The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest gambling events of the year, which is why the disqualification that changed the outcome of Saturday’s race caused chaos among bettors and sportsbooks. It goes without saying that those who bet on Maximum Security were left crushed.
According to Scott T. Miller of The Action Network, Maximum Security’s disqualification cost bettors approximately $42 million in possible winnings, and that was just for win/place/show wagers through the online gambling service at Churchill Downs. One bettor risked $8,000 for a possible payout of $44,000 only to learn that Country House would be named the winner.
Again, that is only for one type of wager through one particular betting service. When you factor in all the different types of wagers that included Maximum Security winning through all of the different gambling mediums, both legal and illegal, the number would be significantly higher than $42 million. At the same time, that also means millions of dollars were paid out to bettors who placed their money on Country House and initially thought they lost.
The outcome of Saturday’s race marked the first time in the Kentucky Derby’s 145-year history that a horse that crossed the finish line first was disqualified for a foul. While the decision has been highly controversial, a video of the finish appears to show that the right call was made.
