Put on your best hat: Here's how to watch the Kentucky Derby live
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Place your bets, put on your best hat, and make yourself a mint julep. It's time, once again, for the annual Kentucky Derby.
The 2025 Kentucky Derby is the 151st running of the annual horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Coverage of the race will last more than eight hours, but the race itself only lasts a few minutes. Here's everything you need to know to make sure you don't miss the climactic moment — and everything leading up to it.
When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
The 151st Run for the Roses is scheduled for Saturday, May 3. Coverage will last from noon to 7:30 p.m. ET, but the post time for the race itself is set for 6:57 p.m. ET. You'll want to make sure you're tuned in well before that so you don't miss a beat.
Who is the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby 2025?
Journalism was the early favorite and remains so after drawing the No. 8 post, with 3-1 odds. Next up are Sovereignty (5-1) and Sandman (6-1), which drew the No. 18 and No. 17 post positions, respectively.
How to watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby coverage starts at noon on Saturday, May 3, on USA Network and will switch over to NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET. The official post time for the race is 6:57 p.m. ET, and coverage will end around 7:30 p.m. ET. Don't have cable? No problem. Cord-cutters can also stream the Run for the Roses live on Peacock or a paid TV subscription like YouTube TV or Sling.
Peacock subscriptions start at $7.99 per month, while most live TV subscriptions offer introductory trial periods, then start around $46 per month. Don't want to pay full price? Below, we've rounded up the best ways to save money on your subscription.
Best Peacock streaming deals
Best long-term Peacock deal
While a Peacock Premium monthly subscription typically costs $7.99, you can save about 17% by committing to an annual subscription instead. At $79.99 per year, that drops the monthly rate to just $6.67. In other words, you'll get 12 months of streaming for the price of 10. The same goes for the Premium Plus plan without ads; while a monthly subscription would run you $13.99 per month, the price drops down to just $11.67 monthly if you pay for a year up front.
Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers
Select Xfinity customers can get a Peacock Premium subscription for free. Here's a breakdown of who is eligible:
Xfinity Internet users on the Gigabit or Gigabit+ plans can get Peacock Premium (with ads) for two years (offer ends June 25, 2025) for free.
Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.
NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.
New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.
Best Peacock deal for students
College students can snag a Peacock Premium subscription for just $2.99 per month for an entire year. Just prove your student status using your .edu email address through SheerID, and you'll receive a unique promo code to secure the discount. Just note that the discount code can only be used once.
Best Peacock deal for first responders
First responders and medical professionals can score Peacock Premium for just $3.99 per month, so long as they can verify their status via SheerID. Sign up using the unique promo code you receive, and the price will drop from $7.99 to $3.99 per month. First responders and medical professionals who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew the deal annually. Just note that you'll just have to go through the process each time to receive a new promo code and secure the discount year after year. Learn more about eligibility terms and requirements.
Best for active military and veterans
Active duty U.S. military service members, Reservists, National Guard members, veterans, or U.S. military retirees can sign up for Peacock Premium for $3.99 per month as well. As with the previous deals, you'll have to prove your military status using SheerID and retrieve a promotional code to activate the offer. Eligible military personnel who continue to meet requirements can redeem the deal year after year, but you'll have to verify your status each time.
Best for teachers
Teachers can take a bite of Peacock Premium savings as well. So long as you can verify your educator status using SheerID, you'll be able to score the streamer for just $3.99 per month for 12 months. After the promotional period ends, the cost will revert back to full price — currently $7.99 per month — so be sure to cancel before the year is up if you want to avoid that fee.
Best for Instacart users
Last year, Peacock and Instacart partnered up to offer paid Instacart+ members free Peacock Premium subscriptions. That's a $79.99 per year value included for no extra cost. Instacart+ subscriptions cost $99.99 per year and include free grocery delivery on orders over $35, lower fees, credit back on eligible pickup orders, and more perks. Not to mention, you'll get a free two-week trial to test the waters before you're charged. That's plenty of time to watch the Kentucky Derby for free (just saying).
