Hello there, you’ve stumbled across our guide to the very best existing and new horse racing betting sites UK punters like to wager with. We’ll discuss gambling on venerable thoroughbred steeds in all sorts of ways.
From what the very best horse racing bookmakers look like and have to offer to tips, strategy and what events to bet on, get the lowdown on it all. We start with the top 10 UK horse racing bookies right now:
There are loads of UK horse racing bookies online to choose from, so here are our experts’ top 10. These are a mix of established familiar and brand new betting sites out there:
The following key events take place in the British Isles during the week commencing Monday, 28 October with cards at Wetherby races, Down Royal and Ascot prominent among all other fixtures. Further afield, the Breeders’ Cup across the Atlantic garners global attention:
See our Ascot preview for more on the big betting races of the week from there.
If you’re wondering what makes the very best online horse racing betting sites UK punters can wager with so great, then we have the answers. Let’s take a look at the top five in more detail:
QuinnBet are horse racing bookies going places thanks to a terrific all-round product for this sport. From the range of betting markets open to punters to solid live streaming, it’s the plethora of deals on offer that make them attractive. Unlike other sites that limit promotions on accumulators to football, their Acca Bonus not only covers horse racing but applies from Doubles and up.
There are also Money Back as Free Bet deals for finish second (or even third or fourth) to the SP favourite in selected races. Fallers Insurance has punters who like to bet on National Hunt action over jumps covered, while the Fail to Finish promo applies to both codes of thoroughbred horse racing. As these sit alongside more common offers, you won’t find a wider variety of bonuses anywhere else.
As one of the new UK horse racing betting sites out there, BetGoodwin may not be familiar to some punters. They certainly caught our experts’ eyes, however, with their range of Money Back as Free Bet deals. Unlike other established and new horse racing bookmakers, the maximum refund with these is £100. That’s a big difference from bog standard offers set at just a tenner!
BetGoodwin have promotions based around your horse being beaten less than half-a-length in steeplechases, falling at the last fence or hurdle when in front, or when it loses by a nose or comes second to a 50/1+ outsider. With BOG coming into effect early in the morning of racedays too, punters are encouraged to bet early safe in the knowledge there may be compensation in the right losing circumstances. BetGoodwin is a refreshing change from the competition.
Next on our list of top horse racing betting sites is 10bet, who have dramatically improved what they have in store for punters. They’ve gone after this sport in a big way over recent times, and the reward for that is recognition from our experts. The 10bet horse racing page is split into UK & Ireland and International sections.
Across those, they have all bases covered. From a “Catch of the Day” deal where betting on a winner at 3/1 plus with a £25 stake nets punters a bonus to compensating horses finishing second or beaten by a neck, 10bet offers appeal. If building on these improvements further, they might climb even higher in the estimation of experts and the betting public alike.
Very much one of the established horse racing bookies in Ireland, BoyleSports have only become more prevalent to UK punters thanks to the growth of online betting. One of their big selling points is how early they offer the Best Odds Guaranteed, from the day before races take place. That eclipses almost all of the horse racing betting sites out there.
BoyleSports also make the classic Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to the SP Favourite deal widely available. They also have an Acca Loyalty Club where horse racing accumulators qualify, plus plenty of Extra Place Races and specials every day. As BoyleSports also run a Fast Results Service, you can keep bang up to date with everything that happens on the track while wagering.
Rounding out our top five horse racing betting sites UK punters use, 888sport put handy tools at your disposal. You can apply filters through the BetFinder tool, while also seeing popular and trending horses (and other bets) via BetFeed. This level of transparency is a hallmark of 888sport, and not something other UK horse racing bookmakers necessarily offer. Their bet 10 get 30 deal for new customers is also perfect for wagering on the sport of kings.
