Our Top-Rated Horse Racing Sportsbooks

Horse racing betting sites offer you easy access to gambling on the sport without the need to head to the track. We provide all the info you need on which online racebooks are optimal for your gambling needs.

On this page, we also explain how the different markets for betting on horses work and help out by defining key horse racing terms so that you can understand better what’s going on.

Our Favorite Sites For Horse Racing Betting by LegitGamblingSites.com
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Which Sites Do We Recommend For Betting On Horses?

Each of our highly ranked horse racing sites do an outstanding job of offering gambling access to a wide variety of tracks and races. We also rank them in specific categories so that you can choose based on factors that are important to you.

  • Bovada – Our Overall Preferred Horse Racing Betting Site
  • BetUS – Top-Rated App For Betting On Horses
  • BetOnline – Biggest Variety of Tracks
  • SportsBetting.ag – Great For Betting Contests and Promos
  • BetNow – Our Favorite Site For Depositing With Crypto

Bovada – Our Overall Preferred Horse Racing Betting Site

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Bovada is the top overall racing sportsbook because of the complete experience they provide for the sport, starting with the superb variety of tracks they cover. You will find thoroughbred racing from the US and overseas, as well as harness racing.

Bovada is also the only one of our recommended online racing bookmakers with virtual racing. They include win, place, and show betting on live and virtual events, as well as exacta and trifecta markets for the exotic bettors.

Another advantage of Bovada is the welcome bonus of 50% up to $1,000 (75% up to $750 if you deposit with cryptocurrency.) On top of that, their rewards program is especially beneficial horses, as you get 40 rewards points for straight wagers and 60 for exotic wagers per $1 wagered (compared 2 points for other sports.) You can then exchange these points for cash. That all adds up to Bovada being the best site to bet on horse racing.

BetUS – Top-Rated App For Betting On Horses

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BetUS provides the best experience for horse racing betting on the go, in part because they have a dedicated racebook section on their mobile gambling site. On the main horse racing page, you’ll be able to easily navigate between thoroughbred racing in both North America and at international tracks, harness racing, and fixed odds bets.

Once you choose a track, the page setup makes it easy for you to see the entries along with the jockeys and their morning line odds. Starting up a betting slip is also easy on the BetUS mobile app.

You can also use the welcome bonus of 100% up to $2,500 (150% up to $3,750 with cryptocurrency) for horse racing betting on the app. That’s just one more reason why we chose it for those who like to bet on horse racing on mobile.

BetOnline – Biggest Variety of Tracks

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The BetOnline racebook goes a bit deeper than other sites when it comes to what tracks are available to you. They tackle all of North America, including both harness racing and thoroughbred tracks, both popular and obscure.

Where they really excel is the devotion to international tracks. At BetOnline, they not only give you the chance to bet on tracks from Australia, which is pretty common among the our recommended bookmakers, but they also offer you the opportunity to wager on tracks in Great Britain, Ireland, and France. That kind of coverage sets BetOnline apart from their competitors.

SportsBetting.ag – Great For Betting Contests and Promos

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SportsBetting.ag stands out for how they offer contests and promotions that are specifically tailored to horse racing bettors. They offer a 9% daily rebate on horse racing losses from wagers that are made on their site. That includes no maximum to the size of the rebate and no minimum amount on the bets that need to be placed.

In addition, the site runs “First & Last” contests for the three Triple Crown races (The Kentucky Derby, The Belmont Stakes, and The Preakness Stakes.) With these contests, you can win up to $500 without any fee needed to enter.

Everything discussed so far is on top of the 50% welcome bonus of up to $1,000. SportsBetting.ag certainly makes the effort to make their horse racing fans feel special with all the extra offers.

BetNow – Our Favorite Site For Depositing With Crypto

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BetNow provides top perks for those who want to bet on horse races using cryptocurrency. It starts with a welcome bonus of 200% up to $200 if you deposit with Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash. That’s 50% higher than you can get from the site with any other banking method.

You also have a wide range of deposit limits if you use crypto. The minimum is $10, and the maximum is $40,000 (compared to $20 and $1,000 with credit cards.) Cashing out with crypto takes place the same day you make the request, and there are no fees attached.

All these perks make gambling at BetNow with BTC or other cryptos very convenient and open the door to interesting profitable opportunities.

Comparing Sportsbooks That Offer Horse Racing

The sites we recommend all cover thoroughbred racing from major North American tracks. From there, they differ on what types of coverage they provide, as the following chart explains.

Betting Sites Welcome Bonus Thoroughbred Harness Virtual Visit Site
Bovada 50% up to $1,000 (75% up to $750 for crypto) Yes Yes Yes Visit Now
BetUS 100% up to $2,500 (150% up to $3,750 for crypto) Yes Yes No Visit Now
BetOnline 50% up to $1,000 (100% up to $1,000 for crypto) Yes Yes No Visit Now
SportsBetting.ag 50% up to $1,000 (100% up to $1,000 for crypto) Yes Yes No Visit Now
BetNow 100% up to $1,000 (200% up to $200 for crypto) Yes Yes No Visit Now

How We Rate and Review

All our favorite horse betting sites on this page have gone through our review and ranking process, so they are good for sports in general. From there, we look for qualities that will be important to horse racing gambling, such as the following.