Best for JetBlue members
JetBlue TrueBlue members with Mosaic status can get their first year of Peacock Premium for free. That's $79.99 in savings. Don't have Mosaic status yet? You can sign up for Peacock and score an extra 1,000 TrueBlue points through July 2025. Read more about eligibility and terms over on Peacock's special offer page.
Best live TV streaming deals
While Peacock is the most straightforward option for cord-cutters, it's not the only option. If you're looking to watch the Kentucky Derby live, along with other sports, live TV streaming services like Sling and YouTube TV are also great options. Even better, some offer free trials — so you can watch all eight hours of Derby coverage on NBC for free, then cancel before you're charged the full monthly fee (which can be kind of steep). Here are the best deals for watching the annual horse race and more via live TV streaming. Double-check that NBC is offered in your zip code before you commit to a service.
Most affordable: Sling TV
Sling TV is by far the most affordable live TV streaming service. The Blue package, which includes access to your local NBC network to watch the Derby live, typically costs $46 per month. However, new users can slash 50% off their first month and pay just $26. And since Sling subscription are a la carte, you can add or take away from your plan with no worries and cancel or pause at any time.
Best introductory offer: YouTube TV
YouTube TV offers a massive 100+ channel lineup, which includes your local NBC network to watch the Kentucky Derby, as well as other local favorites for sports, news, and entertainment. We're not huge fans of its $82.99 per month fee, but through July 31, the streamer is giving new users a sweet introductory offer. You'll get your first five days for free, then your first two months for just $59.99. That's $46 in savings, should you choose to stick around after catching the Kentucky Derby for free during your trial period.
Best free trial: Fubo TV
Besides your local NBC network, Fubo offers the most comprehensive sports coverage of any live TV streamer. So, you can watch live sports and events long after the Kentucky Derby ends — or not. Thanks to a seven-day free trial, you can also tune into the race and cancel before being charged. The choice is yours. Should you choose to stick around, your first month of the Pro plan will cost you $54.99. After that, the price jumps back up to full cost, which is $84.99.
Honorable mentions
DirecTV Stream — $84.99 per month for two years
Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $82.99 per month
Topics Streaming Sports How to Watch
Frequently Asked Questions
The draw for 2025 Kentucky Derby post positions took place on Saturday, April 26. This is when each of the 20 horses in the race were assigned their starting spot. Some starting positions have better chances of winning than others, so this can affect the odds.
The official odds for the Derby are now live. If you're looking to place a bet this year, you can also check out what Kentucky Derby experts are saying.
Each year, the Kentucky Derby has 20 horses lined up for the race. Below are the horses in the 2025 Derby along with their jockey and post positions.
Citizen Bull, Martin Garcia
Neoequos, Flavien Prat
Final Gambit, Luan Machado
Rodriguez, Mike Smith
American Promise, Nik Juarez
Admire Daytona, Christophe Lemaire
Luxor Cafe, Joao Moreira
Journalism, Umberto Rispoli
Burnham Square, Brian Hernandez Jr.
Grande, John Velazquez
Flying Mohawk, Joe Ramos
East Avenue, Manny Franco
Publisher, Irad Ortiz Jr.
Tiztastic, Joel Rosario
Render Judgement, Julien Leparoux
Coal Battle, Juan Vargas
Sandman, Jose Ortiz
Sovereignty, Junior Alvarado
Chunk of Gold, Jareth Loveberry
Owen Almighty, Javier Castellano
Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you’re ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she’s your girl.
Christina received a B.S. in Business Communication (concentration in writing) from Stevenson University and began her professional journey writing and editing press releases. Since then, she’s written content for a marketing agency, blogged for celebrities, and covered local news, politics, women’s lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and just about everything in between for various publications.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably enjoying live music, studying human design, or embroidering and upcycling clothes. You can follow her on Instagram at @touchinfinity.
