How to Play
Everything you need to know about Derby Dash
Overview
Derby Dash is a multiplayer horse racing game for up to 8 players. Each player controls a horse, rolls dice to move, and places bets to win coins. Bot players fill empty slots so you can race even with just one friend — or solo against the AI. The first horse past the post wins!
Creating a Room
Click "Create Room" from the play page. You'll be the host and can configure the race: choose track length (10-50 spaces), dice type (d4 to d20), betting time (10-60 seconds), bot count (0-6), and optional modifiers. Share the 6-character room code with friends so they can join. You can even start solo — bots will fill the remaining slots.
Betting
Once the host starts the game, a betting phase begins. You start with 500 coins. Place a bet on any horse — it doesn't have to be your own! The minimum bet is 10 coins. Choose carefully: your bet is locked once placed. All bets go into a shared pot. Check the Horse Form Guide for each horse's recent win record and odds before you bet.
Racing
After betting, it's race time! Each round, every player rolls the dice. Your roll determines how far your horse moves. Bot players roll automatically. Once all players have rolled, horses advance and a new round begins. Watch the live position tracker for tension alerts like "Neck and Neck!" and "Final Stretch!" as horses approach the finish line.
Side Bets
If Side Bets are enabled, you can place an additional bet during the race itself. Odds shift based on each horse's position — bet on a trailing horse for up to 3x return, or play it safe on the leader for around 1.2x. Side bets are one-shot: once placed, they're locked in.
Winning
The first horse to reach the end of the track wins. Players who bet on the winning horse split the entire pot proportionally to their bet amount. Side bet winnings are paid out separately based on the odds at the time of the bet. The bigger your bet on the winner, the bigger your share!
Room Settings
Track Length
10 (Sprint) to 50 (Ultra) spaces. Shorter = faster games.
Dice Type
d4 through d20. Bigger dice = faster, more chaotic races.
Betting Time
10 to 60 seconds to place your bets.
Bot Players
0 to 6 bots fill empty horse slots. They roll automatically each round.
Hazard Tiles
Random tiles on the track that knock horses back 2 spaces on landing.
Double or Nothing
Roll a 1? Don't move. Roll the max? Move double! High risk, high reward.
Comeback Mode
The last-place horse gets +1 added to every roll, keeping races tight and exciting.
Side Bets
Allow players to place additional bets during the race with position-based odds.
Horse Form Guide
Before each race, check the Horse Form Guide to see how each horse has performed in recent races across all rooms. You'll see win/race ratios, odds, and a colour-coded form history — gold for 1st, silver for 2nd, bronze for 3rd. Use this to make smarter bets!
Earning Coins
Start with 500 coins. Running low? Beg for coins from the funfair characters, claim your daily login streak bonus, or watch a short ad between races for a coin reward. Climb the leaderboard by winning big!