Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2024
- Written by Bettor Media
Here at BetandSkill, we have the credibility and such a reputable platform, that we work with some of the best online bookmakers globally, to ensure that you get your hands on the best bonus offers and promotions that bookmakers offer in this industry today. Within the list of horse racing betting sites, you will identify all the special features that the horse racing betting site offers to you individually. You will come to understand and take a look at the degree of uniqueness the offers are for new customers, in addition to the types of bets, odds, and extra goodies that you should know about.
Everything will be available to you with the power of one click, and there you will be connected with horse racing bets and racing events from all across the world.
Top Horse Racing Bookmakers
Horse racing has been a sport that has been around for many, many years. If anything, it has become far more popular as the years have gone on, especially within the world of online horse racing bookmakers. Betting on horses has become a UK custom and passion - even the Queen had her own horses she used to breed and put forward for the racing calendar.
UK horse racing sites will provide some of the world's biggest horse racing events within the racing calendar globally. Popular horse races include the Cheltenham Festival, The Royal Ascot, and the Epsom Derby. The best thing yet is, the best horse betting sites will not only provide you access to these races but also specialised and unique sportsbook offers and free bets which are not found in every online bookie out there. The more unique the experience, the more you will enjoy, as it will be an offering that you may have never probably encountered before. So, scroll down, take a minute to read up, and choose one (or more).
Where Can I Bet On Horse Racing?
To make a bet on a horse racing site, you will obviously need to make up your mind on who you wish to go with for your UK horse betting experience. The top favourites these days are often William Hill, Bet365, Betfred, Ladbrokes, etc. because they have the best odds, free bet offers for all sports betting categories (not just horse racing), and their offers are thought out very well, for you the new customer.
All the best online horse racing betting sites in the market today have been ranked within our table, to give you an idea of what to look out for and what to consider before making your choice. Of course, there will be many options that each have positive and negative features, however, this initiative will really highlight to you full transparency, which is not so widely available to punters today.
You will also be able to try out some free bet offers for yourself, without having to deposit anything, through the no deposit free bet offers that online horse racing sites actually offer punters as incentives to reel you in for a more long-term relationship.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites (2024 Updated List)
All the horse racing bookies online are constantly reviewed and updated to ensure they represent exactly what the market currently represents in terms of hype and trends. When we make our selections, we take into account all the factors that determine your betting experience.
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This specification dictates whether a UK horse racing bookmaker is in or out! We find it our responsibility to make sure that you find online betting sites for horse racing that ensure you have maximum safety, security, fun, and flexibility. A site's reputation to us is highly important; for that reason, we will scour all the online reviews and sources we can find, alongside conducting tests of our own in the process.
All the best online horse race betting sites have great promotional real money offers alongside the best online customer service too.
How We Choose Sites For Betting On Horse Racing
There are so many betting sites that say that they offer the best online experience that you can find for yourself online. However, when it comes to actually betting on horses, you will need to understand the different factors that dictate your experience online. Things that you should question for the sake of your online experience include aspects such as the race events selection, virtual live betting options, bonuses and promotions and the mobile experience that is up for grabs when you play online.
What you should expect is explained in detail below.
Horse race events
The best operators will provide coverage for the best races that occur across the UK and beyond. There are many great horse racing events that occur within other continents, meaning the best horse racing betting platforms will always give you access to the best odds available online so you will be spoiled for choice and have much to choose from when you opt to start placing horse racing bets.
Virtual betting
Virtual betting is when online betting for races like the Grand National and the Royal Ascot are available with the best quality and graphics. You will have access to the highest quality on the market. In addition to this, many of the horse races will be available for your access through live, real-time betting. Best thing yet is, live virtual betting from the best sites is available to you from your mobile device, which means you can access it anytime and anywhere!
Bonuses and promotions
Having access to the best free bet offers and other general welcome bonus promotions for new players that want to pursue online betting, is very prevalent from the best betting sites we have mentioned within our list above. You will be able to try in-play betting with the new players bonuses set out by the horse racing sportsbook, alongside any free spins for any of the best sites that also cater to online casino games and services too within their platform.
Mobile apps
Another thing that is available to all new players looking for great horse race betting sites, include the in-app function that is available to betting sportsbooks like William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfair, Bet365, and all the other reputable organisations that have been around for a very long time. These kinds of apps will always provide you with the best new player welcome bonus offers that sometimes are unique and only available to mobile app users. To have a look and see if you are able to qualify, you will need to check our reviews and see the specification for the services available to each provider.
Odds levels
Taking into account your favourite bookie and their odds will ensure that you find the best odds for your wallet. Usually there will be different odds for the different kinds of bets, however, from bookmaker to bookmaker, the same odds will differ from one another slightly. So, although you will only save a little bit here and there, overall that is definitely worth it.
