Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown Betting (2022)

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Last Updated on: 23.02.2023

Inspired Entertainment, the company behind the Virtual Grand National, has now launched the much anticipated Virtual Kentucky Derby. Find out the best betting sites for this event in this article, along with the latest odds and other useful information!

Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown Runners & Odds

The odds for the 2022 Virtual Kentucky Derby Triple Crown Showdown will be displayed here once they are available from the leading virtual sports betting sites.

What Is the Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown?

  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 146th Kentucky Derby was postponed from its original position in the first Saturday in May for the first time since 1945. As a result, the organisers of the event were in need of a similar sort of event to replace the original for their viewers from all over the world.
  • The success of the Virtual Grand National in 2017 inspired the idea for a Virtual Kentucky Derby to take place, providing a different sort of experience for punters and enthusiasts of the sport.
  • It was the first time the Kentucky Derby had been staged in a virtual environment, with the event being named the Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown. This came after the selection of the 13 horses which had won the Triple Crown over the course of their illustrious careers.
  • The Triple Crown title refers to the three signature races of American horse racing: The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes. Such is the difficulty of winning The Triple Crown that only 13 horses have won the three races since 1875. To determine the winner of the race, the 2020 Virtual Kentucky Derby Triple Crown used data and expert opinions of racing analysts regarding these 13 winners and their performances to create an algorithm that would narrow down a victor.
  • The Virtual Kentucky Derby presented fans with a unique opportunity to witness the greatest race horses of all time compete in a virtual environment. NBC screened the event, while KentuckyDerby.com allowed users to pick their favourite horse in a bid to raise money for Covid-19 relief funds.
  • Despite the success of the event, it was not repeated in 2021 as the real-life Kentucky Derby returned to its original spot in the first week of May.

Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown Winners

The great Secretariat won the inaugural 2020 Virtual Kentucky Derby Showdown, beating out Citation down the stretch with a truly fine performance. The 1973 Triple Crown winner did not make a great start to the race, however, although he found a good position on the inside rail. Seattle Slew held the lead for a large portion of the one and 1⁄4 mile race, but the pressure provided by Secretariat and Citation overwhelmed him.

The final 20 yards of the contest saw a straight fight between Secretariat and Citation for the win. However, the all-time record holder for the fastest Kentucky Derby in history held his composure to beat out his rival on the line. It was a thrilling race from start to finish, and had a deserved winner.

Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Virtual Kentucky Derby Betting in 2023

#1
Paddy Power logo
Paddy Power
  • Daily extra places on horse racing
  • 5 Places paid at 1/5 of the odds
  • Risk-free welcome offer
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

New Customer Offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £10. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#2
BetVictor
BetVictor
  • Great range of virtual markets
  • Bet £10 get £40 + 100 free spins
  • Competitive odds on offer, as well as active markets
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 3x £10 Free Bets,  set events at odds 2.00+. 7 day bonus expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly

#3
Unibet
  • Excellent value on virtual odds
  • Chance to bet on several outright markets
  • Win up to £3,000 with weekly virtual sports tournaments
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#4
William Hill
  • Top range of horse racing virtuals
  • Competitive odds across all markets
  • Price boosts available
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#5
Coral logo
Coral
  • Fail To Finish Insurance
  • Horse racing specialists
  • Enhanced accas
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

18+ New UK+ ROI Customers only. Deposit & Bet min £5 as first bet at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for 1x £20 Free Bet. Certain deposit methods and bet types excluded. Free bet valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#6
Ladbrokes
  • Bet £20 and get it back if it loses
  • Huge range of betting markets
  • Acca boosts and regular free bets
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#7
BoyleSports
  • Ireland’s largest independent bookmaker
  • Several enthralling promotions
  • Both cash out and Bet Builder features available
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

*New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile only. £20 in FREE Bets (FB) as £10 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7 day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#8
bet365
  • Good range of virtual betting
  • One of the world’s top bookmakers
  • Free bet offers available
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

18+ - Offer for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

#9
Betway
  • Solid array of virtual betting markets
  • Good value available on virtual odds
  • Regular promotional offers
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

If you like our options for the top Virtual Kentucky Derby betting sites, check out our list of the top horse racing betting sites for wagering on the real event, as well as other popular races across the globe.

Virtual Kentucky Derby FAQs

The Virtual Kentucky Derby first took place in May 2020 after the original race was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The inaugural Virtual Kentucky Derby was named the Virtual Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown, and was competed by all past 13 Triple Crown winners.
Secretariat, the Triple Crown winner from 1973, won the first Virtual Kentucky Derby Triple Crown Showdown.
Yes. Leading betting sites will have wagering options and great value odds on the Virtual Kentucky Derby, just as they do for the real race itself.
There are a number of top wagering sites for Virtual Kentucky Derby betting, but we believe the standout options are Paddy Power, BetVictor and Unibet.

ThePuntersPage Final Say

The postponement of the 2020 Kentucky Derby paved the way for the first Virtual Kentucky Derby Triple Crown Showdown, which was a success after being watched viewers across the United States and through online mediums around the globe.

It has presented new forms of virtual betting, expanding the collection of products offered by Inspire Entertainment following the success of their Virtual Grand National simulation. Even though the simulation did not take place in 2021, there is hope for the future that it will become a regular occurrence of the American racing calendar just as the Virtual Grand National has become synonymous with the main even of British horse racing.