Every year hundreds of horse races take place across the UK and abroad. Hundreds of thousands of racegoers enjoy the finest thoroughbred equines and witness mighty clashes around the globe. This page is for all novice and experienced punters willing to take advantage of online horse betting. It’s also for all fans of the sport! 

In the following paragraphs, you’ll find plenty of useful information about the most recommended horse racing betting sites. We’ve checked all licensed bookies and compared the service they provide. Our experts will explain how to register and arrange your wagering slip. 

The best horse betting site is flawlessly ticking all the boxes, but you need to know which are the real essentials.  

Why is Horse Racing Betting Popular in the UK? 

Horse racing is the second most popular sport to watch in the UK. People seem to be quite fascinated by spectating the events and placing wagers. Our love for horses comes from ancient times, although the strong horse racing betting craze is a more recent phenomenon. 

The adrenaline rush and potential winnings are also catalysts of the Brits’ passion. Here are some essential reasons why betting on horse races is so trendy: 

  • A plethora of safe horse racing betting sites 
  • Variety of wagers for novice and advanced punters 
  • Blending adrenaline and fun 
  • Results in a few minutes 
  • Huge choice of events. 

How to Register with a Bookmaker 

Besides the top events and fairest odds, the best horse racing betting sites offer easy registration. That’s quite important, actually, as sometimes browsing could be frustrating. Anyway, registering with an online bookmaker takes no more than a few minutes in most cases. Some horse racing betting sites even provide a one-click Sign-Up. 

Check out our quick guide on how to register online: 

  1. Compare the top horse racing betting sites and pick a favourite 
  2. Find the registration button and click on 
  3. Fill out the sign-up form correctly, providing your actual contact details 
  4. Verify your identity and make a deposit to claim a bonus or freebie 
  5. Open the list with horse races and start wagering. 

Of course, completing the betting slip requires a little more effort. Find the best-priced runners and decide what type of a wager to make (straight, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, etc.). Multiple bets and systems are also quite attractive, providing more winning ways. However, the profit could be slightly reduced. 

The newest horse racing gambling sites and those that are properly serviced are also available on the go. We’ll explain more in the next section, but for now, you just need to know that the account registration is usually identical. No matter how you sign up, the bookmaker will carry out the KYC identity procedure! 

Criteria of the Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 

The variety of online horse racing sites is truly enormous nowadays, but that doesn’t mean they are all safe and suitable to use. When selecting a platform for further use, every UK punter needs to consider a few crucial criteria. We’ve prepared a list with short explanations about each one: 

