Legal Online Horse Racing Betting - US Horse Racing Betting Sites

Online horse racing betting is legal in most US states. In fact, licensed horse racing betting sites in the USA have agreements in place with local tracks that allow fans across the country to watch live simulcast races and bet on races held around the country.

All racebooks listed on BettingUSA.com are legal, licensed and operate in compliance with federal law in the USA.

Best Horse Racing Betting Sites and Apps

Rank

Betting Site

Bonus

Rating

Visit

Table Of Contents

On this page, BettingUSA.com discusses legal horse racing betting sites, bonuses and promotions, applicable horse racing laws, major horse racing events, how to bet on horse races and what all new fans need to know about getting started.

Online Horse Racing Betting Reviews

Strong regulations at the state level ensure a safe experience at licensed racing betting sites, but some online racebooks and horse betting apps stand above others when it comes to the number of tracks covered, wagering interface, handicapping tools and value of promotions.

The best horse betting sites cover hundreds of racetracks and have agreements in place with each track allowing online bettors access to each track’s pari-mutuel pools and live racing video.

Our horse racing reviews take these factors into consideration and present a straightforward overview of what you’ll find at reputable racing betting sites.

Horse Racing Betting Promotions

Horse racing betting sites use promotions and bonuses to compete for new business and to enhance marketing campaigns. Signing up for a mobile betting account almost always entails receiving a deposit bonus or some other monetary incentive designed to entice new customers.

Understanding how horse racing betting promotions work is important as no two promos are the same and all come with certain terms and conditions that impact their bottom-line value. In this section, BettingUSA will explain how horse racing promos work and what customers should know before they sign up.

Here’s a look at current signup promotions from leading racebooks:

AmWager Bonus: 10% Back for up to $500 Extra

New AmWager customers can claim a welcome bonus worth up to $500 over their first 30 days as a customer. The AmWager welcome promo offers a 10% cash back bonus on all win and exotic wagers placed for thirty days, meaning players can claim up to $500 based on their total wagering activity.

See more AmWager promos: www.AmWager.com

TVG.com Bonus: $200 Risk Free Bet

TVG welcomes all new customers with a $200 risk free bet. All new players who sign up for an account and place a real money wager on a single horse to win are refunded with a free bet worth up to $200 if their first wager loses.

See more TVG promos: www.TVG.com

TwinSpires.com Bonus: $100 Extra

TwinSpires offers all new customers up to $100 extra in return for signing up and placing real money wagers. New customers who sign up and wager at least $500 within 30 days are automatically credited with a $100 bonus.

See more TwinSpires promos: www.Twinspires.com

BetAmerica.com Bonus: 100% up to $100

BetAmerica offers new customers a 100% match deposit bonus worth up to $100. As an example, customers who sign up and make a first deposit of $50 are given an extra $50 on top of that as a welcome bonus. Customers who deposit $100 or more max out the bonus to get $100 extra.

See more BetAmerica promos: www.BetAmerica.com

States With Legal Horse Racing Betting Sites

Legal racing betting sites operate in most US states today aside from a handful of exceptions due to unclear or unfavorable laws. The following map displays where legal racing betting sites are available (blue) and where they are not (red).

Online Racing

Alabama

Alabama law does not specifically address online racing betting, but multiple ADWs offer their services to residents. Customers must be 18 older to participate in parimutuel wagering in Alabama.

Is Online Horse Racing Betting Legal in the USA?

Yes. Horse racing betting is legal at the federal level and in most US states.

Off-track betting (OTB) was first legalized in 1978 with the passage of the Interstate Horseracing Act. The act made it legal for horse racing venues to accept wagers at off-track locations provided that all wagers taken at OTB locations went directly to the prize pools of the tracks actually hosting races.

The act was amended by Congress in 2000 to specifically legalize wagers made over the telephone or “other electronic media.” This paved the way for the first legal horse racing websites and betting apps.

Online racing betting received further legal protections in 2006 when it was specifically exempted from a law (the UIGEA) passed that year intended to crack down on illegal online gambling. Shortly thereafter, the first US horse racing betting sites went live. Today, the majority of US states permit online horse racing betting.

Betting at licensed US racing sites contributes to the domestic racing industry because all wagers placed online are pooled with those taken at the track. This means that not only do you get paid at full track odds, but your business contributes to racing purses and the care of horses.

