Justify. That’s five Kentucky Derby victories for Mr. Baffert. But, Baffert’s Derby dominance isn’t the only thing on his resume. Both American Pharoah and Justify won the Triple Crown. American Pharoah was the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978.
It makes sense, then, why 3-of-4 favorites listed above are Bob Baffert trained runners. Game Winner, Roadster, and Improbable, are all trained by Baffert. Game Winner is the two-year-old champion, Improbable finished second behind Omaha Beach in the Arkansas Derby, and Roadster beat Game Winner in the Santa Anita Derby.
The thing per head agents must realize is that Vegas sportsbooks are already making Kentucky Derby bookie profits. They set future book odds on the 2019 Derby a couple of weeks ago after the Arkansas Derby, the final Kentucky Derby prep. Odds makers made Omaha Beach the favorite.
Action has come onto Omaha Beach, but more action has gone onto both Game Winner and Roadster. It’s important to know the name Bob Baffert and who he trains to run in next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. For marketing purposes, that might be the most important things to know about this year’s Run for the Roses.
If the trend continues, and it should, both Game Winner and Roadster will offer favorite’s odds to hand Baffert a sixth garland of roses.
Favorites have won the Kentucky Derby every year since 2013
Speaking of favorites, an amazingly interesting trend has developed. Since Orb took the Derby in 2013, the favorite has won the Run for the Roses every year. After Orb in 2013, California Chrome won the race as the chalk in 2014. The aforementioned American Pharoah took the trophy in 2015 while the Doug O’Neil trained Nyquist won it in 2016.
2017 saw Always Dreaming win as a lukewarm 9/2 favorite while Justify won it last year as a low-odds 5/2 choice. Ever since Churchill Downs went to a points system, which requires horses to gain points during the horse racing regular season for entry into the Kentucky Derby, sort of like how the NHL determines their playoff teams, favorites have won the Derby.
Before the points system, though, favorites had a difficult time winning the Run for the Roses. That brings us to the possibly the most important section on making Kentucky Derby bookie profits.
No real favorite means a dog could win the Derby in 2019
Although Vegas sportsbooks have already made money on the Kentucky Derby, you probably haven’t yet. Vegas sportsbooks accept much more action on Derby futures than you ever will. That means they know they will make money on Derby futures no matter if Omaha Beach or Roadster wins because they’ve accepted a close to equal amount of money on both, or have spread betting dollars amongst all 20 entrants.
You probably won’t have that luxury because you don’t provide wagering services to as many bettors as Vegas sportsbooks do. That means you must manage Kentucky Derby future betting in your sportsbook differently than the way a Vegas book would.
First, be aware that because no Justify or California Chrome has been entered in this year’s Run for the Roses, an underdog, like Mine that Bird in 2009 who paid over $100 for $2 to win, can be victorious on May 4. Set max betting limits on all entrants. That’s the first thing to do. A per head agent’s max betting limit should be no higher than $50. Keep it to $25 if you want to really be safe.
The second thing to do is to take Kentucky Derby future betting off the board next Thursday morning, May 2. The Derby draw happens on Tuesday, April 30. Actual wagering on Saturday’s races should open on Thursday, May 2. You’ll want to switch gears from Derby futures betting to actual Kentucky Derby race betting by May 2.
Online bookie agents can make Kentucky Derby bookie profits before the race even goes off. Pump up Derby future betting interest this week by talking about Bob Baffert and his favored horses. Then on May 2, shut off future book Derby betting and switch gears to the actual race on May 4.
Also, don’t forget that right now PayPerHead is offering a $3 for 3-weeks promo. Call a PayPerHead rep at 800-605-4767 for more details.