There is also the usual BOG and extra places available, but the Each Way+ promotion can also provide enhanced place terms. You never know. You might even end up with a third of the outright odds for each way bets. 888sport also puts their Double Result payout pledge in writing, so punters know their wagers are covered by both the First Past the Post and in the event of amended placings. They are also strong when it comes to live streaming horse racing.
There are key criteria which our experts use as metrics to determine what the best horse racing betting sites UK punters can gamble on are. Without most or all of these elements being present, an online bookmaker can’t be considered among the top dogs:
The first port of call has to be what you can bet on and how. Just win only and each way wagers aren’t going far enough. Our experts look for a wide variety of horse racing betting markets to cater for every type of punter when making a recommendation.
While the primary focus is on UK (and Irish) horse racing, it’s becoming more common for thoroughbreds trained in the British Isles to run abroad. Whether they had to France or Germany, or further afield to the USA, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan or the Middle East, you should be able to bet on your favourite horse overseas.
Any horse racing bookmakers online that settle your bets quickly is a good thing. Besides fast payouts to your account, look out for cash out options and bookies prepared to settle wagers both First Past the Post and on any amended results following a stewards’ inquiry.
Promotions can be difference between you taking a punt and leaving things alone. That makes the types of horse racing betting offers available very important indeed. These need to cover the standard deals on offer everywhere but build on them with other bonuses.
Here at BettingSitesReviewed, we will only recommend the safest betting sites and fully licensed horse racing bookmakers UK punters can use. It’s that simple. If a bookie doesn’t have a license from the UK Gambling Commission, then they aren’t industry regulated and therefore not safe. You can pick from any of the horse racing betting sites here safe in the knowledge that they take matters of privacy and security safely.
It doesn’t matter how you choose to fund your betting account, it’s good to have a choice. Leading horse racing bookies in the UK have options that include traditional banking methods like Debit Card and eWallets such as PayPal.
Everyone is after something extra when betting, and it’s not different when it comes to horse racing. From Extra Places to live streaming the action, offering that little bit more separates the best horse racing bookmakers from the crowd.
The best odds and most competitive prices mean the biggest potential profit for punters. It’s for precisely that reason that getting the most value you possibly can out of any bets is another important consideration.
In the course of the above reviews and discussing key criteria, our experts have highlighted certain aspects that all of the best online horse racing betting sites UK punters can wager on should have. It’s these elements that taken together play their part in earning them a spot among the top bookies. The table below has more:
Horse Racing Betting Sites
Best Odds Guaranteed
Cashout
Extra Place Races
Live Streaming
Virtual Horse Racing
QuinnBet
10bet
BoyleSports
BetGoodwin
888sport
Betfred
LiveScore Bet
Spreadex
BetUK
There are some popular and effective ways to go about gambling on horse racing betting sites successfully. We can’t guarantee these will work with every wager, but they are effective most or some of the time. Try a horse racing betting system or two from the three below for size and see for yourself:
It’s disappointing when a horse is a beaten favourite. This means it didn’t run up to market expectation before. They aren’t machines, however, and can have off-days or other excuses. Don’t give up with betting on a horse just because of a defeat. You never know, they might just bounce back and have more attractive odds after that below par run next time!
There’s an old saying about horses for courses. It’s not just a cliché but true. If there’s a previous course and distance winner in the race you’re interested in, chances are the traders on UK horse racing betting sites will have it spotted to. That is precisely the kind of data they factor in when pricing up the market, and it can help you narrow the field down. Backing proven course and distance winners is one of the most popular horse racing betting systems out there.
If you’re betting in handicaps, then ratings become very important. Any horse running off the same or below the mark it last won off has been given a chance by the assessor. You are relying on it bouncing back to form after a spell of no victories, but that can and does happen. There’s an argument that being below a successful previous rating is evidence that the horse is well-handicapped.
Many punters hold betting accounts with the established British bookmakers already. That means new horse racing bookies are important, because you can take advantage of their sign up offers and welcome bonuses. Their names and brands may be unfamiliar but that doesn’t mean they aren’t reliable.