US horse betting sites are not limited to taking wagers on domestic races. Licensed racebooks are also permitted to accept bets on races held at tracks around the world.

Major Horse Racing Events

People bet money on horses year-round, but a big portion of betting action revolves around major horse racing events.

Kentucky Derby

When: First Saturday in May
Where: Louisville, Kentucky
Length: 1 and 1/4 miles

The Kentucky Derby is the single most celebrated event in all of horse racing and marks the start of Triple Crown season every year. The Derby has been held at Churchill Downs every year since 1875 and even non-horse racing fans dress up in flashy clothes and outlandish hats to celebrate. For those who can’t make it to Churchill Downs in Kentucky to watch the festivities in person, the odds are there’s a Kentucky Derby watch party not too far away.

Preakness Stakes

When: Third Saturday in May
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Length: 1 and 3/16 miles

After the Kentucky Derby is the Preakness. This race doesn’t draw as much of a crowd as the Kentucky Derby, but it’s still a massive event in its own right. This is also where you’ll start to see some of the drama that comes with the possibility of a Triple Crown. All eyes are on the winner of the Kentucky Derby.

Belmont Stakes

When: Three weeks after the Preakness
Where: Elmont, New York
Length: 1 and 1/2 miles

And the last leg of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes. At 1.5 miles long, this is the longest race in the series. This one is run three weeks after the Preakness and ranks somewhere in the top 5 in terms of attendance and viewership. However, this race becomes the biggest of them all whenever there is a horse that has taken 1^st in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, giving that horse a shot at the coveted Triple Crown title.

Kentucky Oaks

When: First Friday in May
Where: Louisville, Kentucky
Length: 1 and 1/8 miles

The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year at the same racetrack in Louisville. The Kentucky Oaks is an extremely popular race that regularly attracts a crowd of 100,000. The winner gets a share of the $600,000 purse and the famous garland of lilies, hence the phrase Lilies for the Fillies.

Breeders’ Cup

When: First weekend in November
Where: Varies
Length: Varies

The Breeders’ Cup is a series of 14 races held across a single weekend every November. This event is usually held at a different track in the United States each year. It is one of the most-watched events in horse racing, with more than $30,000,000 in prize money up for grabs.

The biggest event in the Breeders’ Cup is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is a 1.25 mile race worth $5,000,000. The smallest event in the series is worth $500,000; every other event is worth $1 million or more.

Travers Stakes

When: First weekend in November
Where: Varies
Length: Varies

Arlington Millions

When: Every August
Where: Arlington International Racecourse
Length: 1 and 1/4 miles

The appropriately named Arlington Million first ran in 1981 and immediately generated significant interest as it was the first horse race to boast a $1 million purse. The race regularly attracts some of the best runners in the world and serves as a feeder for the Breeders’ Cup. Winning the Arlington Million automatically qualifies the winner for the Breeders’ Cup.

Pegasus World Cup

When: Every January
Where: Gulfstream Park
Length: 1 and 1/8 miles

The Pegasus World Cup is one of the youngest races on the thoroughbred calendar and was at one point the richest race in the world. Purses have fallen since its first couple of runnings, but the Pegasus World Cup is still worth millions.

Pegasus World Cup Turf

When: Every January
Where: Gulfstream Park
Length: 1 and 3/16 miles

The Pegasus World Cup Turf accompanies the Pegasus World Cup every January as another big-money race with a $1 million purse. The big prize money on offer and organizers’ insistence on making this an entirely drug free race combine to set the stage for a highly competitive race each year.

Florida Derby

When: Every January
Where: Gulfstream Park
Length: 1 and 3/16 miles

Wood Memorial Stakes

When: Every January
Where: Gulfstream Park
Length: 1 and 3/16 miles

Arkansas Derby

When: Every January
Where: Gulfstream Park
Length: 1 and 3/16 miles

Santa Anita Handicap

When: Every March
Where: Santa Anita Park
Length: 1 and 1/4 miles

California’s Santa Anita Handicap is a key race for horses four and older with a storied history and purse worth more than half a million dollars. A spate of horse racing deaths at the track resulted in the 2019 edition of the Santa Anita Handicap being postponed and track officials implementing new safety standards such as limiting race-day medications.

