Kentucky Derby Betting Pool Spreadsheet (2026)

share it

We live in Kentucky, so of course we love the Kentucky Derby! As usual, we're celebrating the first Saturday in May with a small party for friends to watch the race with us, and we love to host our own betting pool during the race.

To make it easier to manage the Derby bets, we've come up with a downloadable betting pool spreadsheet that calculates odds and determines the payout for the winner.

Kentucky Derby betting pool spreadsheet

Our betting pool spreadsheet is very simple to use. Just keep the spreadsheet open on your computer during the party, and every time somebody places a bet, add the dollar amount of that bet to the current total (in the "Wagers" column) for that horse. When the race is over, distribute the total pool among the people who bet on the winning horse.

Our spreadsheet will be pre-filled in with the 2026 Kentucky Derby field, including horses, trainers, and jockeys. However, keep in mind that you might have to make some changes right before the party based on last-minute scratches or jockey changes.

How to use the betting pool spreadsheet

Once you have downloaded 2026 Kentucky Derby Betting Pool Spreadsheet and double-checked it against the latest news, you are ready to open your virtual betting window.

Here's a video showing a demo of a sample spreadsheet:

Here's how to use the spreadsheet:

• Open the spreadsheet in Excel. If you see buttons to "Enable Editing" and "Enable Content", click them to make the spreadsheet editable and to activate the macros.
• Double-check the list for any last-minute scratches or additions and update as needed.
• Whenever someone places a bet, just add that dollar amount to the current total (in the "Wagers" column) for that horse. For example, if the current total is $15 and someone bets $4, you change the total from $15 to $19.
• BONUS: Since $2 is the most common low-stakes bet, we have a built-in "add $2" function in the spreadsheet. If you click on the jockey silk in the first column, it will automatically add $2 to the Wagers total.
• Make sure you write all bets placed on individual betting tickets (see below) to serve as a receipt for the person placing the bet.
• Don't forget to collect actual cash whenever someone places a bet!
• The amount of money placed on any one horse will automatically calculate the odds for that horse. The more money that's placed on a horse, the lower the odds will end up being. This calculation of odds serves as a GUIDE for those wanting to bet on a horse based on their "sure thing" or "long shot" status. (The actual winning pool distribution may vary depending on rounding)
• All bets will be placed on the horse to "Win". There is no "Place" or "Show" pool.
• When the race is over, find the amount bet on the horse that won. Divide the total win pool by the number of dollars bet on that horse to determine how much of a payout each bettor will get per dollar they bet. For example: For a $45 pool and a horse that had $9 bet on it, the per-dollar winnings are $5. So for a $2 bet, the payoff is $10. For a $3 bet, the payoff is $15.

NOTE: The pool odds won't compute properly until after you have entered a few bets but don't worry, they will work after that.

Kentucky Derby printable betting tickets

To make it easy to keep track of the winning bets, download our printable derby betting tickets. Print and cut them out, then hand one to each person who places a bet, to serve as a receipt and record of their wager. Be sure to write the person's name and amount of the bet on the ticket so there's no confusion later.

Kentucky Derby party ideas

Here are some of our ideas for decorations and food for your Kentucky Derby party:

• Kentucky Derby party ideas and printable decorations
• Rose-Covered Derby Cake
• Kentucky Derby party food recipes
• Kentucky Bourbon Balls recipe
• Kentucky Derby cupcakes

Printable Kentucky Derby party decorations

Decorating for the Derby is so much easier with our huge collection of Kentucky Derby party printables set, with tons of printable templates to help you throw your party.

similar projects

Kentucky Derby Party Food Recipes

Kentucky Derby Party Ideas

Kentucky Derby Cupcakes

share it