Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in the US

Online Horse Racing Betting in the US

Horse racing is a premium sport to bet on in the United States. It is also one of the oldest legal gambling products available to US residents. Most horse race betting is carried out electronically and is also legal or permitted in most states. Essentially, horse race bets were first placed at off-track betting parlors. Today, we have mobile horse racing sportsbooks to explore if we don't want to leave our homes.

Off-track betting was legalized in 1970. Nevada was the first state where OTB parlors were visible. Soon, more centers were opened in other states like New York. As a result, bettors could place wagers into pari-mutuel wagering pools on races across the US and abroad. The Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 kept OTB parlors open in the US.

The landscape of horse racing betting has evolved from in-person wagering/OTB parlors to online sports betting sites. Sportsbooks signs agreements with local tracks to broadcast horse races and permit users to bet on them. Interestingly, most online sportsbooks cover more tracks than others and have unique features like promotions, handicapped tools, etc.

Regardless of your status as a bettor - a professional or a casual gambler, knowing the best sportsbooks is crucial for an incredible experience. We know you love horse racing and, in addition, horse wagering. Here you would find the very best sportsbook where you can enjoy the experience of betting on horse races. All races are available to you.

States that Permit Horse Racing Betting

Currently, there are up to 40 states that permit online horse racing betting. The unlawful internet enforcement gaming Act in 2006 halted many forms of online gambling, but online horse racing gambling was not affected. States can permit online horse betting, and many do allow it. This number keeps improving. Here are the states:

• Arizona 
• Alabama 
• Arkansas 
• Colorado 
• California 
• Connecticut 
• Delaware 
• Florida 
• Indiana 
• Illinois 
• Iowa 
• Idaho 
• Kentucky 
• Kansas
• Louisiana 
• Maryland 
• Maine 
• Michigan 
• Massachusetts 
• Montana 
• Minnesota 
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New Hampshire 
• New Mexico 
• North Dakota 
• New York 
• Oklahoma 
• Oregon 
• Ohio 
• Pennsylvania 
• Rhode Island 
• South Dakota
• Tennessee 
• Virginia 
• Vermont 
• Washington 
• Wisconsin 
• West Virginia 
• Wyoming 

Top Horse Racing Betting Sites

The fast-paced, action-filled sport has gained momentum over the years. Horse racing betting sites have the betting process easier by signing agreements with several racinos.

Now, bettors get access to explore hundreds of racetracks and pari-mutuel tools. For an incredible experience, here are the top horse racing betting sites you should know.

TVG - 9.3/10

Television Games Network (TVG) is a popular online horse racing and greyhound racing sportsbook owned by Flutter Entertainment and FanDuel group. Interestingly, TVG has a 24-hour TV network sold out to horse racing. Additionally, the sportsbook operates the 4NJBets structure on behalf of the racing industry and the state of New York. Over the years, TVG has built an incredible platform for bettors to explore and enjoy horse racing wagering.

Creating an account is straightforward and super fast. First, users have to provide their names, addresses, phone numbers, DOB, and other personal details like four digits of their SSN. After that, it is easy to initiate deposits and withdrawals. Options for deposit include TVG BetCash, PayPal, credit/debit cards, MoneyPak, TVG prepaid card, PayNearMe, wire transfer, and more.

Presently, TVG product is legal in 33 states, including New York, California, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Bettors get to explore more than a hundred domestic and international racetracks. The payment gateway used in funding your account can also be used to initiate a withdrawal.

Furthermore, users can access the sportsbook via its well-optimized racing website or as an app on Android or iOS devices. The live stream feature is a great perk of the TVG sportsbook. Also, various rewards and promos are available to spice up your betting experience. Newbies get to enjoy a risk-free bet bonus.

TwinSpires Horse Racing - 9.2/10

Aside from its incredible partnership with the Kentucky Derby, TwinSpires is a credible sportsbook to place horse bets. The sportsbook brand took its first horse race bets in 2007. The sportsbook offers a huge plethora of races, home and abroad, for players to get entertained. TwinSpires sportsbook is available in over 30 US states, including Pennsylvania, New York, California, Connecticut, Kentucky, and more.

The sportsbook can be downloaded as an app on either Android or iOS devices. Nevertheless, it can also be accessed via a desktop browser. TwinSpires has an incredible range of domestic races. It also covers New Zealand, the UK, and more overseas tracks. Live streaming and live sports betting are excellent features that increase the ranking of TwinSpires. However, live streaming is only available using the app. New users get the deposit match offer. Rewards and promos are also available for existing users.

