Best Irish Derby betting sites 2024

The Irish Derby (not to be confused with the Irish Derby greyhound race) at the Curragh (home of the famous Curragh races) is undoubtedly one of the major highlights of the Irish racing season. And placing the wager on the event couldn’t be easier with tonnes of Irish Derby betting sites available for you to choose from. 

Every major betting site available to players in Ireland and beyond will be offering options to bet on the Irish Derby: online horse racing betting is big business. First up, choose the best bookmaker to suit your needs – check out for details on all the best sites and Irish Derby betting offers. When you’ve found the one that floats your boat and gives you what you’re looking for, just follow the simple steps to sign up. Make a deposit, and bet away at your leisure. Keep an eye on the new customer sign up offers (again with all the details at and use these to enhance your Irish Derby betting experience.)

The Irish Derby offers up plenty of betting opportunities. All you need to do is get a handle on the popular horse racing betting markets available. What are they, and how do they work? Luckily for you, we’ve got the answers right here: 

To win

As simple as it sounds, bet on the horse you think will win the race. With at least 66 runners in the Irish Derby 2024 this is no easy task, but offers up pretty impressive returns on your betting stake if you can get it right. 

Each way

An each way bet is in fact two bets in one. If someone tells you they have placed a €5 each way bet, then that bet actually cost them €10. In this type of bet, you are backing a horse to either win the race, or finish in a placed position, which is usually in the top three or four for a big event like the Irish Derby, but can also be extended to further places depending on the offer of the sports betting site. That’s exactly why you should shop around for the best offers.

Forecast

A forecast bet is a slightly riskier style of wager when you back the exact horses that will finish first and second. A variation on the straight forecast is the reverse forecast when you actually make two bets (then doubling the stake just as in the each way bet) and you win if your two horses finish first and second in any order. There’s also a tricast, which works in the same way but for the top three horses.

So how do you increase your chances of being successful when betting on the Irish Derby? If you are looking to place a bet on this thrilling Irish flat race, then there a few tips and strategies that we really recommend you consider before taking the plunge. 

Check form: We’ll start with an obvious one, because this is what racing punters have been doing for years. It’s important to consider the form of the horse in the lead up to the race, as this is what the bookmakers will be looking at, you can be sure. And the good news is that top sites such as Paddy Power, BoyleSports, Bet365 and Betway will all offer up detailed form guides to the runners in the Irish Derby, as well as previous Irish Derby results, making sure that you have your eyes wide open before placing your bet. 

Consider the markets available: As we have already discussed, there are a number of different bets you can take on when it comes to the Irish Derby, from a simple ‘to win’ bet’ to much more exotic selections which can hugely increase the size of the return. Of course the risk varies, so it’s really important to weigh up stake in terms of return. But choose wisely here.   

Avail of bookmaker promotions: To minimise risk or increase the size of a return, it’s really vital to sign up to the best sports betting sites and avail of their customer sign up offers and then any promotions they have specifically for the Irish Derby. In this way you may secure yourself a free bet, increased odds on your return, further places in your ‘to place’ or ‘each way’ bets, betting insurance options and more. This is the really smart move and one of the reasons why at Betyou Ireland we strive to give you the lowdown on the very best bookmakers available, their promotions, and their sign up offers designed to attract new players. 

Never bet more than you can afford: Bet safely, always!

As one of the most important and popular events in the Irish flat racing season, it’s no surprise that the Irish Derby has a rich history. Hosted at the famous Curragh racecourse in Co. Kildare each June or July, the race brings together the country’s best three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies (not to mention horses from abroad too), all of which battle it out over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres). 

The Irish Derby is similar in composition to England’s Derby, also known as the Epsom Derby, and is usually run four weeks after the British event. The Irish version is also part of a greater prize - the Irish Triple Crown series. The Triple Crown consists of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Irish St. Leger, as well as the Derby. To date, only two horses have even completed the feat in the history of the 200-year-old event - Museum in 1935 and Windsor Slipper just seven years later. It’s been over 80 years since the feat was witnessed. The Derby, having been in existence for over 200 years in one form or another, is by the far the oldest of the Triple Crown series. 

Adding even more prestige to the race, if required, is the list of legendary horses, jockeys and trainers synonymous with success in the Irish Derby. Aidan O’Brien, with six victories up to and including the 2023 race, is by far the most successful trainer, while the famed horses to have secured victory in the race include the mystical Shergar, English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, and the dual winner of both the English and Irish versions, Galileo. The list of Irish Derby winners reads like a list of legendary horses.  