Here at BettingSitesReviewed, all of the new horse racing bookmakers UK punters can bet through are fully licensed and regulated. They provide a secure gambling environment, so you don’t have to worry about that. They may even surprise you, as they did our experts, with what’s on offer through them. These are our top new UK horse racing betting sites out there today:
So far, we talked exclusively about the best horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with. There are other ways to gamble on this sport, however. At the turn of the century, everything changed with the creation of Betfair, the world’s first horse racing betting exchange, that offered something different.
When punters bet through horse racing bookies online, they engage in fixed odds betting. The traders at horse racing bookmakers set the prices, factoring in a small profit margin. If your horse or the wager wins, they pay out. Should the bet lose, then your stake is gone. Horse racing betting exchanges like Betfair, meanwhile, are all about what is called peer to peer betting.
You take on fellow punters rather than the best horse racing bookmakers. The exchange merely charges commission for facilitating your winning bets. It’s up to you to set the odds. You can also lay horses to lose the race, as well as back them to win, but more on that in a moment. Here are the pros and cons of a horse racing betting exchange versus regular fixed odds gambling:
Not even new horse racing betting sites offer lay betting. Just to remind you, this is a wager placed through the exchanges where you gamble on horses not winning their races. Unless there’s a Dead Heat, there can be only one victor on the track. Lay betting means you have the entire field apart from the horse you don’t think will win running for you.
It’s a great way to wager but not without risk. Remember, if your lay bet happens to land the race, then you must pay the punter who accepted and matched the gamble. Something similar has started appearing on top horse racing betting sites, though, in the Not to Win market. Look out for this on the established horse racing bookies UK punters bet with.
With the exception of the Betfair Sportsbook, you won’t find much if any live-betting in-play through horse racing bookmakers online. This is because, unlike football betting, rugby, cricket, other team sports, and individual ones such as tennis and boxing, races can be over in less than a minute. It’s not called in-play betting, but horse racing betting in running.
This is because punters place wagers while a race is being run. Still more common on horse racing betting exchanges, in running wagers are strictly win only on the Betfair Sportsbook. Their Exchange opens up place markets but there is no each way betting available. If punters are quick to spot something happening in the race, like a late challenge emerging, then this can be a profitable betting avenue.
Successful punters have a plan in mind when wagering and stick to it. In order to win and beat the bookies, you need a horse racing betting strategy that works for you. Everyone is different in this regard, so finding the right plan for you to get the most out of horse racing betting sites can take some time. Here are three of the most popular strategies that smart punters use:
The concept of matched betting, where you back and lay the same horse, on different wagering platforms guarantees profit. Be warned, though, the best horse racing bookies don’t like you doing it and you risk having accounts closed if caught. Here’s how matched betting works. You first back a horse to win, perhaps with a free bet token as part of a sign up offer, on a fixed odds betting site.
Next, you lay the same horse to lose on a horse racing betting exchange by offering backers bigger odds than those that you took. The margin between them is thus guaranteed profit. Where punters get caught out is that you’ll need to do this several times a day to build up a decent amount of money. Traders can spot such betting patterns, however, and nip your matched betting in the bud.
All the top horse racing bookmakers UK punters bet with have each way markets. We’ll discuss it more detail below but it’s a great opportunity to mitigate some of the potential losses compared with a win only wager. An each way bet does result in the unit stake doubling to cover both parts of it but, provided your horse has a price above a minimum odds threshold relating to the fraction of an outright win paid on a place, you can return a profit without the wager winning.
With so many Extra Place Races now, the best online horse racing betting sites given you every incentive to gamble this way. Each way isn’t on the table for races with four or fewer runners in them, and not desirable in event with less than eight horses involved but is still a handy horse racing betting strategy to use in handicaps and larger field conditions races.
