Best Horse Racing Betting Sites
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Top 5 Horse Racing Betting Sites in the UK
To find the best horse racing betting site, you may have to spend a lot of time trying what is out there. Many benefits come with online betting, but to find the best ones for you, players often need to try several horse racing betting markets first.
As this can take a lot of time and money, we have done the hard work for you and found the top five horse racing betting sites for players in the UK. These betting sites have a great reputation with punters and offer great horse racing odds, casino bonuses, and additional features, which make them the top options out of the whole market.
Bet365
Bet365 is one of the best horse racing betting sites for players in the UK due to the high number of horse racing betting markets available in one place. This site has 33 horse racing betting markets which offer 14 bet types, ensuring there is something for all players.
In terms of the welcome bonus, new customers are given up to £50 in free bets, which can be used on horse racing, as well as other sports markets across the site. With their first deposit and first bet of £10, new players are given the £50 in free bets valid for selected markets. Qualifying bets will be worth £10 or more, based on how much you want to win in the free bet.
This welcome offer is five times the original stake, and players can deposit either £5 or £10 as their first qualifying real money bet to qualify. Please read the full terms and conditions before joining Bet365 for horse racing betting.
BetTarget
BetTarget is a popular betting site in the UK and also offers some of the best horse racing odds across its 32 markets. There are 13 different bet types supported at this horse racing betting site, allowing players of all abilities to wager.
The welcome offer for new players at this site gives a £10 free bet with the first deposit. Players simply need to wager £15 for the first time before the free bet casino bonus will be awarded to their account, where the minimum odds are 1/1 or greater. These bet credits are only given with select payment methods, so please read the terms and conditions first.
For the free bet, players need to make qualifying bets with their first deposit of £15 on selected games. The terms outline what makes a qualifying bet for this promotion.
888 Sports
Horse racing betting is available at 888 sportsbook along with 31 other betting markets, ensuring there is something for everyone. When it comes to horse racing bets, players have up to 13 bet types to consider, including enhanced odds for some events.
Like the other horse betting sites we have mentioned, there is a great welcome offer at this betting site which gives players a free bet worth up to £30 based on their first deposit.
Online sports betting sites like this will give out casino bonuses as a way to bring new customers to the site, and those who are interested in online horse betting can benefit greatly from free racing bets.
Players need to make their first qualifying bet to bet odds guaranteed 1/1 or greater to qualify. Players also need to enter the promo code 30F along with their first stake to qualify.
This free bet is given as a real money stake credited to your account, and all qualifying bets need to be made within the first 7 days using this bonus. Please read the terms and conditions for full rules.
Betiton
Betiton sportsbook has 30 sports betting markets, including horse racing betting, which supports 11 different bet types. For those who are interested in horse race betting, this betting site hosts all major events, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and offers specific horse racing bet promotions.
There is also a welcome offer at this horse racing betting site where players are given a £10 free bet with their first wager of £15.
This is a welcome offer that is only available for new players, and they need to make their first deposit of the minimum of £10 to qualify. The max bet for the welcome offer is £10 and is valid for 14 days following registration. The qualifying bets are suitable for horse racing bets of 1/1 or greater, and the free bet can be used on selected events.
Please read the terms and conditions to learn more.
10Bet
10Bet is another great site for online horse racing betting and has 32 other betting markets for players to try out. There are 11 bet types supported across these markets, including in-play betting and best odds guaranteed, to ensure there is something for everyone.
In terms of the welcome bonus, new players are given up to £50 in a deposit match which will vary based on their first deposit amount. New bettors are given a 50% deposit match which is worth a max of £50 free bet, which can be used in horse racing betting or on other sports markets, based on your interests.
As with all other horse racing betting promotions, please read the terms and conditions.
Choosing the best Horse Racing Site for you
When it comes to horse racing betting, there are many betting sites in the UK that offer this. While this is good news for those interested in horse racing, it can make it difficult to find the best place to spend your time and money.
Even choosing between the top horse racing betting sites we have recommended can be difficult as each offers something unique. Based on the kind of player you are, how much money you want to spend, and what you want from your horse racing betting sites, the right option for you will vary from other players.
