Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in 2023

Theo

There is one thing that all horse racing punters can agree on – horse racing betting is always much more enjoyable when you are backing winners. This is why pages like this, that help you find winning wagers are so important to bettors.

We do this, as well as giving you a list of the top UK horse racing sites. You’ll also find out where you can watch horse racing live, where you can access live betting on horse racing and who has the best betting apps for horse racing.

7 Best Horse Racing Bookmakers

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets Gift image
Payment methods
astropay bank_transfer bank_wire boku bpay cheque 24+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
5
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Open Account Offer

 

    • Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30* in Bet Credits. Once released your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable
    • To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
    • Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    • Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
      – Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
      – In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
      – Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
      – Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
      – Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
    • Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    •  Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
    •  The code CD365 doesn’t change the welcome offer.

*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

#ad

Terms&Conditions
Open account offerNew Customers OnlyBet £10 & Get £30 in free betsSign-up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in free bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settledFree Bets are paid as Bet CreditsMin odds/bet and payment method exclusions applyReturns exclude Bet Credits stakeTime limits and T&Cs apply.18+ begambleaware.org • #ad*or currency equivalent
LeoVegas Sport
4/5
100% up to £100 Profit Boost Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay astropay boleto_bancario ecopayz idebit instadebit 14+
Withdrawal time
2-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Up to £100 Extra Winnings on your first LeoVegas SPORT bet.

  • The maximum bet is £10 on odds of 2.0 (1/1) or higher.
  • Only applies to first qualifying bet.
  • Should you place a combination bet the total odds must be 2.0 (1/1) or higher.
  • The qualifying bet must be placed with real funds.
  • Skrill/Neteller deposits do not qualify.
  • The qualifying bet has to be placed within 7 days from the first deposit.
  • 18+, New Customers Only.
Terms&Conditions
New customers only. Deposit £10 min and claim in ‘my offers' 1×100% mobile in-play profit boost. Max stake £10. Max extra winnings £100. Valid for 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits do not qualify. 18+ Full T&Cs apply www.begambleaware.org
Money Back as Bonus up to £40 if Your First Bet Loses + £10 Casino Bonus Gift image
Payment methods
neteller skrill paypal echeck ukash webmoney 17+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
GermanyGermany SwedenSweden ChileChile PeruPeru ArgentinaArgentina BoliviaBolivia El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras ParaguayParaguay Dominican RepublicDominican Republic UruguayUruguay NicaraguaNicaragua
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details
  • £40 Money Back as Bonus on Your First Bet + £10 Casino Bonus.
  • The minimum qualifying deposit is £10.
  • You must wager your bonus money 3x to make it withdrawable at odds of 2/5 (1.40) in the Sportsbook, 25x for Casino.
  • Your first bet is not considered to be a qualifying bet if betting on horse racing, greyhound racing, trotting, and/or virtual sports
  • Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus
  • The bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in.
  • No deposit required for NI customers
  • This offer applies to your first bet only. If you win your first bet the bonus has been used. If you place a system bet only the first settled column of £10 or higher will count towards the bonus.
  • New Customers Only. 18+, Further T&Cs Apply.
Terms&Conditions
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply.
Betfair
5/5
Get £30 in Free Bets Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay bank_transfer boku cheque clickandbuy delta 13+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Key Terms:

    • New Customers Only. Must be 18+.
    • Deposit and bet £10 or more to receive a £30 free bet.
    • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/$10 placed on any sports markets
    • Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded.
    • Free bets credited within 24 hours after qualifying bet settlement and expire after 30 days
    • Free bet stakes not included in returns
    • Bets placed using free bets as the stake (in full or in part) will not qualify.
    • Offer excludes customers who make their first deposit using any method other than Credit/Debit Cards or Applepay.
    • Offer excludes customers who have not verified their phone number by SMS.

,

  • The offer excludes the following bet types: Canadian, Goliath, Heinz, Lucky 15, Lucky 31, Lucky 63, Patent, Super Heinz, Trixie & Yankee.
  • Full T&C’s apply – Gamble Responsibly .
Terms&Conditions
New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly
William Hill
5/5
Bet £10, Get £30 Gift image
Payment methods
neteller skrill paypal bank_wire cheque ukash 40+
Withdrawal time
10 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
Costa RicaCosta Rica SpainSpain SwedenSweden MexicoMexico ChileChile PeruPeru ArgentinaArgentina BoliviaBolivia ColombiaColombia El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras NicaraguaNicaragua PanamaPanama ParaguayParaguay Dominican RepublicDominican Republic UruguayUruguay VenezuelaVenezuela
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Key Terms:

