Introducing the Best Horse Racing Bookmakers
Horse racing betting is extremely popular with punters around the world, but it’s important to get started at the best sites with great odds and ongoing promotions. Before we analyse what we look for in a betting site in detail, we reckon that you have already added the biggest races to your calendar and are ready to check out some sites. So here are three of the best horse racing betting sites to sign up for right now:
Betfred – Best Horse Racing Odds Guaranteed
- Best odds for UK & Irish races
- Super extra places on some races
- Rewards 4 Racing program
- Lots of racing live streams
- Outdated user interface
- Payouts take up to 5 days
For us, Betfred is currently the best horse racing betting site currently available. This is primarily due to the incredible horse racing offers available when you bet here and the fact that Betfred offers the best odds guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse races. What’s more, Betfred offers extra places (and even super extra places) on selected horse races, enabling you to win on a race when your horse finishes outside the top three. In fact, some races selected as a Betfred “super extra” race offer payouts when your horse finishes in the top six.
After placing your horse racing bets at Betfred, you can live stream the action directly on the Betfred site, which is a great way to follow the race in real-time. Every time you place a £1 horse racing bet at Betfred, you collect one point as part of the “Rewards 4 Racing” loyalty program, which can then boost your bankroll as you bet on the horses in future. Betfred also offers other ongoing promotions that you can access as a horse racing bettor, including their popular luck 15, 31, and 63 races, which offer cash-back opportunities.
Though Betfred isn’t the most intuitive betting site that we have ever tested, and it could do with a facelift, we have no hesitation in recommending it as the best horse racing betting site. If you create an account today at Betfred, you can access the £30 free bet welcome bonus after making a £10 deposit and wager, further boosting the funds available as you bet on the horses online.
Betway – Weekly Free Bet Club for Horse Racing
Betway is another of the best horse racing bookmakers currently available. When you create an account at Betway, you will be amazed at the incredible number of horse racing markets available, with a huge number of races from all around the world available to bet on throughout the day and night. Like Betfred, Betway offers the best odds guaranteed for horse races, limited to British and Irish markets. We are also impressed by some of the bonuses and promotions available at Betway, which you can use to add to your bankroll while betting on the horses.
First up is the Betway welcome bonus, which offers you a £10 free bet that you can use for horse racing. After accessing the welcome bonus, you can then make the most of the Betway Free Bet Club, which delivers a £10 free bet every week, provided that you bet at least £25 every week with odds of at least 2/1. You need to opt-in to be eligible for this promotion, which you can do as soon as you log in to your Betway account. If you place a horse racing bet at Betway, you can watch the race directly from your account dashboard. You can also watch the live stream on the Betway app, which is available for iOS and Android.
Other than the Free Bet Club, there isn’t a great deal of ongoing horse racing promos available at Betway, but it’s certainly enough to get excited about. Ultimately, Betway is a trusted and widely available sportsbook for horse racing betting and is a good option for all horse racing fans.
Unibet – Superb Live Streaming Options for Horse Racing
It would be impossible to introduce you to the leading horse racing betting sites without mentioning Unibet. Though you can’t access any free horse racing bets as a new customer here, you can make use of the welcome bonus that promises to refund your initial horse racing wager up to £40 if it loses. Like our other top picks, Unibet has a best horse racing odds guarantee on the site, ensuring value for money when you place bets on the leading UK and Irish races.
Other ongoing promotions available include extra place payouts for some races (when your horse finishes in the top five), as well as money back specials if your horse finishes third. Though some horse racing odds boosts are available at Unibet, there aren’t as many as other sportsbooks offer, which is a little disappointing. Still, perhaps the best thing about horse racing betting at this sportsbook is Unibet TV, which offers an incredible number of live streams when you place a qualifying wager on any race. Live streaming with online betting sites like Betway is the best way to watch live events and is a huge draw of the Unibet offering.
If you’re new to horse racing, you can refer to Unibet’s helpful racing guides, which are available directly from your account dashboard. You can also check out the Naps and Tips section of the Unibet website, which provides you with some race-specific tips that you can take advantage of. Overall, Unibet is another good option as it is one of the best horse racing betting sites around for sports betting fans.