There’s no rule that says you can only have one wager with horse racing bookies in a particular race. If it’s a competitive event, why not hedge your bets and back two or more? This is known as Dutching. Such horse racing betting strategies call for a staking plan where you split the total amount gambled relative to the prices offered so that you win roughly the same no matter which fancied runner comes first.
Unless you combine this approach with each way betting, then at least one horse you back is guaranteed to lose, so always factor that into calculations. Dutching is best in a big field handicap or conditions race where many runners are in with chances. Unlike matched betting, it’s unlikely to upset existing or new horse racing bookies because you’re taking a hit to any profit.
While we’ve mentioned new horse racing bookies in our discussion, it’s only right to highlight some of the real big boys in more detail. Plenty of punters have probably signed up to the major names of British gambling long ago, but it’s still well worth knowing what they have to offer on horse racing:
Styled as “The World’s Favourite Online Sports Betting Brand”, bet365 are also major supporters of horse racing. They sponsor the Jump Finale card at Sandown Park on the final day of the British National Hunt season in April, among other races. None of the other horse racing betting sites offer Best Odds Guaranteed earlier than bet365 either with it available as soon as traders price up markets following final declarations.
Selected runners are pushed as Bet Boosts, while the ITV Racing & Feature Race 4/1 Offer gives you a free hit at the next qualifying event. The bet365 Price Promises sees them match their rivals in terms of the horse racing betting odds on all events broadcast on terrestrial TV. Their Each Way Extra promotion gives you the option of additional places too.
With a great reputation for free horse racing live streaming, bet365 also pay First Past the Post and on any amended results. As they’re very active in overseas regions, their coverage of international races including Australia and New Zealand is superb. As horse racing bookies go, bet365 will give any of the competition a run for their money.
Nicknamed “The Bonus King”, Betfred are a familiar presence as High Street horse racing bookmakers in the UK. Previously partners with the Tote, this particular sport has always been something they’ve like sponsoring, especially a competitive handicap. Betfred go Best Odds Guaranteed after 8am on racedays, while they also offer more Extra Place Races than any of their rivals.
That’s some serious commitment to attracting Each Way betting. Betfred have even been known to still pay out on three places in races with just six or seven runners. Fred’s Pushes extend to horse racing and such Price Boosts are part of a regular raft of specials. There is also live commentaries and streams from all UK and Irish racecourses you can access.
We’ll have more on Betfred’s All Correct Bonuses below, but they also pay a winnings percentage consolation One Winner Bonus on combination and system bets. You can also get a Free Bet if 2nd on selected races. Betfred are horse racing bookmakers to be taken very seriously indeed. They’re among the leading horse racing betting sites in the British Isles for obvious reasons.
BoyleSports don’t have a monopoly as top Irish horse racing bookies by any means. Who could forget about Paddy Power, the cheeky bookmakers from the Emerald Isle? They’re among the sponsors of horse racing events at Cheltenham, and make the most of that high-profile racecourse to further their interests in the UK. They are also ITV Racing sponsors at the time of writing, so have a clear presence in Britain.
Power Prices offering enhanced odds Wins, Doubles, Treble and Distance bets are common on their sportsbook. In a recent controversial move, Paddy Power only offer Best Odds Guaranteed on selected UK and Irish hose racing meetings from 8am on racedays. With Extra Place Races and Paddy’s Rewards Club, where you can qualify for Power Up odds boosts, £5 and £10 free bets for the following week depending on how many wagers you place, there’s something for every punter.
Paddy Power horse racing betting deals also include Money Back as a Free Bet on selected events too. While their PR campaigns and publicity stunts push boundaries, this is one bookie you can take seriously on the sport of kings. Many of the other leading horse racing betting sites would love to have the interest that Paddy Power garners with its antics.
As one of the major High Street horse racing bookies, William Hill are major players in the industry. This sport has always been a big part of their sponsorship portfolio, although the races they partner with often change from year to year. Hills are they’re known for short provide punters with a daily Bet Boost to increase the odds of any horse you like.
