Derby

Introduction

Derby is an exciting digital horse racing game where participants—ranging from 1 to 10 players—gather around a virtual racetrack to witness five horses race multiple times. With bets starting as low as 25 cents and approximately 90 seconds between each race, this game can be a fun way to pass the time, especially if you manage to find one still in operation. However, the availability of these games is rapidly diminishing, and it's likely that they will soon vanish entirely.

Picture courtesy of L.A. Slot Machine Company

Rules

The only option for placing bets is through a quinella, where players wager on which two horses will finish in the top two spots, regardless of their order. With five horses in the race, there are ten unique combinations of the top two finishers to bet on.

After the conclusion of one race, the odds for the upcoming race will be displayed, which are based on a 'for one' betting structure. This means that players do not receive their initial bets back. For instance, at a typical race venue like the Flamingo in Laughlin, the odds may be presented in a specific format.

Typical Pay Table in Derby

Quinella	Pays
1,2	5
1,3	39
1,4	200
1,5	19
2,3	4
2,4	20
2,5	2
3,4	160
3,5	15
4,5	79

Derby game at the D in Las Vegas

Players can place bets ranging from 1 to 20 quarters on each quinella wager. The minimum payout is typically 2 to 1, while the maximum can be as high as 200 to 1, although not every race offers these extremes. I have observed winnings being paid out immediately or being credited to the player's account.

House Edge

The following chart illustrates the average outcomes, house edge as determined through real observations across various casinos, all located in Las Vegas unless stated otherwise.

House Edge in Derby

Casino	House Edge
Hilton	10.13%
Orleans	11.90%
MGM Grand	12.19%
New York New York	12.37%
Caesars Palace	14.90%
Imperial Palace	14.95%
Riviera	14.97%
Ballys	15.02%
Excalibur	15.09%
Luxor	15.32%
Frontier	20.14%
D	20.16%

It's important to note that the payout returns indicated in the previous chart tend to be clustered closely together. For instance, establishments like Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace, Ballys, Excalibur, Flamingo Laughlin, and Luxor fall within a narrow range of returns. I suspect that these machines are programmed to achieve the same long-term payout rates, and the minor variances from race to race lead to the slight differences observed.

The house edge is computed by assuming that each bet has the same odds in favor of the casino. For further details on how this calculation is performed, please refer to my additional resources. futures in sports section .

Locations

MGM Grand, located in Las Vegas — conveniently situated near the sports betting area.
D, Las Vegas; located upstairs, close to the sports betting section.

Please refrain from reaching out to inform me that MontBleu in South Lake Tahoe has two games; they removed them in late 2015.