Latest 2024 Kentucky Derby Odds

Looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby odds this year? If so, you will be happy to know that the top betting sites have had the odds up for weeks and now’s the time to place your bets.

Join me as I break down the odds and make my early Kentucky Derby winner prediction for this year!

Here are the Kentucky Derby betting odds for 2024, courtesy of Bovada. If you’re unfamiliar, I suggest checking out this Bovada review.

They’re one of the better sportsbooks online, and currently offer a nice $750 sports welcome bonus. With not every top sportsbook offering Kentucky Derby betting odds yet, they’re a great option right now.

Right now they’re favoring Sierra Leone to win at +300, but three horses in all have +800 odds or better.

Sierra Leone was the Kentucky Derby favorite for some time, but Fierceness is the new horse with the best odds, per Bovada.

While you may want to focus up top in terms of pricing, it’s not like it’s obvious who is going to win. No horse is coming in at minus money, and there are two horses with +350 odds or better. Two more have +950 odds or better.

That said, there are two chief contenders at the moment, and there’s value to be had across the board. Even betting on the favorite is advantageous currently, and of course there is premium value as you work your way down the list.

I will be diving more into why the odds for the Kentucky Derby are priced this way later, but for now, just know that the final list has yet to be finalized.

So, why bet on the 2024 Kentucky Derby odds now before we know who is even competing? Well, the main reason is for the betting upside. These prices will only drop once we get closer to the main event, so it pays to make your predictions early.

If you are ready to make your Kentucky Derby pick, you will be able to find the odds at Bovada. They’re one of the few sportsbooks offering odds for the Kentucky Derby right now, and they’re arguably among the most reputable.

Bovada is specifically great if you can’t access a betting site in your state. They’re one of the best offshore sportsbooks, they also have a casino, and they offer a solid $750 welcome bonus. Other features like their renowned rewards program and parlay booster put them over the top as a Kentucky Derby betting destination.

Check them out now before the 2024 Kentucky Derby betting odds change!

Basically any horse that is trainer by Todd Pletcher has to be considered a threat to win. It’s true that Pletcher hasn’t scored a win here since 2017, but that’s not that long a drought and he still has two victories since 2010.

Beyond having a legendary trainer, Fierceness is an ascending threat to win the Kentucky Derby thanks to his big win at the 2024 Florida Derby. He edged out fellow Kentucky Derby hopefuls in Catalytic and Grand Mo First in dominant fashion.

Not. Even. Close.

It’s one thing to win a race like this, but to edge out some stiff competition so easily? Impressive, indeed.

That could easily be enough to get the interest of bettors, but why stop there? Fierceness is admittedly on a role, as he finished a respectable third at this year’s Holy Bull and was first at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Gaining steam with two wins in his last three races, Fierceness is shaping up as a solid bet. Of course, Pletcher’s mini drought and a not so unblemished record do create some doubt heading into this year’s big race.

If you’re confident, though, you can back Fierceness to win at Bovada now.

Fierceness looks like a viable favorite and worth betting on, but there’s so much more to like in this field. The clear top contender is the previous favorite, with Sierra Leone pulling in with strong +350 odds to win the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

A Chad C. Brown trainee, Leone undeniably has the better track record. He’s 3-1 through four races, with a second place finish at the 2023 Remsen being his worst run. That loss came to Dornoch, another Kentucky Derby candidate, and feels less damaging now.

The upside with Sierra Leone comes from witnessing strong wins at the 2024 Blue Grass Stakes and the 2024 Risen Star. The most recent win had Sierra Leone edging out stellar competition in Just a Touch (2nd) and Epic Ride (3rd).

There’s also Forever Young. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, he’s been on a dominant run and stands in at an impressive 5-0. That hot streak includes a huge win at the UAE Derby this year, as well as a victory at the Saudi Derby.

The strong record and impressive showings at these big 2024 events make him a viable threat – and one that offers elite betting value. Both horses look like legit contenders. If you want a safer option, Sierra Leone looks like the better play. However, both colts can be bet on at Bovada.

It certainly makes sense to bet on the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby. The betting odds imply they have the best chance to win, and winning is what you want do to when gambling, right?

That said, making the correct Kentucky Derby prediction is not easy. You might not feel like a +300 payout is worth it, considering the level of difficulty. Instead of betting on a top contender, you can try your luck on a longshot instead.

Longshots are naturally riskier to bet on, but you can make an argument that any horse has a decent amount of risk. In addition to that, you get a much better payout when betting on a sleeper.

Two horses that I have my eyes on include Stronghold and Just Steel. These two have +3300 odds, which would pay significantly more than the top contenders. Not only that, but they also have a decent chance to win.

Stronghold is a three-year-old colt who has won three races over the last few months. Those races include the Santa Anita Derby, Sunland Park Derby, and an MSW race. The most recent race was the Santa Anita Derby, which is just one month before the Kentucky Derby.

Just Steel won the 2023 Ed Brown event, and placed second in the Arkansas Derby, Southwest Stakes, and Smarty Jones races from 2024. What makes him an intriguing horse to bet on is the speed figures. The three-year-old colt registered a 100 HRN speed figure in August of 2023 and April of this year.

If Just Steel can be in a good position down the final stretch, he can show off his high-end speed and possibly win it all.

There are a ton of other horses to consider, but Stronghold and Just Steel stand out to me a bit more for longshots. Just keep an eye on pricing, as both of these horses get you more bang for your buck, as opposed to betting on them at other online US sportsbooks.

It’s unlikely that you are an expert at betting on the Kentucky Derby, so allow me to provide you with some helpful betting tips before you place your wagers:

First and foremost, you want to make sure you are getting the best 2024 Kentucky Derby odds. Sportsbooks will have different prices for each horse, so you will want to place your bets on the site that has the best possible payout.

Next, you want to research specific horses to see how well they have performed in recent events. You can see what their top speeds are, where they have placed in previous races, who they are trained/owned by, and more.

Lastly, you will want to pay attention to storylines. One of the biggest for this year is that Bob Baffert has been suspended and the horses that he’s trained will not be participating in the Kentucky Derby.

His horses have failed drugs tests numerous times, so hopefully the 2024 race is clean. You also want to pay attention to which horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby and if they are having any health problems.

The Kentucky Derby race is almost here, which means it’s time to place your bets.

We don’t have the full list of qualifiers yet, but that should happen in the near future. You can certainly wait to find out who is participating to place your bets, but you could be missing out on a ton of betting value.

Some horses, such as Stronghold and Just Steel have rather intriguing 2024 Kentucky Derby odds at +2500. If we wait until they are officially qualified, their odds are likely to drop.

As for my prediction for who will win the Kentucky Derby, I am going to go with Just Steel. I find it more intriguing to bet on a longshot right now, especially because of the payout difference. You can tag along with my pick or bet on any other horse by visiting Bovada.

Bovada has the best odds for that specific horse, so if you’re with me, that’s the site to choose.

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