Odd or Even? There's a new way to bet on horses during Derby Week at Churchill Downs

Horseplayers speak a different language when making complicated wagers on a race. You may know what a trifecta is, but why is he saying that he is keying that horse, but wheeling another? Not every Churchill Downs patron is there to handicap the program and hit it big in the late Pick 5. Now, there’s a new way to wager during the Spring Meet.

You don’t have to know that $2 across-the-board is to win-place-show to pick a number. Many casuals prefer it that way, actually. Or they’ll be on the most vibrant silks or the best name in the field. In this new wager, you get a 50-50 shot by playing one of the oldest games that exists, Odd or Even?

It’s that simple. Will the winning horse have an odd number or an even number? That’s it. That’s the bet.

The Kentucky Derby is attracting a broader audience to Churchill Downs, one that is younger and loves Instagram, but may not be in tune with the sport outside of a few days a year. Offering an Odd or Even wager gives casual fans a new exotic that makes sense, even though it’s not as profitable as a four-horse exacta box, a wager where one selects four horses to finish in the top two of the race.

If you’re asking, “What’s the catch?” There is a small one. You’re not going to get Odd or Even odds with an Odd or Even bet. Churchill Downs is taking out 17.5% on all odd or even bets. That rake is equivalent to a -121 you’d see from a sportsbook after buying a couple of points. Still, if all the horses you like in the race or even numbers, it’s probably worth it to throw down some coin in this new Odd or Even wager.

Churchill Downs Offers Matchup Wagering

The following bets on the menu this spring are for the more seasoned gambler. This year, Churchill Downs is offering a 50-cent All Turf Pick 4 on Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Day. There will be six Pick 5s and five Pick 4s on Derby Day, with five Pick 5s and four Pick 4s on Oaks Day. The popular multi-day wagers featuring the best stakes races are also back for another year.

There is a new type of wager that I have never seen before in horse racing. Matchups will allow horseplayers to bet horses head-to-head. It’s similar to golf pairings, where you simply take one golfer to beat the other, not necessarily beat the entire field for a round. To win this wager, simply select which of two horses or groups of horses will produce the highest finisher in a race. This will only be offered on select days throughout the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

It’s a great time of the year to build that bankroll on NYRA Bets and make some money playing the ponies. Best of luck on all your tickets (unless it makes my ticket a loser).

Sign up for the KSR Newsletter to get breaking news and daily headlines delivered directly to your inbox.