When trying to find the best horse racing betting site for you, there are several things you need to consider including:
1) Choose A Recommended Site
One of the best horse racing tips we can offer when it comes to finding the best site for betting is to consider recommended sites. This means not only the horse racing betting sites we have recommended in this article but any that are covered by the UK Gambling Commission.
Those that hold a license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission are online bookies deemed safe for players across the UK. They have protective measures in place for players across the country and are accessible across all platforms.
Any horse racing betting sites that hold this license are ideal for players across the country.
2) UK Horse Racing Coverage
Some major events in horse racing draw in more punters, such as the Grand National at the Cheltenham Festival, and should be covered on all betting sites. However, those who are fans of horse racing will want more than just the major events and will want opportunities to wager on all events.
While almost every horse racing betting site will cover the Cheltenham Festival, the best ones will also cover other events, including Irish horse racing, and will have multiple horse racing markets for punters to consider. Many horse racing betting sites also cover other markets, meaning you can wager on multiple kinds of sports and should have a wide coverage of horse races.
Horse racing bookies may also allow for horse racing live streaming, allowing for in-play betting while the event takes place. Live streaming on a horse racing betting app means you can always keep track of the action when on the go and place multiple bets during this.
3) Betting Odds
As well as considering the markets a site supports, players also need to check out the betting odds that are offered to determine whether it is a good option for them.
The best odds will be ones that offer a good return on your stake, and this is something players want to pay attention to if they want to make money from their gambling. Checking the odds for any wager is the best thing to do as a player, but this can also be used to determine which is the best betting website for you.
After all, betting odds are used to show how much you can win based on your wager. It is very easy to check the betting odds of horse racing betting apps and sites because this is usually displayed alongside the upcoming races that are being covered. Players do not even have to sign in to see this information, so you can check out a range of sites’ odds before making an account with any of them. This applies to horse racing odds which will be shown next to the upcoming events, allowing you to determine ahead of time where your money will go.
All horse races will have different odds based on the event, the people involved, and how many people are wagering on it, but all sites will clearly display the best odds for each. Best odds show the best outcome for all races, allowing you to see what you can win based on the outcome, such as the winning horse.
You can use the best odds to find the best horse racing betting website as well as determine which is the best opportunity within this community.
4) Horse Racing Promotions
As we have mentioned, online bookmakers will offer promotions as a way to draw in new customers and get more people to sign up with their brand over competitors.
The online market is vast, which means there is a lot of competition out there, and bookmakers have to go above and beyond to stand out. This is where promotions come in, and players can be rewarded for simply choosing one casino over another.
In the list of the best betting websites, we highlighted the current welcome bonuses on offer with these brands. The welcome offers are not the only thing players can claim though, regardless of what bookmaker they choose. During major events like National Hunt Racing, horse racing bookmakers will offer more promotions to get people to wager on this event compared to any other.
It is a good idea for players to check out the ongoing promotions at their favourite online bookies as well as see what other sites are offering for horse racing. Players can win free bets for horse racing simply by registering. Free bets are a common welcome offer and a great way for players to try out a new casino site for the first time, but you may also see free bets being offered as an ongoing promotion for registered players.
With any free bets offer, players need to read the terms and conditions. This will outline how much the free bet stakes are worth and how the bet credits stake can be used across the website. Each free bets promotion will come with a new set of terms, so ensure you read them every time you qualify for new bonuses.
While there are a lot of choices out there for horse racing fans, this does not have to cause too many issues, as you can narrow down the best options based on these factors.
The best horse racing betting website for you will vary to other players based on your interests, how much you want to spend, and the promotions that interest you the most.
Considering these options, however, will make the process easier and allow you to find the right website for you.
Types of Horse Racing Bets
Each evening the top online bookmakers will offer you early prices for horse races that will take place the following day. You will now find that most bookmakers will offer you the “best price guaranteed”. This simply means that if you place a bet on your horse at 5/1 the night before and your selection then goes on to win at 8/1, you will be paid a winner at 8/1. The same applies to bets such as doubles, trebles, Luck 15s, and so on.
But be sure to check your choosing bookmaker as some only offer ” best price guaranteed” from 8 am of the day of the race.
Now let’s look at some of the most popular bets in horse racing.
Betting to Win
This is the most common and simplest bet in horse racing. Simply put, pick the horse you think will win the race and hope he/she duly obliges.