Haskell Invitational

When: Every July
Where: Monmouth Park
Length: 1 and 1/8 miles

The Haskell Invitational is New Jersey’s biggest race of the year and one of the most important on the national calendar in general. Winning this race is a big deal for more than just the prize money; the winner is also presented with the coveted Haskell Invitational Trophy and a guaranteed spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Betting on The Triple Crown

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes comprise the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and collectively mark the high point of the racing betting season each year.

The Triple Crown kicks off each year with the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May.

The Derby is followed by the Preakness Stakes on the third Saturday of May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and this is where the racing world gets to see if here will be a Triple Crown contender as all eyes watch for the Kentucky Derby winner to achieve a repeat at Pimlico.

The third and final Triple Crown event is the Belmont Stakes, held on the third Saturday following the Preakness Stakes. If one horse wins all three events, a Triple Crown winner is crowned for having achieved one of the most difficult feats in all of horse racing.

The pinnacle of horse racing glory is to win all three events in the Triple Crown. It is exceedingly difficult to win a Triple Crown because every race is of a different length, and horses typically fare better at some lengths than at others.

Add to that the fact that every horse only gets one chance ever to win, combined with the grueling schedule involved in winning three races in short order, and it is no surprise Triple Crown winners are a rare thing indeed.

How Horse Racing Betting Works

This is your primer guide for placing all types of bets and wagers on horse races. The bets outlined below can be placed in-person and online via websites and mobile horse racing betting apps. The best way to get started is to try basic straight bets at first. As you become comfortable with how it all works, you can progress up to more complex wagers.

Before we get into each type of bet, I’d like to give you a general overview of how the betting system works with horses. Horse wagering is classified as a form of “parimutuel wagering.” This is a little different than sports betting, so read closely if you’re new to horse betting.

In parimutuel betting, all bets on a specific race are pooled together. The racetrack then sets aside a percentage of that pool to keep for its own income and operating expenses. This is called the “vig.” This system ensures that the racetrack earns its money regardless of the outcome.

The percentage taken out of the pool varies depending on the track and type of bet placed. Generally, you can expect to see a vig of anywhere from 15% to 30%.

After the vig is taken out, the rest of the money in the pool is used to pay out the winners. The payouts in a horse race change in real time up until the start of the race. As new wagers are collected, the offered payouts change to account for the new betting action.

This is why favored horses offer lower payouts. More people tend to bet on the favorite, so when the favorite wins, the portion of the pool assigned to that horse has to be split up among more people. When a longshot horse wins, there tend to be fewer people backing that horse, so each bettor collects more winnings.

Types of Bets and Wagers

There are all kinds of different bets that can be placed on a single race. The general rule is that the more difficult the bet is to win, the higher it pays. For example, a straight bet on a single horse to win pays pretty well, but a bet on the exact finishing order of the top 3 horses pays even better.

Here are the most common types of horse racing bets and wagers:

Straight Bets

There are three different types of straight bets. These wagers are pretty simple and act as a good starting point for newbies.

Win: This is a bet on a single horse to take 1^st place
Place: A bet on a single horse to take either 1^st or 2^nd place
Show: A bet on a single place to take 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd place

Exotic Bets

Exotic bets are more complicated than straight bets. In an exotic bet, you make multiple picks that include more than one horse and maybe even more than one race.

Exacta: A bet on two horses to take 1^st and 2^nd place. Your horses must finish in that exact order to win
Quinella: A bet on two horses to take 1^st and 2^nd but the order doesn’t matter
Trifecta: A bet on three horses to take 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in that exact order
Superfecta: A bet on four horses to take 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th place in that exact order
Daily Double: A bet in which you pick the 1^st place finishers of two different races
Pick 3: A bet in which you pick the 1^st place finishers of three consecutive races
Pick 4: A bet in which you pick the 1^st place finishers of four consecutive races

Boxing Horses

Boxing comes in handy when you know that a few horses are solid favorites, but aren’t sure which order they will finish. You can “box” these horses to cover every possibility.

Quinella Box: You pick three horses and you will win if any two of those horses finish in 1^st and 2^nd place. A quinella box on horses #3, #4 and #5 would cover all possible outcomes: 3-4, 3-5, 4-3, 4-5, 5-3 and 5-4.

You can also box exactas, trifectas and superfectas in this manner.

Keying Horses

You can key horses when you have a strong feeling that one horse will finish first but you aren’t as sure about the horses that will take 2^nd and 3^rd place. In other words, you have one “key” horse picked to win the race and a few other horses that will come in after that one.