They also have Extra Place Races every day, plus Best Odds Guaranteed coming into effect from 10am on racedays. You can also Pick Your Places by taking fewer or more than industry standard place terms on Each Way betting. William Hill’s Top Price Guarantee, meanwhile, sees them match their major competition in terms of the horse racing betting odds on major races.
You won’t find any more established horse racing betting sites out there than this one. Through Betting TV, there is free live streaming of many UK racecourses without the need to place a bet. It’s enough to be logged in to watch. William Horse racing betting is a centrepiece of their online offering. They used to call it “The Home of Betting” with very good reason.
One thing all top horse racing betting sites have to offer are lots of different markets. You should find all of the below types of bets available for when you want to take a punt:
If you want to keep gambling on the horses simple, then win only wagers are for you. This is exactly what it says on the tin. You’re betting on the chosen horse to be the Winner of the race as single bets.
As mentioned above, an Each Way bet sees punters back a horse for both a win and a place. The unit stake doubles. This means £5 Each Way becomes £10 gambled in total. The number of runners and type of race determine the place terms and fraction of outright win odds paid by horse racing betting sites with standards set as follows:
With Place bets, it’s all about whether or not the horse backed finishes within a certain number of places. In theory, the market on two places offered by horse racing bookmakers should be more attractive than the prices for three (or four) places as there’s a smaller chance of runners coming first or second than third (or fourth).
If you want to be in advance of final declarations, which take place around 48 hours before a horse race in the UK and Ireland, then check out ante post horse racing betting odds. There are some positives and negatives with gambling this far in the future, and they’re worth weighing up before punters take the plunge:
There are particular horses in certain races where it’s not a matter of if they’ll win but by how far? That’s where Distance betting comes in. Winning margins in horse racing are measured in lengths, i.e. the length of a racehorse’s body in these increments from smallest to largest:
Provided the horse you back wins by at least the distance specified in the bet, then the bookies pay it out as a winner. If it fails to win by that far, then you’ve lost regardless of whether or not it’s First Past the Post. Be careful with Distance betting, because jockeys don’t always want to rout their rivals, especially in handicaps.
When you fancy a particular horse to beat another runner in a race, that’s what they call Match betting. Also called Head-to-Heads, these wagers just concern the finishing order of the two horses involved. In other words, your fancy doesn’t need to win the race, just be home in front of the other runner.
If you take the market leader out of some horse racing events, then the markets becomes very interesting. It may be easier to find value Without the Favourite. All of the best online horse racing betting sites UK punters use include this bet type. Without the Favourite works in that the bookies must pay out if your horse wins the race or finishes second to the market leader.
Why not combine two horses to win different races in the same bet? That is what they call a Double. These wagers need both selections to win (although you can also have Each Way Doubles) for the bet to pay out. The odds from the two horses are multiplied together, giving you much bigger returns (and profits) than if you backed them for individual wins.
Finding three horses and backing them all to win in one wager is even better than two. That’s what you do with Trebles. Again, the odds for each leg must win for the bet to pay returns and prices get multiplied. Trebles require even more luck (or skill) than Doubles to pull off of course.
The growth of Accumulators, or accas for short, isn’t just down to football but horse racing betting sites as well. Traditionally, four or more selections on the same betlsip all to win, these are even more difficult to get right than Trebles. Accumulators, well accumulate, meaning you can make massive profits off very small stakes.
Accas can be pretty risky, so UK horse racing bookies also offer what they call Combination and System bets. These combine Singles and/or Doubles, Trebles and Accumulators using the same selections. With such wagers, a return is paid if at least one or two horses win on the track. Here is a handy list of all the main Combination and System bets out there:
With so many wagers in Combination and System bets, the unit stake soon spirals out of control. It needs to be your lucky day to win even some of the smaller types available, so gambling tiny amounts in search of that massive payoff is strongly advised.