Each Way Betting
An each-way bet is two bets in one. You are betting half of your stake (the amount you bet on the horse) to win and the other half for the horse to be placed.
If your horse wins you get both the win and place side of the bet, but if your horse is placed you only get a certain fraction of the odds.
There are a few variables when it comes to each-way betting, .i.e the number of runners and the fractions on each wayside of the bet. Here are a few examples of that:
- There needs to a minimum of 5 runners in a race to activate each way of betting.
- 5-7 runners payout on the 1st and 2nd placed horses at 1/4 of the odds.
- 8 or more it is the first 3 to cross the line at 1/5 of the odds
In handicaps, you will get more places for more runners
- 12-15 runners payout 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at 1/4 of the odds
- 16 or more, then your each-way places stretch to the first 4 home at 1/4 of the odds.
Here is a quick example – You Bet £/€10 each way Horse A at 8-1 in a 16-runner handicap. If it finishes fourth, you receive £/€30 i.e. ¼ odds x your £/@10 stake plus your £10 place stake. If it wins you receive £/€120 i.e. Your £30 place bet return plus £/€90 for your £/€10 win bet.
But, here is a helpful tip. When you are betting on handicaps be sure to check with your online bookmaker how many places they are paying and at what fraction is each wayside of your bet settled?
With so much competition with online betting you will get some offers in 6 places instead of 4 but at 1/5 of the odd, so be sure to check all the special offers from your online bookmaker.
Place Only Betting
This is a great bet for when a race has a long odds on shot. This takes out the hard task of trying to bet the odds on when you think you found a horse that will place.
You simply pick your selection to place in the race and reduced odds.
Ante-Post Betting
Ante-Post betting has become very popular with the big race meeting of the year. i.e Cheltenham Festival and the Flat Classics in UK and Ireland.
Ante-Post betting markets are commonly under ‘Future Bets’ in the horse racing section of your online bookmaker.
There is a huge temptation to secure big odds what you consider for the next Cheltenham Festival hero a few months out. But with the comes the risk of ante-post betting.
If you back in any ante-post market and your horse does not run in the attended race that you backed it for, then you lose your stake. But, also with that comes the huge reward of collecting big if he does run and win.
For example, or friends from The Finishing Line have given their viewers on YouTube some great ante-post bets over the past two years, and here are two examples. i.e Al Boum Photo to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 33/1, he went on to win at 12/1. And most recently Kameko to win the 2000 Guineas at 20/1 and went on the win at 10/1.
So there is lots of value to be had in the ante-post markets and it’s a great way to have interest months out from a big meeting.
There is an exception to this rule when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival. You can get Ante-Post markets that are called ‘Non-Runner Money Back’ (NRMB). This is still an ante-post market but with the added bonus of, if your horses do not run, you will get your money back.
Forecast/Tricast Betting
Forecast and Tricast bets involve you trying to determine who will finish 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in that order. For a small wager, the reward can be big.
Here are explanations of some of these bets:
- Stright Forecast – Pick the 1st and 2nd to finish in that order.
- Straight Tricast – Pick the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd to finish in that order.
- Reverse Forecast – Pick 2 horses to finish 1st and 2nd in any order.
- Reverse Tricast – Pick 3 horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in any order.
Multiple Bets
Some of the following bets are very popular in the horse racing and sports world. You can combine short-priced favourites together to get a return or go for the life-changing return with a long odds accumulator.
- Double – Combine two horses in one bet, but both horses must win for you to get a return.
- Treble – Combine three horses in one bet, all three must-win for you to get a return.
- Trixie – Combine three horses in 3 doubles and 1 treble, 4 bets in total. You only need 2 horses to win to get a return. If you prefer to have the prospect of a return from only 1 winner, you can place a “Patent” which also includes 3 single win bets i.e. 7 bets in total.
- Yankee – 4 selections in 6 doubles, 4 trebles, and 1 accumulator. You need 2 horses to win to get a return i.e. 11 bets in total. If you would prefer to guarantee a return from only 1 winner, the “Lucky 15” also includes 4 single bets i.e. 15 bets in total. This bet can sometimes include the incentive of double the odds if only one selection wins or a bonus if all horses are successful.
