Horse Racing Betting Sites Comparison
All online betting sites provide horse racing betting, but who are the best? Our selection of the best horse racing betting sites is based on the following criteria:
Reputation – A well known brand will always wants to keep its reputation intact and so will behave responsibly. Well known brands also provide most of the other criteria listed below.
Security – A 100% safe and well regulated horse racing betting site, with SSL from a Leading Certificate Authority such as Thawte, providing security from 128-bit up to “military grade” 256-bit AES encryption.
Promotions – We’re looking for horse racing betting sites that provide not just a great sign up offer but ongoing daily and weekly offers, regular money back offers, odds and acca boosts.
Horse Racing Events – We want to be able to place a bet on any premium horse racing event happening around the globe 24/7 365. This includes all of the major flat and jump horse races across the globe.
Best Odds Guaranteed – The best horse racing betting sites now offer “Best Odds Guaranteed” on Horse Racing in the UK and Ireland. What this means is that when you take a price on a race and the Starting Price (SP) is higher you will be paid out on the SP if your selection wins.
Cash Out – A must for any horse racing betting site, puts you in control of your bet.
Live Horse Racing Streaming – Watch each race and join in the action with Live In-Play Betting. This is usually only available if you have a wager on the race.
Live In-Play Betting – Again another must for any horse racing betting site, puts you at the heart of the race.
Competitive Odds – Obvious one this!
Fully Licensed – Last but not least the sports betting site should have a valid licence for your jurisdiction ensuring that they are regularly tested for fairness and security.
Horse Racing Betting Sites Markets
Horse Racing is a huge global betting phenomenon with major horse race meetings almost every week of the year with live horse racing from the UK, Ireland, America, Australia & New Zealand plus more from all around the world. Most major horse racing betting sites offer many betting markets on a single race. But what do all these betting markets mean? Here’s a simple explanation of the most popular horse racing betting markets:
Win / Fixed Odds / Single – This is the simplest and most common horse racing bet. You are backing the winner of the race. All of you bet is placed on the winner.
Each Way – This is a popular bet at horse race meetings whereby if you’re not entirely sure you choice will win outright you get a payout if the horse is placed. Your bet is placed in two parts, one towards the win and the second part to the place.
So for example if you place a £10 each way bet at 10/1 (11) the actual bet is £20, £10 for the win at 10/1 and £10 for the place at ¼ of the odds. If the horse wins you would get £100 for the win return plus £25 for the place return plus your initial stake so total return would be £145.
The number of places paid depends on the number of runners in a race.
Forecast / Straight Forecast / Exact Forecast – This bet is where you predict the exact order two horses will finish a race, 1st and 2nd. The returns are calculated by multiplying the 1st bet plus returns with the 2nd bet plus returns.
So for example if you place a £10 forecast on a horse A at 5/1 (6) coming first and a horse B coming second at 10/1 (11) your return would be £660 if the horses finished 1st and 2nd in that order.
Reverse Forecast / Combination Forecast – Same as a Forecast bet but you reverse the outcome so horse A and horse B can come 1st or 2nd in any order. Your bet is doubled so the out lay using the above example would cost you £20. £10 for A B and £10 for B A.
Tricast – Same as Forecast but with 3 horses predicting 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Obviously the return with this bet are huge.
Accumulator – Predicting which horse will win a selection of races. The selection can be at another race meeting and on another day. You can bet each way as well.
Best Odds Guaranteed
The best betting sites now offer “Best Odds Guaranteed” on Horse Racing in the UK and Ireland. What this means is that when you take a price on a race and the Starting Price (SP) is higher you will be paid out on the SP if your selection wins.
Ante Post / Future Races
Ante Post bets are offered by betting sites on most big races and is a bet on a horse before that races final declarations have been posted, usually 10am on the day before the race.
Best Odds Guaranteed is not offered on Ante Post bets.
Horse Racing Betting
Flat Racing / Thoroughbred
The flat racing season in the Northern Hemisphere UK/Ireland/France and America runs from April to mid November. Flat races are for fast lighter horses and are raced over as short as 5 furlongs and can go up to and just over 1 ½ miles; the courses are flat with no obstacles.
National Hunt Racing / Jump Racing
National Hunt or Jumps racing in the Northern Hemisphere UK/Ireland/France and America runs from mid October to April. Jump races are for bigger horses and are raced over jumps, hurdles and other obstacles from around 2 miles to over 4 miles.
Top Horse Racing Betting
The Pegasus World Cup is a Grade 1 American Thoroughbred race held at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida and is run over a distance of 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs). The Pegasus World Cup is open to open to horses four years old and older. The 2023 Pegasus World Cup has a purse of $3 million and forms part of the Pegasus World Cup Day. Pegasus World Cup betting sites. The 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes horse race will be held at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida, US on Saturday, 28 January 2023.
