Online Betting on Horse Racing in 2024Hero Image

Online Betting on Horse Racing in 2024

Horse racing is one of the oldest and most popular sports in the world to bet on, so it can be difficult to know where to start! On this page you'll find out what the best online sportsbooks for horse racing are, and will discover various tips and hints to make you a pro bettor. Read through the rest of this page and start your betting journey today.

On this page you'll find out:

  • What the top betting sites are for horse racing
  • What types of bets you can place
  • How to understand the odds

Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing
December 2024

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Rank Rating Offer Payment methods Features
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Rating
4.5/5
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Deposit match 100% T&Cs Apply
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eCheck
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EntroPay
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In-Play Betting
Best Odds
Free Bet Club
Rank 2
Rating
4.5/5
Offer
Free bet $30 T&Cs Apply
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Mastercard
ecoPayz
+ 7 more
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In-Play Betting
Best Odds
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Rank 3
Rating
4.5/5
Offer
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Citadel
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In-Play Betting
Live Betting
Live Casino
Rank 4
Rating
4.8/5
Offer
Odds Best T&Cs Apply
Payment methods
EcoPayz
iDebit
PaySafeCard
+ 5 more
Features
In-Play Betting
Live Betting
Instant Access
Rank 5
Rating
4.5/5
Offer
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Payment methods
Visa
Mastercard
entroPay
+ 3 more
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Live Casino

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Betting on Horse Racing in Canada

Punters have been betting on the horses in CA for years, and the popularity of the sport doesn’t look to be declining any time soon. From Canada’s biggest horse racing events through to famous events abroad, such as Royal Ascot and the Kentucky Derby, the best Canadian sports betting sites will allow you to bet on them all.

Many gamblers still choose to use one of the provincial sportsbooks such as PlayNow to bet on horse racing, however this isn’t the best idea. These provincial sites don’t give the best odds, plus the variety of betting options is pretty limited. Instead, we’d suggest playing at one of our recommended offshore sports betting sites, which have the best odds around and allow you to bet on loads of eventualities.

Understanding Horse Racing Bets

There are loads of different bets in the world of horse racing, however if you’re new to the online betting world, we’d recommend simply betting on a specific horse to win a race, or betting on a horse each way. Each way means that your bet is doubled, however you’ll receive money back if the horse finishes in a qualifying position, which is usually in the top three.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start to place more complex bets, such as parlay bets and trifecta bets (explained further down this page). Live betting on horse racing is not generally available as the races tend to be over quickly, making it impossible for betting sites to keep updating their odds.

Types of Horse Racing

In general, there are two different types of horse races: flat and jump. Flat is, as the name suggests, a race run on flat ground, and is the most popular type of horse racing. Flat races can have different lengths, however they’re usually between five and twelve furlongs. Some of the more famous flat races include the Epsom Derby, the Kentucky Derby, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Jump races are races that feature fences on the track that the horses must jump over. The fact that a horse can fall when jumping any of the fences makes this type of racing more unpredictable, which is something gamblers looking for maximum excitement prefer. Jump races are pretty popular throughout the world, including in Canada, however the most famous jump race on the planet is the Grand National in the UK - a race that often throws up plenty of surprises.

Bets With Huge Potential Prizes

Parlay, trifecta and box bets are some of the most exciting in the horse racing world, and they can also lead to some massive payouts. But what are they exactly? A parlay bet is comprised of many selections, all of which have to be successful in order for you to win. For example, you might place a bet on a horse to win one race, a second bet on a horse to win another race, and then the same bet type on a third race. Predict all three correctly, and you should win an impressive prize.

When it comes to trifecta betting, horse racing gamblers must pick the top three horses in any race, and they have to finish in the order they’ve predicted. The more horses there are in the race, the harder the task is, but the higher the potential payout will be. If you choose to box your trifecta bet, it means that you simply have to pick the top three horses, but not in any particular order. This makes your task sligh§tly easier, but also increases the bet amount. These types of bets are a little more complex, but understanding them could serve you well in the future.

Racing Odds Guides

In Canada, most racing horse betting enthusiasts prefer decimal odds, and these are really simple to explain. To find out the amount you’ll win, including receiving your stake back, just multiply your bet amount by the decimal. So, a $10 bet on odds of 5.6 would lead to an overall prize of $56, which equates to a $46 profit. The higher the number is, the longer the odds are.