- Lucky 31 – combines five selections in the same way as a Canadian or Super Yankee but also includes 5 single bets for 31 bets in total. As with the Lucky 15, there are often extra bonus payments on offer.
- Super Yankee – 5 selections in 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-way accumulators, and 1 five-way accumulator i.e. 26 bets in total.
- Heinz – combines six horses in 57 bets: 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, 6 five-folds, and 1 accumulator. A minimum of two of your selections must win in order to get a return.
Most Popular Horse Racing Markets
Win or E/W Single
This is a bet on single horse to win or a horse to win or place. You decide on a single horse in a particular race and back your money on that horse. If you decide to place a win bet of €5 euro on a horse it will cost five euro, if the bet is each way it would be ten euro as you must pay to cover the place portion of the bet also.
Forecast and Tri-cast
This bet consists of a person picking horses to come first and second in a race. The odds are combined so the odds are greater for your bet. You can reverse the forecast so either horse can come in either place but this doubles the cost of your bet. A tri-cast consists of first second and third.
Betting W/O
The favourite in every race is the horse that is the shortest price in the race. Oddsmakers will give you a market where the favourite is not in the odds. You can bet on the other horses however, at shorter prices.
Distance Special
In many races where there is a significant favourite, bookmakers will offer distance specials to entice you to bet on the favourite to win by different distances, either short or long.
Multiples
This is a combination of any kind of single bets, either a double (2), treble (3) or more then that into an accumulator. The odds of the selections are added together.
Horse Racing Betting Exchanges
Since the start-up of Betfair back in 2001 betting exchanges has given us a vast range of betting opportunities on horse racing.
As well as giving you the option of backing a horse the same way a traditional bookmaker would, betting exchanges gives you the option of ‘laying’ a horse. You are effectively acting as a bookmaker in that you offer a fixed price on ‘x’ horse with a fixed amount. If the horse loses you collect the punter’s stake money but, if the horse wins, you pay the punter the amount of the stake multiplied by the odds you offered.
Experienced betting exchange users aka traders are adept in dealing with both win and lay markets with the aim of making a guaranteed profit. But, it takes lots of practice and an understanding of the market to crack this, but when you do, you could be in for some big paydays.
Betting exchanges make their profit from the commission, which varies from 2% to 5%, depending on which betting exchange you choose to use.
In-Running Betting
This is another betting market on betting exchanges that have grown considerably over the past number of years with the help of technology.
Betting in-running simply means once the race goes off you can still place a bet on a horse in the race, but depending on how the horse is performing in the race that will determinant the in-running price.
So, if there is a horse that is inclined to miss the start and you are doubtful of backing him because of that, simply just wait until you see that he has jumped off with the rest of the field and place your bet.
If you are quick enough and sport a fast finisher coming from the back you can easily grab a big in-running price and reek the reward as he crosses the finishing line from your eagle eye.
Rule 4 Deductions
In horse racing, all bets are subject to Rule 4 unless specified or ante-post bets. This rule is simple here to protect the bookmaker in an event of a short price favourite been withdrawn after the declaration of all runners. As a result of that .i.e if the horse was withdrawn just before the off and there was not enough time for a new market, then Rule 4 comes into effect, and the deduction from your winning will be determined on the price of the horse taken out.
If the horse that has been withdrawn is 16/1 or bigger then there will be no Rule 4. You can find more detail on Rule 4 in any of your chosen bookmakers.
Spread Bet on Horse Racing
There are many different ways to bet in the Sports Betting world. You have tons of different sports with many different strategies of betting and it is important to understand each one before actually placing a bet. Today we are going to learn how to place a spread bet on the very Popular Sport of Horse racing. You can do this with one of the two big-spread betting bookies in the UK. We will be learning how to place a Spread Bet. Don’t worry if you have never placed a bet on Horse Racing before, we are going to show you the lay of the land.
The first thing we need to understand is what a Spread Bet is. Many people think of betting as picking the winner out of two teams to win. Spread Betting adds a more complex way of betting on Sports, especially with Horse Racing. Instead of betting on which horse is going to win you might bet on the distance, there will be between the first-place horse and the second-place horse at the end of the race. Now say the betting institution that you are using is saying they believe the amount of paces is going to be between 1-3. You feel pretty good that the first-place horse is going to win by 3 paces so you place your bet on it. Now if the first-place horse wins by 3 paces you will win the bet. On the other hand, the winning horse only wins by 1 pace you will lose the bet.