  • Only available to new William Hill customers in the UK or Ireland;
  • Customers must sign up using Promo Code P30;
  • Only one ‘new account offer’ per person, household address, email address, debit/credit card number, or IP address is allowed;
  • Duplicate accounts will not qualify for this offer;
  • This Promotion is not available to new accounts depositing funds with Entropay, Paypal, Neosurf, iDeal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay;
  • Offer will run from 00:01 on 12 November 2019 until 23:59 on 31 March 2020;
  • Only available for customers who deposit in GBP pounds (£) sterling or Euro (€) currencies;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed with a unit stake of £10/€10 or greater;
  • For bets placed as an Each Way bet, only the win part for the bet will count towards to offer;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater;
  • Qualifying bet must be placed on the William Hill Sportsbook site only;
  • Qualifying bet must be struck using funds from your main balance;
  • Qualifying bet can be pre-match or in-play;
  • Cash in my bet is not available for bets placed that trigger a free bet as part of a promotion until at least one selection has been resulted or is In-Play. At this point, Cash in my bet will become available as long as all the other availability conditions are met;
  • Free bets will be paid as 2 x £15/€15 denominations;
  • Free bets can be used on any sportsbook product (excluding tote, pool, and lottery bets);
  • Free bets will be available for 30 days;
  • Free Bet is non-refundable and may not be withdrawn;
  • Free Bet stake will be excluded from any winnings;
  • Free Bet cannot be partially redeemed;
  • Cash in my bet will be available for bets placed using a free bet (minus the value of the initial free bet);
  • Player, country, currency, Market restrictions and terms apply.
Terms&Conditions
New customers using Promo Code P30 only, min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15 (30 days expiry), free bet/payment method/player/country restrictions apply.
888sport
4.5/5
100% till 100cad Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay astropay bank_transfer bank_wire boleto_bancario idebit 20+
Withdrawal time
3-10 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta Schleswig-holstein Spanien
Accepted Players
CanadaCanada
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

100% of your first deposit up to $200 + $10 Casino Bonus!

  • Minimum qualifying deposit: $10
  • Maximum bonus amount: $200
  • Payment method restrictions: Deposits made with PayPal, Entropay, Neteller, Paysafecard, and Skrill are not eligible for this promotion
  • Sports Wagering requirement: 6x bonus amount
  • Odds restrictions: 1.50 (1/2)
  • Time limit: Wagering requirements must be met within 60 days
  • Users must opt-in to this promotion
  • Cashed out and voided bets do not contribute to the wagering requirements for this offer
  • Once the bonus has been activated, users may not withdraw any funds until the wagering requirements have been completed
  • This promotion is only available to users residing in Canada
  • 18+, New Customers Only
Terms&Conditions
New Customers only • $10 min deposit • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater • Wagering must be cleared within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Casino Bonus valid for selected games only • Bonus wins capped at $500, exc. JP wins • To withdraw bonus & related wins, wager 30 x (bonus amount) • Wagering requirements vary by game Full T&C’s apply

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Top 3 UK Horse Racing Betting Sites

As you can see from the list above, in our opinion bet365, LeoVegas Sport and Unibet are the top 3 horse racing betting sites in the UK. They all have strong and weak points when it comes to betting on the sport of kings but overall, they are definitely the three best horse racing bookmakers for UK punters. From horse racing betting apps to markets and odds, below you will find out exactly why bet365, LeoVegas Sport and Unibet are the leaders of the pack for betting on horse racing.

bet365

Our number one bookie for betting on horse racing has to be bet365. This is a horse racing betting site that is an excellent choice for serious and casual horse racing punters alike. Pro-punters will appreciate the quality of horse racing odds and the availability of live horse racing betting at bet365 is a massive plus too. Live streaming of all major UK, Irish, French and International race meetings is also on the menu at bet365.

There are lots of horse racing markets to choose from and each-way players will love it at bet365 too. Extra places each-way are a regular occurrence for the biggest races like the Grand National and Epsom Derby. Bet365 also have a facility that allows you to set how many places you want to bet on each-way with adjusted odds. There is no doubt about it, bet365 is one of the best online horse racing betting sites around.

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets Gift image
Payment methods
astropay bank_transfer bank_wire boku bpay cheque 24+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
5
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Open Account Offer

 

    • Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30* in Bet Credits. Once released your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable
    • To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
    • Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    • Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
      – Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
      – In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
      – Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
      – Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
      – Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
    • Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
    •  Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
    •  The code CD365 doesn’t change the welcome offer.