Bookies will never offer you odds of 100% because they have to ensure that they stay in business and actually profit from all the punters that come in and out of their sportsbook. The best ones around will always give you up to 90% for the big events that capture the attention of most gamblers, such as Royal Ascot and the Grand National.
The reason being is that there will be so many bookmakers fighting to capture your attention to bet with them, so they do this by giving you the best odds that they can afford.
Tote Pools
The tote pool is a method for punters to gracefully ease their way into the world of horse betting. Here you will be able to pool bets together for one big jackpot and then all the jackpot will be shared between all the participants. Therefore, if you are looking to participate in this feature particularly, you will need to ensure that you know how many pools there are in total and the bet values that they cater to, as some can be quite large indeed.
Customer service
Finding a site that provides you with the best customer service may seem trivial at first, but let us reassure you that it can prove very useful further down the line. You never actually know when you have some queries and questions that will need answering and for that reason it will be important that you back yourself up later on. The best bookmakers will be available around the clock, so you can ask things relevant to your casino bonus, your online bets, so you can really get the best of your experience and understand exactly what is expected from you as a punter who has decided to take out the bonuses and offers available for example.
An Introduction To Horse Racing Betting
So, when you are considering where to start with horse betting, you obviously will have so many thoughts whizzing around in your head, to understand how you can accomplish things. First thing is first, horse racing and the gambling side to it has been around for hundreds of years. Royalty within British history have always had a link to it and particularly enjoyed it, as a form of entertainment-to gamble and bet between themselves and their household.
The two options that are available to punters today when horse racing online is concerned, are the Flat racing and the National Hunt racing variants. Flat racing has always taken place during the summer seasons and is run by the horses, without any general fencing that contains the track and participants. A great example of this is the Cheltenham Festival.
On the other hand, the National Hunt racing is completely the opposite, as you will find that there are things put in the track that the horse and rider must manoeuvre over. This can be anything from posts set alongside the track to jump over, which will also test speed ability for the jockey and the horse, and see how well they work in coordination to one another.
This kind of racing always takes part within the Autumn season and continues to run until spring - just before the Flat racing season begins again. Of course, the biggest highlight in the National Hunt, is the Grand National, which takes place within the month of April.
Our site offers the most up to date tips that you can use incorporation with your race betting activities. Our predictions will allow you to estimate and take part in horse racing betting with a strategic and clearly informed mind.
Betting On Horses - Online v Offline
With today's technology, we are all able to place bets online from our mobile phones, tablets and PCs. Everything is available to us from a click of our finger, where back in the day, everyone used to make their way to bookmakers to place their bets in person, and watch the races live from the screens that are used within the bookies.
Many players now actually know different and very much prefer it this way, as it allows punters to really be comfortable betting from the comfort of their own lifestyles and homes. Hey, you could be at work and quickly put a bet on your favourite horses, stick your headphones in and listen to the live coverage, as you type away those reports. Of course, with every method there will be advantages and disadvantages and that is exactly what we have gotten ready for yourself to flick through and perhaps steer your decision further, in going online.
Advantages
- You can bet whenever you see fit from wherever you like. Betting on demand from your mobile phone for example, has allowed many punters to relax and mould their love of horse race betting to their everyday lifestyle. Now being that you do not actually have to be there in person to witness the live events at bookmakers, your possibilities are really endless and convenient.
- There are bonuses when you choose to bet online from online bookies. These are catered to suit your preferences and the way you like to bet. In addition to this, with the many new player welcome bonus offers, this will push you into introducing yourself to more and more bookmakers that are available out there - meaning more fun for yourself.
- In-play betting is a feature that has been made recently, to allow punters to bet as they watch the live horse events occur. This form of betting has definitely evolved from the types that we are all used to nowadays. However, it is definitely a win-win, if you can bet as you watch the live events! Best thing yet is, many bookies will offer you a risk-free offer that will allow you to back out before the results are over, meaning you would not lose out on the entire amount you betted with. As you will be returned a portion of your wager.
- When you play online the atmosphere may slightly be limited, especially since you will be playing from home/your own mobile and away from the traditional community feel that a bookmaker brings.
- Offline bookmakers also tend to not have any bonuses that you can take advantage of i.e. free bets, free spins etc. meaning your experience can be quite limited to what you may be used to within the online betting world.
Differences Between Betting On Horse Racing & Other Sports
Horse racing provides an environment that is very different to usual sports betting. It requires great study and dedication to be able to actually make calculated bets that take into considerations of all the competitors and horses that are out there on the field, waiting their fate and result of the races. Yet, the experts at horse racing gambling will always pay attention to all the details, to make the right predictions on what they wish to put their money on. For this reason, we have highlighted some of the factors that you should consider when betting on your favourite horses alongside what actually makes it unique from other sports out there:
- The sport is actually a gender-neutral sport. There have been many famous jockeys that have participated from multiple genders, and both genders can actually compete against one another at the same time, during the same competition.