The Cheltenham Festival meeting hosts four days of thrilling action, the highlight of the Jump season. The Cheltenham Festival held at Cheltenham Racecourse to celebrate the very best of jump racing, with over £4.5 million of prize money on offer. Best Cheltenham Betting Sites. The 2023 Cheltenham Festival Horse Race meeting will be held over 4 days between Tuesday, 14th March 2023 and Friday, 17th March 2023.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase horse race held on Day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival (a Friday) and is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs. Gold Cup Betting. The 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup horse race will be held on Friday, 17th March 2023.
The Dubai Sheema Classic is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Dubai World Cup Night and is run at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, UAE over a distance of 1 1⁄2 miles. Sheema Classic Betting Sites. The 2023 Dubai Sheema Classic horse race will be held on Saturday, 25th March 2023.
One of the world’s richest horse races, the annual Dubai World Cup is part of the Dubai World Cup Night of races and has been held at the Meydan racecourse in Dubai since 1996. It is an evening of nine prestigious races culminating in the Dubai World Cup and the final race is highlight of the night with a guaranteed prize pool of $10,000,000. On the race card there are eight Thoroughbred races and one Purebred Arabian contest. Dubai World Cup Betting Sites. The 2023 Dubai World Cup horse race will be held on Saturday, 25th March 2023.
The Grand National Festival Betting – Aintree Festival meeting hosts three days of thrilling steeplechase action and is steeped in tradition and history. The Grand National Festival is home to The Grand National one of the most famous races in the world. Aintree Festival Betting Sites. The 2023 Grand National Festival – Aintree Festival Horse Race meeting will be held over 3 days between Thursday, 13th April 2023 and Saturday, 15th April 2023.
The Grand National Handicap Chase is a National Hunt handicap steeplechase held on Day 3 of the Grand National Festival (a Saturday) and it is run at Aintree over a distance of 4 miles 514 yards. Grand National Betting Sites. The 2023 Grand National horse race will be held on Saturday, 15th April 2023.
The QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse kicks of the flat racing season with the first two classic races of the year, the 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas. Guineas Festival Betting Sites. The 2023 Guineas Festival Horse Race meeting will be held over 3 days between Friday, 5th May 2023 l 2023 and Sunday, 7th May 2023.
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 2 of the Guineas Festival (a Saturday) and is run at Rowley Mile, Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile. The 2000 Guineas Stakes is one of Britain’s five Classic flat races, and at present it is the first to be run in the year. 2000 Guineas Betting Sites. The 2023 2000 Guineas Stakes horse race will be held on Saturday, 6th May 2023.
The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 3 of the Guineas Festival (a Sunday) and is run at Rowley Mile, Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile. 1000 Guineas Betting Sites. The 2023 1000 Guineas Stakes horse race will be held on Sunday, 7th May 2023.
The Kentucky Derby, the longest running sporting event in the US, is a top rank, Grade I stakes race for 3 year old Thoroughbred horses. It is held annually on the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. The race distance is one and one-quarter miles long, and it is run on a dirt racetrack. The winning purse is $2 million. Kentucky Derby Betting Sites. The 2023 Kentucky Derby horse race will be held on Saturday, 6th May 2023.
Held on the third Saturday in May, the Preakness Stakes is an American flat thoroughbred race run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It is a Grade I race run over 9.5 furlongs on dirt with its attendance figures ranking second only to the Kentucky Derby across North American equestrian events. It is the second race in the US Triple Crown Series, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. Preakness Betting Sites. The 2023 Preakness Stakes horse race will be held on Saturday, 20th May 2023.
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5mile long race open to three year old Thoroughbreds. The Belmont Stakes is the oldest and longest of the three classic horse races that make up the Triple Crown of American horse racing, together with the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Belmont Stakes Betting Sites. The 2023 Belmont Stakes horse race will be held on Saturday, 10th June 2023.
The Cazoo Derby Festival hosts two classic races including The Epsom Derby, Britain’s richest horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics. The Derby Festival is the second major flat racing festival of the season with over 100,000 racegoers visiting the festival each day. Derby Festival Betting Sites. The 2023 Cazoo Derby Festival Horse Race meeting will be held over 2 days between Friday, 2nd June 2023 and Saturday, 3rd June 2023.
The Epsom Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 fillies-only flat horse race held on Day 1 of the Epsom Derby Festival (a Friday) and is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards. Epsom Oaks Betting Sites. The 2023 Epsom Oaks Stakes horse race will be held on Friday, 2nd June 2023.
The Epsom Derby Stakes, Cazoo Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 2 of the Epsom Derby Festival (a Saturday) and is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards. Epsom Derby Betting Sites. The 2023 Epsom Derby Stakes horse race will be held on Saturday, 3rd June 2023.
