Check out the Vegas odds for 2021 Kentucky Derby
Mattress Mack and his $2 million may be causing a sea change in the pari-mutuel odds for the Kentucky Derby, but the fixed-odds futures market in Nevada is generating steam the old-fashioned way. With slightly smaller and more anonymous wise guys.
While Jim McIngvale’s first $500,000 bet moved undefeated Essential Quality to an odds-on favorite for a few hours Friday, he was still available Saturday morning for more than 5-2 – plus-280, to be exact – at Circa Sports in Las Vegas.
Essential Quality’s pari-mutuel odds had drifted to 5-2 by Saturday at 11:30 a.m. EDT, when McIngvale dropped another $400,000, shortening the price back to 2-1. McIngvale promised to bet another $1.1 million before post time.
McIngvale is scheduled to make an appearance at 5:45 p.m. EDT on NBC, presumably in a photo op to push most of the rest of his Essential Quality bankroll through a Churchill Downs betting window.
After being posted at a best price of 9-1 after Tuesday’s draw, Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie has attracted a disproportionate share of the Las Vegas money this week, shortening to 7-1 (plus 725) at Circa. He was as little as 4-1 at Station Casinos on Saturday morning, not far from his 9-2 odds in the pari-mutuels.
The most notable fade has been against Known Agenda. The Florida Derby victor drawn into the dreaded rail post that has produced only one Kentucky Derby winner since 1963 went from a 5-1 best price Tuesday to 8-1 on Saturday at both William Hill and Stations and 10-1 at Churchill Downs.
Four Nevada casinos are showing odds for and against any horse to win the Triple Crown. William Hill makes it 6-1 (plus 650) that it will happen. The best price to lay against it is 1-6 at the Westgate Superbook.
While Nevada casinos have limited their Derby pari-mutuel menus and pay-outs because of a 1 1/2-year impasse with Churchill Downs over simulcast fees, they are maintaining their usual limits for their futures. William Hill and Circa opened theirs during the fall; Stations and Westgate jumped in after Tuesday’s draw. Those fixed odds are expected to be on offer until shortly before post time, scheduled for Saturday at 6:57 p.m. EDT.