Best Kentucky Derby streaming options: How to watch 2024 Run for the Roses live for FREE without cable

The 2024 Kentucky Derby is finally here. With the top three-year-old thoroughbreds like Florida Derby winner Fierceness and Blue Grass Stakes winner Sierra Leone competing for the first leg of this year’s Triple Crown, here’s a look at the best ways to watch the 150th Run for the Roses for free on Saturday, May 4. That includes a list of the best streaming services, and which ones have free trials or promotions for new customers looking to avoid paying for cable.

• You can watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby & Kentucky Oaks live for free with DirecTV Stream (free trial) or fuboTV (free trial), or watch both races on the cheap with Peacock (cheapest streaming plan).

Where can I watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby for free? What networks or TV channels are the 2024 Kentucky Derby on?

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will air on NBC. The 2024 Kentucky Oaks will air on USA Network. Pre- and post-race coverage will air on the same networks.

Expanded coverage and race simulcasts will be available on Peacock.

Track down your local channel listings for NBC and USA Network with our channel finder: Verizon Fios, Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DirecTV

Where can I stream the 2024 Kentucky Derby live for free without cable? Which service is best?

• Multiple streaming services carry NBC and USA Network, but not all of them offer a free trial. DirecTV Stream is the best bet for cord cutters looking to avoid paying for cable. DirecTV Stream offers a 7-day free trial and 90+ channels, including USA Network and local NBC channels. Plus right now you can add the Sports Pack ($14.99/month), which includes NFL Network and more, and save $30 on your first three months of service. You can watch the Derby for free, and then decide if it’s worth paying for more exciting sporting events in May, including the PGA Championship, Stanley Cup Playoffs and more.

• The next best streaming service option is fuboTV, and it’s a close second to DTV, above. fubo starts at $79.99 per month after a 7-day free trial, and offers 199 channels, including its own exclusive fubo Sports lineup. It includes NBC and USA Network in its basic package, but it starts with a 1,000 hour limit on DVR storage and 10-screen limit, vs. unlimited on both for DTV.

• Finally, if you’re really looking to cut costs, consider a subscription to Peacock, which will include full live coverage of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, plus pre- and post-race coverage. Peacock is also home to all the biggest horse races of the season, including the upcoming Black-Eyed Susan on May 17, and features on-demand replays and highlights of older races. Peacock is also packed with NBC/Universal content and originals, like “The Office,” and is the exclusive home of the WWE. It doesn’t include a free trial, but you can subscribe cheaply at just $5.99 per month.

• Hulu + Live TV also carries NBC and USA Network, but with no free trial available, it is not among our top options for watching the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

Cable customers can also login on NBCSports.com or NBC apps with their cable credentials to stream both races for free.

RELATED: Here’s how much a live ticket to the Kentucky Derby costs in 2024.

When does the Kentucky Derby happen? What is the schedule of races?

The Kentucky Derby TV coverage begins on Saturday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT, with the race post time slated for 6:57 p.m. ET/3:37 p.m. PT. The Kentucky Oaks — a race that is only for three-year-old fillies — takes place the day before, Friday, May 3, with TV coverage starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Here’s a look at the complete schedule for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

Friday, May 3

• 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET; USA, Peacock. (STREAM)

Saturday, May 4

• Noon – 2:20 p.m. ET; USA, Peacock. (STREAM)
• 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET; NBC, Peacock. (STREAM)