The Kentucky Derby is just two weeks away and the field is starting to come into focus. Late last week, the Wynn Las Vegas Race and Sports Book released several Kentucky Derby head to head matchups. Matchups are an increasingly popular form of Kentucky Derby betting and as usual Wynn is ahead of the game.
The concept of matchups is simple and likely familiar to anyone with sports betting experience. The bookmaker pairs up horses in individual head to head matchup bets. He then quotes betting odds for each and opens the window for action. If the horse you bet on finishes ahead of the other horse you cash your bet. Horse racing bettors like it because it provides a variety of betting strategies–for example, it’s easy to take multiple shots against an overpriced favorite without having to ‘pick the winner’. Conversely, it’s a great way to go against an overrated horse or bet on a horse that you think will finish well but not necessarily win.
Here’s the current matchups available at the Wynn:
DORTMUND +105
AMERICAN PHAROAH -135
CARPE DIEM +115
AMERICAN PHAROAH -145
CARPE DIEM -110
DORTMUND -120
FIRING LINE +115
FROSTED -145
EL KABEIR +105
MUBTAAHIJ -135
INTERNATIONAL STAR +105
MATERIALITY -135
FAR RIGHT -115
WAR STORY -115
FRAMMENTO -105
KEEN ICE -125
STANFORD +130
DANZIG MOON -160
You can expect more matchups to be posted at the Wynn as well as other sports betting outlets as the Kentucky Derby draws closer. Also, look for an update on these odds within the next few days.
To capitalize on the interest of mainstream sports fans who want to bet on Kentucky Derby action, race and sports books have started to get creative and offer options other than the traditional win/place/show wagering. One popular bet at Churchill Downs and elsewhere is the Oaks/Derby Double in which bettors are asked to pick the winner of Friday’s Kentucky Oaks and Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Some books offer odds on the winning trainer (where Bob Baffert would be a huge favorite with Dortmund and American Pharoah), Over/Under betting on the time of the race and other wagers. Also on the board at many books are futures odds on the Triple Crown. Currently, American Pharoah is 10/1 to win the Triple Crown with Dortmund at 14/1.