Want to get a detailed summary of the top Irish Derby bookmakers? Here you go: 

Paddy Power

Ireland’s best-loved sports betting sites with bonuses and markets aplenty. The Paddy Power Irish Derby betting experience is among the best around, with Paddy Power live horse racing betting a particular treat. 

Strengths

• Great depth of markets and promotions
• Top class betting apps for devices

Weaknesses

• Not always the best odds outside of promotions and boosts

Paddy Power screams fun with its unique marketing approach. But it’s also a serious bookie with an incredible range of features including apps, live streaming, bet builders, live betting (including live Irish Derby betting) and so much more. Horse Racing Betting Paddy Power style is definitely one to enjoy. 

Bet365

One of the world’s biggest sports betting sites with a number of markets and features that most can’t compete with

Strengths

• So comprehensive you could spend hours exploring the features and markets
• Loads of promotions
• Apps of a top-class nature

Weaknesses

• Odds that are really, if ever, market leading

Bet365 is a top-class site with so many features it’s impossible to mention them all, but you can be sure to get live betting, bet builders, cash out options, form guides, live streaming and so much more besides, including on the great dedicated apps for iOS and Android. 

BoyleSports

Another much-loved Irish sports betting site with an incredible numbers of features and betting options,  Boylesports Irish Derby betting is one to get on board with.

Strengths

• Great depth of markets and features
• Top class betting apps for devices
• Strengths in all the loved Irish sports
• Bonuses and promotions aplenty

Weaknesses

• Not the most competitive odds minus the promotions

Boylesports is a great site with dedicated apps to match. A huge number of markets and promotions are backed up by top class features including bet builders, cash out, live streaming, a horse racing betting calculator and more. 

Betway

One of the best know sports betting operators in Britain and with a dedication to horse racing   

Strengths

• Great depth of markets, especially in horses and football
• Top class betting apps for devices

Weaknesses

• Not the most competitive odds

Betway is a beloved bookmaker in Britain and Ireland and has become synonymous with horse racing in recent years, partly through some eye-catching sponsorships. Get loads of markets and dedicated promotions on many of the biggest races in Britain and Ireland here, and avail of the cutting edge apps. 

22bet

A European bookmaker that has grown in stature since its emergence in 2017.

Strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths

• A huge number of sports and market options, especially Esports and Cyber
• Odds that are often up around market leading

Weaknesses

• User experience not the best, with a clunky website
• Reliability and transparency of information on the site could be improved

A bookmaker with a Curcaco licence and registered in Cyprus,  22bet has become a really popular site since entering the stage in 2017. The number of features and markets will leave punters with plenty of options, and the odds, including the Irish Derby betting odds can be really competitive. A clunky site leave a lot to be desired, though.

If you’d love to place a bet on the Irish Derby but you’re not sure how, here we run through all the simple steps to follow to get you there: 

• Start with Betyou Ireland to see which are the best sports betting sites for betting on the Irish Derby and more. We also have details of all the best welcome offers to be sure to give you the best value when embarking on your betting journey.
• Click through the Betyou site to the bookmaker you choose to sign up with (perhaps more than one).
• Now go to the ‘sign up’, ‘join’ or similar button for new customers to sign up for the site.
• At this stage you have to enter a few personal details that are prompted, which will include creating a username and password. Sometimes bookmakers will ask for you to upload a proof of identity document such as a passport or driving licence in order for you to prove who you are. This is a normal step and something sports betting sites have been asked to do to help tackle money laundering and other fraudulent practices. Please note here that if you sign up with a reputable bookmaker the strictest data privacy laws are adhered to.
• Once you’ve signed up, now you are free to make your first deposit through the method of your choice. Be sure to check in with the terms and conditions of the betting site to make sure that your chosen methos allows you to avail of the sign-up bonus.

Now you have money in your account you can navigate over to the horse racing section on your account, look for the Irish Derby and now browse the markets. Add an option to your betting slip, enter a stake amount and you will instantly see what the potential return will be. Once again, if you are eligible for a new customer bonus, check out the details of this and use it to place a bet on the Irish Derby. Be sure to check out dedicated bookmaker promotions that the top sports betting sites may have for this huge event in the Irish racing calendar. 

