Gambling and the Kentucky Derby go hand-in-hand. Last year, $225.7 million was wagered on the Derby and the undercard races.
This year was no different, but the historic disqualification of first-place finisher Maximum Security forced a shift of millions of dollars in winnings after 65-1 long shot Country House was declared the winner after a controversial ruling by stewards.
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Maximum Security closed as the betting favorite with 9-2 odds, so he would have paid about $11 to win on a $2 bet, and a $1 exacta bet of Maximum Security and Country House reportedly would have paid roughly $250. After the disqualification, the $1 exacta of Country House (132.40 to win) and 14-1 Code of Honor (15.20 to place) paid $1,504.80.
Per ESPN gambling writer David Purdum, the disqualification cost bettors about $9 million in win, place and show wagers and resulted in a five-figure loss for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas.
Per @TwinSpires, $6,212,046 was bet on Maximum Security to win and $520,907 on Country House. Maximum Security also had $1,495,408 to place and $1,272,082 to show, so the DQ cost those bettors about $9-million just win, place, show.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) May 4, 2019
As of Friday night, only 2 percent of Derby money at William Hill sportsbooks in Nevada was on Country House to win.
Action Network's Darren Rovell reported that one bettor had $8,000 on Maximum Security to win, a wager that would have paid $44,000, and another bettor had placed a $2,500 win bet on Country House.
TwinSpires.com, a betting website operated by Churchill Downs Inc., quickly announced after the race that any bets up to $10 would be refunded.
Have you heard?!! We're refunding win bets on Maximum Security in the @KentuckyDerby. Here's what our @EJXD2 & @VPHanson thought of the DQ plus some early @PreaknessStakes thoughts pic.twitter.com/ur9YPIECAq
— TwinSpires.com (@TwinSpires) May 5, 2019
One can only imagine the roller coaster of emotions felt by gamblers and the horses' owners. And who knows, maybe the results will change yet again:
Just talked with Maximum Security's trainer, Jason Servis, and owner, Gary West. Both indicated that they will purse any available appeals to protest the disqualification of their horse.
— Tim Layden (@SITimLayden) May 4, 2019