Withdrawals are seamless. When initiated, it could take up to 5 business days. The odds on horses are quite competitive. Users get lucrative promotions to spice up the adventure. TwinSpires is not available in every state in the US. States where you can place horse bets using TwinSpire, include Arizona, New Jersey, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and many more.

AmWager - 9.1/10

AmWager offers new users a signup bonus to make their transition seamless. Primarily,  new players have two different welcome bonuses to select from. This bonus can be used to explore the betting site to place a bet on a race. The platform is built for players and designed to make horse racing betting seamless.

AmWager boasts of a credible and reliable customer representative team. They are available to get you out of whatever trouble you get in. Bettors can reach out via telephone and email. But the live chat feature is absent. However, the customer support when tested proved exceptional. You should not hesitate to contact them if you need assistance.

AmWager is a legal and licensed sportsbook. There are lots of states where it has a license to operate. Some of these states are Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Indiana, South Dakota, New York, etc. If you become a member, there is no need to worry about security. Rewards and loyalty programs in the form of cashback, etc., are available. The live betting and streaming feature is active without any faulty buffering on the live streams. However, this also depends on the quality of your network.

4NJBets - 9/10

Watch and place bets on horse races from more than 150 tracks worldwide via 4NJBets. Nothing can be compared to betting on your treasured horse at the tracks and using one of the best sportsbooks in the country. The 4NJBets is a subsidiary of TVG, which operates in New Jersey and is also the first legal horse racing wagering app.

4NJBets does not restrict winners on any horse racing tracks. Bettors can place bets from the comfort of their homes. There are daily 4NJBets picks through which players can increase their odds of winning the competition. Handicapping picks and tips, live odds are some features the brand is known to perform great at. They also have horse racing content to give players insight into horse racing betting.

As a new member, you stand a chance to claim the generous welcome bonus. This bonus would quickly get you started. However, you should also know that existing users are not left out on rewards. 4NJBets takes care of every player.

How We Select The Best Horse Racing Sites

Selecting the best horse racing sites could be a bit tasking. However, we apply several methodologies to make it seamless and perfect. Of course, you could also pay attention to these details while surfing the internet to place horse race bets. Here are some methods we put into practice.

Legal Status

If you must place horse race bets, it is important to check out the legal status of the preferred sportsbook. While researching on horse racing betting sites, we ensure that each of the sportsbooks reviewed is legal and licensed to operate. That is how we guarantee that such a site is safe.

Betting on legal racing sites protects users because they have a regulatory structure and Board by the state, which they must comply with. The regulatory structure ensures that betting practices are fair, appropriate, and beneficial to both parties.

Horse Betting Markets 

Bettors are interested in varieties or multiple track options. Being able to wager on domestic races is great, but it is also a big flex when you can access international racetracks. Generally, this is a major trend with bettors. Bettors love to create an exciting horse wagering experience, and this demands sportsbooks to cover domestic and international markets.

In addition, the action should be on many tracks and a variety of races. Best horse racing sites cover top events like the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Melbourne Cup, Grand National, and more.

Bonuses and Promotions 

Sportsbooks must provide several kinds of lucrative betting offers to new and existing players. Players love free stuff, and the welcome bonus is a beautiful example. However, no sportsbook should stop at that phase.

Existing members should also get more incentives like cashback, reload offers, VIP promos to enjoy their adventure with the sportsbook. We check out various offers, compare them and rate these sportsbooks based on this factor. 

Bet Types Flexibility 

When a sportsbook dabbles into horse racing as a new market, they usually have a few options regarding bet types. Although this is fair, the desire to try new stuff is always forthcoming as a player.

Therefore, our recommendation comprises sportsbooks that are flexible with bet types. In essence, sportsbooks with tons of bet types such as straight, each-way, exacta, and more. 

Betting Odds

How much a sportsbook user gets from a wager on horse races depends on the horse racing odds. Odds prices differ across sportsbooks. Punters create multiple accounts to take advantage of the different odds prices available.

Although the best horse racing sportsbooks have competitive odds, you could sometimes mistake them for average.

Live Streaming 

The live streaming feature is an advantage that sportsbooks use to set themselves apart. Bettors would naturally search for sportsbooks that offer live streams on horse races. Ideally, the competition is mostly about what sportsbook offers more live streams games.

Imagine punters without a TV or who are out in the fields; the live streams would always be a feature they would look out for. This is why we factor in the live streaming potential in our methodology kit of rating the best horse racing betting sites.

Mobile App

A feature that could reduce the reach and acceptance of a betting site for most users is an app. The traffic is usually more for betting sites with an up and running sportsbook app. Most horse race enthusiasts use either smartphones or tablets for placing wagers.