You also have the option of betting on two (or more) horses in the same race. Whether you specify which will finish first and second or not, these are called Forecasts. A Straight Forecast is where you give a set order for the horses. It’s known as a Reverse Forecast (also known as a Quinella) if going for any order, where the unit stake doubles.
Building on a Forecast, the Tricast involves three (or more) horses to come first, second or third in the same race. This is rare on horse racing betting sites unless there are small fields, because of the high degree of difficulty. Tricasts and Forecasts are more commonly associated with pool betting and pari-mutuel wagers, where they’re called Exactas and Trifectas, rather than regular fixed odds gambling.
Like any other sport, horse racing bookmakers online know it’s tempting to offer long-term specials or markets that go across an entire meeting or season. From whether all the SP favourites will be beaten, to aggregate winning margins and who will be champion jockey and trainer, there is something to interest every punter. Keep a lookout for horse racing specials.
Promotions are pretty important as, in the minds of most punters, they are the only distinguishing feature between horse racing betting sites that really matters. The kind of deals available can ultimately decide when and where you place your wagers. Our experts show you some of the most common horse racing betting offers and then highlight some interesting specific examples:
You can get stakes returned as a free bet up to £10 if your horse falls in certain races or at selected meetings on QuinnBet. This is one of many horse racing betting offers they have. There must be a minimum of six runners in the hurdle race or steeplechase, and only fallers count. This promotion doesn’t cover when horses are brought down or unseat their rider. Fallers Insurance applies to straight Win wagers and the Win part of Each Way bets only. Further terms and conditions apply.
If a £5 free bet bonus once a week for finding a winner on the horses at odds of 3/1 (4.00) or greater appeals, then you’ll just love the 10bet “Catch of the Day” deal. Simply wager £25 or more on any horse at that minimum price as a Win single, and you’ll receive a fiver in bonus funds on top of your winnings. Free bet token valid for seven days. This promotion is available once per week per customer, and other T&Cs apply.
For those punters brave enough to try their luck on combination and system bets, the All Correct Bonuses deal from Betfred awards winnings bonuses. These are in cash and increasing percentages depending on the type of wager placed. For Yankees and Lucky 15s, the award is 10%. With Canadians and Lucky 31s, it doubles to 20%. Heinz bets and Lucky 63s, meanwhile, have 25% paid on top. All selections must run for the offer to count. Full T&Cs apply.
In a sport like this, there are lots of horse racing betting terms and jargon that has developed down the decades. This can be a little off-putting to newcomers who don’t know the lingo. Here at BettingSitesReviewed, we’re happy to help you learn. This is our glossary of horse racing betting terms and jargon that every punter needs to know:
Any horse racing that takes place on artificial surface is referred to as being on the All-Weather. These can be at venues where there is also a turf track. Chelmsford City, Kempton Park, Lingfield Park, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton are the current All-Weather racecourses in the UK.
A piece of headgear that blinkers the horse’s view of others whilst running. These are more severe than cheekpieces.
Another piece of headgear that helps horses concentrate in their races. These aren’t quite so severe as blinkers.
A male horse who remains entire between the ages of two and four is called a colt.
The Classics are five special historic horse races designed with the future of thoroughbred bloodstock in mind. Only colts and/or fillies aged three can run in these. The five British Classics in chronological order throughout the Flat turf season are the 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, The Oaks and The Derby at Epsom, and the St Leger at Doncaster. These are over different distances, getting longer as the year progresses.
Any horse race that isn’t a handicap is called a Conditions race. These have set criteria detailing which horses can run, sometimes using ratings ceilings and applying penalties for winning at a certain level or within a set timeframe.
Any female horse between the ages of two to four is called a filly.
Horse races in the UK are measured in furlongs. This is equivalent to an eighth of a mile or 220 yards.
A male horse of any age that has been gelded, i.e. is no longer entire, is called a gelding.