How to Choose the Best Horse Racing Betting Sites
Choosing the best horse racing betting sites is about knowing what to look for in online betting sites. After all, there are hundreds of sportsbooks out there that offer horse racing betting beyond our top three, so you need to be able to differentiate between the good and the bad. The table below offers a run-through of some of the key factors we used to narrow down our favourites, which you can also use when you feel torn between the best horse racing bookmakers:
| 💰Value of the Odds | The value of the odds offered by a sportsbook is crucial. That’s why we only recommend horse racing bookmakers with super competitive odds and regular boosts to offer you great value betting opportunities. |
| 🤑Promotions & Bonuses | You should also consider the quality and value of the horse racing promos available at a sportsbook. Start with the welcome bonus, but then look for money-back specials, best odds guarantees, and other promos like odds boosts and extra places offered on specific races. |
| 💳Payment Options | Before choosing a horse racing betting site, consider the variety of payment options supported, including debit card, e-wallet, and whether cryptocurrency is available. Checking if your preferred method is valid for the promos is a smart move too. You should also look at the speed of payouts and choose a site that processes withdrawals in 1-3 days. |
| 🔒Licence & Regulation | The best racing betting sites have licences issued by regulatory bodies like the UKGC and MGA. You should always check a betting site’s licensing credentials before signing up. As a given, we never recommend sites that aren’t properly regulated. |
| 📺Live Streams | The best horse racing bookmakers also offer extensive live streams for you to enjoy the biggest races on the calendar. Note that you usually need to place a qualifying wager (often just £1) on the race in question to be able to watch the stream at the top live betting sites. |
| 🏇Races Covered & Markets Offered | Naturally, you should also consider the races covered by a sportsbook and check which events you can bet on. There are races practically every day throughout the year, so don’t just focus on the biggest events if you’re keen to make money from horse racing betting online. |
The Biggest Races Available at Horse Racing Betting Sites
Now that you’re aware of some of the attractive features of horse racing betting sites and what to look for before signing up, here are some of the biggest races and events to bet on throughout the year, in case you were looking for some new inspiration to diversify your betting palate:
The UK’s most prestigious flat racing event of the year, it offers a prize purse just short of £10 million, making it one of Britain’s richest horse racing events on the calendar.
Hosted every Spring at Aintree, the Grand National is an endurance event with 30 fences over 514 yards. Watched by more than 500 million people worldwide, the Grand National is the race that draws the widest audience.
Taking place each March in the UK, the Cheltenham Festival hosts 14 of the 40 Grade 1 races that occur each season, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup as the grand prize.
Hosted at the iconic Flemington Racecourse, the Melbourne Cup is Australia’s answer to the Grand National, with a prize purse in excess of AU$5,000,000 every year.
One of the most valuable horse races in the world, the Sheema Classic is hosted at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai every March and is the place to bet for the rich and famous, with more than US$6,000,000 in prize money up for grabs.
Often known as America’s horse race, the Kentucky Derby is hosted at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Kentucky every May and is one of the most exciting horse races on the calendar.
Only the best of the best will offer at least some if not all of these major horse racing events, so find a sportsbook that has the most comprehensive offering.
Horse Betting Online: Bet Like You’re at the Races
Choosing the best racing betting sites is the perfect way to bet on horses online. When you sign up for horse racing betting sites, you can access the best odds, use ongoing promotions and specials, and watch limitless live streams when you place qualifying bets.
Based on our specific criteria of quality, we recommend Betfred, Unibet, and Betway as the top betting sites for horse racing, thanks to their odds guarantees and ongoing promotions. You’re now all set to bet on the biggest races on the calendar – choose a sportsbook, create an account, and make a deposit to place your horse racing bets online today. And don’t forget to tune in to some of the liveliest races throughout the season!
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Horse Racing Betting Sites FAQ
🔒Is horse race betting online secure?
Provided that you bet at a licenced and regulated sports betting site, betting on the horses online is safe and secure. Always check for a site’s licencing credentials before creating an account.
🇬🇧 Is horse race betting legal in the UK?
Yes, betting on the horses is legal in the UK. You need to check that the site in question holds a licence from the UK Gambling Commission before placing a bet.
🏆 Which is the best horse racing betting site?
Betfred is the number one horse racing betting platform for odds, value, and promotions. You can also check out Betway and Unibet as solid alternatives.
🧐 What is the best horse racing betting system?
No matter the system or horse racing strategy you employ, you should always gamble responsibly and bet within your means on horse racing. Use responsible gambling tools to help you stay in control.