- When making a selection on your favourite horses to bet on, you will need to look into the entire history of the horse's owners, alongside the breeding and past successes. This is how bookmakers will make their decision to create odds for any new horse entering the tournaments around the season.
- Before you actually go out there and bet your real money away, you will be able to watch the horse through its training and see how well prepared it is for the race ahead. This is the only sport that allows a punter to have such access prior to making any bets.
- This sport in addition to the greyhound tournament races, are the only sports that are legal for betting, where an animal is actually involved.
Horse Racing Betting Markets
Horse racing markets come in numbers, due to there being so many of them out there at the moment. Each one has a different way of winning and therefore it is definitely not something that is typical. We thought it would be useful for your journey, to understand the different kinds of bet types that are involved in the horse racing sport. See below for more.
Betting without the favourite: This kind of bet comes exclusively to the punters that actually want to bet on their favourite horse, but do not actually know if the favourite from the betting house's predictions can be beaten. You will therefore be betting at revised odds on a horse that can still win your bet, even if the favourite won and your horse did not overtake it in the race i.e. it came second rather than first.
Win/Each way betting: This betting option is the most common within the online selections that you can actually find. This bet entails the punter betting on whether they think the horse will win or what place they will come in when the race has finished. You can split your bet by betting on the horse to win and the other half of your bet, just in case the horse actually comes through with second place. Of course, this bet will always take into account the different bookmakers on the market, as they all like to do things differently and their odds will differ depending. For instance, certain bookies pay out each way up to certain positions which may include third (or greater still in races like the Grand National).
Match betting: Match betting will allow you to place a bet on a horse finishing before another one, so it does not necessarily need to be a winning horse per say, but rather your favourite finish in a higher position than the horse you have placed a bet against. This is one of the favourite bets that all punters seem to like to go for.
Distance betting: This is exactly as it sounds. You will be able to predict how far a winner wins on the race track in distance i.e. 20 lengths or more for example. Your horse will need to meet that exact win from the nearest competitor; of course, if you miss out by just a bit, you will miss out on your entire wager and lose it unfortunately. This is the risk, with betting options such as these. No matter where you are around the world, you will need to get your bet exactly right to win something out of it!
Ante post betting: This kind of horse bet will allow you to support a horse way before the actual horse race event commences. The odds will be much larger and you can win far greater out of it. Of course, you will have much more to lose in the process, in terms of risk to your real money. Nevertheless, the hard-core punters that have enjoyed horse race betting, will always enjoy the latest new ways to gamble, throughout some of the greatest UK horse racing bookmakers.
Horse Racing Betting Terminology
With horse race betting, there will be different terms that you should know of course as you gamble away. We have brought it upon ourselves to make sure we have included the top terms that every horse racing bookmakers online will include on their platform. Check them out below:
(SP) Starting Price: The starting price is often used to regard a horse's value at the beginning of a race, in terms of the odds etc. Of course, the odds will always fluctuate and change depending on the environmental factors and training that leads up to the big event itself. Usually the starting price of a race before the odds change will always be the best in terms of value, meaning you should always try to get in there earlier - the earlier the better.
Non-Runner: This is a very popular term for UK customers within horse racing. It means that if a horse you bet on actually pulls out of the event, you will receive your stake in full refunded back to you.
Blinkers: A blinker is the headgear that is given to horses to wear within the race. Some horses often get put off from seeing the horses next to them gallop - or they get distracted by other features within their surroundings. So, jockey's will put this equipment over their eyes to ensure the horse can only see the race track ahead and nothing to either side of them.
Handicap: This is a horse race that accepts different weights throughout its race across the track. This means that some horses will carry a jockey that weighs more than the others competing for example. It can be a huge difference sometimes, which often does not necessarily mean that a lesser weight correlates with a speedier finish. Some horses have managed to carry much more than others and still won the title of the race. Each horse will always be different to one another.
Most Popular Types of Horse Racing Bets
The best bets that you should introduce to yourself will always be favourites and very common at online bookmakers. Below are a few of the most popular options that you should familiarise yourself with (beyond the ones we mentioned above).
Lucky 15
A Lucky 15 is all the best betting options introduced into one option. You will be placing a total of 15 bets within four options: four single bets, six doubles, four trebles and a four-fold accumulator. You can read more about how this works on our Lucky 15 page.
Accumulator
This kind of bet essentially gives you an extension on the double bets that you make and beyond. With one wager, you will be able to target four different bets at once. Of course, as you make more bets, the odds will also increase, meaning you will have more against you in terms of risk, and a greater amount to lose. If one variable misses out, you miss out on all the other bets and the winnings they could have made you in the process, unfortunately.