If you’re using a UK horse betting site, you’ll probably find that the odds are expressed in fractional form, such as 5/1 or 19/2. These are also pretty easy to work out. Let’s take 5/1 as an example. Essentially, you’ll win $5 for every $1 you bet, so betting $10 on a horse with odds of 5/1 would lead to a prize of $50. Your stake will then be added on top of this. USA horse racing betting is also something you might come across. If the odds have a plus in front of them, it’s showing you how much you’ll win for every $100 wagered, while a minus sign shows you how much to bet in order to win $100.

Racing Odds Guides

Legendary Horses

  • Northern Dancer. The most famous Canadian horse of all time. He won two of the USA’s prestigious Triple Crown events, and also won many Canadian races, including his last race, the Queen’s Plate. He then retired to be one of the most successful stud horses in history.
  • Arkle. This is one of the most famous racehorses to ever come out of Ireland. He won some of the most famous races around, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times in succession. Arkle still holds the record of having the highest Timeform rating ever given to a steeplechaser.
  • Red Rum. A legendary name in UK horse racing, Red Rum won the Grand National three times in five years and finished second the other two times. All this came despite him having an incurable bone disease. He also never fell once in his entire National Hunt career.

Trust Us to Find Great Horse Race Betting Sites

If you’re looking to find the top Canadian horse racing betting sites, you’re in the right place. But why should you trust us?

Firstly, we’re completely independent, meaning we’re not owned by any online or offline gambling company. This allows our reviews and other pages to be completely impartial. Secondly, all of our reviewers are extremely knowledgeable about sports betting, so you know you’re reading accurate, relevant information.

  • We’re completely independent and unbiased

  • Pages are created by sports betting experts

  • Our content is created specifically for Canadians

  • It’s completely free to use our site

History of Horse Racing in North America

Horse racing has a history stretching back many years. In fact, it’s probably one of the oldest sports in existence. Horse racing in its modern form goes back to the 12th century, when knights returning from the Crusades brought Arab stallions with them, which were crossed with English mares, creating a type of horse with both speed and stamina. It didn’t take too long for people to start betting on these horses as they raced, and the sport of horse racing was born.

Horse racing’s history in North America doesn’t stretch back quite as far though, as the first horse racing track in North America was created in 1665. The 1800s really saw the popularity of horse racing take off in the USA and Canada, however this was curtailed by the banning of bookmakers in the first few years of the 20th century. This didn’t last long however, and horse racing has gone from strength to strength ever since.

North America

Start Betting on Horse Racing Today

Horse race betting really is one of the most exciting ways to enjoy sport, and has the potential to dish out huge amounts of cash. You’ll find all the best betting sites that allow you to bet on horse races reviewed here on this website, so why not read through our reviews and sign-up with the site you like the most? You’ll then only be a few minutes away from betting on horse races and potentially winning real money!

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Horse Racing FAQs

We know that betting on horse racing can be a little confusing, which is why we've created a handy FAQ section below. If you read through the FAQs and can't find the answer you're looking for, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Horse racing takes place most of the year, meaning that fans of the sport will be able to place bets pretty much whenever they want. The major North American races take place during the summer months though, in order to take advantage of the better weather conditions.

There are many famous racecourses in the world, however the most famous in Canada is arguably the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. In the US, tracks like Churchill Downs and Santa Anita are famous, then there's Flemington in Australia, and Ascot, Epsom and Aintree in the UK.

Unless you're betting on a particularly long race, live betting will not be available. This is because by the time the odds have been updated by the online sportsbook, the race will probably have finished. There are loads of ways to bet before the race starts though, and live betting fans will find other sports that offer them what they want.

Yes, you can certainly bet on horse racing using your mobile device. Just use your mobile browser to head to your betting site's mobile website, or download an app if one is available. You'll then be able to bet on the same races as those gambling using a desktop.

You can find the very best horse racing betting sites by looking through the list further up this page. All sites we recommend offer high levels of security, as well as a large selection of markets and a great range of bonuses and promotions. Just scroll up to find out more!

The most important thing you can do in order to win more money is immerse yourself in the sport. Watch as much racing as you can and study the form guides every day. You'll then start to gain a great knowledge of horse racing, which should serve you well.