The Kentucky Derby is today, and what better way to bet on the horses than with the promo code from 1/ST BET? The promo gets you up to $250 in bonus bets. In this article, we will be looking at what the 1/ST BET sign-up promo offers new users for how to bet on the Kentucky Derby and other horse betting online, as well as what the user experience is like with the app.
1/ST BET promo code review
New users can get up to $250 in bonus bets with 1/ST BET by using the promo code when signing up. How it works is that you will receive a $25 bonus bet for each $100 you wager on the app. The maximum in bonus bets that you can receive from 1/ST BET is $250, which would require wagering $1,000.
New users who bet on the Kentucky Derby can continue building toward their bonus by wagering on the next Triple Crown races, including the Preakness Stakes. You have 60 days to obtain the bonus bets, and the bonus bets will be deposited in the user's account within three days of when a $100 betting increment is reached. Unused bonus bets expire in 14 days after they are deposited.
When wagering with bonus bets, it's important to note that you only receive the winnings back and not the initial stake as well, which is funded by the bonus bets. For instance, let's say you place a $25 bonus bet on a horse to win at 4/1 odds. If that horse does win, you'd receive $100 back in winnings, but that $25 bonus bet does not get returned to your account.
How to sign up for 1/ST BET and claim the promo
Here are the steps to follow to get up to $250 in bonus bets from 1/ST BET.
1. Download the 1/ST BET app and click "Sign Up" to create a new account
2. Enter the requested information so 1/ST BET can verify your identity, and make sure to enter the promo code
3. Deposit a minimum of $10 into the account and start wagering on the races. For each $100 you wager, a $25 bonus bet will be credited to your account within three days
1/ST BET promos for existing users
1/ST BET has an extensive rewards program where you can earn points starting from your first wager with 1/ST BET. There are different reward levels ranging from Bronze to Diamond Plus 4, which you can reach by wagering a certain amount of money or by the number of days wagered on the platform. You can redeem your reward points on things such as wagering credits, track discounts, experiences and more.
1/ST also offers weekly promotions, where users can earn bonus bets if they wager a certain amount on a specific race or by sharing a bigger bonus bets pool if they hit three trifectas on a specific card.
Comparing the 1/ST BET promo to other race betting app promos
The following racebooks are offering competitive Kentucky Derby promos ahead of Saturday:
| Promo |
1/ST BET | Up to $250 in bonus funds |
TwinSpires | Up to $400 in bonus funds |
FanDuel Racing | No Sweat Bet of up to $500 |
TwinSpires has a similar promo offer to 1/ST BET, but you do have to wager more to obtain a higher amount in bonus bets. With 1/ST BET, you'd get a $25 bonus bet for every $100 you wager, so you'd receive all $250 in bonus bets after wagering $1,000. With TwinSpires, you get $100 in bonus bets for every $400 wagered, so you'd receive all $400 in bonus bets after wagering $1,600. FanDuel Racing is offering the most in potential bonus bets at $500, however that is a bet insurance promo compared to a bet and get promo like the other two racebooks.
1/ST BET user experience
The 1/ST BET app is a good one, and has earned a 4.6-star rating among 723 reviewers in the Apple App Store. 1/ST BET is also available for Android. Logging on directly through the website is also an option.
Finding horse races to bet on at 1/ST BET
Like most horse racing betting apps, users are greeted by a full listing of races available to bet on worldwide each day. What's nice about 1/ST BET is it is clearly divided into two tabs: races and tracks.
The races tab will show you which races are closest to post time and beginning, regardless of track. At the time of writing, it showed me a race at a track in France was three minutes from beginning, followed by a race in South Africa five minutes from post time.
The track tab is better suited if you're just looking to bet races that day at the same track. For example, if you're watching and betting on races leading up to the Kentucky Derby, you could choose Churchill Downs in this tab, the home of the Derby. If a track is not hosting races when you log on, it will not display as an option.
The race program / betting window screen
Once you click on a race, the horses, jockeys, trainer information, and odds are shown for each participant. Above those, the information for the race itself is displayed:
Time
Number of horses in the field
Race Class/Type
Purse
Distance
Track/Condition (dirt/fast, turf/yielding, etc)
1/ST BET also conveniently adds how often that horse was finished in first, second and third in its races with W% (win percentage), P% (place percentage) and S% (show percentage. Above the horse in post No. 1 in each race, you'll find dropdown menus for bet type and wager amount.
In the top-left corner, there is also an Odds button where you can find Probables and Will Pays for each race, which are estimated payouts based on the money in each pool. This information may not be displayed until within an hour of post time.
1/ST BET has also done well to compete with horse and race information being built into its site and app. There was a day when you had to find past performance information on your own, outside of a horse racing betting app. Click on the Handicap button to find:
Top Factors: select pre-selected top factors with the most data to get probabilities for each horse
Build Your Own: select what you believe are the top factors to get probabilities for each horse
Race Info: Type, distance, surface, condition, time, class and purse
Click the dropdown button next to any horse's name for even more betting information:
Recent races: how the horse finished in its last five races, and what races those were
More info: includes race video replays of the horse's previous starts
When you're ready to bet, choose the type of wager, amount, the horses you want to include and scroll down to click the "place bet" button. If you want to see a different race, go to the top of the screen for two more dropdowns for track name and race number.