  • Odds Levels – good horse racing betting odds are not common and easily appeal to online punters. The most reputable bookmakers offer fair prices in order to ensure a constant flow of bettors throughout the year. Learn how to do quick searches and convert classic coefficients to percentages to evaluate your winning chances properly. Keep in mind that the horse racing odds may fluctuate significantly from event to event. Therefore, it might be useful to register on several platforms and always compare the offers. 
  • Race Selection – the best horse racing betting sites also maintain a rich schedule. They provide easy access to all flat sprints and jumps over the season in the UK and abroad. Pretty much every bookie includes major events, like the Cheltenham Festival, Epsom Derby, 2000 Guineas, and National Hunt. However, the list with smaller races from Groups 2 and 3 really shows the operators’ dedication. Moreover, look for the biggest non-British races, too, like the Kentucky Derby, Breeders’ Cup, and Dubai World Cup. These are no less attractive to watch and bet on! 
  • Live Streaming – it’s always nice to have the chance to watch the most thrilling events on your device. The finest horse racing online betting sites offer direct streaming to all sprints, hurdles, and steeplechases around the world. In most cases, punters need to register and make the minimum deposit to unlock this fantastic feature. You’ll no longer need cable or to pay for PPV. Watch the races and replies to decide how to continue. Live streaming could be vital for your betting slip as well. Some horse racing betting sites allow live wagering under certain conditions. 
  • Bonuses – the great promotions and welcome packages make online horse betting sites even more favourable. Although the bonuses here are quite different from those we are used to seeing in online casinos, they still can be useful. Most sportsbooks provide freebies against a small deposit, not just to novice members but to loyal ones as well. Freebies are particularly suitable for your next bet on a horse race as they come with zero risk. We strongly advise you to look for odds and win boosters and Cashback deals. 
  • Mobile Compatibility – as we already mentioned, most of the new horse racing betting sites run brilliantly on mobile devices as well. Players don’t always have access to a computer, and being able to place a bet or race a match through their phone or tablet is tempting. They can also take advantage of limited offers and boosted odds active for a certain amount of time only. Downloading the mobile app or simply browsing on the go is also a good way to constantly monitor your multiple and system wagers. The integration of various payment systems with our mobile devices is also a great advantage. 
  • Security – always check for a proper gambling licence! Actually, that is the most crucial criterion of all, and every online punter should start with it when evaluating a bookmaker. The genuine operator offers only horse races approved by the British Horseracing Authority. Of course, that rule applies to the UK and Irish events. For example, others, like the Dubai World Cup, are under different licences. But anyway, security, including the digital encryption of the horse racing betting websites, must be unquestionable! If you are not sure about any element in that regard, you should look for an alternative. 
  • Customer Support – good customer service is an important factor for a high-quality betting experience. Questions may always arise whether you are a newbie or a horse racing expert. The friendly and competent support can help you go through any obstacle fast and easy. Moreover, the best bookies offer assistance around the clock, making your browse pleasant even during the night. When evaluating customer support, always check for the variety of active channels as well. The usual options are live chat, toll-free phone support, and an email contact form. 
  • Extra Features – best online horse racing betting sites provide many special features to their members. They could be early cashout, Bet Builder, or special boosters and bonuses. Many bookies offer extra gambling products, like virtual racing, online casino games, and a sportsbook. Here, we can mention once again the positives of using live streaming, another valuable feature. Check for complete horse racing coverage and a Best Odds Guaranteed programme. 

These are just the main criteria our experts always implement to evaluate the quality of an online bookmaker. You can also use them in your everyday searches to quickly exclude the bad sites. Security and odds should be your primary concerns. But besides the horse price, don’t forget to read the betting Terms & Conditions carefully. 

Best Payment Methods to Place Bets 

Payments are an important service to look for when choosing an online bookmaker. The most preferred horse racing betting sites offer a variety of options besides the classic methods, like debit cards and bank transfers. Punters can quickly deposit and withdraw their winnings via a plethora of e-wallets: 

  • PayPal 
  • Neteller 
  • MuchBetter 
  • Revolut 
  • Skrill 
  • EcoPayz, etc. 

The more advanced horse betting sites accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, BOKU, Trustly, Paysafecard, and many others. When entering a platform for the first time, it’s important to read the payment rules and see which methods can be used for both depositing and withdrawing funds. Don’t forget to double-check for any fees! 

Even though the best horse racing bookmakers don’t charge their customers, some payment providers do. Cryptocurrencies are usually out of such operators’ scope. People enjoying thoroughbred horse races are usually preferring the classic ways. Still, integration could be available on some sites. The last payment criterion is the processing and total transaction times. 

Things to Consider Before Betting on Horse Racing 

When you select a suitable horse racing betting site, it’s time to consider a few other things before spending your money. Wagering on equines is gambling, so you need to be 100% certain that you understand the risks and rules. No matter how big the favourite is, it can always be beaten by a long shot. 

We highly recommend punters prepare in advance and find some information about all types of bets. You need to be fully aware of the different types of races’ rules and history. Using a system wager or strategy is also a proper approach, especially since the best horse racing betting sites are usually not against it. 

Here is a short breakdown of all things to consider before using the UK horse betting sites: 

  • Preparation – read as much information about the race and the current selection as possible. Get acquainted with the winner and results of last year’s event and pay attention if some runners have participated before. If Yes, check if jockeys will be the same as that could affect the entire horses’ performance. 

