Here are all your choices for watching the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, including free options.
Table of Contents
- What time is the Kentucky Derby 2022?
- What channel is the Kentucky Derby on?
- How to Watch the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Roku, Fire TV
- How to Watch the Kentucky Derby free with a TV antenna
- What’s the best way to watch the Kentucky Derby without cable?
What time is the Kentucky Derby 2022?
The post time for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby is at 6:57 p.m. ET on May 7, 2022. The race will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
TV coverage of the Kentucky Derby starts at 12:00 p.m. ET, on USA Network. Coverage moves over to NBC at 2:30 p.m.
What channel is the Kentucky Derby on?
Cord-cutters have a number of options for watching the Kentucky Derby this year.
USA Network plans to air the first two-and-a-half hours of race day coverage, including Derby prep. The actual race is on NBC at 6:57 PM ET.
The streaming service Peacock will have every event and the actual horse race live. Subscribers will already find the Kentucky Derby within Peacock’s menu. Head over to the sports tab, then choose the “Horse Racing” hub.
Peacock will be the most efficient (and cheapest) way for most people to get wall-to-wall Kentucky Derby coverage. A subscription to Peacock Premium costs $4.99 per month with no contracts.
How to Watch the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Roku, Fire TV
Peacock is the least expensive option to stream the Kentucky Derby live. The streaming service already has a dedicated hub for the race.
Viewers can already watch segments on favorites to win. A subscription to the Premium tier is $4.99 per month.
DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV are among the live TV streaming services that have all the channels needed for watching the Kentucky Derby.
It’s just a matter of which service you prefer to use, and of course, how much a subscription costs.
All of these streaming services work on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation and Smart TVs.
You just need an internet connection, a Smart TV or a streaming device to begin streaming live TV. Most of these services have a free trial that lasts up to a week.
fuboTV
fuboTV has 122 channels including local NBC stations and USA Network.
fuboTV also has mainstream entertainment channels such as ESPN, and all three Hallmark networks. There are local channels such as ABC, CBS and FOX as well.
You can record sporting events and shows with 250 hours of Cloud DVR.
fuboTV works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast and Apple TV. A subscription costs $69.99 per month. Subscribers can watch on up to two screens at once.
You should look over the channel lineup for your area before deciding whether to sign up for a free 7-day trial.
There are no contracts, hidden fees or obligations. Just cancel online if you don’t like fuboTV.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV has more than 75 live TV channels, including A&E, CNN, ESPN and HGTV.
Hulu’s Live TV package has all the channels you need to watch every event for the Kentucky Derby live. A subscription costs $69.99 per month and includes unlimited Cloud DVR storage.
The live TV service now includes full access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu’s on-demand streaming library.
Hulu with Live TV supports Smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV and Fire Stick, XBox One, Xbox Series X consoles, and iOS and Android devices.
You can watch up to two streams simultaneously. Look over the channel lineup for Hulu with Live TV before deciding whether you want to sign up.
Sling TV
Sling TV is an affordable way to live stream NBC without cable.
But be aware that the Sling Blue plan only carries NBC in 11 markets. Here is a map that shows what local FOX and NBC stations are available on Sling TV across the U.S.
ABOUT THE MAP: Click on an icon to see what local NBC or FOX stations are in your area. This map is a sequel of sorts to a similar map I made on the site in 2016 for the now-defunct PlayStation Vue.
Sling Blue will get you 45 channels for $35 per month.
Sling TV gives 50 hours of free Cloud DVR to all subscribers. A Sling Blue subscription gives you three simultaneous streams on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV (4th generation).
Sling Blue subscribers can watch live TV on up to three screens at once.
When you sign up for Sling TV, there are no contracts, or extra fees like cable TV.
You can check the latest offer Sling TV is making to new and returning customers. If you prepay for a brief subscription, you can get a free streaming device.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM carries local NBC stations and USA Network, covering you for all things Kentucky Derby.
The Entertainment bundle costs $69.99 per month. Subscribers get 65+ channels, unlimited Cloud DVR and 40,000 on-demand shows.
Subscribers get three months of Showtime, STARX, EPIX and Cinemax for free before the regular rate kicks in.
DIRECTV STREAM has a free 5-day trial.
You can watch DIRECTV STREAM on Smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
Subscriptions run month to month. There are no contracts or obligations.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV has 85+ channels and unlimited Cloud DVR. The live TV service carries all the live TV channels with race day coverage.
A subscription costs $64.99 per month. You can watch live TV on up to three devices at once.
YouTube TV supports Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and viewing on a PC. New customers can sign up for a free 7-day trial, or you look over the channel lineup.
Peacock
Peacock will live stream all Kentucky Derby games and events. The service also has replays so viewers don’t miss a single event.
Only Peacock Premium subscribers get full access to Kentucky Derby coverage.
Peacock also carries other live sports, including Premier League, MLB games every Sunday and WWE.
Subscribers also get next-day access to NBC TV shows. Peacock has more than 50 live digital channels and 60,000 hours of movies and TV shows.
The Premium plan costs $4.99 per month. You can sign up for Peacock Premium, and cancel online whenever you like.
How to Watch the Kentucky Derby free with a TV antenna
A TV antenna is the best way to watch the Kentucky Derby carried on NBC for free.
If you have an antenna handy, but haven’t used it in a while, plug it into your television’s coax port and scan for channels. With NBC kicking off coverage at 2:30 P.M., you could end up getting much of what you want to watch for free in HD quality.
If you are new to TV antennas, here is a list of resources that I have written to get you started.
- How to Choose the Best TV Antenna and OTA DVR
- How to Connect Multiple TVs to One Antenna
- Review: The Best Indoor TV Antennas
- Review: The Best Outdoor TV Antennas
What’s the best way to watch the Kentucky Derby without cable?
Peacock will be the cheapest and easiest way to watch comprehensive coverage of the 2022 Kentucky Derby. A subscription to Peacock’s Premium plan costs $4.99 per month. You can cancel anytime online.
DIRECTV STREAM has 65+ live TV channels, including all the ones needed to stream the Kentucky Derby live. Subscribers also get Showtime, STARX, EPIX and Cinemax as part of their free 5-day trial.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast with Google TV, tablets and PCs. You can cancel online if you decide that you don’t want to keep the service.
For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
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