How To Bet On Horse Racing

Few sports are more popular to wager on than horse racing, especially during the Triple Crown.

Searches for picks spike around the Kentucky Derby, but the racing calendar is unlike any other in sports, with action taking place virtually every day in other major countries such as England, Ireland, France, and Australia, as well as the United States. 

Horse racing betting online has never been as popular as it is in this modern day, with record-breaking numbers annually tuning in for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, while events such as the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup are broadcast live on networks such as NBC and FOX, which only attracts more newcomers to the sport.

Below, you can learn more about how to sign up and how to bet on horse racing.

Best Horse Racing Betting Sites

Before you learn how to bet on horse racing online, it’s important to choose the best sportsbook. Bettors need a sportsbook that offers odds for all U.S. tracks, plus a functional mobile site and competitive prices. Below is a list of the best horse racing betting sites.

Rank	Racebook	Offer	Sign-Up Link
#1	BetOnline	$25 Risk-Free Bet	Sign up here
#2	MyBookie	Up To 8% Rebate	Sign up here
#3	Sportsbetting	$25 Risk-Free Bet	Sign up here
#4	BetAnything	Up To 6% Cash Rebate	Sign up here

How to Bet on Horse Racing Online

The horse racing calendar is extensive, and graded stakes races are typically held every Saturday. Bigger meets attract sizable sign-ups, with the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May being the most popular.

The Preakness and Belmont Stakes round out the Triple Crown before attention shifts to major summer meets at Saratoga and Keeneland, which set the pecking order for the Breeders’ Cup. Signing up for a sportsbook to bet on horse racing well in advance helps you take advantage of the best possible odds before they move.

To get started, choose a sportsbook from our top five and select ‘Claim Now’. This will begin the sign-up process, and you will then need to fill in your details, create a login name, and set a memorable password. After completing these steps, review the welcome offer’s terms and conditions carefully to ensure you meet the wagering requirement to qualify.

PRO TIP: Major horse races are in the Main Menu, but you will likely need to select ‘Racebook’ to see today’s races.

How to Place a Bet on Horse Racing

Once you have found the race you want to bet on, follow these steps for how to bet on horse racing for beginners. After you find a race, the odds will appear next to the horse’s name, showing the payout price. You can see what to expect on an odds page using the Breeders’ Cup Classic market below.

Step 1: Read The Odds

The horse with the shortest odds will be considered the favorite and the most likely winner. In our example above, Forever Young is the top choice at +230.

Odds are more volatile in horse racing, as selections can shorten and drift quickly, so it’s important to be proactive if you find odds you think are value.

To work out returns, you can see the payouts for a $100 bet on some of the Breeders’ Cup Classic selections below:

·      Forever Young (+230): $230

·      Golden Tempo (+700): $700

·      Nevada Beach (+3500): $3,500

Step 2: Add Your Horse to the Bet Slip

To add your horse to your bet slip, you simply select the odds next to the selection. Once selected, the horse will appear immediately in your slip.

Step 3: Enter Your Stake and Confirm

After you add your horse to the bet slip, the final steps in how to bet on horses online are to enter your stake and confirm your selection. The slip will also show the returns you’ll receive if your selection wins.

Other Horse Racing Betting Options

Many newcomers to the sport can get overwhelmed by how to bet on horse racing, especially because there are so many betting markets available. These can range from easy-to-understand options, such as:

• Place Betting: A horse to finish in the first 2
• Show Betting: A horse to finish in the first 3
• Parlay Betting: Combining horses from different races to create a longer-form bet

However, there are also some extremely challenging options to get returns worth considering when it comes to how to place a bet on horse racing. These include:

• Exacta: Picking the first two horses in the exact finishing order
• Trifecta: Selecting the first three horses in the exact finishing order
• Superfecta: Correctly predicting the horses that finish first, second, third, and fourth in the correct order

When to Bet on Horse Racing

When it comes to how to bet on horses, there are a multitude of ways, but finding value is typically the name of the game. Below are the three best times to make selections on a big race.

• Months in Advance: Markets for the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic open up to six months before the race, with all horses being at their biggest possible odds.
• Once the Field Is Set: Markets become less unpredictable in the week of a race, as official declarations are made, meaning handicappers know which horses are running.
• Race Day: Bets can be placed on horse racing right up until the moment that the gates open.

Why Use Offshore Sites to Bet on Horse Racing?

Offshore sportsbooks typically rank among the best horse racing betting sites because they give U.S. players a unique opportunity to wager on every race, on desktop and mobile devices.

This is especially true in Florida, home to the prestigious Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. The state permits betting through only one legal sportsbook. Meanwhile, California, Alabama, and Texas are notable states that love their horse racing but can’t wager online.

Offshore sportsbooks accept players from every state, enabling U.S. players to bet on horse racing both in North America and further afield in locations such as England, Ireland, France, Australia, and Japan.

How to Bet on Horse Racing FAQs