Tips for Betting the 2009 Kentucky Derby

Written by Jimmy Boyd on April 29, 2009

kentucky derby tips 42909 With the 2009 Kentucky Derby fast approaching, it’s time to start figuring out what your wagers are going to be for the “the most exciting two minutes in sports”. If you are new to horse racing betting, it might serve you well to check out my 2009 Kentucky Derby Betting article. It introduces you to both straight and exotic betting as well as a couple great racebooks with great bonuses for the big race. In this article, I’ll go over several tips for betting the Kentucky Derby to help out those who might be feeling lost as the weekend approaches.

Watch the Horses – This tip won’t do you much good now, but the best way to get a feel for the field is to watch these horses perform in the races leading up to the Derby. While reading information on how each horse has done can be helpful, it’s not the same as seeing for yourself what they are actually capable of. But keep in mind that your eyes can deceive you. For example, if you’ve only seen one of the Derby horses run, and you watched them race to victory, don’t fall too deeply in love with that horse. That’s just one performance and often times horses can look completely different in another race and on a different type of track surface. Watching the horses is most beneficial when you see them all run multiple races. Subscribing to a horse racing network may be the way to go if you can’t get to quite a few live races.

Do your Homework – Finding a trusted handicapper is a good way to start out any kind of sports wagering. These individuals make a living by picking winners and invest hours upon hours of their day breaking down the field and weighing the odds. They also have access to avenues of information that the average sports bettor does not readily have available. Handicappers can be a great tool for helping you learn how to handicap horse races yourself. Plus, it’s never a bad idea to get a second opinion from an expert. If you want to go at it alone, I recommend picking up a tip sheet, which are created by professional handicappers, to gather as much information and history on the horses as possible. While the odds usually tell the story of who the best horses are supposed to be, looking at the trainers and the jockeys is another good way to judge the quality of a horse. Most generally, you will find the best jockeys riding the best horses, and the best trainers usually have the highest win percentages.

Bet the Favorite – This is normally terrible advice, but favorites win about 33 percent of the time in horse racing. This strategy certainly would have paid off last year with Big Brown. If you are looking for some action, and you have waited until race day, okay bet the favorite and watch the race. But otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend betting the favorite blindly, especially this year when the race looks pretty wide open. It can be a good idea to use the favorite to group in with a couple other horses for an “across the board” wager or an exotic bet.

Bet the 2009 Kentucky Derby at BetUS and receive a $25 free play or bet the Derby at Sportsbook.com and get a 100% win bonus.

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