So let’s say you make a $1 trifecta key of #1 over #2, #3 and #4. In this example, you need the #1 horse to win, and then any of the other three horses to finish in 2^nd and 3^rd place in no particular order.

Getting Started

Now that you have a grip on the basics of horse betting, you can apply that knowledge to betting on the internet. In practice, it’s basically the same idea. The only difference is that instead of talking to a cashier at the racetrack, you select your wagers onscreen using your mouse and keyboard.

1. Create and Fund Your Betting Account

The first thing you’ll have to do to bet online is sign up for an account at a legal horse racing site (see the legal betting sites recommended near the top of this page). All you have to do is visit the race betting site of your choice, click one of the big “join now” buttons and fill out the new account form. It should be pretty self-explanatory.

The next step is to fund your account. You do so by logging in to your account at your betting site and then hitting the “deposit” link in your account area. If you have never made a deposit before, you’ll probably get a pop-up asking you to deposit.

Then, you can choose from a number of deposit methods:

Wire transfer
Credit cards and debit cards
Check or money order
E-Check
Green Dot Moneypak

Note: The Green Dot Moneypak is a type of prepaid voucher that you can purchase at stores like Wal Mart and Walgreens. You pay cash for the Moneypak and then redeem that Moneypak online by typing in the unique number on the back of the card. Basically, it’s an easy way to fund your account with cash.

2. Place Your Bets

After you have an account funded with money, you can begin placing your wagers. Click on the “bet now” button and this will take you to an area that shows a list of all the tracks supported by your betting site. Click on the name of a track and then you’ll see a list of upcoming races and the horses competing in each race.

Every betting site does it a little differently but in general, you will see a screen that allows you to select your bet amount, the type of bet and the horses that will be competing. As you make your selections, you should see a bet slip that shows a summary of your current bet. You will also have the option to box and key your horses at this time.

When you think you have your bet all set up, you’ll see a “verify” or “submit” button near the bet summary box. Hit that button and then it will ask you one more time if you’re sure this is the bet you wish to place. If everything looks good, click the confirm button and your bet will go live.

After you submit your bet, you can go back and place more wagers, watch the race live on the website or go about your day as usual. The website will track your bet and pay out your winnings if applicable. If any of your wagers are winners, the racebook will instantly credit your account with the money. You can then cash out your winnings or use them to place more wagers.

Greyhound Betting

Most people think of horses when they think of “racing betting,” but greyhounds remain an option as well. Online greyhound betting is governed by different rules than horse racing, but the basic idea is the same. In states that allow online greyhound betting, fans are free to go online and bet on dog races just the same as they can bet on horse races.

You can read more about the state of greyhound betting and how it works at the following link:

Greyhound Betting in the USA

Racing Betting FAQ

Below are answers to frequently asked questions related to greyhound and horse racing.

Is racing betting legal in states that don’t have active racetracks?

Yes. Numerous states no longer have active racetracks but still allow residents to bet on races held in other states over the internet.

What is the minimum age to bet on races online?

Most states establish a minimum age of 18 to bet on horse or greyhound races online with the exceptions being Alabama (19+) and Texas (21+).

What is the difference between the morning line and the actual odds?

The first odds to be posted for any particular race are the morning line odds, often abbreviated as ML. A track oddsmaker determines the morning line by comparing the horses slated to run and his or her expectation of the public betting action.

There are two important things to keep in mind when dealing with morning line odds. First of all, the morning line is not necessarily a reflection of the oddsmaker’s actual opinion. The oddsmaker’s primary goal is to predict how the public will bet. Secondly, the ML only serves as a rough estimate. As wagers start coming in, the odds will change to reflect the betting action.

The actual odds are what the odds actually are at any given time based on public action. Remember, dog and horse racing are parimutuel activities. That means the payout odds are determined by the amount of money wagered on each horse. After a horse is declared the winner, the pool is split among all people who backed that horse.

To recap: the morning line odds are an estimated of what the oddsmaker thinks will happen that day based on the relative strengths of each horse and anticipated wagering activity. Actual odds are what you actually get paid after all the wagers have been taken in.

The upside to parimutuel wagering is that it does not put you in direct competition against a highly-skilled oddsmaker. The sportsbook does not care who wins any given race because it receives its commission regardless of the outcome. The downside is that you never really know for sure what the final odds will be until after the race begins.