Now we are going to dive a little bit deeper into how Spread Betting works in Horse Racing. The really cool thing about Spread betting is you can bet on Winning or Losing. This opens up so many more opportunities to be successful in wagering. Let’s say for instance the spread at the Horse Race for how many Lengths will be between the first and second place horse for all races of the day is between 30-34. You are feeling pretty confident that the second place horses are going to do better than the first place ones so you are going to bet $5 per point at 34 lengths on a Sell bet. The winning horses only win by 30 lengths altogether and you bought the rights to sell your bet at 34 lengths. That means you make the difference of 34 minus 30 (which is 4) and then you times it by your bet which was $5. That means you made a $20 Profit.
The other type of Spread bet you can make is called a Buy Bet. Say you think the winning horses are going to win by a total of 70 lengths altogether and the spread says that they are going to win by 70-74 lengths. You place a Buy bet of $5 to buy the right to bet on the 1st place horses winning by a total of 70 lengths. The horses end up winning by 80 lengths in all so you make the difference between 70 and 74 which is 4 and then times it by your initial bet of $5. That’s another $20 profit.
As you can tell the Spread Betting on Horse Racing can be very lucrative if you learn how to do it right. Just take what you learned here and start making some money!
How to choose a horse racing bookie?
BetOpin.com, the home of betting opinion is here to provide you with all the facts you need to make an informed and intelligent decision about which bookies are worth betting with. If you are looking for a new bookie to place a bet on the horse races there are a few things you need to check first. The key things to look for in a bookie are:
- Best odds
- In-play better
- Range of market
- Withdrawing your winnings
- Welcome and sign up bonuses
Betting on Horse Racing, Why is it so popular?
Jump racing, arguably the most popular of the two disciplines in terms of fans and betting. National Hunt racing has been know to be for the purest of horse racing fans. In the depths of winter, you can get sold-out crowds on Boxing Day/St Stephen’s Day flocking to Kempton Park to see the world’s best 3mile chasers battle it out to be the next King George winner.
Jump races are races that include obstacles for the horse and jockey to jump. These can be small ones better known as hurdles or large ones better known as fences.
Jump racing occurs all year round but it is traditionally a Winter and Spring discipline with the top festival including the Cheltenham Festival, Aintree Grand National Festival, and in Ireland the Dublin Racing Festival and Punchestown Festival/
Jump racing is a test of a mixture of stamina, jumping ability, and the ability to battle. You will find jump horses will race a lot longer than their flat counterparts and look bigger and stronger as they will be more developed and more than likely have more of a jumps pedigree than a flat breed.
Known as hurdlers and chasers, these horses may have run on the Flat in the past or have been bred specifically for Jump racing and bought into training later and start off life in racing called Juvenile Hurdle races open to a horse of 4yo.
The distance of the races varies from 2m all the way up to the 4m4f and the test of the Aintree Grand National.
Some of the top horse racing festivals you would have heard of and here we will give you the know-how and best ways to bet on some of the best horse racing meetings in the world.
Races like the Guineas, Derby, and St. Ledger add huge value to the winning horse as a stallion prospect.
From a betting point of view meetings like Royal Ascot and Breeders Cup have a huge betting turnover in the UK alone. With many of the top horses from Europe and America competing in both meetings, it is a great chance to expand your betting balance with a nice profit.
From a betting standpoint, you can get attached to a particular horse year in year out as most jump horses will stay in training into their teens. The likes of Kauto Star, Hurricane Fly, Red Rum but to name a few help to add to the great stories and excitement over the years.
From a betting standpoint, the markets for jump racing are wildly more available with the likes of the Cheltenham Festival and the Aintree Grand National ante-post market being one of the most popular on the worlds leading sportsbook.
Top Horse Racing Meeting
Cheltenham Festival (Jumps)
The Cheltenham Festival is by far the biggest betting week of the year with around €172 million been spent on betting alone each year and is also the week when every person in Ireland and UK becomes horse racing experts. With 28 races to get your teeth stuck into you have no end of horses to try to turn the €/£10 into life-changing money.
