Enough horsin’ around. The 2022 Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday, May 7, leaving only limited time to lock in your bets before then.
If you’re not making a trip to Churchill Downs to watch the action in person, there are still plenty of ways to wager on the race. Here’s everywhere you can (and can’t) bet on the 2022 Kentucky Derby in Tennessee.
Betting on the Kentucky Derby from your Tennessee couch
Technically, horse racing exists in a legal grey area within Tennessee. There are no horse racing tracks in the state, nor are there any racing casinos (or “racinos”) to be found.
But thanks to online gambling, Triple Crown fans no longer have to trek to Kentucky to take part in the Churchill action. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your house if you don’t want to.
Bettors can wager on the Kentucky Derby from a desktop or mobile device anywhere within the state. To do so, there are currently two such apps available.
TwinSpires
TwinSpires, which is operated by Churchill Downs, is the official online betting partner of the Kentucky Derby.
Those new to horse racing might recognize this name as a Tennessee sportsbook. TwinSpires Sportsbook made its Volunteer State debut in March 2021. However, its existence was relatively short-lived. When its sportsbook operator license came up for renewal this past April, the brand opted to forgo the process.
Tennessee bettors may no longer be able to use TwinSpires to wager on sports, but that doesn’t mean horse race wagering is out of the equation.
Accessing TwinSpires Racing is as simple as registering for a new account.
Players gain a free subscription to TwinSpires TV immediately after sign-up, where they can then take advantage of unlimited race replays and real-time race streaming, along with a handful of useful advanced wagering tools.
Xpressbet
Since Xpressbet doesn’t have any actual roots in Tennessee, it may be an entirely unfamiliar name to most. But according to the brand’s state restrictions page, it happens to be fully functional in Tennessee.
Xpressbet is a subsidiary of Stronach Group Company and serves the official betting partner of:
- Preakness
- Pegasus World Cup
- Canterbury Park
- Golden Gate Fields
- Gulf Stream Park
- Laurel Park
- Santa Anita Park
The pari-mutuel action service provides live HD video and free replays to all account holders, creating a seamless wagering experience both before and during the race.
Wagering at TVG remains suspended
TVG temporarily suspended action for Tennessee residents back in 2020 when its parent company, FanDuel, was applying for its sportsbook operator license in the state.
Action was expected to go live again once FanDuel Sportsbook TN became fully operational. However, Tennesseans remain without access to TVG.
As of now, there is no update as to when wagering might open back up.
2022 Kentucky Derby odds
Regardless of where you ultimately decide to place your Derby wager, you’ll want to do a bit of research on each horse and its current odds before locking in your selection.
Now that each horse’s opening odds and post position are live we’re beginning to gain a better understanding of what this race might have in store.
| Post Position | Horse Name | Betting Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mo Donegal | 10-1 |
| 2 | Happy Hack | 30-1 |
| 3 | Epicenter | 7-2 |
| 4 | Summer Is Tomorrow | 30-1 |
| 5 | Smile Happy | 20-1 |
| 6 | Messier | 8-1 |
| 7 | Crown Pride | 20-1 |
| 8 | Charge It | 20-1 |
| 9 | Tiz the Bomb | 30-1 |
| 10 | Zandon | 3-1 |
| 11 | Pioneer of Medina | 30-1 |
| 12 | Taiba | 12-1 |
| 13 | Simplification | 20-1 |
| 14 | Barber Road | 30-1 |
| 15 | White Abarrio | 10-1 |
| 16 | Cyberknife | 20-1 |
| 17 | Classic Causeway | 30-1 |
| 18 | Tawny Port | 30-1 |
| 19 | Zozos | 20-1 |
| 20 | Ethereal Road | 30-1 |
After drawing an inside post position, Steve Asmussen’s Epicenter fell to second favorite. The colt’s 7-2 opening odds situate him behind Zandon at 3-1 and ahead of Messier at 8-1.
These top three will have to outrun the competition if they want a spot in the winner’s circle, though. Louisville trainer Brad Cox has three horses entering this weekend’s prestigious Run for the Roses:
- Tawny Port
- Zozos
- Cyberknife
The latter of those names, Cyberknife, was sired by 2016 Kentucky Derby third-place champion Gun Runner. The stud also sired fellow contestant Taiba, who won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. Taibi traditionally races under trainer Bob Baffert. However, since Baffert is currently serving a 90-day suspension, Taiba and Messier were both transferred to trainer Tim Yakteen for this race.
Legendary trainer Todd Pletcher also has three colts competing:
- Mo Donegal
- Charge It
- Pioneer of Medina
With such a strong field of racers, current odds will likely change more than a few times as the week progresses. Moreover, the potential of rain could also play a major factor in how lines continue to shift.
Check back tomorrow for more information on the 2022 Kentucky Derby. We’ll be detailing the different types of wagers available along with the best bets for beginner, intermediate and advanced horse racing enthusiasts.