The thrill of betting on the Irish Derby doesn’t have to end with the start of the race. Due to recent developments in the sports betting industry, it’s now possible to place bets ‘in play’, or to avail of ‘live betting in running’, meaning after the event/race has begun. And while the Irish Derby may only last around two and half minutes, that’s still enough time to get to grips on what is happening on the course and place a bet or bets that look good based on what is unfolding in real time. This is live Irish Derby betting, and adds another exciting angle to betting on this iconic race. 

In-play betting, also known as live betting, has revolutionised the sports betting industry and the way that punters interact with betting on an event. By all means you can place your bets before the race has started, but this additional opportunity to bet after the Irish Derby has started opens up even more possibilities. Every top bookmaker offers customers the opportunity to bet in this way, and you can be sure that the sports betting sites that we recommend on Betyou Ireland are some of the best in terms of interactivity and options, especially on events such as the Irish Derby. 

You don’t quite get the number of pre-event options once the trace has started, of course, but there are still some great opportunities to make a return. You will see the odds offered change in real time as events on the track unfold, so horses that are well off the pace will see the odds rise in tandem. If a horse falls, the option to back it disappears completely. It’s a chance to test your interpretation of what’s going on on the racetrack, and has proven to be incredibly popular with punters. And it’s an innovation that is supported by the incredible advances in betting technology that make your betting experience incredibly responsive. If this type of betting option appeals, then it’s a great idea to get on board the Irish Derby betting in running experience.

Move to the apps to get the most responsive and interactive experiences with your chosen sports betting site. Here we look at some of the best available for playing on the Irish Derby, along with opportunities to catch the event through a dedicated live streaming service. 

PaddyPower

One of Ireland’s best-known bookmakers delivers up first-class apps which are dedicated to both iOS and Android, awash with features and the type of responsiveness that only the best can provide. As ever Paddy offer up live streaming of all Irish and British horse racing events, which of course includes the Irish Derby, so this is an app that will deliver the lot. 

BoyleSports

Another star of Irish bookmaking, BoyleSports delivers equally well on its apps which are also dedicated to iOS and Android. Get all of the usual BoyleSports benefits such as tonnes of markets and betting offers (including Irish Derby betting offers), as well as live streaming and plenty of specials on racing. A great place to bet on the Irish Derby. 

Bet365

This British sports betting site is difficult to beat when it comes to the number and breadth of features available, and it brings all of this to its dedicated iOS and Android betting apps, which are incredibly responsive. A sports betting site as the forefront of bookmaking innovation, you can also avail of live streaming of all British and Irish races as part of a huge horse racing offering which serves up plenty of bonuses too. Bet365 is a great place for all of your Irish Derby needs, with bet365 horse racing coverage being among the best there is.  

22bet

22bet is well known for its huge variety of markets including futures, pre-event and in-play, and it delivers this too on its apps for iOS and Android.  

Betway

This British bookmaker is often noted as a major sponsor of major events in horse racing. It’s no surprise then that Betway is particularly strong on its combination of great horse racing betting specials and bonuses, breadth of markets, features including live streaming, and more. Once again this is another great sports betting site delivering dedicated apps to both iOS and Android upon which you can get the full benefits for your Irish Derby betting.

As the Irish Derby 2024 nears, it’s time to start thinking and where and how you can bet effectively on one of Ireland’s most beloved horse racing events. Betyou Ireland has you covered with our full range of bookmaker reviews, allowing you to make the most informed choice for your sports betting needs. Get the info that can help you choose the best betting site for the Irish Derby, understanding where you can avail of the features and offers that really matter to you. Then pop onto an odds comparison site to see who’s offering what for the big race on the markets that interest you. Combining these details you can give yourself the best possible chance of a thrilling end to your Irish Derby betting.

Exotic bets are typically bets that involve more than one horse. And the good news is, if that floats your boat for the Irish Derby, then the top sports betting sites offer up all manner of weird and wonderful exotic bets that exist to entice the more adventurous betting types. And in the middle of the madness you could just find the bet that brings in the big return. Riskier by the nature of the fact you are betting on more than one thing at a time, exotic bets include the much loved forecast and tricast bets in which you back the horses to finish first and second, or even first, second and third – much harder to do of course. You can also bet on the Irish Derby as part of an accumulator where you bet on the horses to win in other meetings at the Curragh races on the same day, or even across multiple horse racing events if you are so inclined. The point is that the options span far and wide, providing all manner of opportunities when betting on the Irish Derby. 

At Betyou we know the importance of providing straight answers. Here, in our well-loved FAQ section, we do just that. Here are clear answers to your most pressing questions regarding the Irish Derby and Irish Derby betting online: