On this page, BettingUSA. com discusses legal horse racing betting sites, bonuses and promotions, applicable horse racing laws, major horse racing events, how to bet on horse races, and what all new fans need to know about getting started.

Strong regulations at the state level ensure a safe experience at licensed horse racing betting sites, but some online racebooks and horse betting apps stand above others when it comes to the number of tracks covered, wagering interface, handicapping tools, and the value of promotions. Ideally, these reviews will help every fan decide where to bet on horse racing online for the best possible experience.

Horse racing betting sites use signup promotions and deposit bonuses to attract new customers and enhance marketing campaigns. Horse racing fans who sign up for online betting accounts almost always receive first deposit bonuses or welcome promotions designed to entice new customers.

All promos are different and come with terms and conditions that impact their bottom-line value. Our guide explains how horse racing bonuses work and what customers should know before they sign up. Bettors can claim their AmWager bonus by signing up for an account and using the promo code BUSA Legal horse racing betting sites operate in most US states today, aside from a handful of exceptions due to unclear or unfavorable laws.

The map below displays which states have legal online horse racing betting according to the following key:. Nebraska Horse Racing Betting New Hampshire no longer has any active race tracks but state residents may bet online at: www.

com www. com New Hampshire Horse Racing Betting New Mexico has six active race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www. com New Mexico Horse Racing Betting New York is home to numerous horse racing tracks and state residents may bet online at: www. com New York Horse Racing Betting North Dakota has two race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www.

com North Dakota Horse Racing Betting Ohio is home to eight race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www. com Ohio Horse Racing Betting Oklahoma is home to four race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www.

com Oklahoma Horse Racing Betting Oregon has one active racetrack and state residents may bet online at: www. com Oregon Horse Racing Betting Pennsylvania has three thoroughbred race tracks and residents may bet online at: www.

com Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Rhode Island hosts live harness racing at Plainridge Park Casino and state residents may bet online at: www. com Rhode Island Horse Racing Betting South Dakota conducts horse racing on select days every year at two fairgrounds. State residents may bet online at: www.

com South Dakota Horse Racing Betting Tennessee does not have any active race tracks but state residents may bet online at: www. com Tennessee Horse Racing Betting West Virginia is home to two horse racing tracks and two greyhound racing tracks. com West Virginia Horse Racing Betting Wisconsin no longer has any active horse or greyhound race tracks.

com Wisconsin Horse Racing Betting Wyoming has three race tracks that hold races on select days every year. com Wyoming Horse Racing Betting Illinois is home to three active thoroughbred tracks and one harness track.

com Illinois Horse Racing Betting Alaska does not have any active race tracks and online betting is not allowed. Alaska Horse Racing Betting Georgia does not have any race tracks and parimutuel wagering is outlawed. Georgia Horse Racing Betting There are no race tracks in Hawaii and state law forbids racing betting.

Hawaii Horse Racing Betting Maryland is home to four thoroughbred race tracks and two harness racing tracks. com Maryland Horse Racing Betting Massachusetts has one thoroughbred racetrack and one harness racing track.

com Massachusetts Horse Racing Betting Mississippi does not have any active horse racing tracks and online betting is prohibited. Mississippi Horse Racing Betting Nevada does not have any active race tracks at this time and online racing betting is prohibited.

The only races that occur with any regularity in Nevada are those held during the White Pines Horse Races event each year in Ely. Nevada Horse Racing Betting North Carolina does not have any dedicated horse racing tracks, but lawmakers legalized online horse racing betting in Racing fans can check out the annual Queens Cup Steeplechase for live racing action.

North Carolina Horse Racing Betting South Carolina does not have much of a horse racing industry aside from the annual Carolina Cup and Colonial Cup held at Springdale Racecourse. Parimutuel and online betting are not allowed in South Carolina. South Carolina Horse Racing Betting Utah has a couple of minor race tracks that hold races only a few days a year.

There is not much of a horse racing industry to speak of and all racing betting is outlawed. Utah Horse Racing Betting Colonial Downs is the only racetrack in Virginia and state residents may bet online at: www.

com Virginia Horse Racing Betting Arizona has a couple of horse racing tracks but does not permit online betting. Arizona Horse Racing Betting Iowa is home to one horse racing track and one greyhound racetrack. com Iowa Horse Racing Betting Louisiana has four race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www.

com Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Montana is home to two active horse racing tracks and state residents may bet online at: www. com Montana Horse Racing Betting Washington has two horse racing tracks and 13 OTB locations.

com Washington State Horse Racing Betting Missouri does not have any race tracks but one online racebook accepts customers: TwinSpires Missouri Horse Racing Betting Vermont no longer has any horse racing tracks. State residents may bet on races held elsewhere online at: www. com Vermont Horse Racing Betting New Jersey is home to three horse racing tracks and state residents may bet online at: 4NJBets New Jersey Horse Racing Betting Arkansas has one racetrack and state residents may bet online at: www.

com Arkansas Horse Racing Betting Connecticut does not have any active race tracks but residents may bet online at: www. com Connecticut Horse Racing Betting Texas has several horse and greyhound tracks but online betting is not permitted.

Texas Horse Racing Betting Legal Horse Racing Betting by State A-Z Alabama Alabama law does not specifically address online horse racing betting, but multiple ADWs offer their services to residents. Arizona horse racing law is fairly restrictive as it only allows wagers to be phoned in rather than placed online.

As a result, TVG is the only mainstream racing betting site that accepts customers from Arizona. Arkansas law permits advance deposit wagering providers ADWs to provide online betting to residents 18 or older. State regulations pg. Online horse racing betting is legal and regulated in California by the CA Horse Racing Board CHRB.

Colorado law permits online horse racing betting and the Department of Revenue maintains a list of authorized ADWs here. The Gaming Division under the Department of Consumer Protection recognizes Sportech as the sole authorized provider of online horse racing betting in Connecticut, but major ADW operators still offer online betting to residents.

Advance deposit wagering is permitted in Florida but not subject to licensing requirements or regulatory oversight. Florida lawmakers attempted to pass legislation in to address online horse racing betting, but the bill was poorly worded and failed to advance.

Georgia prohibits parimutuel wagering, leaving residents with no legal horse racing betting options. Idaho regulates advance deposit wagering, and licensed operators may offer online horse racing betting.

The Illinois Racing Board oversees horse racing betting and provides a list of licensed ADWs here. State law authorizes online betting, and all operators must acquire licenses from the Commission before accepting wagers from Indiana residents.

Iowa horse racing law requires operators to reach agreements with local race tracks and horse racing organizations to determine source market fees, but there has been some controversy with numerous out-of-state operators accepting wagers from Iowans without agreements in place.

Kansas horse racing betting laws do not specifically discuss advance deposit wagering, but several major ADWs accept Kansas bettors. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission KHRC oversees parimutuel horse wagering and licenses operators.

KRS Chapter addresses the conduct of advance deposit wagering in Kentucky. Louisiana law LA Rev Stat § Maine enacted legislation in ordering the Gambling Control Unit to hold a competitive bidding process to award one operator sole control over advance deposit wagering.

Penn ADW LLC, the parent company of HollywoodRaces. Maryland law does not address online horse racing betting, but the majority of ADWs in the US accept customers from Maryland. Massachusetts law allows advance deposit wagering and most horse betting sites operate in the state.

Parimutuel horse racing betting is overseen by the Division of Racing under the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Michigan passed online horse racing betting legislation at the end of , establishing a licensing process for Advance Deposit Wagering sites to operate in the state.

Advance deposit wagering providers are required by MN law to acquire licenses to offer online wagering to residents. Online horse racing betting in Mississippi is prohibited, but retail sportsbooks at casinos are allowed to offer parimutuel horse wagers.

Missouri law does not specifically address advance deposit wagering, and most horse racing betting sites do not accept MO residents. The Montana Board of Horse Racing oversees the conduct of horse racing and parimutuel wagering, including online betting.

Parimutuel wagering is legal in Nebraska but state law does not clearly address the legality of advance deposit wagering. Some lawmakers argue that online betting sites violate state law, but the opinion is not universal. Nebraskatate state law enforces a minimum age of 19 to bet on horses.

New Hampshire law clearly permits parimutuel wagering at race tracks and is unclear on the status of online betting. Even so, all major ADWs accept New Hampshire residents. New Jersey allows advance deposit wagering, but 4NJBets.

com is the only operator authorized to offer parimutuel wagering online. New Mexico horse racing law is unclear on the legality of advance deposit wagering, but several operators offer online betting to residents.

New York law allows online horse racing betting operators to apply for licenses to offer advance deposit wagering to residents. North Carolina authorized off-track betting at tribal casinos in and online horse racing betting in The ND Racing Commission maintains an up-to-date list of licensed ADWs here.

The legality of advance deposit wagering is debatable in Ohio. State law on horse racing does not specifically address online betting, but the Ohio State Racing Commission has rules governing telephone wagering.

Oklahoma horse racing regulations allow wagering by telephone but do not specifically address the legality of online betting. Online horse racing betting is legal in Oregon and ADWs are licensed by the state Racing Commission. Pennsylvania law authorizes advance deposit wagering and the majority of ADW operators accept residents.

Puerto Rico has just one thoroughbred racetrack but is home to a massive horse racing betting industry. Fans can bet on horse races in Puerto Rico through licensed ADWs and at more than off-track betting facilities. Rhode Island regulations on simulcast wagering do not specifically address online betting.

South Carolina laws prohibit most forms of betting. South Dakota law permits advance deposit wagering and requires all operators to acquire a license prior to accepting wagers from residents.

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming oversees all parimutuel betting and the licensing of ADWs. The law that formerly authorized parimutuel wagering was repealed in , but numerous horse racing betting sites still accept customers from Tennessee.

Texas permits in-person wagering but amended the Texas Racing Act in to prohibit advance deposit wagering. Horse racing betting is legal in Vermont and regulated by the state Racing Commission. Most online racebooks accept customers from Vermont even though the law on online betting is unclear.

Advance deposit wagering is authorized in Virginia under the Administrative Code and is offered by a handful of licensed horse betting sites. The Virginia Racing Commission oversees all horse racing and parimutuel wagering. The Washington Horse Racing Commission maintains a list of licensed horse betting sites here.

Specifically, WV Racing Commission rule § states wagers may be accepted via self-service terminal, telephone, or internet.

Wyoming law authorizes the Wyoming Gaming Commission to regulate advance deposit wagering. Online horse racing betting is legal at the federal level and in most US states. Off-track betting OTB was first legalized in with the passage of the Interstate Horseracing Act.

The Act made it legal for horse racing venues to accept wagers at off-track betting locations provided that all wagers taken at OTB locations went directly to the prize pools of the tracks hosting live horse races. Online horse racing betting received further legal protection in when it was specifically exempted from a law the UIGEA intended to crack down on illegal online gambling.

Shortly thereafter, the first US horse racing betting sites went live. Today, the majority of US states permit online horse racing betting apps. Betting at licensed US horse racing sites contributes to the domestic racing industry because all wagers placed online are pooled with those taken at the track.

This means that not only do you get paid at full track odds, but your business contributes to racing purses and the care of horses.

Also, US horse betting sites are not limited to taking wagers on domestic races. One of the most significant reforms to the US horse racing industry in several decades came in the form of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act HISA , signed into law by President Trump in December Congress passed HISA to bring uniformity to horse racing safety, medication, and anti-doping standards that were previously enforced at the state level.

Under the old model, the horse racing industry operated under a patchwork of regulations that varied by state, which supporters of HISA argued was dangerous for horses and jockeys alike. To improve the integrity and safety of horseracing by requiring uniform safety and performance standards, including a horseracing anti-doping and medication control program and a racetrack safety program to be developed and enforced by an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, and for other purposes.

HISA established the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to work alongside the United States Anti-Doping Agency USADA under the oversight of the Federal Trade Commission to form regulations, monitor the use of medications in horses, and to combat illegal doping.

As BettingUSA noted in a post discussing the issue, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel said he was moved to act after reading a March op-ed in the Washington Post that called for an end to horse racing. People bet money on horse races year-round, but a large portion of betting action revolves around major horse racing events.

The Kentucky Derby , Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes comprise the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and collectively mark the high point of the thoroughbred horse racing betting season.

The Triple Crown kicks off each year with the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May. The Derby is followed by the Preakness Stakes on the third Saturday of May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and this is where the equine racing world gets to see if there will be a Triple Crown contender.

The third and final Triple Crown event is the Belmont Stakes, held on the third Saturday following the Preakness Stakes. If one horse wins all three events, a Triple Crown winner is crowned for having achieved one of the most difficult feats in all of horse racing!

Note : Winning all three Triple Crown events is the pinnacle of horse racing glory, but is exceedingly difficult because every race is a different track length, and horses typically fare better at some lengths than at others.

Placing horse racing wagers is simple. Anyone who wants to bet on horse races online can select a licensed racebook, sign up for an account, and make a deposit to get started.

Legal horse racing betting sites accept various deposit methods, ranging from credit cards to e-wallets like PayPal, and even cash at the track. Bettors can select any race to view its program, which shows the runners, current betting odds, jockeys, track conditions, weather, and more.

Online horse racing betting occurs in the pari-mutuel format explained below through contracts with each host racetrack. For example, if an online racebook wants to offer wagers on the Belmont Stakes, it must reach an agreement with Belmont Stakes for access to its pari-mutuel wagering pools and live video feeds.

Licensed racebooks may only offer wagers on tracks with which they have contracts, which is why not all racebooks cover all tracks. However, the largest online racebooks have agreements with hundreds of tracks to offer pari-mutuel wagering.

As a result, customers receive live-streaming video feeds, a full betting menu, and payouts that are identical to what patrons at the track receive.

The basic idea of pari-mutuel wagering is that patrons bet with one another rather than against the house. To put it simply, all wagers taken on a race are pooled together, the house takes a cut of the pool as commission, and it pays the rest to winning bettors.

As a result, popular horses pay less because many winners split the pool. Conversely, long shot horses pay more because they attract fewer bettors who each get a larger piece of the pool. Now, imagine Horse B wins the race. The upside to parimutuel wagering is that it does not put you in direct competition against a highly skilled oddsmaker.

Racebooks do not care who wins any given race because they receive a commission regardless of the outcome. The downside to pari-mutuel horse wagering is that the odds can fluctuate until the race begins, especially as late money comes in.

That can frustrate bettors who bet on a longshot horse at great odds only to see the odds change. The bets outlined below can be placed in-person or online via advance deposit wagering sites and online horse racing betting apps.

The best way to learn how to bet on horses online is with the basic straight bets. As you become comfortable with how to bet on horse races you can progress up to more complex wagers. There are all kinds of different bets that can be placed on a single race. The general rule is that the more difficult the bet is to win, the higher it pays.

For example, a straight bet on a single horse to win pays pretty well, but a bet on the exact finishing order of the top 3 horses pays even better. There are three different types of straight bets in horse racing. Straight bets are pretty simple and a good starting point for beginners.

Across the board horse racing bets are a combination of three straight wagers: a win bet, a place bet, and a show bet all put on a single horse in an upcoming race.

The racebook at MyBookie is fun and extensive. The props are unique and lots of fun. You can read about horse racing betting in their news section to figure out strategies for horse betting.

Between the rebates and the odds, MyBookie makes the cut for top horse racing betting sites. You can place your first bet risk-free at the sportsbetting. ag facebook. Their odds selection is good, but their news and strategy guides for horee racing betting are even better.

By reading their strategy advice and taking advantage of their promotions, you can become an expert on horse racing betting here. BetDSI is a great horse racing betting site because you can bet on a number of big races throughout the entire year.

With the great odds and the nice promotions, at BetDSI you can bet on horse racing non-stop all year long. GT Bets offers plenty of NBA betting. From NBA Draft betting lines and odds to parlay NBA bets, this is a great place where you can bet on At GT Bets you can wager at almost Class A, B, and C tracks.

GT Bets is a great horse racing betting site because they offer a juicy welcome bonus and a wide range of tracks to bet on.

All packaged in a beautiful site. At BetNow, you can wager on tracks from around the world and in Class A, B, C, D, and H. Plus you can enroll in their weekly cashback program.

WagerWeb is always a good horse racing betting site. Its mobile version is especially nice. No matter how you access the site, you can take advantage of their promotions across their 60 tracks. Serrano is the huge favorite over Meinke in…. Sainz and Leclerc Tipped For Podium Finish In….

Xbet says Argonauts are small favorite over Winnipeg…. Horse racing is among the noblest and storied sports for betting. It is truly majestic and worth taking a close look at. When researching racing facts to make a bet, it is one of the most complex. For example, you not only have to understand the horses , and their particular skills, but also the jockeys , and how they will both interact with the track.

The track can be made of different materials, have different curves, and include obstacles. Handicapping for thoroughbred racing can be very useful, so be sure to check out the various horse racing tips. Tips are available for major races, such as the triple crown events, or smaller off-track betting events.

Horse Racing betting options vary greatly; exacta, trifecta, and superfecta wagers are very popular examples of bets available at online gambling sites. In order to get started, you will need a great horse race betting site.

Luckily, we have done that first major step for you. You can trust any of our recommended sites. Before placing your first bet, you should also research each race.

This means understanding first and foremost the track. Then you should also understand the different betting types available in racebooks. Wagering on major events like the Belmont Stakes, Preakness Stakes, Churchill Downs, Breeders Cup, or any other major racing event will always offer many betting options.

Online horse racing betting is a very exciting market, so be sure to check around the various sportsbooks before placing a wager. When developing a strategy for horse racing, it is important to keep in mind your own personal style.

No one strategy will be best for all horse race bettors. So the first thing is to know your strengths. The sure strategy is a bit harder in racing. With so many potential winners, it is more difficult for there to be a clear favorite in any race.

Upsets are more likely. New customers often overlook some key strategies, which are especially important when starting out. For major racetracks like Santa Anita, Belmont Park, and the Pimlico , there are so many big races that bettors should pay attention to—so have a strategy in place for the big events!

Our Horse Racing Review Process. We are experts in where and how to bet on horse racing. We apply all our insider knowledge to bring you the best online racebooks.

We think that MyBookie has the best betting bonuses of all the horse racing sites on the internet. This bookmaker is up there with the best in the business for market coverage, as you can bet on races from South Africa, Canada, and more on top of the US, UK, and Ireland.

We checked out the odds to see if they held up against the competition and can confirm that, for the most part, they absolutely do. The MyBookie welcome bonus is the first of a thrilling journey of horse racing bonuses on this site. One of those ongoing promotions is specifically for online horse racing betting.

The MyBookie website has neat live betting tools and is pretty intuitive in its layout, so it should be easy to use on a desktop or a mobile device. However, we think it could do with a refresh as it feels a bit dated compared to some of the competition. Some fresh graphics would go a long way there!

There are a handful of payment methods, including debit cards, MoneyGram, and some 10 cryptocurrencies for the fastest withdrawals, like Bitcoin and Ripple.

We love that MyBookie offers a slightly different set of perks to our overall top pick, Bovada. And at the end of the day, you might prefer the awesome range of bonuses on this site.

It was a super close call between these two amazing horse-racing bookies! Players new to horse racing betting, or those looking for a more personalized experience, can bank on an easygoing time at Allbet as a result of their brilliant support.

Another great thing about Allbet is the welcome bonus. Amazingly, Allbet offers high-quality telephone support most hours of the day, which really personalizes the whole betting experience. We love it. This separate line means an agent will likely be more readily available to help you while betting on horse racing.

There are plenty of ways to pay, though. They include Zelle and Cashapp on the fiat currency side of things, or Bitcoin, Tether, and one or two other cryptocurrencies.

BUSR looks the part, and it comes packed with markets, which is all that a lot of people are looking for in a horse racing sportsbook.

BUSR knocks it out of the park with its horse racing market selection and odds. You might think that such a saturated horsebook would lead to less competitive odds, but that is not true at BUSR.

Both this and the desktop site have a very satisfying retro sports feel, which we know will appeal to many players. Any issues can be addressed with ease.

There are three customer support channels, including a phone number and an email address. If BUSR were to add an extra couple of bonuses and payment methods, then it could well have been challenging for our top spot.

All good horse racing sites need to offer a lot of events for horse bets. A good match deposit welcome bonus goes a long way if its terms and conditions are fair. But the best sites for horse racing will also feature reload bonuses, referral bonuses, and perhaps even rebates for horse racing bets.

Bovada is our top choice of all horse racing betting sites, offering the complete package. While MyBookie, BetOnline, and the other top sites also impress with their offerings, Bovada consistently excelled in all our criteria.

After careful consideration, we picked Bovada as the number one overall horse racing betting site. These are the key factors that influenced that decision:. The online horse racing betting environment is very competitive so there are dozens of bonuses to take advantage of, which are created in an attempt to bring in new customers.

Claim all sorts of free bets and matched deposits etc.

Usually this would be accessible through a TV network, but some sports betting sites will offer these add-ons with no charge. After you use the sign up bonus, there are plenty of other promos for all customers to take advantage of. Exacta insurance bonuses are some of the most frequent bonuses offered by horse racing betting sites.

You can place an exacta bet, but if you lose, you will get a partial refund. Plus, there are other bonus bets that will be offered for the best tracks, such as Churchill Downs and Keeneland. One of the easiest ways to get a bonus on TVG is by referring a friend.

If your state has every site available, you can sign up for each one. However, there are loyalty programs that will reward you with bonuses. These rewards schemes can make it worth sticking with one racebook so you can earn as much as possible.

One of the most important factors when placing your horse racing bets, is using form and previous results to help craft your wagers. The best horse racing betting sites will have form guides and past performance data available, but the depth of information varies for each site. TVG account holders can get access to a whole range of past performance programmes, depending on how much you wish to stake.

A basic package is available, right up to their full and watch and wager PPs. TwinSpires also give their customer Past Performances, which include insider picks. Of course, you must be an active customer and have placed a wager in order to claim this package, but they can really make your horse racing bets go a long way.

Each horse racing betting site will provide different varieties of betting markets for the big races, and even the smaller ones. The major events will be offered, such as the Kentucky Derby. The best golf betting sites will allow you to place bets at smaller, less well known races, with these sites standing out from their rivals.

There are a plethora of ways to bet on horse racing, but not all horse racing books will offer these markets. Most will offer the Win, Place and Show markets, but there are so many more markets out there.

Check out our guide on how to bet on horse racing, to see which types of bets are available for horse racing. Each of the horse racing betting sites in this piece offers various handicapping information, with picks, results and form for upcoming races.

The better and more vast the information is, the better your wagering experience will be. TVG offer a subscription service for the best handicappers out there, with selections for the biggest upcoming horse races. TVG and Twinspires also offer complimentary handicapper picks, which are a great way to get started in horse racing betting.

If you want more detailed analysis, you can upgrade to the top handicappers on TVG or Twinspires. The key to long-term success in betting the ponies is being disciplined in identifying value in the pools.

That means, in order to have success over the long-term, punters must play the horses they deem to have a better chance to win compared to their implied odds. There are plenty of places and ways where you can bet on horse racing. The most recognizable avenue to a bet is at the track, but that is not going to be the case for a while.

Instead, mobile betting will be the only way to play the ponies. The DRF mobile app is available to download for free on Google Play or the App Store for both iOS and Android users. As previously mentioned above, 4NJBets is the state-specific website and app for TVG users based out of New Jersey.

The 4NJBets app is available to download for free on the App Store for iOS users. No 4NJBets horse racing Android app is available at the moment.

In order to qualify, simply register and place your first wager within 15 days of account creation. In , NYRA opened its first ever advance-deposit online horse racing betting service, dubbed NYRA Bets. The NYRA Bets mobile app is available on both iOS and Android devices. The NYRA Bets app differs from a lot of the other traditional horse racing betting apps, as they opted for a pull-down menu to navigate it rather than a series of tabs.

Players can use this menu to access features such as My Account, My Bets, Promotions, Contact Us, and more. Horse racing legislation can be tricky to follow, as some states allow for online wagering without any access to in-person betting, and vice versa. Other states allow nothing at all, while some are all-in on everything surrounding the historic sport.

We provide you with all of the nuances to be aware of, listed below:. State Online Access In-Person Access Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming.

To place any online horse racing action, players will first be required to register for an account with any of the available wagering services in their state. Generally speaking, the registration process will be similar across all horse racing sites and should be fairly quick and easy.

For starters, players should expect to provide some basic personal information such as first name, last name, date of birth, email address, and phone number. From there, most legal wagering services will also require your home address, city, state, and zip code, along with the last four digits of your social security number.

Between mobile sports betting , casino apps , and horse racing, just about every legal gambling operation in the United States requires this information in order to protect both themselves and you, the customer. Once the sign-up process is complete and the service provider verifies your account, you should be well on your way to placing your first online horse racing wager.

For less-experienced players, some horse racing betting terms may sound like a foreign language. Out of the five main horse racing sites listed above, all five of them offer viewing options of some sort on their app and website. Aside from streaming live races, they also provide users with unlimited replays of previous races.

By far the biggest household name in the sport, the Kentucky Derby should be familiar to just about anyone in the United States, and even around the world.

After making its debut in Louisville, Kentucky on May 17, , the Kentucky Derby has successfully run for consecutive years , usually taking place on the first Saturday in May. The Derby is a flat race that takes place at the famous Churchill Downs, which received its official name change in The race extends for one and a quarter miles and only allows for three-year-old thoroughbreds to compete.

The inaugural Kentucky Derby was won by a young jockey named Oliver Lewis, who rode a colt named Aristides.

After initial success, some thoroughbred owners decided to send their winning horses to compete in two other competitions, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

In , a horse by the name of Sir Barton became the first ever to sweep all three races and win what would later be dubbed as a Triple Crown. Following the Kentucky Derby is the famous Preakness Stakes , which occurs on the third Saturday in May at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

Despite now being the second installment of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes actually made its debut two years prior to the Kentucky Derby on May 27, The Preakness Stakes originally got its name from former Maryland governor Oden Bowie, who named the race after a colt named Preakness.

Preakness won the inaugural Dinner Party Stakes, which took place at Pimlico Race Course in , the day the track first opened. Just like the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes is a flat, thoroughbred race in which three-year-old horses can compete in.

In , the race was temporarily held at Morris Park Racecourse in the Bronx, New York before ceasing to run for the next three years. When the Preakness resumed action in , it would begin a year run of hosting the race at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island, New York.

After returning to Pimlico Race Course in , the race has successfully run every year, in Maryland, for more than a century.

The third and final installment of the Triple Crown is none other than the Belmont Stakes , which is yet another flat race involving three-year-old thoroughbreds. The Belmont Stakes is actually the oldest of the three events, first making its debut on June 19, in the Bronx, New York at Jerome Park Racetrack.

The track was built by Leonard Jerome and was funded by August Belmont Sr. The first ever Belmont Stakes winner was a female horse by the name of Ruthless, who would go on to be inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in The Belmont Stakes would take place at Jerome Park for upwards of twenty years before being moved to Morris Park Racecourse in Fifteen years later in , the race would be moved once again for the third and final time after the brand new Belmont Park racetrack made its debut in Elmont, New York.

It mainly occurs in the U. despite the event taking place at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada. While the United States might be home to some of the most famous horse races, the rest of the world annually hosts a number of high-profile events of their own.

Whether the races are held in England or Australia, horse racing at the highest level can be found all over the globe. And even though they may not be in your time zone, you can still bet on these famous horse races online legally from within the United States! The Grand National is a famous steeplechase race that takes place at the Aintree Race Course in Liverpool, England, usually towards the beginning of April.

This race has been going on for nearly years now after making its debut on February 26, and is easily one of the biggest horse racing events in the world today.

The Grand National is a National Hunt race, or one that requires horses to jump over fences, among other obstacles. The race is run on turf and extends exactly 4 miles and yards, making it nearly four times longer than the Kentucky Derby.

The Royal Ascot is a race meeting that takes place over the course of five days in June in Ascot, Berkshire, England. Each of the five days begins at 2pm with the Royal Procession, which is essentially an entrance ceremony for the Royal Family accompanied by the National Anthem. The Royal Ascot is broken up into four different enclosures, each of them offering their own unique ambiance:.

Kansas horse racing betting laws do not specifically discuss advance deposit wagering, but several major ADWs accept Kansas bettors. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission KHRC oversees parimutuel horse wagering and licenses operators. KRS Chapter addresses the conduct of advance deposit wagering in Kentucky.

Louisiana law LA Rev Stat § Maine enacted legislation in ordering the Gambling Control Unit to hold a competitive bidding process to award one operator sole control over advance deposit wagering.

Penn ADW LLC, the parent company of HollywoodRaces. Maryland law does not address online horse racing betting, but the majority of ADWs in the US accept customers from Maryland. Massachusetts law allows advance deposit wagering and most horse betting sites operate in the state.

Parimutuel horse racing betting is overseen by the Division of Racing under the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Michigan passed online horse racing betting legislation at the end of , establishing a licensing process for Advance Deposit Wagering sites to operate in the state.

Advance deposit wagering providers are required by MN law to acquire licenses to offer online wagering to residents. Online horse racing betting in Mississippi is prohibited, but retail sportsbooks at casinos are allowed to offer parimutuel horse wagers.

Missouri law does not specifically address advance deposit wagering, and most horse racing betting sites do not accept MO residents. The Montana Board of Horse Racing oversees the conduct of horse racing and parimutuel wagering, including online betting.

Parimutuel wagering is legal in Nebraska but state law does not clearly address the legality of advance deposit wagering. Some lawmakers argue that online betting sites violate state law, but the opinion is not universal.

Nebraskatate state law enforces a minimum age of 19 to bet on horses. New Hampshire law clearly permits parimutuel wagering at race tracks and is unclear on the status of online betting. Even so, all major ADWs accept New Hampshire residents. New Jersey allows advance deposit wagering, but 4NJBets.

com is the only operator authorized to offer parimutuel wagering online. New Mexico horse racing law is unclear on the legality of advance deposit wagering, but several operators offer online betting to residents.

New York law allows online horse racing betting operators to apply for licenses to offer advance deposit wagering to residents. North Carolina authorized off-track betting at tribal casinos in and online horse racing betting in The ND Racing Commission maintains an up-to-date list of licensed ADWs here.

The legality of advance deposit wagering is debatable in Ohio. State law on horse racing does not specifically address online betting, but the Ohio State Racing Commission has rules governing telephone wagering. Oklahoma horse racing regulations allow wagering by telephone but do not specifically address the legality of online betting.

Online horse racing betting is legal in Oregon and ADWs are licensed by the state Racing Commission. Pennsylvania law authorizes advance deposit wagering and the majority of ADW operators accept residents.

Puerto Rico has just one thoroughbred racetrack but is home to a massive horse racing betting industry. Fans can bet on horse races in Puerto Rico through licensed ADWs and at more than off-track betting facilities.

Rhode Island regulations on simulcast wagering do not specifically address online betting. South Carolina laws prohibit most forms of betting. South Dakota law permits advance deposit wagering and requires all operators to acquire a license prior to accepting wagers from residents.

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming oversees all parimutuel betting and the licensing of ADWs. The law that formerly authorized parimutuel wagering was repealed in , but numerous horse racing betting sites still accept customers from Tennessee.

Texas permits in-person wagering but amended the Texas Racing Act in to prohibit advance deposit wagering. Horse racing betting is legal in Vermont and regulated by the state Racing Commission. Most online racebooks accept customers from Vermont even though the law on online betting is unclear.

Advance deposit wagering is authorized in Virginia under the Administrative Code and is offered by a handful of licensed horse betting sites. The Virginia Racing Commission oversees all horse racing and parimutuel wagering. The Washington Horse Racing Commission maintains a list of licensed horse betting sites here.

Specifically, WV Racing Commission rule § states wagers may be accepted via self-service terminal, telephone, or internet. Wyoming law authorizes the Wyoming Gaming Commission to regulate advance deposit wagering. Online horse racing betting is legal at the federal level and in most US states.

Off-track betting OTB was first legalized in with the passage of the Interstate Horseracing Act. The Act made it legal for horse racing venues to accept wagers at off-track betting locations provided that all wagers taken at OTB locations went directly to the prize pools of the tracks hosting live horse races.

Online horse racing betting received further legal protection in when it was specifically exempted from a law the UIGEA intended to crack down on illegal online gambling.

Shortly thereafter, the first US horse racing betting sites went live. Today, the majority of US states permit online horse racing betting apps. Betting at licensed US horse racing sites contributes to the domestic racing industry because all wagers placed online are pooled with those taken at the track.

This means that not only do you get paid at full track odds, but your business contributes to racing purses and the care of horses. Also, US horse betting sites are not limited to taking wagers on domestic races.

One of the most significant reforms to the US horse racing industry in several decades came in the form of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act HISA , signed into law by President Trump in December Congress passed HISA to bring uniformity to horse racing safety, medication, and anti-doping standards that were previously enforced at the state level.

Under the old model, the horse racing industry operated under a patchwork of regulations that varied by state, which supporters of HISA argued was dangerous for horses and jockeys alike.

To improve the integrity and safety of horseracing by requiring uniform safety and performance standards, including a horseracing anti-doping and medication control program and a racetrack safety program to be developed and enforced by an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, and for other purposes.

HISA established the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to work alongside the United States Anti-Doping Agency USADA under the oversight of the Federal Trade Commission to form regulations, monitor the use of medications in horses, and to combat illegal doping.

As BettingUSA noted in a post discussing the issue, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel said he was moved to act after reading a March op-ed in the Washington Post that called for an end to horse racing.

People bet money on horse races year-round, but a large portion of betting action revolves around major horse racing events.

The Kentucky Derby , Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes comprise the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and collectively mark the high point of the thoroughbred horse racing betting season.

The Triple Crown kicks off each year with the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May. The Derby is followed by the Preakness Stakes on the third Saturday of May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and this is where the equine racing world gets to see if there will be a Triple Crown contender.

The third and final Triple Crown event is the Belmont Stakes, held on the third Saturday following the Preakness Stakes. If one horse wins all three events, a Triple Crown winner is crowned for having achieved one of the most difficult feats in all of horse racing!

Note : Winning all three Triple Crown events is the pinnacle of horse racing glory, but is exceedingly difficult because every race is a different track length, and horses typically fare better at some lengths than at others. Placing horse racing wagers is simple. Anyone who wants to bet on horse races online can select a licensed racebook, sign up for an account, and make a deposit to get started.

Legal horse racing betting sites accept various deposit methods, ranging from credit cards to e-wallets like PayPal, and even cash at the track. Bettors can select any race to view its program, which shows the runners, current betting odds, jockeys, track conditions, weather, and more.

Online horse racing betting occurs in the pari-mutuel format explained below through contracts with each host racetrack.

For example, if an online racebook wants to offer wagers on the Belmont Stakes, it must reach an agreement with Belmont Stakes for access to its pari-mutuel wagering pools and live video feeds. Licensed racebooks may only offer wagers on tracks with which they have contracts, which is why not all racebooks cover all tracks.

However, the largest online racebooks have agreements with hundreds of tracks to offer pari-mutuel wagering. As a result, customers receive live-streaming video feeds, a full betting menu, and payouts that are identical to what patrons at the track receive.

The basic idea of pari-mutuel wagering is that patrons bet with one another rather than against the house. To put it simply, all wagers taken on a race are pooled together, the house takes a cut of the pool as commission, and it pays the rest to winning bettors.

As a result, popular horses pay less because many winners split the pool. Conversely, long shot horses pay more because they attract fewer bettors who each get a larger piece of the pool.

Now, imagine Horse B wins the race. The upside to parimutuel wagering is that it does not put you in direct competition against a highly skilled oddsmaker. Racebooks do not care who wins any given race because they receive a commission regardless of the outcome.

The downside to pari-mutuel horse wagering is that the odds can fluctuate until the race begins, especially as late money comes in. That can frustrate bettors who bet on a longshot horse at great odds only to see the odds change.

The bets outlined below can be placed in-person or online via advance deposit wagering sites and online horse racing betting apps.

The best way to learn how to bet on horses online is with the basic straight bets. As you become comfortable with how to bet on horse races you can progress up to more complex wagers.

There are all kinds of different bets that can be placed on a single race. The general rule is that the more difficult the bet is to win, the higher it pays. For example, a straight bet on a single horse to win pays pretty well, but a bet on the exact finishing order of the top 3 horses pays even better.

There are three different types of straight bets in horse racing. Straight bets are pretty simple and a good starting point for beginners. Across the board horse racing bets are a combination of three straight wagers: a win bet, a place bet, and a show bet all put on a single horse in an upcoming race.

The end result is a combination of bets that pays for a horse that finishes anywhere in the top three:. Across the board bets are particularly attractive because they give bettors a chance to bet on a horse they like while providing a margin of error but with bigger potential payouts for a first-place showing than place or show bets.

Exotic bets are more complicated than straight bets. In an exotic bet, you make multiple picks that include more than one horse and maybe even more than one race. In this example, you need the 1 horse to win, and then any of the other three horses to finish in 2 nd and 3 rd place in no particular order.

Now that you have a grip on the basics, you can apply that knowledge to horse betting online. The only difference is that instead of talking to a cashier at the racetrack, you select your wagers online.

Most online racebooks provide a selection of convenient horse betting deposit methods , including but not limited to :. Thankfully leading horse racing betting apps make this process simple with high-quality software and an easy-to-use interface.

The modern-day equivalent of chariot racing, harness racing features a single horse pulling a rider on a two-wheeled cart. Many online racebooks offer harness racing betting and provide free race previews, picks, in-depth podcasts, and other educational content.

Greyhound racing betting is governed by different rules than horse racing, but the basic idea is the same. In states that allow online greyhound betting, fans can use greyhound betting apps to bet on dog races.

The first odds to be posted for any particular race are the morning line odds , often abbreviated as ML. An oddsmaker at the track determines the morning line by comparing the horses slated to run and his or her expectation of the public betting action.

Secondly, the ML only serves as a rough estimate. As wagers start coming in, the odds will change to reflect the betting action.

The actual odds are based on public pari-mutuel betting action, and payout odds are determined by the amount of money wagered. The licensing requirements for horse betting sites vary from state to state, and not all racebooks acquire licenses in all states.

The easiest way to see which ADW betting sites operate where you live is to see our state-specific pages. Tip : All of our betting site reviews list accepted and restricted states.

Alternatively, you can always just try signing up at one of the major horse racing betting apps. In other words, ADW requires you to pay for your bet at the time it is placed as opposed to being able to wager on credit with a shop that settles accounts at the end of the month.

Note : Online racebooks accept credit card deposits but cannot lend bettors credit. Not exactly. Florida voters approved Amendment 13 in the midterm elections to outlaw exactly two activities:.

Florida residents may still bet on greyhound races held in other states through online betting sites. Major horse racing events draw impressive crowds and massive betting handles, but the sport as a whole is experiencing a slow, steady decline over the past couple of decades.

Annual betting handle is down significantly since the s and many live horse racing tracks are suffering financially. Americans have more gambling options, and other sports have grown in popularity. Proximity to tracks and an aging customer base are also contributing factors.

Racetracks first looked into adding other gambling games to their premises as a way to bump up revenues. Tracks that have added slots, table games, and poker have benefitted greatly from the added revenue.

The horse racing industry still holds considerable political clout, which is why horse racing betting was exempted from the UIGEA in Online betting benefits tracks directly and gives smaller tracks access to a much wider audience.

Accessibility via ADWs and online horse betting apps has done wonders for increasing revenue, but the industry still has a long way to go. There are still concerns about PEDs, inhumane horse treatment, risks to racehorses, and life for horses after racing.

Combine that with unique marketing strategies, such as what Churchill Downs has accomplished over the past few years, and there are bright spots in the future. Online racebooks accept a variety of easy-to-use betting deposit methods including credit and debit cards, PayPal, online bank transfers, and cash at the track.

Read more about depositing at online horse betting sites using our guide to betting deposits. Virtual horse racing betting is a form of gambling in which players bet on the outcomes of simulated horse races. The experience is similar to parimutuel wagering, but virtual races occur every few minutes to provide fast-paced action around the clock.

Fixed-odds horse racing betting is an alternative to pari-mutuel wagering. The difference is that fixed-odds racing locks in the price bettors receive when they place their wagers, whereas pari-mutuel odds remain in flux until post-time. The odds a bettor receives when placing the wager are fixed in place, even if a horse drops out of the race or a whale places a large bet on the favorite.

In contrast, pari-mutuel wagering odds are subject to change even after the bettors place their wagers. The changing nature of pari-mutuel odds may turn off some bettors, especially those accustomed to locking in their prices, as with standard sports betting. New Jersey legalized fixed-odds racing in , and hopes are high that it will revitalize interest in horse racing.

Key figures in the NJ horse racing industry are hopeful other states will do the same to get more tracks on board, build momentum, and introduce the concept to the public.

Colorado followed suit in after regulators approved sportsbooks to offer fixed-odds horse racing betting. Federal regulations do not allow bettors to subtract the costs of wagers from their winnings, but the IRS did introduce new horse racing tax rules in to lighten its automatic reporting and withholding requirements.

Note : Winning horse bettors should speak with a qualified tax professional for assistance in all financial matters. Historical horse racing machines look and feel like slots but use past races to generate the outcome of every spin of the reels.

As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest US betting news and gain access to exclusive bonuses, promotions, and offers. Skip to content.

Gambling Problem? Call GAMBLER Get Bonus. Table of Contents. TwinSpires Review TVG Review AmWager Review FanDuel Horse Racing Review BetMGM Horse Racing Review Xpressbet Review DK Horse Review Caesars Racebook Review.

DRFBets Review 4NJBets Review Hollywood Races Review WatchandWager Review Derby Jackpot Review OffTrackBetting Review PointsBet Racing Review NYRABets Review. Racebook Reviews. Horse Racing Betting Bonuses. Horse Racing. Alabama has two greyhound race tracks and no active horse racing tracks.

com Alabama Horse Racing Betting. California has five race tracks and state residents may bet online at: www. com California Horse Racing Betting.

Roku and LG apps would be great too. TLDR: Fan Duel happily took my money before locking me out of my account and deposited funds. Customer support could not give me access to the account. I tried to use Fan Duel Racing to bet on horse races while on vacation in California.

When I initially set up the account, everything went fine and I was allowed to deposit money from my bank account. As soon as the transaction went through, I was logged out of my account and told that I could not access my account because sports betting is illegal in my state of residence, regardless of where I was currently geographically located.

That meant I had zero access to the funds I had just put in. After several weeks of attempting to get help from very unhelpful customer support, I finally just disputed the charge through my bank, since I was unable to access the agreed upon services.

Fan Duel then sent my issue to a collections agency. I ended up just paying the collections agency to avoid the whole mess, so I never got my money back. If you are still having trouble or need any assistance please reach out to our team at sportsbook fanduel.

I quickly have become hooked on betting the constant stream of races that are always going on. It has a tutorial to get you started and a pretty clean interface. A few things that would make this 5 stars for me. A little more info on tutorials like for international bets and easier way to learn more about the tracks or what the importance is of things the tracks show on their broadcasts.

The developer, FanDuel, Inc. The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:. The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:.

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:. Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More. App Store Preview. Screenshots iPhone iPad. Description From the leader in Daily Fantasy and US Sportsbook comes FanDuel Racing.

Feb 1, Version 1. Ratings and Reviews. App Privacy. Information Seller FanDuel Limited. Size Category Sports. Compatibility iPhone Requires iOS iPad Requires iPadOS iPod touch Requires iOS Aside from streaming live races, they also provide users with unlimited replays of previous races.

By far the biggest household name in the sport, the Kentucky Derby should be familiar to just about anyone in the United States, and even around the world.

After making its debut in Louisville, Kentucky on May 17, , the Kentucky Derby has successfully run for consecutive years , usually taking place on the first Saturday in May. The Derby is a flat race that takes place at the famous Churchill Downs, which received its official name change in The race extends for one and a quarter miles and only allows for three-year-old thoroughbreds to compete.

The inaugural Kentucky Derby was won by a young jockey named Oliver Lewis, who rode a colt named Aristides. After initial success, some thoroughbred owners decided to send their winning horses to compete in two other competitions, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

In , a horse by the name of Sir Barton became the first ever to sweep all three races and win what would later be dubbed as a Triple Crown. Following the Kentucky Derby is the famous Preakness Stakes , which occurs on the third Saturday in May at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

Despite now being the second installment of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes actually made its debut two years prior to the Kentucky Derby on May 27, The Preakness Stakes originally got its name from former Maryland governor Oden Bowie, who named the race after a colt named Preakness.

Preakness won the inaugural Dinner Party Stakes, which took place at Pimlico Race Course in , the day the track first opened. Just like the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes is a flat, thoroughbred race in which three-year-old horses can compete in.