One gamble in most recent years that sticks out in my mind is the then Karl Burked trained Hunt Ball, who himself started the season as a lowly handicapper only to rocket up the ladder and end up running in the then Pulteney Lands Investment Novice Handicap Chase at the festival, and was back at prices as big as 66/1 on the months running up to the race and eventually went off 13/2 and duly obliged by winning by 8 lengths from White Star Line, sending lots of punters home with a skip in their step.
This is where you can get the value of out your ante-post bets which we discussed early.
I can’t think of a better week in the year to start the week by smashing up the winner of the Supreme Novice Hurdle to get you off to a flyer. The months leading up to Cheltenham are like no other. As soon as the last race is run at the festival the talk and money start to go down on the following season’s ante-post markets.
The Cheltenham Festival is by far the most active anti-post market when it comes to horse racing. Some of the leading bookmakers don’t miss a trick with the popularity of the Cheltenham ante-post markets with most of the big online bookmaker firms gone NRMB (Non-Runner Money Back) on the big 4 races at the festival ( Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle, and Gold Cup) and the Ryanair Chase. The one downfall with this is that nearly all horses in the non-runner money-back races are clipped in in price. For example, the Willie Mullins trained Al Boum Photo was clipped into 7/2 from 9/2 with most firms, with the plusses obviously been that if your horse does not run in the race you have back him/her in when you will get your money back no questions asked.
For all the latest Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Markets click the Paddy Power tab below.
Grand National (Jumps)
The race that stops a nation, the grand national is the single most bet on the race of the year with around £150 million wagered alone on the race.
The 40 strong field gives everyone a chance to win big. From the local shopkeeper to your granny will more than likely have had a bet on the Grand National. The sight of 40 horses charging towards the first fence of the national in hope that your pick can put in show jumping leaps, draws a huge tv and track audience.
So, of the biggest gambles have been pulled off in this race, with the like of the Willie Mullins trained and Ruby Walsh ridden Hedgehunter were back off the boards into 7/1 like defeat was out of the question. There was never a moment of worry when Ruby and Hedgehunter cruised to a 14-length success.
But the most famous gamble pulled off in the modern era of the National happened back in 2010 when Don’t Push got his head in front. It was backed from 25/1 into 10/1 favourite to give trainer Jonjo O Neill, owner J.P McManus their first win in the race. But what made this race go down in history was it was finally the race that A.P McCoy broke his national hoodoo at the 15th attempt.
Will we see another monster gamble again this year? Click here to find all the latest odds and betting tips for this year’s Grand National.
The Derby (Flat)
The Derby takes place every year at Epsom Downs the race every flat trainer, owner, jockey, and breeder want to win. Any winner of the Derby will go down in history as one of the great equine stars. Some of the names on the long list that you might recognise that have won the Derby such as Galileo, New Approach, Shergar, Sea The Stars, Golden Horn, and most recently Masar.
Each year you will get 100s of 2yo unraced colts entered for the Derby with very few making the cut. You have the usual suspects at the top of the market, with the master trainer Aiden O Brian dominating the ante-post market every year. If he has a 2yo that wins the Vertem Futurity Trophy from the Racing Post Trophy, be sure to see him top the betting market.
This year we saw another Aiden O Brian horse romp home from the front. So the best bet is to listen to the whispers coming from the Ballydoyle juggernaut.
In terms of the betting side of things, this is a race where the big players come out to play and invest big into the next star. Just before his final 2-year-old race at Newmarket I can recall a bet of £20,000 been placed on Too Darn Hot at odds of 6/1 to win the Derby. Will that prove a good investment come May? I think there is a very good chance that he will be collecting form a downbeat bookmaker after the race.
The fillies also have their version of the Derby with the running of the Oakes the day before. This is also steep in history with winners such as wonder filly Enable, Snow Fairy, Sariska, and Ouija Board amount the roll of honour.
This year’s Oaks we have seen one of the most impressive performances to ever come out of the famous Epsom down when Love backed up her 1000 Guineas win with an even more breathtaking performance at Epsom.
We can now look forward to the potential clash of Love and Enable in the Prix de Arc Triomphe at Longchamp this September.
