Kentucky Derby 2025: Caesars the last Vegas sportsbook to offer fixed-odds futures

Remember when many Las Vegas sportsbooks offered winter-book wagering on the Kentucky Derby? The list is down to one, as Ceasars is the last Las Vegas sportsbook to offer fixed-odds future wagers on the Kentucky Derby.

Caesars opened betting on the 2025 Derby the weekend before the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, with 73 horses listed. Caesars linemaker Jason Jingeleski opened with Chancer McPatrick and East Avenue as the early favorites. Their prices drifted up after off-the-board finishes in the BC Juvenile, and subsequent action skewed toward Derby candidates trained by one person in particular.

“There’s always interest, but especially this year, with renewed interest surrounding the [Bob] Baffert entries,” Jingeleski said. “Our biggest Derby wagers so far have come on the Baffert-trained horses.”

Jingeleski declined to specify the amount of money Caesars has handled.

“The only thing I can say is the Derby Futures pool is very popular,” he said.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2025: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Baffert-trained Barnes is currently the Caesars favorite at 6.5-1, while stablemate Citizen Bull is the 8-1 second choice. The third and fourth favorites are the Ian Wilkes-trained Burnham Square at 15-1 and the Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty at 17-1.

Some Baffert runners with early steam have not delivered. San Saba “got bet insane before his maiden race,” Jingeleski said. But San Saba lost his debut and was fully extended to win next out with a Beyer Speed Figure of 80.

“Most of the interest has been on Barnes,” said Jingeleski, who opened Barnes at 33-1 prior to his debut. The colt’s odds have dropped steadily since.

Early this week, Jingeleski said winter-book customers would benefit most from a Derby win by one of three horses – Patch Adams, 20-1 currently; Sandman, 35-1; and McAfee, 80-1. In 2024, Jingeleski said winter-book customers were thrilled with the Derby. Three horses attracted lopsided action – Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone, and Forever Young. They finished first, second, and third in the race.

East Avenue, 18-1 a week ago, is up to 35-1 at Caesars following his comeback debacle in the Risen Star. Baeza, the well-bred maiden winner last week at Santa Anita, is listed at an attractive 70-1. Withers runner-up Surfside Moon was still 125-1 early this week.

“As we get into the bigger qualifier stakes races, we’re expecting a number of larger wagers to start coming in,” Jingeleski said. “As you start getting into the bigger races, that’s when you see the uptick in handle.”

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