In , the race was temporarily held at Morris Park Racecourse in the Bronx, New York before ceasing to run for the next three years. When the Preakness resumed action in , it would begin a year run of hosting the race at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island, New York.

After returning to Pimlico Race Course in , the race has successfully run every year, in Maryland, for more than a century.

The third and final installment of the Triple Crown is none other than the Belmont Stakes , which is yet another flat race involving three-year-old thoroughbreds. The Belmont Stakes is actually the oldest of the three events, first making its debut on June 19, in the Bronx, New York at Jerome Park Racetrack.

The track was built by Leonard Jerome and was funded by August Belmont Sr. The first ever Belmont Stakes winner was a female horse by the name of Ruthless, who would go on to be inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in The Belmont Stakes would take place at Jerome Park for upwards of twenty years before being moved to Morris Park Racecourse in Fifteen years later in , the race would be moved once again for the third and final time after the brand new Belmont Park racetrack made its debut in Elmont, New York.

It mainly occurs in the U. despite the event taking place at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada. While the United States might be home to some of the most famous horse races, the rest of the world annually hosts a number of high-profile events of their own. Whether the races are held in England or Australia, horse racing at the highest level can be found all over the globe.

And even though they may not be in your time zone, you can still bet on these famous horse races online legally from within the United States! The Grand National is a famous steeplechase race that takes place at the Aintree Race Course in Liverpool, England, usually towards the beginning of April.

This race has been going on for nearly years now after making its debut on February 26, and is easily one of the biggest horse racing events in the world today. The Grand National is a National Hunt race, or one that requires horses to jump over fences, among other obstacles. The race is run on turf and extends exactly 4 miles and yards, making it nearly four times longer than the Kentucky Derby.

The Royal Ascot is a race meeting that takes place over the course of five days in June in Ascot, Berkshire, England. Each of the five days begins at 2pm with the Royal Procession, which is essentially an entrance ceremony for the Royal Family accompanied by the National Anthem.

The Royal Ascot is broken up into four different enclosures, each of them offering their own unique ambiance:. The Dubai World Cup is a series of flat, thoroughbred horse races that take place at the Meydan Racecourse in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The event was created in and has been running ever since on the final Saturday in March, involving eight regular races followed by one Purebred Arabian contest. The races are run on a dirt track extending 2, meters long and allow for Northern Hemisphere thoroughbreds ages four and up and Southern Hemisphere thoroughbreds ages three and up to compete.

The event was cancelled in due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, causing the postponement of its 25th anniversary celebrations, which would eventually take place the following year.

Inaugurated in , The Saudi Cup is one of the newer famous horse races to enter the circuit. The Saudi Cup takes place about four weeks after the Pegasus World Cup and four weeks prior to The Dubai World Cup, allowing the pool of horses from either competition to enter their lucrative race.

The infamous Maximum Security, who won the Kentucky Derby but was later disqualified for interference, won the first ever Saudi Cup race in The tradition actually began on a Thursday, when the first ever Melbourne Cup took place on November 7, between 17 horses. The race is a flat, thoroughbred competition that was originally two miles long until Australia adopted the metric system and shortened the distance by about 62 feet in Is it flat?

Are there jumps? Are you betting on harness racing? Here are the most popular horse racing types to bet on. Flat track racing is by far the most common form of horse racing, and thus the most popular to bet on.

Some of the biggest events in the world are flat races, including the Kentucky Derby, The Melbourne Cup, and The Epsom Derby, among others. Flat races are typically run on dirt in North America, while turf is more commonly used in Europe.

Simply put, flat races can best be described as a straightaway race with no obstacles of any kind. Contrary to flat racing, steeplechase racing involves horses maneuvering around obstacles like hurdles and ditches.

Also known as National Hunt racing in Ireland and jump racing in England, steeplechase racing is second only to flat racing in terms of popularity. Harness racing is a bit more obscure than the other aforementioned race formats and involves a horse pulling its jockey in a two-wheeled cart, also known as a sulky.

A horse can either trot , which means its diagonal legs move in unison, or pace , which involves two legs on the same side of its body moving forward together. Endurance racing is all about long distance. Organized endurance racing originated in in Vermont when the Morgan Horse Club sent seven riders out for a hour journey that extended miles long.

Nowadays, endurance races in the United States typically range either 50 miles or miles long. Less experienced competitors will often compete in Limited Distance rides, which are shorter endurance races. The most popular endurance race in the United States is the mile long Western States Trail Ride, or the Tevis Cup, an annual event that has taken place in California since In addition to the type of race, there are a lot of different types of horses that you can bet on.

The breed of the horse will vastly inform the overall performance and result. Thoroughbred horses are by far the most common breed found in horse racing. They are said to have originated in England around the 17th century, when a group of local mares were selectively bred with horses of the Arab, Barb, and Turk breeds.

The high-spirited breed is known for its speed, stamina, and smooth, long strides. Standardbred horses generally specialize in harness racing thanks to their muscular build, sturdy legs, and strong joints.

They are slightly heavier than a typical thoroughbred, which actually happens to be the breed responsible for bringing standardbred horses into the world. An English thoroughbred named Messenger was sent over to the United States in to be crossbred with other horses in hopes of producing faster offspring.

Hambletonian is responsible for siring over 1, standardbred horses, 40 of which were elite competitors. One of the oldest breeds in existence, Arabian horses originally hail from the Arabian Peninsula.

They are known for their speed, endurance, and ability to compete and succeed in long distance events. The breed is extremely recognizable due to its physical features, such as its high tail placement and strong bone structure. The average Arabian horse can grow as tall as 60 inches and can weigh anywhere from to 1, pounds.

Nearly every riding horse in the world today has some sort of traces to Arabian bloodlines. An American quarter horse is a breed known best for its ability to cover short distances. Quarter horses are usually on the shorter side and carry a stocky, muscular frame that improves their ability to stop short.

The breed is extremely popular in United States horse racing and even has its own organization, the American Quarter Horse Association, which is responsible for breeding, preserving, and keeping track of all records involving quarter horses.

To date, the AQHA is responsible for registering over 6 million American quarter horses, making the breed the most popular in the world. Understanding their standard horse racing betting odds and ways to optimize your bankroll can help you keep wagering with confidence.

The best horse racing sign-up bonus offers are a great way to start wagering, but make sure you check their terms and conditions. Stipulations like wagering requirements and bonus bet expiration dates can help you determine whether a promo is worth your time. Check different books to find the best horse racing betting odds for your desired wager so you can get the highest payout possible if you win.

More goes into choosing a winning horse than just picking the pony with the coolest name.