DKNG - Kentucky Derby Hits Best Viewership Since 1989 Record Betting Handle: Why Investors Should Be Watching Churchill Downs Stock | Benzinga
The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby saw underdog Mystik Dan win, marking a third straight year of a horse with 15-to-1 or worse odds winning the key horse racing event.
This year's event set several records along the way.
What Happened: The Kentucky Derby was watched by an average of 16.7 million viewers, with many tuning in to see if favorite Fierceness (3-to-1) could end the jinx of the number 17 post, the only starting number 1 to 20 to never produce a winner.
The race was broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock, which are units of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). Viewership peaked at 20.1 million viewers during the race. Average viewership was up 13% from last year's race.
This marked the largest viewership for an NBC Sports presentation of the Kentucky Derby. The event was also the most streamed Kentucky Derby in history thanks to strong viewership on Peacock.
NBC Sports has averaged over 15 million viewers for 11 of the last 15 Kentucky Derby races held in May, which doesn't include the 2020 COVID-19 impacted race moved to September.
Saturday's race was also the most watched Kentucky Derby since the 1989 airing ...