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Place your bets! Hampton Roads’ only off-track horse betting facility readies for Kentucky Derby

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CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Five months after opening its doors, Hampton Roads' only off-track betting facility is expecting its biggest weekend yet.

Buckets Bar and Grill on Battlefield Blvd. opened up the 7,000 square foot space in November after a long back-and-forth with the city; one of only four spots to offer off-track horse betting in Virginia.

One of the only ways to legally gamble locally, the Virginia Equine Alliance, which operates Buckets' betting facility, says the location has been successful so far, bringing in $1.1 million in March alone.

They're anticipating huge crowds from the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

"(It's) the first time in five years you can actually make a bet on the Kentucky Derby in Hampton Roads," said Darrell Wood with the Equine Alliance. "We're expecting a huge weekend."

Betting on the Kentucky Derby started Friday morning at 10 and will run until 11 p.m. before picking up again on Saturday. Buckets is taking bets until the race starts around 6:45 p.m.