Racebook Guide: The Top Betting Sites for Online Horse Racing
Horse race betting provides bettors with an unbridled experience with many opportunities to make picks on the best steeds in the business. Because of the immense popularity of playing the ponies, sportsbooks usually have an entire section devoted to it.
Whether you’re betting on Triple Crown events or want to make bets on whatever’s going on daily at different horse racing tracks, it can be hard to know which sportsbook to choose. Consider Odds Shark your lucky horseshoe because this page will show you which sites are hot to trot, what to look for in an online racebook and how to understand horse racing odds.
Bovada Racebook
One of the best horse racing betting sites around, Bovada is the Secretariat of racebooks. Geared to bettors of all levels, you’ll find odds and lines on everything from the Kentucky Derby to Del Mar and Saratoga. Available in English and Spanish, you’ll love making your picks at this book due to how easy the site is to navigate. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind betting experience, this is the racing site for you.
- 50% Welcome Bonus
- Bet on Props and Head-to-Heads
- All Major US Tracks Covered
BetOnline Racebook
No list of the best horse racing gambling sites would be complete without a mention of BetOnline. Offering a wide range of exotic bets, this racebook is perfect for novices and seasoned pros. With clean graphics and daily races available for bettors, this is the go-to book for those looking for a simple and fun gambling experience.
GTBets Racebook
Horse racing at GTBets is where you’ll find both high and low betting limits, and a great monthly rebate on losses. Without fancy graphics or a cluttered interface, bettors are treated to a fun wagering experience that caters to ace horse racing enthusiasts and beginners looking to bet on their first Kentucky Derby.
5Dimes Racebook
Without any bells and whistles, 5Dimes has become one of the more popular horse racing sites around. They offer not one, but two different racebooks which gives keen bettors a chance to wager with different bankroll benefits. There’s the Rebate giving you up to 9% rebates on your daily equestrian bets and the Plus 10% which provides track odds plus 10%.
Online Horse Betting Sites Checklist
When we evaluate racebooks – aka sportsbooks for betting on horse races online – we look at everything from how they display on mobile devices to their free bet offerings. The betting sites that we recommend have everything on our list.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Before you rein in your bets, you’ll need to fund your account. This is easily done with credit cards (AMEX, MasterCard, Visa), e-wallets (Neteller, PayPal, Skrill), debit, and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Litecoin).
When you win big like Seabiscuit, you can withdraw your funds or leave them in your account to bet with in the future. Some sites let you collect your money using the same method you used for deposit. Others will mail you a paper check or e-transfer your loot. The time it takes to get your money can range from a few hours to a few business days, unless you use Bitcoin, which is instantaneous.
Bonuses and Customer Service
There’s no such thing as a risk-free bet, but there are free bets. The racebooks we recommend like to reward their bettors with a stable of extras. When you sign up for these sites, you’ll be offered a welcome bonus. This will match your initial deposit up to a certain percentage. For example, if you were to add $300 to your account and got a bonus of 50 percent, you’d get an additional $150 to play with. Rewards like this will help you grow your bankroll and help enhance your overall online gambling experience.
We believe you should look a gift horse in the mouth and take advantage of the rewards offered. However, you should read the terms and conditions associated with each offer. There may be certain requirements that must be met before you can claim your bonus.
In terms of customer service, the racebooks we recommend provide their clients with contact options available 24-7, like email, phone and live chat. Should something go wrong with your account, you want to get it resolved quickly.
Triple Crown Odds and More
The horse racing sites we mention here are studs providing action on all the big races like the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. You’ll also see odds for the Breeders’ Cup, events at Santa Anita and pretty much any other competitions on the schedule throughout the year.
Smartphones, Tablets and Compatibility
Unless you have the luxury of attending the Derby or have an OTB in your neck of the woods, you’ll likely be betting from your mobile phone. Our favorite racebooks are easy to use on any device. They are compatible with Apple and Android products and you get the same betting experience whether you’re using your laptop, desktop or hand-held device.
Horse Betting Options
When it comes to wagering on horse races, there are many betting types you can make. Each one offers an exciting chance to win big bucks.
Win, Place, Show
Similar to the moneyline in other sports, win, place, show bets let you pick one horse over the others. The difference between a straight-up bet in racing vs one for football is you can choose a charger to win, come in second (place) or third (show). In the NFL you can’t pick a team to finish second – although, it would be nice.
Horse Matchup
With so many horses to choose from, it can be hard to pick one to bet on. A matchup bet narrows down the field, giving you the chance to choose between two horses instead of every single one in the race. To make this kind of bet, you need to decide which of the two stallions will finish ahead of the other. It doesn’t matter if either horse wins the race, it only matters if they beat the other one.
Future Wagering
A futures bet requires you to pick a winner weeks or even months before the race takes place. This is akin to betting on a potential Super Bowl champion in October and having that squad actually win the big game in February. If you can correctly forecast which horse will take a Triple Crown event before it happens, you could see yourself the proud owner of a huge payout.
Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 6
In the same vein as a parlay, this is a group of racing bets. A Pick 3 requires you to select the winner of three races in a row, while a Pick 4 requires you to predict four successive winners. A Pick 6 is for the more advanced bettor because you need to guess the outcome of six consecutive races.
For novices, we suggest making a daily double bet. The stakes aren’t as high with this kind of wager since you only need to pick the winner in two sequential races. Once you get more familiar with betting on horses, you can move on to harder bets.
Exacta Bets
To place an exacta bet, you will need to predict the top two finishers in a race in the correct order. A more sophisticated version of this bet is a trifecta in which you’ll need to guess the first-, second- and third-place horses in the right order.
You can also make a quinella bet which requires you to select two horses to finish first and second. Unlike the exotic bets mentioned above, you don’t need the horses to finish in the precise order, thus lowering the stakes.
With so many websites for online horse betting jockeying for your business, it can be hard to determine which one to choose. If you select any of the sites from our list, you’re getting a thoroughbred.
Racebook FAQ
What is the Triple Crown in horse racing betting?
The Triple Crown consists of three horse races: The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Any horse that wins all three races is the Triple Crown winner. You can bet on each race individually or on one horse to win all three.
How do I bet on the Triple Crown?
We’ve put together a comprehensive tutorial that shows you how to bet on the Triple Crown. Check it out and learn the type of horse racing bets you can make and how to make them.