Sports betting apps provide convenience while betting on horse racing games. In essence, it is more convenient for users to place bets on the go. TwinSpires and TGV have excellent apps, which are factors that put them on our list.

Horse Racing Content

Most betting sites create helpful content or guides to assist new bettors. In this content, users get to read more about horse racing and what horse betting is all about. In addition, you could see a breakdown of how to place a horse racing wager as a new player.

Our recommended sportsbooks are not primarily focused on your money. As a matter of fact, they value their customers and go to extra lengths to help them create an exciting adventure.

Customer Support 

We trigger some complaints while reviewing a sportsbook and direct it to customer support. Ideally, there should be 24/7 support, several channels to reach out to, and an extensive FAQ option. The FAQ is vital for common issues most users have complaints about due to not knowing what to click on.

In addition, with our synthetic complaint, we check out how fast the customer support team responds. Therefore we rate their efficiency in solving whatever issue we have. Every horse racing betting site we recommend has exceptional customer support teams.

Horse Racing Betting Types

To bet successfully on horse racing games, you need to learn about the available bet types. There are a ton of bet types available for single/multiple races.

Technically, the more difficult a bet is, the higher the outcome. We'll start with the most basic bet - Traditional/straight bets and proceed to Exotic bets. There is also pari-mutuel betting. Let's begin.

Pari-Mutuel Betting

Other forms of betting have bettors wagering against the house, but pari-mutuel betting puts bettors against each other. Here, the money wagered by bettors on a particular race is put into one payout pool.

A certain percentage goes to the house, and the winners would take home their shares from the payout. Additionally, the betting public is the deciding factor regarding the odds and not the oddsmaker.

Win/Outright Bets

Win bets are straightforward. The bettor has to pick one horse that would win the race. If the horse wins the race, he wins the bet and vice versa. There are no grey areas to the Win bet.

Place Bets 

Place bets require the bettor to predict the horse that would finish either first or second place. If the prediction is correct, the bettor gets the Place dividend.

Show

A show bet is quite similar to a place bet. Also, due to the difficulty surrounding a Win bet, the Show bet has the greatest chance of winning. Here, the bettor's horse has to take either first, second, or third place to win the bet.

Each Way Bet

Each way bet is secure to back a horse in major competitions. Here, the bettor has the opportunity to pick a horse that would either be first or finish between 2nd and 5th place. Technically, the bet is placed on two conditions, and so is a combination of the "Win" and "Place" bets.

Exotic Wagers 

Now, let's proceed to the Exotic wagers. These are easier to miss or harder to hit than the win, place, show, and each-way stakes. Here, bettors can make, on multiple ponies, multiple bets in one. Ideally, these wagers require a high level of expertise and knowledge.

Exotic bets are divided into Single-race exotic and Multi-race exotic. Single-race or vertical exotic includes Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, and Super Hi-Five. Multi-race or horizontal exotics include Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Pick 6 wagers.

Exacta 

For an Exacta wager, the bettor would predict two horses to finish first and second in the race. The horses must finish in the exact order that he predicts to win the wager. This bet type is more difficult but has a better payout than Win, Place, and Show. However, players have the option of a "box" wager. A boxed bet wins regardless of what order the horses finish.

Quinella 

Quinella is less common among bettors but is very much available. The bettor selects the top two horses to finish first and second in any order.

Trifecta 

With Trifecta, you would find another layer of complexity. This particular wager requires the bettor to select the top three runners in the exact order. The complexities and difficulties are responsible for its higher payout. There is also the option of “boxing” this wager. With that, regardless of what order, between 1st to 3rd your horses take, you'll win the bet. But this also increases the cost of the wager.

Superfecta 

The Superfecta is one step further from the Trifecta wager. Here horse bettors have to accurately predict the top four runners. Essentially, this combination is challenging to hit, so it comes with a low wager amount. Horseplayers can also box this wager type at an additional cost.

Super Hi-Five

Can you attempt to predict the top five finishers? If yes, you should try the Super Hi-Five wager. Super Hi-Five requires that players select the first five-horse runners. If the prediction is accurate, you'll win the bet.

Double 

The Double wager is also referred to as the Daily Double wager. It is a simple wager that spans multiple horse races. The requirement is the horseplayer has to predict the winner for back-to-back horse races. In essence, he picks the runner to win two races.

Pick 3

This is a straightforward wager like the name implies and quite similar to the Daily Double wager. Bettors pick three winners of three straight races. 

Pick 4

Pick 4 is a very popular Exotic wager. It is a prediction for four consecutive races back to back. 

