Horse Race Betting Online for Real Money
Top Online Horse Racing Betting Sites
Online horse racing betting in USA is one of the the most active and enjoyed sports for many bettors. Not only does the sport offer the greatest potential for the underdogs to be successful, but online books now cover an absolute ton of horse racing events! This allows for online horse racing betting to take place year round, and keep bettors entertained basically 24/7. If you are not familiar with horse racing, it might be best to review our guide to horse race betting to clarify terms and strategies discussed in depth in this article.
When it comes to the best online horse racing betting sites, you must be careful and narrow your choice down to only the top bookies. Luckily, we have completed this filtering process for you, as you can see below. Take the time to explore these options after reading this article.
How We Have Chosen These Sites
The pre-requisites for selecting any online horse racing bookmakers are:
- Covers all major races
- Offers enough variety with markets/bet types
- Provides competitive odds
- Covers global events, not just USA/Canadian races
- Allows for live streaming
- Allows for mobile betting
- Has the necessary security certifications
- Has an adequate customer support team
- Offers a uncomplicated betting setup
We have stringently looked at all of these factors in order to make these recommendations for you. However, it is advised that you perform your own due diligence before jumping in at the deep end with any of these online horse racing bookmakers.
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Major Horse Racing Bets in Detail
Online horse racing betting provides a wealth of bet markets, but you need to thoroughly understand the ones listed below before attempting the more complex varieties.
- Single bet (money line)
There is only one winner when it comes to horse racing, and this is where the single bet comes into play. Online bookmakers will always have available odds for the horses that are racing in a particular event, and this bet is typically placed on a horse to win an event. However, you will only win if your chosen horse wins the race, and the winning amount will depend on the odds and the amount staked.
With single bets, you will receive greater value by choosing horses that are not the favorite. This is a common strategy among horse racing bettors since you can risk less but stand to win more.
- Each way
This is an incredibly popular type of bet for horse racing. And by placing an each way bet, you are setting yourself up to win based on two possible outcomes instead of one. Unlike the single bet where your horse must win to win the bet, in an each way bet you will win if your chosen horse wins or finishes in the top 2. In addition, if your horse does win the race you will be correct on both counts and therefore win two bets.
It is important to note that with an each way bet you actually are placing two bets, therefore if you select a $5 stake you will actually need $10 to place the bet.
- To place
To give yourself an even greater possibility of winning with online horse racing betting, you can wager a ‘to place’ bet. In this bet, you will win the bet if your selected horse finishes inside the top 3 of a particular race. The downside is that you will typically get reduced odds for this bet, meaning you’re your potential profits are less since the likelihood of this happening is often greater.
Prestigious Events to Watch Out For
Online horse racing betting can be enjoyed year round, thanks to events taking place all over the world. This is favorable compared to sports such as athletics, because events are common and thus provide sports bettors with a much greater number of events to bet on.
There are several key races to watch out for throughout the year, and the top 5 are shown below:
- Kentucky Derby
This event is held at the start of May each and every year, and it draws the world’s greatest jockeys together to compete for this prestigious title. With millions wagered on this event every year, it is definitely one to get involved with.
- The Derby
A majorly popular event, this time in the United Kingdom is the Derby. This event takes place on the first Saturday of June at Epsom Downs Racecourse, and it is often perceived as the most classic horse race in Britan.
- Belmont Stakes
Another huge event is the Belmont Stakes, held in New York every June. Online horse racing bookmakers (especially in the USA) typically offer an enormous range of markets for this event, and the odds are often highly attractive.
- The Queen's Plate
This takes place each and every Summer in Canada, and it is actually the oldest horse race in North America. A maximum total of 17 horses can take part in this event, and it draws thousands of spectators each year.
- Nakayama Race
Moving away from the USA, this event takes place in Japan every April. The race has grown in popularity enormously over the years, and understandably so considering that there is 7-figure prize money at stake.
- The Grand National
This is by far the most famous race within Europe, and it is definitely a race to look out for. This event also takes place in April, and is so popular that the Royal Family often attends.
- Preakness Stakes
Part of the USA triple crown, the Preakness Stakes is held in Maryland in May. This is undoubtedly one of the events that draw the greatest amounts wagered by sports bettors, which means that there is opportunity for profit.
- Melbourne Cup
Held each and every November (almost Summertime in Australia), the Melbourne Cup has grown to become a hugely popular event 'Down Under'. So popular in fact, that natives even refer to the event as "the race that stops a nation".
Besides these major events, other horse races take place all year round. In fact, online horse racing betting in USA is one of the most frequent and most popular forms of betting compared with all other sports.
Why Online Horse Racing Betting?
If you are still unsure of whether online horse racing betting is right for you, let us give you two concepts – frequency and value. With hundreds of events taking place each year you will never be short on options. On top of this, horse racing by nature allows for a greater number of underdog victories compared to other sports. This is because at the end of the day, only half of the team is human controlled (the jockey).
It really is a great sport to get involved with, and there are still plenty of events taking place year round.