How does parimutuel wagering work?

The basic idea of parimutuel wagering is that patrons bet with one another rather than against the house. To put it simply, all wagers taken on a particular race are pooled together, the house takes a cut of the pool as commission and the rest is paid back out to the winning bettors.

Let’s use an example to illustrate how this works. Note that this is a very simplified example, but it depicts the concept in action.

Imagine a simple 3-horse race with the following amounts bet on each horse to win:

Horse A: $100
Horse B: $200
Horse C: $300

The total betting pool is $600. Now, let’s say the racetrack enforces a 10% “take” (a.k.a. commission). That leaves us with a total pool of $540.

Now, let’s say Horse A wins the race. A total of $540 would be split evenly among the backers of Horse A. Every $1 wagered on that horse would receive $5.40 in payouts.

Now, imagine Horse B wins the race. The $540 pool would be split evenly among the backers of that horse. Because more money was bet on Horse B, every $1 wagered on that horse would receive $2.70 in payouts.

How can I tell which racing betting sites are legal in my state?

Not all horse and greyhound racing sites serve the exact same list of states. The licensing requirements vary from state to state, and not all betting sites have chosen to acquire licenses in the exact same set of states.

The easiest way to see which betting sites operate where you live is to see our state pages here. Each state page provides an up-to-date list of sites that are licensed in that state. Alternatively, you can always just try signing up at one of the major racing betting sites. They’ll let you know early in the registration process if players from your state are not accepted.

What does “ADW” refer to?

ADW is short for “advance-deposit wagering” and refers to betting sites or betting shops that require bettors to fund their accounts prior to placing wagers. In other words, ADW requires you to pay for your bet at the time it is placed as opposed to being able to wager on credit with a shop that settles accounts at the end of the month.

All racing betting sites and most phone betting operations are operated in the ADW format. You might be able to deposit with a credit card at a betting site, but the site itself will not lend you credit.

What does “OTB” refer to?

OTB is short for “off-track betting.” As the phrase implies, it refers to placing wagers while not physically present at the racetrack. In most cases, you’ll see OTB used in reference to small betting shops that accept wagers on a variety of in-state and out-of-state races.

Did Florida vote to end greyhound betting?

Not exactly. Florida voters approved Amendment 13 in the 2018 midterm elections to outlaw exactly two activities:

Hosting greyhound races in Florida
Betting on greyhound races held in Florida

Florida residents may still bet on greyhound races held in other states through online betting sites. Greyhound racing is definitely an industry in decline, but Floridians do still have the ability to bet on races held in other states. Horse racing is still alive and well in Florida.

Is horse racing gambling a declining industry?

Major horse racing events draw impressive crowds to this day, but the sport as a whole has experienced a slow, steady decline over the past couple of decades. Betting handle is down significantly since the 1970s and many horse racing tracks are suffering financially.

One can point to a variety of reasons for the decline. Americans have more gambling options, other sports have grown in popularity, it’s easier to sit at home and watch TV and so on. Today, you can get the general public to tune in to the Kentucky Derby, but other races tend to be the realm of serious horse racing fans.

Racetracks first looked into adding other gambling games to their premises as a way to bump up revenues. We can see this with state legislatures finally opening to the idea of racinos and slot machines. The tracks that have managed to add slots have benefitted greatly from the new income.

Likewise, tracks are depending more and more on off-track betting – specifically internet betting. The horse racing industry still holds considerable clout in politics, and that is probably one reason why horse racing received a carve-out from the UIGEA in 2006.

Online betting benefits the tracks directly, and it gives smaller tracks access to a much wider audience. This additional betting handle is a huge benefit to the industry, but we still have a long way to go before we see horse racing reach anything near its glory days of years past.

Accessibility has done wonders for increasing revenues, but the industry still has a long way to go. There are still concerns about PEDs, inhumane horse treatment, risks to racehorses and life for horses after racing. If the industry can combat these issues and improve the industry’s reputation, there is plenty of room to grow.

Internet racebooks and mobile horse racing betting apps aren’t the end-all solutions to horse racing’s financial woes, but they do help. Combine that with unique marketing strategies, such as what Churchill Downs has accomplished over the past few years, and there are bright spots in the future.

Horse Racing Betting in the USA