Horse races where the weights are determined by the rating of an official assessment body are called handicaps. The highest rated horse carries the heaviest weight, and the amount allotted to others is relative to that based on differences in ratings.
A piece of headgear either used in the preliminaries or in the race as well to help a horse settle. Red hoods are used if it just to aid horses on their way to the start.
Any Flat thoroughbred regardless of gender aged two is a juvenile. In the National Hunt code, this means something quite different. A horse racing over hurdles in the season where it transitions from being a three-year-old to a four-year-old is also called a juvenile.
Any female horse aged five and upwards is known as a mare.
When a horse is withdrawn from a race following final declarations, this is referred to as a Non-Runner.
The abbreviation for Starting Price, the SP is the odds that a horse is sent off for a race at. In a curious quirk of expression, they refer to horses being returned (from the race) at a Starting Price.
Another piece of headgear, lying between a hood and cheekpieces that helps narrow a horse’s view of what goes on around them in a race. This can also aid concentration.
Whether it’s one of the new horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with or an established old favourite, you need the most competitive prices. There are two betting promotions in particular that can help you here. Firstly, Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG), ensures you never miss SP if a horse drifts to a bigger price than the one you took.
Secondly, look out for Price Promises. These are instances when online horse racing bookmakers offer the industry best or leading odds for a particular event. This pledge may be because they sponsor it. When it comes to BOG, these are three of the best British and Irish bookies out there:
Part of the process of having horse racing betting explained to you is finding out about the big races. These are by no means confined to the UK and Ireland, with important, prestigious and valuable contests held all around the world. The table below contains contains the main events that all horse racing betting sites should cover if they have anything about them:
Horse Race or Meeting
Country
Course
Distance
Type
Month
Pegasus World Cup
USA
Gulfstream Park
1,800m
Dirt
January
Saudi Cup
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
1,800m
Dirt
February
Cheltenham Festival
UK
Cheltenham
Various
Turf
March
Dubai World Cup
UAE
Meydan
2,000m
Dirt
March
Grand National
UK
Aintree
6,907m
Turf
April
Kentucky Derby
USA
Churchill Downs
2,000m
Dirt
May
Royal Ascot
UK
Ascot
Various
Turf
June
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
France
Longchamp
2,400m
Turf
October
Breeders Cup
USA
Varies annually
Various
Both
November
Melbourne Cup
Australia
Flemington
3,200m
Turf
November
They call the Cheltenham Festival the Olympics of jumps horse racing. Currently held over four days in the middle of March, although that may be expanded to five in the coming years, this is the premier National Hunt meeting in the whole of the British Isles. Racehorses have their entire season geared towards Cheltenham and performing at their peak on this grand stage in races including the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
All horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with know about the special status that the Grand National holds with the British public. At one stage, two-thirds of all adults were taking a punt on the world’s most famous steeplechase. Held in April at Aintree Racecourse nearly Liverpool, the Grand National has the biggest field of any horse race in the UK. Capped at 40 runners, Each Way betting is not only advised but encouraged.
Across the pond in the USA, no other horse racing event holds a candle to the Kentucky Derby, Nicknamed “the run for the Roses”, Churchill Downs in the Bluegrass State becomes the centre of the sports world on the first Saturday in May. The very best three-year-old thoroughbreds race on dirt here with the Kentucky Derby inspired by the English equivalent established long before on Epsom Downs.
The royal meeting at Ascot held over five days in the middle of June is the top Flat horse racing meeting in Europe. With eight Group 1 races across the cards, thoroughbreds come from all over the world to compete in front of royalty. Royal Ascot will have a new sovereign presiding over in 2023 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a huge supporter of the sport and active owner-breeder, and the end of her 70-year reign. You can bet on events like Queen Anne Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Commonwealth Cup and Platinum Jubilee Stakes at this meeting among others.