*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

#ad

Terms&Conditions
Open account offerNew Customers OnlyBet £10 & Get £30 in free betsSign-up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in free bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settledFree Bets are paid as Bet CreditsMin odds/bet and payment method exclusions applyReturns exclude Bet Credits stakeTime limits and T&Cs apply.18+ begambleaware.org • #ad*or currency equivalent

LeoVegas Sports

While it was no surprise that bet365 and Unibet made our top horse racing bookies UK list, the presence of LeoVegas Sports might be surprising to some. However, our experts all agree that LeoVegas Sports is one of the best horse racing betting sites. They more than deserve their place in this illustrious list and one of the main reasons for their lofty position is the quality of their mobile apps.

Easy to navigate and well designed, you can find all the key horse racing betting markets on the LeoVegas Sports mobile app. Also, live streaming of US horse racing can be accessed at LeoVegas Sports on both desktop and mobile. Hopefully, UK and Irish horse racing streaming will be on offer soon too. LeoVegas Sports’ horse racing odds are decent, ante-post betting is available for all the biggest races and Timeform Spotlight information is available for every race too. All things considered, is easy to see why LeoVegas Sports is one of the top horse racing betting sites in the UK.

LeoVegas Sport
4/5
100% up to £100 Profit Boost Gift image
Payment methods
apple_pay astropay boleto_bancario ecopayz idebit instadebit 14+
Withdrawal time
2-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Malta
Accepted Players
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details

Up to £100 Extra Winnings on your first LeoVegas SPORT bet.

  • The maximum bet is £10 on odds of 2.0 (1/1) or higher.
  • Only applies to first qualifying bet.
  • Should you place a combination bet the total odds must be 2.0 (1/1) or higher.
  • The qualifying bet must be placed with real funds.
  • Skrill/Neteller deposits do not qualify.
  • The qualifying bet has to be placed within 7 days from the first deposit.
  • 18+, New Customers Only.
Terms&Conditions
New customers only. Deposit £10 min and claim in ‘my offers' 1×100% mobile in-play profit boost. Max stake £10. Max extra winnings £100. Valid for 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits do not qualify. 18+ Full T&Cs apply www.begambleaware.org

Unibet

Unibet has become one of the UK’s most popular horse racing betting sites. As is the case with most UK online bookmakers, horse racing is a key focus for them. Unibet make online horse racing betting easy with loads of markets, competitive odds and regular horse racing specials and betting promotions. The Unibet mobile apps are up there in terms of quality in comparison to most of their industry rivals and you can watch horse racing live at Unibet too.

You can access live streams of every UK and Irish horse race daily once you place a £1 bet on the race. Live streaming of French, Australian, American and South African racing is also available. The Unibet horse racing blog is another valuable resource with news and views from some of horse racing’s biggest names, including regular contributions from the likes of Nicky Henderson, Richard Hannon and Jamie Spencer. Unibet most certainly deserve their place in our list of the top 3 horse racing betting sites.

Money Back as Bonus up to £40 if Your First Bet Loses + £10 Casino Bonus Gift image
Payment methods
neteller skrill paypal echeck ukash webmoney 17+
Withdrawal time
1-5 days
Minimum Deposit
10
Registration time
5
Licenses
United-kingdom Gibraltar Malta
Accepted Players
GermanyGermany SwedenSweden ChileChile PeruPeru ArgentinaArgentina BoliviaBolivia El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras ParaguayParaguay Dominican RepublicDominican Republic UruguayUruguay NicaraguaNicaragua
Apps
android ios
Bonus Details
  • £40 Money Back as Bonus on Your First Bet + £10 Casino Bonus.
  • The minimum qualifying deposit is £10.
  • You must wager your bonus money 3x to make it withdrawable at odds of 2/5 (1.40) in the Sportsbook, 25x for Casino.
  • Your first bet is not considered to be a qualifying bet if betting on horse racing, greyhound racing, trotting, and/or virtual sports
  • Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus
  • The bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in.
  • No deposit required for NI customers
  • This offer applies to your first bet only. If you win your first bet the bonus has been used. If you place a system bet only the first settled column of £10 or higher will count towards the bonus.
  • New Customers Only. 18+, Further T&Cs Apply.
Terms&Conditions
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply.