At any time before a race begins, you can go to the my bets/wagers section of your account, find pending wagers, and cancel them. This is allowed before any race begins.
Overall, 1/ST BET offers users a wealth of betting options as well as handicapping information, making it a one-stop shop for horse racing enthusiasts. With all of the information available for any race, horse racing fans can truly go down a rabbit hole of data to learn more about each horse before betting and watching the race.
Watch horse racing live streams on 1/ST BET
Anybody who bets on 1/ST BET can also watch the races live on the site or in the app. This live streaming feature is available to any user who is logged in and wagering. Just look for the play button on the betting window screen/race program to launch the track's live video feed.
Betting markets
There are several different ways you can bet on a race. Here are some of the most popular bets that are available on 1/ST BET
Win: betting on a horse to win a race.
Place: betting on a horse to finish in the top two
Show: betting on a horse to finish in the top three
Win/Place/Show and other combinations of the above three bets work as a sort of parlay
Exacta: choose the horses to finish both first and second in a race.
Trifecta: pick the horses to finish first, second and third in a race
Superfecta: pick the horses to finish first, second, third and fourth in a race
Super Hi-5: choose the horses to finish first, second, third, fourth and fifth in a race
Daily Double: pick the winner of two consecutive races
Pick 3 through Pick 6: pick the winner of three, four, five and six consecutive races
1/ST BET banking options
1/ST BET has been offering secure deposit and withdrawal options since 2002. It is legal, U.S.-based and licensed in every jurisdiction it operates. It guarantees timely payouts and technological reliability. Customers' funds are insured by the Oregon Racing Commission, which holds deposits in a protected account independent from Xpressbet's operating capital. In addition, it has security safeguards built into its systems to protect all transactions.
Deposit methods
Select the 'Add Funds' option within the main menu (top left corner of the screen) to add funds to your account using various payment options. You can deposit on 1/ST BET by using any of the following methods:
Deposit Method | Fee | Processing Time |
Bank Transfer | No | Instant |
Credit Card | Yes | Instant |
PayPal | Yes | Instant |
Cash at funding centers (Stronach Group tracks) | No | Instant |
Stronach Group tracks include Santa Anita, Gulstream, Laurel, Rosecroft and others; however, depositing within the app is far easier with no fees, via bank transfers.
If you are using a credit card, 1/ST BET charges a $5 fee. The minimum deposit is $10, except in Massachusetts, where it's $25.
Withdrawal methods
1/ST BET does not charge fees for withdrawing money. The available withdrawal options are those that you have used to deposit. If you have deposited via bank transfer, you can use it to withdraw money to the same account.
1/ST BET responsible gaming tools
1/ST BET is committed to responsible gaming for all of its users and has a couple of tools in place to help users bet only within their limits.
Manage your limits
Users can add weekly funding limits to their account to make sure that they are not wagering above their means and going overboard with how much is in their 1/ST BET account at once.
Lock your account
You can permanently block all access to wagering from your 1/ST BET account by reaching out via email, phone or live chat. This cannot be reversed if it's due to a gambling problem.
Final verdict for 1/ST BET
1/ST BET has many great features for users on its app, particularly its handicapping tools. This information allows users to feel more confident and well-informed before placing any wager. 1/ST BET also provides all betting options needed for any horse racing aficionado. You're also able to watch the races on the app to complete the entire process of researching your picks, placing your bets and getting to sweat out your bets all on the same app.
The biggest negatives for 1/ST BET are that it can be so buggy at times that it can be tough to log in, and then also that withdrawing money is sometimes a long and difficult process. If 1/ST BET can improve its app functionality and withdrawal ease, then it can fully compete with other apps in the space.
Honest feedback for how 1/ST BET can improve
More generous sign-up bonus: Compared to other welcome offers at horse racing sites and betting apps, a $25 bonus for every $100 wagered could be improved. The wait time of up to three days for your bonus is also cumbersome. On big race days during Triple Crown season or the Breeders' Cup, users want those funds immediately to bet on the big race day, not another day with lower-level races.
More organized race program/betting window screen: It's simple enough to find the track, race and horses you want to bet on 1/ST BET. However, it would be nice if more speed figure data and early/late pace information were organized into tabs on the betting program screen.
More expert recommendations: Other racing apps offer track handicapper picks and/or videos for races so users can get the opinion of a seasoned horse player.
Rules and responsible gaming
Responsible gambling is taken very seriously across all racebooks. All provide the necessary resources and contact information if you or someone you know may have a gambling problem. The minimum age is 18 for horse racing betting in most states, but it is 21 in some states.
Responsible gambling resources include the National Council for Problem Gambling (NCPG) and Gamblers Anonymous.
Be smart. Bet smart. Wager responsibly. Those in need of help can also call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). Help is available 24 hours per day and seven days per week.
