The 2024 Kentucky Derby is underway, and the early odds are in with Fierceness (5-2) leading the roster, followed by Sierra Leone (3-1) and Catching Freedom (8-1). The main event will start on Saturday, May 4 at 6:30 PM ET (3:30 PM PT / 11:30 PM BST) but coverage starts on NBC at 2:30 PM ET.
Leading up to the 150th annual Run for the Roses, the Kentucky Oaks race runs Friday, May 3, starting at 5:51 PM ET, with coverage on USA Network starting at 1 PM ET. In this post, we’ll cover the various options for watching the 2024 Kentucky Derby via Kodi or a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
How to use a VPN to watch the Kentucky Derby live online
With a VPN, you can connect to a server in your home country even if you’re abroad. This allows you to change your IP address and spoof your location, unblocking geo-restricted content including the Kentucky Derby.
Here’s how to livestream the Kentucky Derby using a VPN:
- Sign up with a reputable VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN although you can’t go wrong with Surfshark or ExpressVPN either.
- Download and install the VPN app that’s compatible with your streaming device.
- Open the VPN app and, once logged in, connect to a server in the US. This is how you get a US IP address for accessing NBC and Peacock.
- Access your preferred option for streaming the Kentucky Derby. It should now be unblocked regardless of your location.
- Clear your cookies if NBC or Peacock is still blocked. This helps them forget your previous IP address and location.
Because the Kentucky Derby will air live, we recommend you test your VPN with NBC or Peacock ahead of time. That way, you should have time to troubleshoot any issues that arise.
WANT TO TRY THE TOP VPN RISK FREE?
NordVPN is offering a fully-featured risk-free 30-day trial if you sign up at this page. You can use the VPN rated #1 by Comparitech no restrictions for a month—great if you are going on a short trip.
There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn't right for you and you'll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.
How to watch the Kentucky Derby live online
If you want to watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby live online, you have two options: NBC and Peacock.
Watching on NBC requires a US cable subscription that includes NBC. With this option, you’d need only sign in to NBC using the login credentials from your cable TV subscription. Alternatively, you can watch NBC via select TV streaming services: Fubo (USD $79.99/month), Hulu + Live TV ($76.99/month), Sling TV ($40/month), and YouTube TV ($72.99/month).
Of the above TV streaming services, Sling TV is the most affordable, even more so because you’ll pay just $20 for the first month. Note that, with the exception of Hulu, all of the above services include free trials so you could even watch the Kentucky Derby live online for free.
The cable-free alternative is Peacock. To watch NBC and the 2024 Kentucky Derby live, you’ll need the Premium Plus plan which is priced at $11.99/month. Whatever option you choose, you’ll need a VPN to watch from outside the US. NordVPN works well with both NBC and Peacock and even comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you the chance to try it out, risk-free.
How to watch the Kentucky Derby live stream on Kodi
If you plan on live streaming the Kentucky Derby on Kodi, know that your internet service provider might try to throttle your data. Some ISPs block heavy online streaming usage, even with high data caps. Your ISP might throttle your internet connection or even threaten to cut off service. Additionally, some Kodi add-ons can get hacked and be a conduit for man-in-the-middle attacks, allowing hackers to gain access to your system.
For these reasons, we strongly advise Kodi users to use a VPN as well. The encryption provided by a VPN masks the content of your internet traffic, making it impossible for your ISP to determine what you’re downloading or where it’s coming from, and provides security against certain types of hack attacks and snooping.
The Kentucky Derby can be live-streamed on Kodi. We recommend the NBC Sports Live Extra sports add-on for Kodi, as it offers the most reliable stream in excellent quality. It does require a US cable subscription, however. With the exception of the NBC Sports Live Extra Legacy Kodi add-on, we cannot vouch for the legality of streaming links in any other add-ons you might locate. Please perform your own due diligence and check your local laws and regulations before streaming.
Comparitech does not condone or encourage any violation of copyright restrictions, including illegal streaming through Kodi. Kodi can be used for many excellent, legal online streaming purposes. Please consider the law, victims, and risks of piracy before downloading or streaming copyrighted material without permission.
For Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick users just starting out with Kodi, check out our tutorial on how to install Kodi on Fire TV.
Tip: Since some content accessed through Kodi falls into a legal gray area most Kodi users will use a VPN to keep their activity private from their ISP. A favorite with the Kodi community is IPVanish. It is fast enough to handle HD streaming, works with all Kodi add-ons, and (unlike some VPNs), keeps no logs of user activity. You can save 60% on an annual plan here.
NBC Sports Live Extra
If you have a US cable subscription and ergo access to NBC Sports Live Extra, but you prefer to watch it on Kodi, this is the add-on for you. While not officially made by NBC, it is legal and gives you access to the official stream directly from NBC. You can find this add-on from the Official Kodi Repository, or from the eracknaphobia’s Repository.
To install it from the Official Kodi Repository, go to Add-ons, click on the package symbol on the top left, click on Install from repository, and then click on Kodi Add-on repository. You will find the addon located in this repository.
See also: Want to stream Kodi content to your TV with an Amazon Fire Stick? See our guide to the Best VPNs for Fire Stick and Amazon Fire TV.