Some horse racing betting sites offer a news feed, which could be very useful, but they are usually covering last-minute topics. Dig deeper and see how many surprising winners the race had in the past. You might check on the weather forecast as well, together with anything else that you think could make a difference. 

  • Understanding the Bet Types – one of the best sides of horse racing betting is the variety of wagers. Before risking your money, read and understand each type of single, multiple, and system bet. If you are rather a novice, you might stick with the straight options at the beginning. 

Win, Place, and Show are the simplest and most widely used type of horse racing bets. If you wish to challenge your luck, you might try more exotic wagers like Exacta, Trifecta, or Superfecta. To win, you’ll need to predict the first two, three or four horses in the actual order. 

Multiple bets are for the true fans! They are possible only if the race card includes several races and the bookmaker offers them. Double Down is one of the favourites to many experienced punters, allowing you to wager on two races. Pick 3, 4, 5 or more is the equivalent but for more runs. 

  • Types of Races – there are two main types of races – flat and jumps. The shot-distance sprints can be called flats or bumpers. The jumps are usually covering more miles and are fences, hurdles, and cross-country, depending on the type of the obstacles. The best online bookies for horse racing offer all types of events from the season calendar. 
  • Creating a Strategy –  search for horse racing bookmakers, offering rich portfolios of betting and race types. Thus, you can combine that with the knowledge you have found and find a way in. The strategy is not always related to multiple wagers but is a low-risk approach. 

Most online bookies offer 20+ betting slips, meaning that you can combine different bets and hedge the risk. If you cover all or at least most of the ends, you might need to bet a huge amount, but most of it will get back to you in any case. 

Conclusion 

At the end of our guide, we would like to quickly summarise the main principles of betting on horse races online. First and foremost, you need to find a safe, licensed, and customer-oriented bookmaker to place your wagers with. You may also look for several horse racing gambling sites to have a wider choice. 

The different bookmakers my offer boosted odds on different races from the day’s race card. Thus, you can place several singles and hope for the best. However, that’s classic betting, and if you wish to be less traditional, you might look to cover your ends by using multiples. 

The best bookies for horse racing offer plenty of choices, bonuses, and the fairest pricing on all races. Just don’t forget to prepare yourself and come up with a proper strategy. The long-shots are worth your attention as they can sometimes find their pace, like Rich Strike, the 80/1 2022 Kentucky Derby winner! 

FAQs 

Hopefully, we have answered most of your questions, but if you have more, take a look in the section below. Find our comprehensive replies to frequent inquiries from our regular readers. Find the best horse racing sites and learn how to quickly evaluate the numerous online bookmakers out there. We are always happy to assist! 

Which is the best bookmaker to place horse racing bets with? 

It’s always difficult to find the best horse racing betting sites for anyone else, as that’s often a subjective decision. However, we checked all licensed bookies and highlighted the top-performing ones. Keep in mind that the best online horse betting sites must be safe and generous, offering nice bonuses, many races, and competitive odds. 

How can I bet on horse racing online? 

First, choose a bookmaker to use by following the guidelines explained in this piece. There are too many horse racing betting websites out there, so you have to narrow the circle. Once you are done with that task, register an account, make a small deposit to claim a bonus, and start wagering. 

What should I look out for when choosing a horse racing betting site 

We highly suggest checking in detail even the best online bookies for horse racing. The first thing to take care of is the licence of the bookmaker and its validity. Check its reputation and evaluate the quality of race selection, bonuses, and customer support. Don’t forget to compare the available odds on major races. 

How to check if a horse racing betting site is safe to use? 

First, make sure that all offered races are licensed by the UK regulator – British Horseracing Authority. Next, check if there are featured events outside of Great Britain. Most online horse betting sites offer such, so check for the needed licences as well. Last but not least, make sure that the platform is properly encrypted! 

What is the best horse racing app? 

Betting on horse racing on mobile is always more advantageous. The least, it gives you the freedom to place bets or cash out at any time and from anywhere. The best horse betting apps are fast, light and free for download. They are safely connected to trusted payment systems and offer great features, like live streaming.