Tricast
A Tricast bet is where you will need to correctly predict who will make it into the top three finishing positions of the race. Of course, getting the exact three horses can be very difficult, yet if you are right, you will win tonnes of cash at the end of it, as the racing odds will be pretty difficult.
Best Horse Racing Events To Bet On
The best races that we would suggest you try out for yourself and actually bet on attract millions of punters from all around the world. Horse racing betting sites will feature these races as a betting option to you, due to their immense popularity and traffic that they bring to their platform. The horses that take part in these events will walk away with massive amounts of money, even if they do not finish in first place. Take a look at the best events that we have suggested below. Not only are they entertaining, but they also offer the best betting varieties you can get your hands on across the online gambling community, as betting houses know that these races attract many, many fans in the process of airing live.
Glorious Goodwood
This race comes second in terms of preference, after Royal Ascot. This race involves Thoroughbreds and takes place over a period of five days within the UK. Many say that this racecourse is the most glamorous within Britain. The event will always finish on the last Saturday of July.
Royal Ascot:
Royal Ascot is one race event that the Queen of England is very fond of. She has participated with many of her own horses that she breeds in her own stables, and has won great amounts of money in the process of it. The prize money for any winner to cross the finishing line in first is over £7 million. Even though the Queen no longer participates with her horses, she still attends every year to watch the race herself from the audience.
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is the most popular event around the world to cater to jump racing and obstacles within the race track; for the purpose of highlighting speed and agility. Taking place over four days, in every calendar of the year, this is most definitely the world's greatest National Hunt series.
Aintree Festival:
Aintree Festival takes place over three days, within the month of April. This too is a National Hunt race; however, it has more popularity historically all over the world, and many jockeys internationally hope to be eligible to compete. It also takes place in the city of Liverpool, and has always held the largest favour within the UK.
Considerations Before Betting On Horse Races
Before you decide it is time for you to participate in gambling on horse racing, make sure to take into consideration all the information that you need to contribute to a better experience.
Preparation is key: reading up on all the historic races through the past few years, where your favourite horse may have competed before, will be key to you getting it spot on with your future bets. In addition to this, keep up to date with the physical wellbeing of your top horses on the news. Certain factors such as health will most definitely be important to keep on top of, as that will be a direct influence on its performance further on down the line.
Make a betting strategy by first understanding the history and influences over the horse, in addition to understanding the different betting types and what you have to gain out of the odds. Do not be afraid to shop around, to try and find the best odds and value on the market-it is what everyone is doing these days, by betting on more than one platform!
Last of all, understanding the different race types and how well a horse has performed through each one will be another way of deciphering how well a horse will perform, or better yet if it will actually take place in the race at all. Some races only actually host around 30 horses give or take per race.
Make sure it's a fully licensed horse racing betting site
Last but not least, you need to fully make sure that the sites you are using, be it new horse racing betting sites or more established ones, are fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. This will ensure that you will be participating in the safest and most secure gambling environment, as the licensing ensures that the site will continuously be regulated and monitored for the gambling communities' benefit. Opting to bet with sites that are in fact not licensed can put your real money at risk amongst other data/privacy concerns.
Do not worry though, all the sites that we suggest are the safest on the market and are all fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
FAQs
What are the best horse race betting sites?
This is not a black and white answer. It will depend entirely on the kind of gambling ambitions and goals you have personally. Some sites will cater better to free bet offers, others will have fewer promotions but higher value odds on the market, than other competitors. It will all depend on what you prefer individually.
What is the best kind of horse racing bet?
Lucky 15 is seen as the bet with the most to offer, being that you can bet on multiple factors all at once! It is of course very difficult to actually win something from, as the odds will be very high indeed, and you will have much more to risk in doing so. It will definitely keep your adrenaline high no doubt, and keep you on the edge of your seat.
Should I bet win, place, or each way on the horses?
This will entirely depend on the price associated with the horses that you choose to back. If the horse is 3/1 or less, you may fare better by playing a winning bet type or ones at bigger odds, so you can still get just a fifth of the odds and half of your stake back in the process. Place bets are perfect for those that do not want the horse they fancy to win but rather, to run very well instead. It is not all about winning after all, but the money you can actually make in the process.
How much does a place bet payout?
You should be able to get paid a fifth of the odds on the horse you picked. Therefore, if you happen to back it at 10/1, you are backing it to place at 2/1.
What is the fairest and safest online betting site?
All the sites that we suggest and recommend are the safest to work with, because we fully check the background of the sites and ensure they are regulated and licensed, to give you the most safety as you gamble.
How do I go about placing a bet on a horse race?
You will first need to make sure that you have a fully functional account of course. Then once you are signed up, you will need to select a horse racing event that you want to bet on. Once you have selected it, skim through the odds available and select the qualifying bet that you wish to select as your option. As soon as you select, you will credit your real money in your account towards the bet, and off you go.