No global horse racing betting guide would be complete without mentioning “the race that stops a nation”. That’s no idle boast either. The Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington on the edge of the city on the first Tuesday in November, is the world’s richest Flat staying handicap. Thoroughbreds head Down Under from across the globe to compete in the race. Punters will want Extra Places on a race as hotly competitive as the Melbourne Cup, that’s for sure.
There is more than just horse racing betting sites to consider these days with mobile apps equally important. As a real revolution in mobile technology has occurred over the last 25 years, the ways in which you can wager have as well. There are now betting apps for your smartphone and tablet. A top horse racing betting app needs to offer a streamlined gambling experience where it’s easy to get your bets on.
Besides having all the usual horse racing betting odds and offers, making deposits and withdrawals in just a few taps is also important. The best horse racing betting apps are also available for both iOS and Android operating systems, so it doesn’t matter what type of smartphone or tablet you have. This emphasis on gambling on the go fits with the rapid nature of the fastest horse races. Here is our experts’ recommended horse racing betting app today:
Live streams are something all of the best horse racing bookmakers provide for punters. The very top ones will make this free for anyone logged in to their account, but others require a small qualifying bet to be placed on the race before you can watch it. The table below has more on horse racing live streaming options with leading online bookies:
Horse Racing Bookies
Horse Racing Live Streaming Details
Countries Offered
QuinnBet
Free to view with funded account
UK, Ireland, Australia, France, New Zealand, USA
BoyleSports
£1 minimum qualifying bet on any race
UK, Ireland, Australia, France, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, USA
888sport
Free to view with funded account
UK, Ireland, Australia, France, USA
LiveScore Bet
Free to view with funded account except for Ireland
UK, Ireland, France, South Africa, USA
bet365
Free to view with funded account or bet in last 24 hours
UK, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, India, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, USA
As mentioned earlier, all of the leading horse racing betting sites will give you a choice of payment methods. This applies more to funding your gambling with deposits to your account than when you want to withdraw any winnings. These are the most popular and common options available:
Although we’ve touched on strategies and systems you can use on UK horse racing betting sites already, other helpful hints are always handy. No approach to gambling will suit every type of punter, so we’ve got one more set of advice for your reference. Perhaps one or other of these general horse racing betting tips will prove useful to you:
Just like when you bet on football, horse racing form can play a big part in Events. It is only a guide to what has gone before, but one of the few solid facts you have to base your betting on. Sometimes, the form book goes out the window, but that doesn’t make studying it worthless. You’re more likely to make better betting decisions more often by knowing what a horse has done than by ignoring it.
There are lots of so-called industry experts and insiders out there. While they don’t always agree, finding instances where respected tipsters have a consensus of opinion is an indicator that the horse in question could well be worth betting on. No expert is right all the time but, if they’re correct in their analysis more often than not, it could pay to follow them in the long run.
We’ve talked a lot about horse racing betting offers on this page. You can and should take full advantage of them. If there are Extra Place races available with horse racing bookmakers UK punters use and you have an Each Way fancy, then make the most of it. Money Back as Free Bet deals, meanwhile, can also help mitigate potential losses. These offers are there to attract you, so capitalise on them now.
If there’s one central piece of advice running through a sensible approach to gambling on horse racing betting sites, then it’s looking for Each Way wagers. Remember, you can still turn a profit without the horse winning a race through such bets. While you don’t get the same satisfaction as an outright win, it’s better than losing and can build your betting account balance steadily if done correctly.
All horse racing betting sites will have terms and conditions attached to their offers. There’s always going to be some small print and wagering requirements with the deals they provide. We can help you with what to expect when it comes to T&Cs. Check out these common ones:
That is the end of our comprehensive guide to horse racing betting sites in the UK. You now know what the top horse racing bookmakers in the land, what they have to offer and how to bet effectively. You’re hopefully leaving better informed than when you started reading! This is the number choice among all horse racing bookies, according to our experts: