Whether you’re a seasoned horse racing fan or a brand new to the sport, the Kentucky Derby is an exciting event. The Derby is usually held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Although the Kentucky Derby will air on NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN on cable), unlike many other sporting events, you can watch the Kentucky Derby online for free without a cable subscription or many streaming services. That’s great news for those who want to watch the Kentucky Derby live.
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When is the start of the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is known for being “the most exciting two minutes in sports”, so you need to know exactly when the race is scheduled to start, or you could miss it! While there are hours of race-related programming scheduled for the days and times leading up to the main event, the race has a posting time of 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 7th. 2022.
How to watch the Kentucky Derby online for free without cable
NBC will broadcast the Kentucky Derby. If you have a digital antenna, you can watch the race live on television. However, if you want to watch the race live online, there are several ways to do it.
Watch the Kentucky Derby on NBCSports.com
Anyone can watch the Derby Day race by visiting NBCSports.com in a web browser or downloading the NBC Sports app for iPhone or Android.
Various sports channels and sports networks have shown the Kentucky Derby in previous years. This year, you can visit the NBC Sports website or download the pre-Derby app to get access to relevant news, analysis and tips for throwing the perfect Kentucky Derby party.
Watch the Derby with the Peacock . app
While NBC and Peacock are both owned by NBCUniversal, they don’t always carry the same content. This year, if you’re a Peacock subscriber, you can watch the Kentucky Derby on-demand on the Peacock app.
“Become a monthly or yearly Peacock Premium subscriber to watch all of our Premium live sports and events, including Triple Crown races like the Kentucky Derby,” says Peacock.
NBC and Peacock will also broadcast other horse races such as the Kentucky Oaks 2022, Preakness Stakes 2022 and Belmont Stakes 2022.
Stream NBC with fuboTV
fuboTV is a streaming service that focuses on channels showing live sports. You can try fuboTV for free for seven days, which is about six days, twenty-three hours and fifty-eight minutes longer than the Kentucky Derby will last!
fubo will stream to a multitude of different devices, including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, etc.
Watch the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Hulu Live TV
If you subscribe to Hulu with Live TV, you can watch NBC’s live broadcast of the Kentucky Derby there. Get a free trial or pay $64.99/month to access over 60 channels on Hulu Live.
Hulu Live includes a ton of channels like Disney+ and ESPN+, so if you watch those, it might be worth the hefty subscription fee.
Watch the Derby on Sling TV
If you live in or near a major city in the United States, Sling TV may offer NBC in your area. To get NBC on Sling TV, you need a subscription to Sling Blue.
Subscribing to Sling Blue will set you back $35/month, which is basically cheaper than fuboTV or Hulu Live, but make sure it comes with NBC in your market.
Live stream the Kentucky Derby against DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a live television service provided by AT&T. Until August 2021, it’s called AT&T TV Now. Their cheapest plan is $69.99/month for about 80 channels, including NBC, so you’ll be able to watch the Kentucky Derby if you subscribe to DIRECTV STREAM.
Watch the Kentucky Derby on YouTube TV
If you’ve been considering subscribing to YouTube TV and want to watch the Kentucky Derby, now is a great time to activate. YouTube TV normally costs $64.99/month, but right now, you can buy the first month for $14.99.
YouTube TV includes full coverage of local US local networks across the country and comes with a host of channels, including NBC, so you can watch the Kentucky Derby on YouTube TV.
Like other Live TV streaming services, YouTube TV has unlimited cloud DVR and will stream to all your devices, including Apple, Android, Roku, Xbox, and smart TVs like Vizio, Apple TV and Samsung… you can name it! And if you want, you can upgrade your subscription with add-ons like HBO Max, Showtime, and Epix.
Quick news on the Kentucky Derby
If you’ve never seen the Kentucky Derby, here are some tips and trivia that will help you get the most out of what you can get from the event’s televised coverage.
- Wake up a batch mint juleps before the race starts. This cocktail has been associated with the Kentucky Derby since 1938.
- Last year’s Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2021, was a roller coaster ride! First, the winner was Medina Spirit, defeating the undefeated champion, Essential Quality, who was favored to win. In the end, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission disqualified Medina Spirit for an unsuccessful drug test, and second-place finisher Mandaloun was declared the winner.
- If Churchill Downs opens at 40-50% of limited capacity due to the pandemic, they will see up to 82,500 fans inside the track.
- The Triple Crown is a three-race series that includes The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
- You’ve heard of explorers Lewis and Clark, but did you know the Kentucky race was started by Lewis Clark Jr., the grandson of William Clark? Now you do!
No matter how much you know about it, your eyes will be glued to the screen for at least 120 seconds as you watch the 2022 Kentucky Derby live.