The Royal Ascot meeting is held over five days in June and hosts at least one Group 1 race each day. Ascot Racecourse is in Ascot, Berkshire England and is one of the leading racecourses in the UK. It enjoys a close association with the British Royal Family as it is only six miles from Windsor Castle. Royal Ascot Betting Sites. The 2023 Royal Ascot Horse Race meeting will be held over 5 days between Tuesday, 20th June 2022 and Saturday, 24th June 2022.
The Royal Ascot Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 3 of Royal Ascot (a Thursday) and is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 metres). Ascot Gold Cup Betting Sites. The 2023 Royal Ascot Gold Cup horse race will be held on Thursday, 22nd June 2023.
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse racing track five miles north of Chichester in West Sussex. It hosts the Goodwood Festival, also known as Glorious Goodwood, taking place over five days usually at the end of July and the beginning of August and, set against the backdrop of the Sussex countryside, is one of the highlights of the flat race season. Glorious Goodwood Betting Sites. The 2023 Glorious Goodwood Horse Race meeting will be held over 5 days between Tuesday, 1st August 2023 and Saturday, 5th August 2023.
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 2 of Glorious Goodwood (a Wednesday) and is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 miles (1,609 metres). Glorious Goodwood is scheduled to take place each year in July or early August. Sussex Stakes Betting Sites. The 2023 Qatar Sussex Stakes horse race will be held on Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.
The Ebor Festival meeting hosts four days of thrilling flat race action held at York Racecourse in York, England; Ebor being the early name of York in Britain. The Ebor Festival is the last major flat racing festival of the season. Ebor Festival Betting Sites. The 2023 Ebor Festival Horse Race meeting will be held over 4 days between Wednesday, 23rd August 2023 and Saturday, 26th August 2023.
The Ebor Handicap is a Group 1 flat handicap horse race held on Day 4 of the Ebor Festival (a Saturday) and is run at York over a distance of1 mile 5 furlongs and 188 yards. Ebor Betting Sites. The 2023 Ebor Handicap horse race will be held on Saturday, 26th August 2023.
One of the most prestigious race weeks of the British horse racing calendar, the St Leger Festival. A unique blend of history and top-class horse racing during the four-day September extravaganza. St Leger Festival Betting Sites. The 2023 St Leger Festival Race meeting will be held over 4 days between Wednesday, 14th September 2023 and Saturday, 17th September 2023.
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race held on Day 4 of the St leger Festival (a Saturday) and is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1-mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards (2,921 metres). St Leger Betting Sites. The 2023 St Leger Stakes horse race will be held on Saturday, 17th September 2023.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runs over a distance of 2,400 metres (approx.1.5 miles) at Le Hippodrome de Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, and usually takes place on the first Sunday of October. Arc de Triomphe Betting Sites. The 2023 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe horse race will be held on Sunday, 1st October 2023.
The Everest is an Australian Turf Club (ATC) Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,200 metres on turf at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. The Everest is the worlds richest turf horse race with a purse of $15 million. The Everest Betting Sites. The 2023 The Everest horse race will be held on Saturday, 21st October 2023.
Known as ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’ the Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most prestigious annual thoroughbred horse race. It takes place on the Flemington Racecourse by the Victoria Racing Club and is part of the Melbourne spring carnival. Melbourne Cup Betting Sites. The 2023 Melbourne Cup horse race will be held on Tuesday, 7th November 2023.
The Breeders Cup Classic is a Grade 1 flat horse race held on Day 2 of Breeders Cup World Championships (a Saturday) and is run at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California, USA over a distance of 1 1⁄4 miles. The Breeders Cup World Championships is scheduled to take place each year in October or early November with the location changing each year. St Leger Betting Sites. The 2023 Breeders Cup Classic horse race will be held on Saturday, 4th November 2023.
The Japan Cup is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. Held at the Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo, with a purse of ¥476 million (about US $5.8 million), it is also one of the richest races in the world. Japan Cup Betting Sites. The 2023 Japan Cup horse race will be held on Sunday, 26th November 2023.
The English Triple Crown – Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The English Triple Crown is the winner of the following races in one season:
- The 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Newmarket
- The Derby, Epsom
- The St Leger Stakes, Doncaster
The last horse to win the English Triple Crown was Nijinsky ridden by Lester Piggott and trained by Vincent O’Brien back in 1970.
The US Triple Crown – Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The US Triple Crown is the winner of the following races in one season:
- Kentucky Derby, Kentucky
- Preakness Stakes, Maryland
- Belmont Stakes, New York
The last horse to win the US Triple Crown was Justify ridden by Mike E Smith and trained by Bob Baffert in 2018.