  • Races Covered: We look for sites that provide the widest possible coverage of horse racing all over the globe. BetOnline, for example, allows wagering on races from Great Britain, Ireland, and France.
  • Betting Markets: The best horse racing betting sites should cover basic bets for everyday races, such as win, place, show, exacta, and trifecta. Futures markets for big races like The Kentucky Derby are also a big plus.
  • Bonuses and Promotions for Horse Racing: We expect to see betting bonuses and promos for new and existing customers. In addition, we also give special attention to exclusive horse racing bonuses, such as the 9% racing rebate promotion at SportsBetting.ag.
  • Betting Odds: When it comes to fixed odds markets like horse racing futures, we search for sites that offer the most competitive odds.

How to Choose a Sportsbook To Bet With

When you look for a betting platform, you should be thinking of what’s most important to you. Below are a few examples of factors you might want to consider before registering with a sportsbook.

How Much Do You Want to Bet?

Most minimum bets for horse racing are pretty standard at $1. Beyond that, the limits might differ based on the site you’re using, what track you’re betting, and the type of market you’re using. Check with the site in question to make sure that they can meet your demands on betting limits.

How Often Do You Want to Bet

If you’re only planning to wager on horses occasionally, rewards programs might not matter as much to you. However, if you want to bet every day, a solid system of perks like the one offered by Bovada can help you the most out of your sports wagers.

Big or Small Races?

If you prefer unpopular races from smaller tracks, you should first make sure your favorite tracks are included in a site’s menu. You might also be looking to make different types of bets on big races, like those included in the Triple Crown. Top sites like Bovada and BetUS offer futures markets and specials for them.

Types of Horse Racing Bets

Horse racing features its own unique set of wagers that sets it apart from any other sport. Take a look at the most common opportunities offered by the top betting sites for horse racing.

  • Win: Your horse has to win the race for you to win this bet.
  • Place: If you make this bet, the horse you pick can finish first or second.
  • Show: Your show bet is a winner if the horse you pick finishes first, second, or third.
  • Exacta: This bet requires you to pick the first two horses in the exact order of finish in a single race. In other words, with a 1-3 exacta bet, the #1 horse must finish first and the #3 horse must finish second for your bet to win.
  • Quinella: A quinella resembles an exacta, but the difference is that the two horses you pick must come in first and second, no matter the order. For example, if you pick a 2-4 quinella, you’ll win if the #2 finishes first and the #4 finishes second, or vice versa.
  • Trifecta: You have to pick the first three in the exact order of finish.
  • Superfecta: You have to pick the first four in the exact order of finish.
  • Daily Double: You have to pick the winner of two straight races. In some cases, a Daily Double can involve races that aren’t right next to each other on the card. For example, a popular Double at Churchill Downs requires you to pick the winner of the Kentucky Oaks and the winner of the Kentucky Derby, which are held on two separate days.
  • Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, etc.: These wagers require you to pick winners for however many races are specified. For example, with a Pick 3, you’d need to pick the winners of three straight races on a program.

Key Horse Racing Betting Terms Explained

Horse racing betting can be intimidating at first because of all the terminology involved. Here are some horse racing terms that are helpful for bettors.

  • Post Position: This refers to the spot where the horse starts a race (#1 post, #2 post, and so on.) Post position can be very important because it affects what kind of trip around the track a horse will get.
  • Track Condition: The condition of the surface of a particular track when a race is taking place. This is important information because some horses like fast tracks, while others prefer to race in sloppy conditions.
  • Closer: A horse that likes to sit back early in a race and rally late.
  • Front-Runner: A horse that likes to head out of the gate quickly and try to win the race on the front end.
  • Chalk: The race favorite.
  • Gait: How a horse runs. In harness racing, this is an important term because there are two types of gaits: Pacers and Trotters. Pacers only race against pacers, and trotters only race against trotters.
  • Maiden: A horse that has never won a race.
  • Stretch: The final portion of a race, which takes place after the final turn.
  • Photo Finish: When two horses in a race come to the line together, it often takes a photo to determine which of the two finished in front.
  • Dead Heat: When two horses are deemed to have come across the finish line at exactly the same time.
  • Inquiry: When the judges or stewards at a racetrack think there’s been a possible violation committed by one of the horses in a race. If they deem there was a foul of some sort, and it affected the outcome, they can change the order of finish.
  • Official: When a horse is over and the judges have given the OK, the race will go official. At that time, all winning bets can be collected.

For more key terms, check out the page below.

How Can You Learn More About Horse Racing, Jockeys, Trainers and Improve Your Betting?

Research is required to make money from betting on horses. ToYou should always learn more about the contestants, the jockeys, the trainers, and anything else that could affect the outcome of the race. Here are some of the top sources for information:

Our team also offers horse racing betting resources, such as the following:

Jim Beviglia
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About Jim Beviglia
Jim Beviglia has been a gambling writer at LegitGamblingSites.com since 2018. During that time, he’s written just about every type of article related to gambling, including reviews of betting sites, guides to popular casino games, betting tips on both casino and sports betting, sports and casino blog posts, and game picks. In addition to online gambling, one of Jim’s other major interests is music. He has been doing freelance work for various music sites and magazines for two decades. Among his outlets past and present are American Songwriter, VinylMePlease, Treble, and The Bluegrass Situation. Jim has also written five books on music that were published by Rowman & Littlefield.