Pick 5

The Pick 5 wager is a back-to-back prediction for 5 consecutive races. Of course, it becomes more difficult with the number increasing, but it does come with an incredible or greater payout. In addition, special bonuses like a jackpot are given to players who can come up with such predictions.

Pick 6

This bet type is similar to the Pick 5 but for 6 consecutive races. This is the biggest wager you can make on a horse race. If you win, you'll be smiling to the bank. Also, there are lots of Pick 6 wagers that come with a jackpot bonus award.

Virtual Horse Racing Betting

Virtual horse racing is a simulated horse betting game that involves bettors placing wagers on one, two, or more horses on a racetrack. The game usually comprises 6 - 8 horses and jockeys. The biggest peck to virtual horse racing betting is its availability to punters every day.

Wagering on virtual horse racing is quite different from betting on the usual horse racing. Virtual horse racing does not have any real-world presence. Also, it is computer-controlled and 100% simulated according to RNG parameters.

Virtual horses do not look like real horses. So you won't find Justify or American Pharaoh in the stables, fair enough. To understand it better, you can see it like a horse-themed lottery that permits players to carry out traditional horse bets and horse racing picks. The bet types include winner, forecast, tricast, place, show, reverse forecast, and more.

How Virtual Horse Racing Betting Works 

The mechanics behind virtual horse racing are not different from roulette, slots, or poker. It is entirely random in every aspect. Betting styles are linked to Random Number Generators that generate unpredictable virtual horse racing outcomes.

The house decides how much cash its virtual horse racing games return to users; still, the results are without pre-arrangements. As mentioned earlier, it is best described as a lottery. The RNG picks a lucky ticket to win the race. Although the choice is not regular, the system would easily choose a favorite instead of a long shot. Ideally, the favorite has lots of tickets located in the drawing.

The virtual race bets are conducted in a fixed odd style. Not the usual pari-mutuel format. In essence, the betting odds are set by the operator, not the market forces. Players can't get an edge in virtual horse racing betting. It is pure gambling where you could either win or lose.

Betting sites that allow virtual horse racing includes:

• BetMGM Casino 

Beyond virtual horse racing, you can enjoy greyhound racing. Inspired Entertainment developed the games. Newbies get to enjoy exciting bonuses to explore the BetMGM.

• Caesars Casino 

Caesars casino partners with Inspired Entertainment games to provide the latest generation games for users. Another perk to its gaming is the generous bonus offers, especially for new players.

• DraftKings 

Inspired Entertainment is responsible for its games collection. Bettors get to explore greyhound racing betting, virtual horse racing, and a couple of interesting virtual sports. In addition, selecting DraftKings gives you access to an exciting deposit bonus as a first-time user.

• Golden Nugget Casino 

Golden Nugget Casino offers virtual horse racing betting in addition to greyhound racing betting. Inspired Entertainment provides the games. Newbies are welcome with a generous bonus, and existing members are also eligible for promos and rewards.

Where Virtual Horse Racing Betting Is Legal

Virtual horse racing is a form of gambling. This means it is not classified as horse racing betting or sports betting. It stands alone. This distinction is important in knowing where to play virtual horse racing betting.

Virtual horse racing betting is only permitted in US states where online gambling has been licensed or permitted. Examples are New York, Pennsylvania, and more.

If online gambling is not permitted in your state, you will not access this online gambling product. However, it is possible that you can access horse racing betting.

Horse Racing Events

Here are the biggest horse racing events in the United States.

Kentucky Derby

Since 1875, the Kentucky Derby event has taken place in May and is easily voted as the US's most prestigious and famous horse race event. Many Americans attend each event, making it the most attended horse racing event in North America, essentially the US.

Furthermore, it is nicknamed "the run for the roses" or "the fastest two minutes in sports." The event forms the first leg of the American Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby Festival takes place at Churchill Downs, Louisville. Distance is 1-¼ miles.

Preakness Stakes 

Preakness Stakes is an exciting thoroughbred horse race event loved by horse racing enthusiasts. The American horse race events occur every May at Pimlico Race Course Baltimore, Maryland. Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown after the Kentucky Derby.

The first run of Preakness Stakes was in 1873. "The run for the black-eyed Susans" is the nickname given to the event. Attendance is awesome and ranks second in North America, only surpassed by the Kentucky Derby. Preakness Stake is 1-3/16 miles.

Belmont Stakes 

This is an American Grade I stakes horse racing event for three-year-old thoroughbreds. The event takes place on the first or second Saturday in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. Fans refer to the event as "the test of the champion" and "the run for the carnations." In addition, the Belmont Stakes is the third leg of the Triple Crown.

The distance is 1-½ miles, preferably the longest of the three races. This event is included in the American thoroughbred racing list as having top attendance. In 2022, the event will commence on Saturday, June 11. 

Breeder's Cup 

The Breeder's Cup Championship takes place at different locations annually. Breeder's Cup Limited operated this annual thoroughbred horse racing event in 1984.

There are 14 championship races associated with the dynamic event. To know the distance, you would need to see individual races. The attendance has been known to depend on the host track. 

Travers Stakes 

This is a 1¼ mile Grade 1 horse racing event known to every fan and bettor. It is also referred to as the "midsummer derby'. The thoroughbred event was first conducted in 1864, and so is the oldest significant stakes race event in the US. New York is where the event takes place.

Pegasus World Cup 

Pegasus World Cup is another thoroughbred horse racing event that kicked off in January 2017. The event was held at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event comprises horses that are four years old and up and runs over the dirt at a distance of 1⅛ miles.

Other major horse racing events include

• Florida Derby 
• Wood Memorial Stakes 
• Arkansas Derby 
• Travers Stakes 
• Pegasus World Turf 
• Haskell Invitational 
• Santa Anita Handicap 

The Derby Stakes 

The Derby Stakes is the flagship horse race of Great Britain. It commences every June at Epsom Downs in Epsom, Surrey, England. It first ran in 1780.

Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe 

The event takes place in October. It is considered a prestigious and famous horse race in Europe. The Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe is hosted in France at the Longchamp Racecourse.

The Royal Ascot 

In June, the yearly Royal Ascot horse racing event is held at Ascot Racecourse. The British Royal family attends it. At this event, you would find an unmatched series of races.

How To Read a Horse Racing Program?

It is an obvious scene at live horse racing track events, old-time handicappers flipping through the contents of a paper magazine. But, what you noticed was the horse racing program.

The race program is a daily guide containing every piece of information needed about the horses/tracks in the game or competition. The racino and off-track racing establishments print it. It usually contains up to 10 different races.

Additionally, there is also a section in the program that keeps records of the horse's previous races. This could be vital because you would be making an informed decision regardless of the outcome.

Also, you would get a digital program with similar details found in the paper for online racing betting sites. Both print and digital forms of the race program follow a format.

How The Program Is Designed 

Crucial information in the program includes:

• The track.
• Race's number on the card.
• Length of the race.
• A prize purse of the races. 

How To Read Horse Racing Odds?

In simple words, horse racing odds are the connector between risk and reward. Players can tell how much they would win through the available odds on races. Understanding how odds work is the first phase of your betting journey. In addition, this is not as difficult as many players have painted it to be.

You don't need to panic due to certain mathematical calculations involved. However, it becomes easier to look at an odd and tell what the profit would be with some practice.  

How it Works

Odds are simply fractions, with numerators and denominators. For example, a horse can be priced at 10-1 or 10/1. This is a simple representation of how much you can win in relation to the amount you must risk. A numerator is a unit of what you stand to win, while the denominator is the unit of what you must risk taking home your wins. For instance, 10-1 or 10/1 means a player would take home ten units for each 1 unit he bets.

This is the same interpretation for 7-2 or 7/2 odds. The Player gets 7 units for the 2 units he bets. Therefore, the numerator is higher than the denominator meaning the net profit would be bigger. "Odds on favorite" implies the opposite, the numerator is lesser, and the net profit is usually smaller. This is because when you wager on public favorites, everybody is betting on the same horse.

To make it easy for starters, we can apply this formula: (Your wager x numerator)/denominator = net profit. For instance, if a player decides to stake $10 on a horse with 4/5 odds, here is what you need to do to find his net profit. ($10 x 4)/5 giving a net profit of $8. With the original wager returned, the total profit would be $8 + $10 = $18.

Interestingly, horse racing odds can also be represented in decimals. This is much easier to read and interpret. However, you should note that the result is a combination of both your net profit and wager. For instance, a $100 bet on a horse with 2.0 odds would result in a $200 total profit. This is simply multiplying the odds with the amount wagered.

What Horse Racing Odds Depicts 

Some players mistake odds for meaning the chances of a horse winning the race. For instance, when the odds are higher, such a horse has a strong advantage to win. Although there is sometimes a correlation, this is not entirely true. Ideally, odds are a reflection of public sentiment.

Pari-mutuel betting odds move along public sentiments. More money from the public makes the odds fall. However, horses with few backers usually pay more. As a horse race bettor, you should differentiate between reality and public sentiment.