Click here for the latest Derby and Oaks betting tips.
Royal Ascot (Flat)
The Cheltenham of flat racing, Royal Ascot provides you with the stars of the flat world coming together to battle over 5 days. This is the most prestigious meeting of the year where the Queen attends each day to witness the greatest horses that flat racing has to offer battle it out.
Like Cheltenham, Royal Ascot has year-round ante-post markets for most of their big races. So, if you see something that has caught your eye and fancy having a bet at big odds for Royal Ascot then there should be no problem in you getting on that soon to be the winner.
Only 2nd to Cheltenham in terms of a betting spectacle, Royal Ascot is 5 days of top-class racing with top-class horses. With 8 Group 1 races and another 19 Group races, there is plenty of top-class action to get stuck into. No day fails to live up to the hype and you can be sure to get great value for your buck on horses that
There is a new trend after hitting Royal Ascot when it comes to a huge gamble and it comes all the way from America. Wesley Ward is known for his point and shoots sprinters and when he aims them at Royal Ascot you better believe that they are speed demons. More likely than not you will be collecting from his star sprinter.
He has introduced us to Breeders Cup superstars such as No Nay Never and Lady Aurelia in recent years.
If you have had one too many glasses of the bubbles then you could even be tempted to get involved in the ‘what color the Queen wears’ betting market.
Click here to find all the latest betting tips for a Royal week of racing.
Betting Platforms
Have you ever wondered what markets are available when betting on a horse race?
Here is a guide on some of the most popular markets that are used on a daily basis and how they work.
Distance Specials
A popular bet for races with odds on favourites. The distance specials give you a chance to get much better odds on a horse by predicting the winning distance.
You can also get prices on the winning distance of the race which takes out the trouble of picking the horse to do the winning for you.
Insurance Betting
Insurance bets are where you take shorter odds on a horse. For example, if the horse is 3/1 in the normal market you will be offered 2/1 under insurance betting.
This means if your horse wins you will be paid out on the odds taken under the insurance market, but if your horse places you will get your money back no questions asked.
Top Bookmakers That Offer All These Markets
The following exchanges also offer these markets
Promotions Available at Horse Racing Sites
Horse racing is the second most popular form of sports betting in the UK, coming after football. This means that most if not all, sports betting sites will offer horse racing betting in some capacity and want players to take advantage of this.
As we have mentioned, promotions are offered by casinos as a way to draw in new players and perform better than competitors. There are many sites that offer horse racing betting, which means there is a lot of competition, and each casino will have promotions to draw players in.
Horse racing fans can take advantage of these promotions, especially during major events, to make additional money when betting. While there are many forms of promotions on offer at these sites, a common bonus is free bets.
Free bets are given as a welcome bonus at the recommended sites in this horse racing betting guide, as well as an ongoing promotion at most casinos. Free bets are given as a percentage of the total deposit amount, and any qualifying bet credits can be used to make more money through horse racing.
While free bets are the most popular promotion, they are not the only thing being offered by these sites. A horse racing bookmaker may also offer:
Best Odds Guaranteed
Best odds guaranteed is a fairly common promotion, much like free bets. With this kind of promotion, even if you have taken an early price or used fixed odds betting during an event, casinos offering best odds guaranteed will always pay out the highest odds at the time.
This form of boosted odds is common with all types of horse racing bettings, so it will be difficult to find a site that does not offer this at some point.
Extra Place Winner
This promotion is ideal for players who are interested in each way betting and can really enhance the whole experience of horse racing betting during an event.
Players are usually paid not only when one horse wins but for the first four or five placements as well with some forms of in-play betting. This extra place winner promotion means that the casino will offer an additional place on top of what they usually have, so you have more opportunities to win cash.
Non Runner Insurance
As the name suggests, this kind of promotion works more as an insurance policy for players. However, it is only offered for specific events and is considered a promotion by the casino.
This promotion applies to ante post betting, which is bets placed ahead of the event, and will cover players if their horse does not end up running on the day.
While odds can be given out ahead of time, there is no way to truly predict what will happen on the day, and this kind of promotion can protect your interests and ensure you still walk away with some cash following your initial wager.
