The sports calendar has rolled into spring, which means the 2023 Kentucky Derby will be here in just a matter of days. Devoted horse racing fans can't wait to watch the two most exciting minutes in sports. The legendary "run for the roses" will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Finding the best horse racing app can be a tough proposition if you are new to "playing the ponies" or even a seasoned veteran. To help with that, here are our picks for the best horse racing apps to bet on the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
Must be 18 or older (21 in AL, AZ, IA, IN, KS, NH, ND, WA) and reside in a state where such activity is legal. Void where prohibited. Always Wager Responsibly. If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please contact the National Gambling Helpline 1-800-522-4700.
While we have listed the bonus offer available on race day for each of our picks, you can track every offer from the top-rated racebooks throughout race day with our best Kentucky Derby offers. All of our Kentucky Derby coverage will update live throughout race day, including our best bets, which includes our favorite quinella and trifecta bets.
Best Overall Bonus Offer for the Kentucky Derby: DRF Bets
If you want the most lucrative bonus offer for the Kentucky Derby, you have to go with DRF Bets! This online betting platform was created in 2011 by the most informative horse handicapping service of the century, Daily Racing Form. The current DRF Bets promo code offer gives all new bettors a 100% deposit bonus of up to $200.
This matches TVG's bonus offer in overall dollars. However, keep in mind that TVG's offer is only a 50% bonus, which means you'll need to deposit $500 to receive the full $250. Since DRF Bets is a 100% deposit bonus, you'll only need to make a $200 deposit to take advantage of the full bonus amount.
The terms of the DRF Bets bonus offer are also right in line with the terms of the NYRA bonus offer. You only have to wager through your initial deposit and your bonus money before making a withdrawal from your account. The DRF Bets app is a must-have if you plan on betting on the biggest race of the year at Churchill Downs.
Best App to Watch and Bet the 2023 Kentucky Derby: TVG
TVG brought the very first horse racing app to the industry several years ago and it has grown in popularity ever since. TVG actually started out as a cable TV channel way back in 1999, so it makes plenty of sense why they do live streaming so well on their app. Since TVG has partnership deals in place with so many tracks, they are able to offer more live streaming options than any other horse racing app.
With the TVG app, horse racing bettors get instant live streaming access to as many as 300 tracks around the globe. That means you can watch virtually every horse bet you make. No more placing a bet and then having to dig up the results later.
The TVG app is free and any horse race that is broadcast on a TVG network can be seen in High Definition. The TVG mobile app is available in 33 states. Now that TVG is owned by FanDuel, we expect that the company will be taken to even greater heights.
If you're a horse racing bettor that is constantly on the go and needs lots of streaming options for your phone or tablet, we highly recommend getting an account with TVG.
The current TVG bonus offer can be used on your first single-horse win wager for up to $200.
Most Popular App for Betting the 2023 Kentucky Derby: TwinSpires
In a market that is dominated by a handful of companies, TwinSpires still holds a slight lead over top competitors TVG and XpressBet. Here are some of the features that make TwinSpires so popular amongst bettors:
Stellar Reputation: TwinSpires is owned by Churchill Downs, so horse racing handicappers can be confident that they will have a pleasurable betting experience. Since the Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs, it makes plenty of sense to put your trust in TwinSpires.
Free Live Video Streaming: TwinSpires offers all active horse racing bettors the ability to stream races from the mobile device of their choice. Some experienced horse racing handicappers feel that TwinSpires offers more live video options than any other horse racing app in the business.
Free Handicapping Tools: When's the last time you heard of a racebook that actually tries to help their customers win? TwinSpires provides tons of free handicapping tools in the form of newsletters, track breakdowns, and other fabulous software tools to help you quantify edges.
TwinSpires also offers an incredible signup bonus. New customers can receive a 100% Deposit Bonus for up to $200 when they register for an account. While TwinSpires' bonus terms aren't quite as player-friendly as NYRA's, the total dollar amount is the same for each offer.
If you plan on betting the Kentucky Derby this year, you can't go wrong with choosing TwinSpires as your go-to racebook. It's easy to see why TwinSpires has an impressive 4.8 out of 5 star rating on Apple out of over 54,000 total reviews. It is worth noting that TwinSpires is also our pick for the best overall horse racing app for 2023.
Best Bonus Offer Terms for the Kentucky Derby: NYRA
In our Best Horse Racing Bonus Offers article, we selected NYRA as having the best terms and conditions. The player-friendly terms make the overall offer even more appealing. Here are the ins and outs of the NYRA bonus offer:
Offer: 100% Deposit Bonus, Up to $200
Wagering Requirement: To receive the full $200 bonus, players must place $400 worth of bets
Promo Code: BONUS200
Time Limit: Customers have 30 days to meet the bonus wagering requirement of $400
If you're looking for the best bonus terms before betting on the Kentucky Derby, look no further than NYRA. Their $200 bonus offer is the same amount as TwinSpires. However, NYRA's wagering requirement is only half of what TwinSpires requires to receive their bonus.
TVG offers $50 more than NYRA in sheer bonus dollars, but keep in mind that their offer is only a 50% deposit bonus instead of a 100% deposit bonus. This means that TVG clients will have to deposit $500 to receive the $250 bonus while NYRA customers will only have to deposit $200 to receive their bonus.
Why is the Kentucky Derby the Biggest Horse Race of the Year?
The Kentucky Derby is widely regarded as the biggest race of the year and is the first leg of the Triple Crown, which also includes the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness. It is a 10 furlongs race with a $3 million total purse and a top prize of nearly $2 million.
The official post time for the 2023 Kentucky Derby will be 6:57 PM Eastern Time, which is the same as last year. Coverage will run from 2:30 PM to 7:30 PM with the live broadcast on NBC and the NBC Sports app. Early coverage can be seen on USA Network from Noon to 2:30 PM.
Who are the favorites to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
At the time of this writing, Zandon is the current favorite at 4-1 over at DRF. This horse won the Blue Grass back on April 9th by 2.5 lengths and showed some serious acceleration in the process.
Close behind Zandon is Epicenter at 5-1. Epicenter won the Louisiana Derby on March 26 and is the favorite right now at several racebooks.
Messier rounds out the Top 3 with odds of 8-1. Messier came in 2nd place at the Santa Anita Derby on April 9th. Though a longshot could shock the world, these three horses should go off as the betting favorites when May 7th rolls around.
Follow the odds for the full field with our Kentucky Derby odds tracker. We also analyze the role of gate position and break down the alternate horses that may get the call if we see more scratches on race day.
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