Best Online Legal Horse Racing Betting Sites 2024
Betting on horse racing was popular well before it became legal to bet on sports in the United States. While there are plenty of options when it comes to online sports betting, not every sportsbook allows customers to bet on the Sport of Kings.
Finding the right online horse racing betting site to use can enhance your experience and possibly help you win some money. Some of the leading horse racing online betting sites stand out among the rest.
Online Horse Betting Sites - Editors` Choice
- Fanduel
- Draftkings
- BetMGM
- Twinspires
- Caesars
1. FanDuel - Online Horse Betting Racing
The premier online sports betting app for prospective bettors has a separate app for horse racing.
FanDuel Racing offers the same sleek and easy to use interface as the FanDuel Sportsbook app. It’s available in over 20 states. It’s easy to make deposits to your FanDuel Racing account. Not only does the app accept debit, credit cards and PayPal, but you can also use a convenient FanDuel Racing Prepaid Card. On average, there’s a new race to bet on every five minutes, and bettors can stream horse races live on FanDuel Racing.
You can bet on all the biggest races with FanDuel Racing. Places wagers on the Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup and Pegasus World Cup. Starting with the 2023 Kentucky Derby, customers can bet on the Run for the Roses by using the FanDuel Sportsbook app.
Related: Best Sports Betting Apps Ranked
2. DraftKings
DraftKings is launching a standalone app for horse racing. The sportsbook has partnered with Churchill Downs and will launch DK Horse, which is expected to be available in more than 20 states in time for the 2023 Kentucky Derby in May. For the initial launch of DK HORSE, customers will sign up and deposit funds separately from their DraftKings Sportsbook account.
Aside from DK Horse, DraftKings offers free horse racing pools that include cash prizes. Bettors submit picks before the start of a race, and customers who predict the correct outcomes are eligible to win a share of the cash prizes available.
3. Caesars Racebook
Another one of the leading sports books in the U.S. has its own app for legal horse racing.
Caesars Racebook offers a 100% deposit match for new customers. Once you have an account and start betting, customers earn racebook points with every wager. Those points can be used for free bets, and the Racebook gives customers the opportunity to earn Tier Credits toward their Tier Status within Caesars Rewards.
There’s no shortage of races to bet with Caesars Racebook. Customers can bet on races all over the world at more than 300 racetracks. You can stream horse races with the app. Just like Caesars Sportsbooks, Caesars Racetrack offers easy and secure ways to fund and withdraw your account.
4. BetMGM Horse Racing
A well-known brand that is established in casino gaming and online sports betting also has a foot in the world of horse racing.
BetMGM Horse Racing makes it easy to play the ponies, even for inexperienced bettors. The app has tabs that give explicit instructions for how to bet on races. There’s information given regarding how horses have performed in their past races. The minutes to post are clearly displayed so that you don’t miss the chance to bet on a race before it starts. BetMGM Horse Racing also gives detailed explainers for different types of wagers, such as exactas, trifectas and quinellas.
BetMGM Online Horse Racing is trustworthy when it comes to quick and easy payouts. New customers can take advantage of a 100% deposit bonus of up to $200.
5. 1/ST BET
Premier Turf Club, LLC, a subsidiary of PointsBet USA Inc., announced in October 2022 a partnership agreement with 1/ST TECHNOLOGY. The companies collaborated on integration and the launch of the 1/ST BET app. It offers legal horse betting on more than 300 racetracks. It was the first time in the U.S. that a tier-one sports betting company and a horse racing company joined forces to create an independently owned betting app.
1/ST BET offers a welcome bonus of $100 to new customers who bet $100 within 30 days of signing up. The app offers personalized handicapping tools that help you make bets for some of the biggest races.
6. TVG
TVG was the preeminent horse-racing network and has since merged with FanDuel to form FanDuel TV. The network covers more than just races, but the TVG app is still available for betting on the sport of kings.
Even after the rebrand, TVG still gives handicapping information and picks that are second to none. The TVG betting app is legal in more than half of the states in the U.S., offering bets on more than 150 tracks from around the globe. It’s an option for some bettors who want to wager on horse racing but live in a state where legal online sports betting still isn’t available. New players get up to $200 back if your first single-horst bet doesn’t win. TVG also offers cash back on certain races if your horse finishes in second or third place.
7. Twinspires Horse Racing
TwinSpires Racing prides itself on being the premier online horse racing betting platform with good reason.
Churchill Downs, Inc, which operates the racetrack where the Kentucky Derby has been held for a century and a half, also owns TwinSpires. Bettors can feel comfortable using a horse racing app that is connected with the biggest race in the U.S. TwinSpires allows customers to place bets on their desktop and mobile devices, as well as at retail locations and race tracks.
