Are you ready for the fastest 2 minutes in sports?
The 2024 Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 4, at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville. The race’s post time is 5:57 p.m. CT, but the day’s festivities will begin much earlier.
If you want to learn how to bet the Kentucky Derby online in Illinois or find a fun place to watch the big race, PlayIllinois has got you covered.
Which Online Betting Platforms Offer KY Derby Lines in Illinois?
Multiple Illinois horse race betting options exist for wagering on the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. FanDuel Racing Illinois is the best available and has two promotions on the table for the big race.
FanDuel, the nation’s largest online sports betting operator, has integrated its racebook directly into the FanDuel Sportsbook Illinois app.
New customers earn a $500 No Sweat Win Bet as a welcome bonus. This bonus acts like insurance on your first Kentucky Derby bet: If you lose, FanDuel will refund your wager in the form of a racing bonus to use on future race bets.
All new and existing customers can also take advantage of FanDuel’s Kentucky Derby $20 No Sweat Bet. The offer is good for a single horse win wager, and you will receive a racing bonus of up to $20 if your horse loses.
If you want to bet on the race live, FanDuel Sportsbook and Racing is at one of two Illinois horse racetracks, along with Hawthorne Racecourse. Additional Illinois horse race betting apps include TVG, Club Hawthorne, NYRA Bets, TwinSpires and XpressBet.
Fierceness is favorite to win Derby
The odds are out for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
Favorites to win include Fierceness (5-2 odds) and Sierra Leone (3-1 odds). The longest shots have 50-1 odds: West Saratoga, Grand Mo the First and Society Man.
2024 Kentucky Derby odds
Post Position Horse Jockey Odds
1 Dornoch Luis Saez 20-1
2 Sierra Leone Tyler Gaffalione 3-1
3 Mystik Dan Brian Hernandez Jr. 20-1
4 Catching Freedom Flavien Prat 8-1
5 Catalytic Jose Ortiz 30-1
6 Just Steel Keith Asmussen 20-1
7 Honor Marie Ben Curtis 20-1
8 Just a Touch Florent Geroux 10-1
9 Encino [SCRATCHED] Axel Concepcion 20-1
10 T O Password Kazushi Kimura 30-1
11 Forever Young Ryusei Sakai 10-1
12 Track Phantom Joel Rosario 20-1
13 West Saratoga Jesus Castanon 50-1
14 Endlessly Umberto Rispoli 30-1
15 Domestic Product Irad Ortiz Jr. 30-1
16 Grand Mo the First Emisael Jaramillo 50-1
17 Fierceness John Velazquez 5-2
18 Stronghold Antonio Fresu 20-1
19 Resilience Junior Alvarado 20-1
20 Society Man Frankie Dettori 50-1
21 Epic Ride Adam Beschizza 30-1
Looking for a good watch party?
Some of the biggest 2024 Kentucky Derby watch parties in the Prairie State are in Chicago, but parties will take place statewide, with mint juleps flowing for you to enjoy with your fellow fans. Fancy hats are optional but encouraged.
Many local bars will have specials for the game and will serve as fantastic places to elevate your race-day experience. Or, look into buying tickets to one of the following events, all of which start at 3 p.m. and include a White Claw Hard Seltzer with the price of admission to get your party started:
– Utopian Tailgate in Old Town.
– The “Grand Stand” at the Rooftop at JOY District.
– Parlay in Lincoln Park – “Dress up and throw down!”
– Bodega in the West Loop.
– Whiskey Business in Wicker Park.
Other Kentucky Derby watch parties
Peoria
– Jimmy’s Bar (2 p.m.)
– Down & Derby with Acorn Equity Fund at the Warehouse on State (3 p.m.)
Northwest IL
– Hauberg Estate in Rock Island (1 p.m.)
– Moonlight Bay Marina (1 p.m.)
– Timber Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll (4 p.m.)
– Shenandoah Riding Center in Galena (4 p.m.)
Rockford
– Grant Park Tavern (10 a.m.)
– 8th Ward Pub (noon)
Springfield
– Engrained Brewery and Restaurant (11 a.m.)
– Kentucky Burn (1 p.m.)
– The Bird Tavern (3 p.m.)
– Brewski’s Pub (3 p.m.)