How to Bet on Horse Racing

Once you have chosen your favourite horse racing betting sites you will then need to learn how to bet on horse racing. There is no doubt about it, horse racing is one of the most difficult sports to crack when it comes to betting. You should check out our section on how to pick winners later on if you are looking for inspiration. Some punters swear by following market moves while others are students of the formbook. Below we list some of the key points for beginners to consider when it comes to horse racing betting and seasoned punters might benefit from having a look it too…

  1. Get The Best Odds: This is the number one priority when betting on horse racing (and on other sports too). If you want to maximise your returns when you back a winner the only way to do that is to locate the best price. Horse racing odds comparison sites are useful when you are trying to find the best odds or alternatively shop around to find the horse racing betting sites with the best prices for every bet you place.
  2. Choose The Correct Market: Another key component of making horse racing betting a success is picking the right market at horse racing betting sites. You should always consider what market is most likely to generate a profit. Always pick the market that gives you the best chance of winning and don’t be tempted by fanciful accas or combi bets with massive odds if you want to make money consistently from horse racing betting.
  3. Look Out For Promotions: The vast majority of horse racing bookies online run regular horse racing promotions and free bet offers. If you are having an each-way flutter don’t forget to check if any horse racing betting sites are offering extra places. Acca boost and acca insurance offers can come in handy for horse racing punters too. Any offer or promotion that gives you an edge is always worth taking advantage of.

The Different Types of Horse Racing Bets

Most horse racing betting sites have a huge range of wager types to pick from. In this section we look at the different types of horse racing bets that are most likely to land you some winners. Later on we look at some of the most popular horse racing markets. Most punters will be familiar with single and each-way bets but if you want to win big for small stakes there are plenty of multi and combi bets that will give you the chance to do exactly that. To find out more about the many different types bets you can place at horse racing betting sites check out the next few sections…

Bet Type No of Bets
Win Single 1
Each-Way 2
Double 2
Treble 3
Acca 4+
Lucky 15/31/63 4/5/6

Race Winner

This is the simplest type of bet that can be placed at all horse racing betting sites. You bet on the horse you think will win the race and to get a return your selection has to finish first. The only exception is if your horse finishes 2nd and gets promoted to 1st in the event of a stewards’ enquiry. Some bookies pay out on horse’s that lose a race in the stewards’ room so make sure to check the small print before you have a bet.

Each-Way

This is a wager that consists of two separate bets. A £5 each-way wager will actually cost you £10. The £10 is split evenly with £5 going on the win market and £5 going on the place market. Each-way terms for handicaps are usually 1/4 odds for 3 places when there is 13 runners or more. If there is 16 runners or more you’ll get paid on 4 places while if there are between 5-7 runners you get paid on 2 places. Each way terms can vary depending on the horse racing betting site so shop around for the best deal.

Double

Doubles are an extremely popular choice with many horse racing punters. You pick two horses and you can back them in a win or each-way double. If you go for the win double you’ll need both horses to win. An each-way double will generate a return if both horses place and it contains two separate bets on the win and place doubles. If one horse in an each-way double wins and the other places you only get paid on the place double and the win double returns as a loser.

Treble

A treble works exactly the same as a double except it consists of three selections instead of two. You can also place win or each-way trebles with the stake split on the win and place trebles in the case of an each-way treble (2x bets). If two of your selections win and one is placed you will only get a return on the each-way part of your bet. You need all three selections to win in order to get maximum returns.

Acca

An accumulator or ‘Acca’ is a multiple bet that contains 4 selections or more. Some punters enjoy picking out a number of short priced favourites and combining them in acca bets. Another approach is to place an each way acca as at least you will get a return on the place part of your wager if one of your legs finishes 2nd. If one of your legs is unplaced then your entire bet is returned as a loser. Accas are a risky proposition and the more legs you include the more likely it is that one will let you down. It is always worth checking to see if any horse racing betting sites have acca insurance or acca boost offers.

Lucky 15/31/63

These are multiple bets that contain 4/5/6 selections respectively. The name of each bet reflects the number of separate wagers contained in it. For example, a Lucky 15 consists of 4x single bets, 6x doubles, 4x trebles and 1x accumulator. A win Lucky 15 will generate a return if only one horse wins (or places in the case of an e/w Lucky 15) but to get the maximum payout you need all your horses to win. Lucky 31s (5 selections, 31 bets) and Lucky 63s (6 selections, 63 bets) work exactly the same.

