Sportsbook exec discusses Kentucky Derby’s popularity, rise of horse betting: ‘This is the Super Bowl’


As sports activities playing continues to develop exponentially, so has betting on the ponies.

No horse race on the calendar shall be wager on greater than Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. As Caesar’s Vice President of Buying and selling Craig Mucklow says, “That is the Super Bowl of horse racing.”

Simply earlier than 7 p.m. ET, viewers across the nation will watch the 20 horses head towards the beginning gate at Churchill Downs, and nearly each single one in all them can have some form of wager on it.

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A basic view of Churchill Downs forward of the 149th working of the Kentucky Derby on Might 6, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky.  (Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures)

It’d simply be the one horse race an honest portion of individuals watch in the whole yr, however in recent times, there was a way of needing to be concerned.

“It was an all males’s sport. Now, as sports activities playing has turn into extra concerned . . . the youthful technology is getting extra concerned, it is turn into extra of a society factor as nicely,” Mucklow stated in a current interview to Fox Information Digital, noting that Tom Brady and different celebrities usually present up of their pastel-colored fits and hats. “The Curiosity has elevated.”

Mucklow admits that horse racing bets solely rise “across the marquee conferences,” with Saturday’s Run of the Roses main the way in which “by a mile.” Consider it or not, the Preakness and Belmont really path the Breeder’s Cup races when it comes to deal with, however nothing tops the race in Louisville.

View of Churchill Downs

A basic view of roses within the winner’s circle with the Twin Spires within the background earlier than the148th working of the Kentucky Derby on Might seventh, 2022, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.  (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)

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“It is wealthy in historical past, the Kentucky Derby. Since I’ve moved right here [from England), all the Americans are like, ‘It’s Derby Day.’ Everyone gets excited for it. It’s like a national holiday.”

Mucklow even joked, though, that because everyone wants to bet at the same time (normally, in the final hours, or even minutes, leading up to the race), they may be stuck in queues waiting to place bets (keep in mind, Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings and others don’t take typical racing bets. Those still need to be made through separate horse-betting sites like TVG).

“Every Tom, Dick, and Harry says, ‘I’m going to bet on the Derby,’ because it’s the Derby. Everyone waits until the last minute, and then you’re struck in queues on the mobile app,” says an insightful Mucklow. “My advice is, check the weather first, because that can affect your horse; and also, place your bets earlier. You don’t want to be disappointed, especially if you pick the horse, you put the pen to paper, and then you don’t want to see that ticket you haven’t gotten wind up winning.”

A general view before the 2023 Kentucky Derby

General view prior to the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky.  (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Mucklow says the 4-1 favorite in Sierra Leone has had the most money and people bet on it to win.

Post time is 6:57 p.m. ET.

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