Ahead of any horse racing event, the promotions being offered by casinos will drastically increase as websites want to draw in more players. The more people placing bets during an event means more money for the casino, which is why players should constantly check horse racing betting offers when they can.
Even after you have made an account with a casino, keep checking the horse racing betting offers as new promotions are likely to be introduced, and you could be offered additional prizes for the money you would be spending anyway. Even a free bet can go a long way if you were not expecting anything.
New Horse Racing Betting Sites
The current list of horse racing betting sites is vast and contains both new and traditional bookmakers. This list is not set in stone, and there are always going to be new names appearing in the market to keep up with consumer demand.
As we have mentioned, horse racing is one of the most popular forms of betting in the UK, and this increases whenever a major event takes place, like the Grand National. To keep up with consumer demand for horse racing betting apps and sites, brands are continuously going to release new products, which means more places for punters.
One of the top websites given in our list is a fairly new addition to the market, 10Bet. Compared to other brands like Paddy Power and William Hill, this is a fairly new brand in the UK and yet offers some of the best horse racing betting opportunities for players.
The free bet welcome offer makes this a great website for players to consider over any other, as new players are given up to £50 in a free bet based on their deposit amount. As well as this free bet offer, 10Bet also has a great range of markets for players, including over ten betting types that can be used for your horse racing bet.
Another great feature to consider of this site alongside the free bets is the high payout rate which is considerably better than any of the traditional names.
Even though 10Bet is not as established as some of the other betting sites we have mentioned, it is still a great option for players. Punters should keep an open mind when trying to find new places for horse racing betting, as new betting sites may offer something better than the traditional names in the game.
When it comes to new sites for online horse racing betting, newer sites are also more likely to have mobile apps. This means that they support betting on the go and allow players to keep track of their bets, winnings, and current odds from their mobile devices. Once you have an online betting account, you can keep track of all this information on the go using the app and even sometimes see the action that takes place during the horse race if live streaming is offered.
Tips & Strategies for Punters
Horse racing betting can be a great pastime and is a way of making horse racing more exciting for fans. While the fun of the game comes from the unknown, there are some ways that you can ensure you have a good time and earn some money on the side too.
Use Recommended Sites Only
As we have mentioned, there are many types of betting sites out there, and not all of them are made equal. Players in the UK have a great range of betting sites they can use for horse racing, as this is one of the most popular markets in the nation.
However, to ensure that you are playing safely, you only want to consider bookmakers that are covered by the UK Gambling Commission. This means they hold a license from the commission and are considered safe for players in the UK to use.
Research Best Odds First
To ensure that you walk away from any horse race with some cash in your pocket, you need to do your research. All websites will list their best odds for upcoming events, and these need to be considered before you wager anything, as they determine how much you can win and how much you need to wager to do this.
Checking the best odds guaranteed on any site is a great way to determine whether you are going to win something, but it also allows you to find the best place to play. As this information is given ahead of time, players can do their research before the big day of the horse race and ensure they are not wasting their money.
Take Advantage Of Promotions
Promotions are not only an incentive to draw in more players, as they can be used to make more money from a casino site. During major events, casinos are going to have more promotions available, and these can be used to make your wagers stretch further.
Registering at several new casinos ahead of time can give you access to free bets, which can be used during horse racing, as well as checking out the ongoing promotions at your current casino. Players can make their money stretch further and make their bets perform better simply by choosing the right promotion at the time.
Summary
As one of the most popular betting options in the UK, many sites offer horse racing. This is available at all times of the year but is especially popular during major races like the Grand National, and more sites are likely to be founded during this time.
With so many choices, it can be difficult for players to find the best place for sports betting, which is why we have created this guide. There are specific features you should look out for to find the best site for betting, including promotions, betting types, and the betting odds offered.
No matter what site you choose, players need to ensure that it holds a UK Gambling Commission license for their safety and to ensure the site can be legally accessed in this country.
FAQ
What is the best horse racing betting website?
The best horse racing site will vary for all players, but it will be one that holds a United Kingdom Gambling Commission license, as this is the safest option for players across the nation.
Are bonuses available for horse racing?
Most casinos will offer promotions during specific horse racing events, such as free bets which can be used on a horse race.
What is a free bet?
Free bets are often given as a promotion at casinos and can be used to wager on an event without spending your own cash.
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