Epsom Derby Betting Is A Grand Old Racing Tradition

There are few sporting events that can trace their origins back so far, and fewer still to such auspicious occasions as the Derby can. The Olympics doesn’t come close, the World Cup almost a johnny-come-lately by comparison, and Epsom Derby betting has been the summer jaunt of choice for well to do Londoners since the age of George III, however if you can’t get to Surrey this weekend, don’t worry Bet365 has all the odds you need on the runners and riders in this great historic event.

It began at a party. The celebration of one horse race spawning the origins of another as the 12th Earl of Derby (a location in the UK) and Sir Charles Bunbury brought the new race to fruition in the wake of the Oaks Stakes in 1779. The new race named after the Earl was run for the first time in 1780 and was won by Diomed, a horse owned by Bunbury, and almost certainly marked the beginning of Epsom Derby betting in Britain, a tradition that that Bet365 and its ilk help keep alive to this very day.

Over the years the distance run has changed, of course, as has the location, but the essence of this great horse race has remained intact throughout. The original one mile was deemed too short, and indeed these days measures some one mile, four furlongs and six yards (or 2,420m for those of you etc etc) however this has just added to the excitement of the event and if you’re a fan of placing the odd bet on sports in the UK at Bet365 Epsom Derby betting is as traditional as it gets. You don’t want to miss out.

The Derby Has Been Run Uninterrupted Since 1780

Whilst a lot of people will do their Epsom Derby betting online at Bet365 etc, the Epsom downs themselves aren’t too far from London and thus draw huge crowds each and every year, and indeed since that 1780 start it’s been an annual fixture without interruption. It is a testament to it’s importance to the British that during both WWI and WWII the race wasn’t canceled (unlike some other sporting events) but was instead merely moved slightly out of German range to Newmarket for the duration.

This is no more than should be expected for a race that used to suspend parliament so that MPs could go and partake of the festivities and do their own Epsom Derby betting. That was back when it used to be run on a Wednesday alongside a rather large fair in Epsom itself, with the race these days held on a weekend to satisfy the demands of modern life leaving politicians in the UK gambling laws and governance might just be more a little more important than horse racing. Albeit not by very much.

Do All Your Epsom Derby Betting At Bet365

The race is also the central leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing in the UK coming just after the 2000 Guineas and being followed by the St Leger. The Derby is the richest of the three (the richest race on the UK calendar in fact) and in 2017 carried a purse of some 1.625 million GBP – that’s around $2.1m – so competition on the course is almost as frantic as the Epsom Derby betting frenzy that hits sites like Bet365 in the days running up to the big race. The question is who’ll join the historic ranks of winners?

The most famous winner is perhaps Lester Piggott having ridden to victory in the race no less than 9 times (on Never Say Die, Crepello, St Paddy, Sir Ivor, Nijinsky, Roberto, Empery, The Minstrel, and Teenoso if you’re interested) with Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor tied for the owner with most wins at 7 apiece being joint owners of the horses involved and like every owner involved at the Epsom Derby betting their horse will make UK gambling news headlines on Monday, their has a chance this year too.

Read more about the Epsom Derby.