The Best Horse Races to Bet on

In this section we will discuss the best horse races to bet on in Britain. UK punters have no shortage of options as there are lots of top class flat and jumps races held throughout the season. During the Summer and Autumn months the best of the flat racing takes place, while in Winter and Spring the jumpers come to the fore. Below we list some of the best horse races and meetings to bet on, including the Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival.

Cheltenham Festival

This is the pinnacle for national hunt horses (jumpers). The Championship Races for each discipline and distance are run at the festival every March. The biggest races of the week at the Cheltenham Festival are the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Watch out for Cheltenham betting offers and specials if you are having a bet at the Cheltenham Festival.

Aintree Grand National

This is the most valuable handicap chase with a prize fund of over a million quid. The Grand National is run at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool every year, usually in early April (learn more on our Grand National page!). Run over a marathon distance of 4 miles+ and 30 fearsome fences, this is a race that captures the imagination of the British public. When betting on the race you should always go each way and make sure to get as many extra places as you can.

Epsom Derby

For the breeding side of the industry this is the race that really matters. Run every year (usually in June) this 12f contest for 3yos at Epsom Racecourse is viewed as the ultimate test for a flat racehorse. A horse needs balance, stamina and speed to succeed in this race and the winner usually ends up having a long career at stud. Just like we recommend in our guide to the Epsom Derby, always consider pedigrees when betting because more often than not, the best bred horses come to the fore.

Royal Ascot

This is the flat equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival. Held at Ascot racecourse every summer, the Royal Ascot meeting is a favourite with horse racing fans not only in the UK but around the world. With Group races galore and some high class heritage handicaps, there is something for everyone over the six days at Royal Ascot. Don’t be afraid to chance big priced horses each way at the Royal Meeting, especially in the 2yo races and big field handicaps. And like we recommend on our Royal Ascot page, look out for extra places each way at horse racing betting sites.

Live Horse Racing Betting

In the not too distant past no horse racing betting sites had in-play or live horse racing betting. It was only really possible to get live bets on via betting exchanges. That has all changed now though and more and more traditional sportsbooks are beginning to facilitate in-running horse racing betting.

One of the first to introduce live horse racing betting was bet365. Betting is available up until the final couple of furlongs of every race and you can even get each way in-running bets on in the early stages of each contest. This is another reason why bet365 are widely considered to be one of the best horse racing betting sites around.

Where can I watch the races?

If you want to stream UK and Irish horse races live you will have loads of options. Most of the horse racing betting sites we list on this page have live streaming of horse racing. With bet365 you’ll qualify to watch live horse racing streams if you have a positive balance OR if you have placed a bet in the previous 24 hours. Unibet have live horse racing streams from the UK, Ireland, France and all the biggest meetings around the world. To qualify for live streaming at Unibet you need to place a minimum £1 bet on the race you wish to watch.

Betting Apps for Horse Racing

So, which bookie has the best apps for horse racing? Well, if you want to be able to bet on racing and then watch the race unfold on your mobile device then the Unibet and bet365 mobile apps have got you covered. The LeoVegas Sports App is probably one of the best of its kind out there, but the big negative for racing fans is the lack of live UK and Irish horse racing streams. So, if you are looking for a horse racing betting app that covers all the bases then check out the Android and iOS Apps on offer from Unibet and bet365, two of the UK’s best online horse racing betting sites.

Horse Racing Betting Markets

As we stated earlier on in our how to bet on horse racing section, choosing the right market is one of the keys to success when betting on the horses. It is usually a case of risk vs reward and in most cases, the bigger the odds the less likely it is that your bet will win. Below we look at a couple of interesting horse racing betting markets that can be accessed with all of the best bookies for horse racing mentioned on this page…

Market Risk Level Recommended For
Without the favourite 2/5 Beginners
Winning Distance 4/5 Advanced
Match Betting 1/5 Beginners/Pros

Betting Without The Favourite

When there is an odds on or very short priced favourite horse racing betting sites often form ‘betting without the favourite’ markets. The favourite is excluded from the newly formed market and also excluded from the result of the race. So, if you back a horse in this market and it finishes 2nd to the favourite your bet will be returned as a winner. This is a simple market to understand and is an ideal starting point for beginners.

Winning Distance Betting

A winning distance wager is placed on the margin you think a horse will win by. Usually winning distance markets are formed by horse racing betting sites when there is a hot favourite in the race. If you think the fav is a certainty and you want to get a bet on at better odds, you can back it to win by a certain distance. This market usually consists of two choices. For example, Altior to win by up to 2 lengths or alternatively to win by 2 lengths or more. This is a market best left to more experienced punters.