Bettors who are first dipping their toes into the world of horse racing might want to consider using Twinspires. With a TwinSpires account, customers can read analysis from our horse racing experts, industry insiders and handicappers. Taking a look at Insider Picks and Power Plays can also help with your horse race betting journey.
8. AmWager
For customers who prioritize a betting platform that is fast and easy to use, AmWager might be your go-to when wagering on horse racing. AmWager prides itself on being 60 times faster than other betting sites when combining their betting tools, data and pool updates. AMWager offers bets for more than 1,000 races per day at nearly 500 racetracks on 364 days per year.
Sign-up bonuses are available to new customers. AMWager will match your first deposit up to $150, as long as you make $150 worth of bets within your first 30 days of funding your account. Bettors can also earn cash-back rewards. The rewards program includes a percentage of your total wager on most bets, win or lose.
9. DRF Horse Race Betting
Maybe you haven't heard of DFR, but it’s one of the best horse racing platforms available in the U.S.
DRF, which stands for the Daily Racing Form. has been providing online horse betting and racing analysis and news for 127 years. Now, it’s a place where many U.S. residents can bet on races if they are of legal age to do so. The DRF app shows results for the biggest races that have already taken place, along with what’s important to know about the day’s races that have yet to start.
There are tons of options to choose from at DRF. Bet on either thoroughbred racing or harness racing. Get a $200 deposit match bonus when you first sign up and fund your account. Earn rewards when you bet, including up to $100 DRF store credits per month and up to 5% cashback on wagering
10. NYRA Bets
NYRA stands for New York Racing Association, but that doesn’t mean it’s only available to residents of the Empire State. NYRA Bets can be used in upwards of 30 states to bet on horse racing.
NYRA Bets is the official betting partner of the Belmont Stakes, which is the third leg of the triple crown. The horse racing app allows customers to bet on more than 300 tracks in the world. NYRA offers weekly promotions, handicapping contests, and a loyalty rewards program for placing wagers. A sign-up bonus is available for up to $200, matching your deposit if you bet twice your initial deposit within 30 days.
How does horse race betting work?
Horse race betting is different than betting on any other sport. Most team sports offer many of the same kinds of wagers. For example, you can make moneyline bets, bets against the spread, and bets on the over/under for football, basketball and baseball. Those terms don’t apply when it comes to horse racing.
The different types of horse racing bets are unique, but they aren’t very difficult to learn.
Horse Racing Bet Types
To Win Definition
This type of bet is the most simple to understand. If you bet on a horse and it wins the race, you win your bet. Any other result is a loss.
To Place Definition
There are two ways to win this kind of wager. If the horse you picked finishes in either first or second place, you win your bet. Your potential profit is less than it would be if you bet the same amount of money on the horse to win.
To Show Definition
This bet offers a smaller payout than the previous types of wagers, but it gives you the best chance to have a winning bet. Your wager is a winner if the horse you put money in comes in first, second or third place.
Exacta Definition
An exact is more difficult to win than any standard type of horse racing bet, but it also comes with a higher potential return on your investment. You must correctly pick the horses to finish in first place and second place to win your bet.
Quinella Definition
This type of bet is similar to an exacta, but it gives you a little more margin for error. With a quinella, you’re betting on which horses will finish the race in the top two. Unlike an exacta, you don’t have to correctly predict which horse wins the race and which one is the runner-up.
Trifecta Definition
You win a trifecta by correctly picking the first, second and third-place finishers in the exact order. If your bet on the right horses but don’t have the order just right, you’re out of luck. A boxed trifecta, however, will hit if you pick the top-three horses, regardless of the order.
Superfecta Definition
This horse racing bet is more difficult to win than any of the previous types of wagers. A superfecta requires you to correctly pick the horses that finish in first, second, third and fourth place. Because of the low probability of winning with a high possible payout, bettors will usually risk much less money on a superfecta than they would for another kind of wager.
Horse Racing Betting FAQ
Are horse betting sites legal?
Depending on the laws of your state, there are numerous horse betting sites that operate legally. Some sites only offer bets on horse racing. Other sportsbooks allow you to bet on horse races through their main app or have a separate app for you to place bets on horses
How do horse racing betting sites work?
After choosing your preferred horse racing betting sites, create an account and make your first deposit to claim the bonus. Once you’ve signed uo, you can start betting on the races of your choice on the apps.
What are the top 10 legal horse racing betting sites?
The top 10 betting sites are FanDuel Racing, DraftKings, Caesars Racebook, BetMGM Racebook, 1/ST BET, TVG, Twinspires Horse Racing, AmWager, DRF Horse Race Betting and NYRA Bets.
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