How Much Would You Win if You Bet on Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby?

When 80-1 longshot Rich Strike roared from last to first in the closing strides of the 2022 Kentucky Derby, he didn‘t just shock the horse racing world – he also delivered some bettors life-changing payouts. Just how much were people winning for betting on the underdog to win? Here‘s the breakdown:

• A $2 bet on Rich Strike to win returned $163.60
• The $2 exacta with runner-up Epicenter paid $4,101.20
• The $1 trifecta with Epicenter and third-place Zandon returned $14,870.70
• The $1 superfecta with the top four finishers paid a staggering $321,500.10

I had to read those numbers a few times before they sank in. Over $300k on a $1 bet if you managed to nail the top 4 finishers? That captures both the sheer thrill and possibilities of the Kentucky Derby for gambling enthusiasts like myself.

Longshot Derby Winners Can Bring Massive Rewards

To put those payouts in perspective, let‘s look at how Rich Strike compares to other improbable Kentucky Derby champions:

As you can see, Rich Strike delivered the second-highest Kentucky Derby payout of all time. For devoted horseplayers, he represents that moonshot opportunity for life-changing money on a small bet – the very dream that keeps us coming back year after year!

Betting Public Mostly Missed Out on Rich Strike‘s Score

Yet sadly, not many were able to cash in on Rich Strike‘s epic run. Out of $179 million wagered on the Kentucky Derby in 2022, only around $500,000 was actually bet on the eventual winner. For context, that‘s less than 0.3% of the total handle!

As veteran horse racing writer Jay Privman noted in his Derby recap, "That‘s an indication of how drastically Rich Strike was overlooked by the betting public."

Most of the money instead went on favorites like Epicenter and messaging services & popular personalities like Jody Demling‘s Key Play service – who managed to still deliver his 24th straight year of turning a profit on the Derby despite Rich Strike‘s shocker.

Still, for the few believers in Rich Strike who put down even a little money, it was a monumental and unforgettable payday.

The Biggest Bets Cashing In On Rich Strike

Stories have been trickling out about some of the largest Rich Strike winning bets:

• An anonymous bettor staked $1 on Rich Strike across the board (win/place/show) and walked away with over $500k
• A mother playing the races with her children for the first time won $25,000 from a $50 bet on Rich Strike
• One lucky punter bet $20 to win on Rich Strike across multiple tickets, turning that modest wager into over $30,000

And those are just recreational bettors! When you look at the professional sports gamblers, the payouts get even more staggering:

• Vegas pro bettor James "Vegas Dave" O‘Brien revealed he had $200,000 to win on Rich Strike at 75-1 odds, meaning he likely secured a $15 million dollar payout
• Reports indicate influential pro sports bettor Mattress Mack bet $500,000 on Rich Strike to place, earning a potential $5 million return

Jockey Sonny Leon and Rich Strike shock the world (Image credit: Jamie Rhodes/USA TODAY Sports)

While we don‘t know for sure if bets like Vegas Dave‘s were actually placed, even the possibility highlights why I love this sport so much. On one magical day, average fans and pro bettors alike can witness history, land an improbable score, and walk away millionaires on a modest stake.

Why Did Rich Strike Pay Out So Big?

Simply put – nobody gave Rich Strike a chance! Entering Derby week, he wasn‘t even in the main 20-horse field after failing to earn enough qualification points. He got into the big race thanks to the late scratch of Ethereal Road, opening up a spot.

Even then, respected horseplayers and Kentucky Derby oddsmakers paid him little mind as an afterthought 80-1 longshot. There was little speed or pace in his past performances. He had never raced against top level 3-year old competition before, having run in cheaper claiming races earlier in the year.

Yet veteran trainer Eric Reed quietly believed in his improving colt. And he masterfully prepared Rich Strike for the huge step up in class. Still, everything had to go perfectly for Rich Strike‘s closing late kick to win the most wide open Derby in years. The extremely hot early pace collapse helped set up his rally. Breaking from post 20, jockey Sonny Leon wisely saved ground before angling Rich Strike out for the stretch run. Most importantly, Rich Strike delivered a staggering burst home that saw him run the fastest closing fractions ever in a Kentucky Derby (22 3/5 seconds for the final quarter). This allowed him to run down tiring horses for the most improbable of wins.

In the process, Rich Strike and his connections also ran down the biggest betting score and payouts in recent racing memory. Not a bad consolation after being dismissed by the public!

Could Another Massive Longshot Payday Be In Store?

Handicapping the Kentucky Derby remains one of gaming‘s greatest challenges. The 20-horse field is chaos – an annual puzzle with endless variables and luck in play. Champion 2-year olds like Essential Quality go off as favorites and finish 4th. 50-1 and 80-1 longshots shock the world. Anything can happen over that 10 furlong distance when the gates fly open.

Will another improbable longshot shipper with a triple digit payout hit the board in 2024? I certainly wouldn‘t rule it out. The sport remains ripe for upsets and game-changing payout days that turn casual fans into horseplayers for life.

Just be sure that if you‘re betting that bomber, spread some change or make those multi-race exotics count! We might all bear witness to another legendary longshot run hitting the wire first while returning epic money to believers once more.