Match Betting

Match betting in horse racing is a popular market with both beginners and professional punters alike. It is a low risk option where the horse racing betting site pairs two horses together and you bet on the one you think will achieve the best finishing position. It doesn’t matter whether the horse you bet on wins the race, once it finishes ahead of the horse it is matched against you will win your bet.

How to Pick Winning Horses

This is a must read section for anyone with ambitions of backing regular horse racing winners. Obviously, we cannot guarantee that the below advice will deliver you winning bets every time but if you follow it you will dramatically improve your prospects of consistently picking winning horses. We can sum it up in three easy points:

Study The Form

Past performances are a good indication of how a horse might run in the future. By studying a horse’s previous form you will learn lots of useful information. Some horse racing betting sites like bet365 even have video replays you can look at. For example, past performances will give you an idea of a horse’s favourite ground type and trip. If you study a horse’s form and it has won and placed on soft ground and struggled on good to firm, then you’ll know only to back it when the mud is flying. You can check out the latest going reports on the BHA official site.

Know Your Pedigrees

If you are serious about making horse racing betting pay then you should try to learn as much as you can about pedigrees. Breeding is massive in horse racing and you can learn a lot about whether a horse is likely to stay a certain trip or handle certain ground by studying his or her pedigree. Some sires are stamina influences and others inject speed into their offspring. In 2yo races and bumpers where form is thin on the ground, the breeding of a horse can give an indication of how it might perform. The Weatherbys bloodstock reports site is worth checking out for those keen to learn more about pedigrees.

Don’t Just Bet On Favourites

Some horse racing punters blindly follow favourites when betting on the horses. However, this is not a viable approach if you want to make money in the long run. Generally speaking, only around 1/3 of favourites win races so if you want to turn a profit you’ll need to learn how to spot value bets. Once a market move has happened the value is usually gone from that horse and the key to success is spotting potential market moves before they happen. If you can master this you will have a much better chance of turning a profit over time.

Horse Racing Betting Sites FAQs

What is the safest bet on horse racing?

There is no such thing as a completely safe bet on horse racing given the unpredictable nature of the sport. However, if you are looking for a wager that gives you the best chance of landing a return we recommend sticking to single win or each-way bets or else single match betting wagers. Keep it as simple as possible if you want to win consistently when betting on horse racing and read our section on the different types of horse racing bets to learn more.

What is the best horse racing betting site?

There’s definitely a reason that bet365 is at the top of our list of best horse betting sites. They have very competitive odds, a superb selection of markets and you can pick your own each- way terms for every race (up to 10 places for the biggest races). You won’t find any better horse racing betting sites in the UK.

What are the best horse racing bets?

In our opinion you can’t beat each-way single bets on horse racing. With each-way horse racing bets you’ll still get a return if your horse is narrowly beaten into the places and in the biggest races where there are massive fields it is a lot easier to find a horse to place than to win the race outright. Remember to shop around because each way terms can vary at different horse racing betting sites.

How can you tell a winning horse?

It is hard to tell a winning horse before a race but there are a number of ways you can narrow the field. By studying past performances you can find out what a horse’s ideal trip is, whether they have won at the track before and most importantly, whether the going (ground) suits. Take a look at our expert advice on picking winning horses above for more information. The more of these boxes a horse ticks, the more likely it is to win.

What is an ante-post bet in horse racing?

Ante-post markets are formed by horse racing betting sites months before some of the biggest flat and jumps races. An ante post bet in horse racing is a bet placed long in advance of the race and it is risky wager. If your horse is not declared for the race for any reason (injury/going/poor form) then you lose your stake. On the plus side, you will usually get very generous odds when placing ante-post bets in comparison to when the line up of the race is finalised. Learn more about how to bet on horse racing above!

Where can I watch the races that I’ve bet on?

If you want to watch the races that you have bet on then use a horse racing betting site that has live streaming. Both Unibet and bet365 have live horse racing streaming available for UK customers on desktop and mobile. Plenty of other horse racing betting sites have live streaming too so pick the one that suits your punting habits best.

What is the Triple Crown in horse racing betting?

In the UK the triple crown concerns three races. The true triple crown is the 2000 Guineas (8 furlongs), the Epsom Derby (12 furlongs) and the St Leger (14 furlongs). Not many horses have the versatility to succeed at three vastly different trips at the highest level. The closest any horse has come to winning the Triple Crown in recent years was Camelot who won the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby in 2012 but lost in the St Leger. Nijinsky was the last horse to win the Triple Crown in 1970.

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