Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in the UK for 2023
The best horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with take very different approaches to the sport of kings. Due to its inextricable links with gambling, this particular pastime will always be one of the most popular to wager on. We take a look at what the leading online British bookies provide for those who want to bet on horse racing. This includes offers, the types of wager and even a few tips and strategies to help you out.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites
- All
Bet £10 Get £40 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 In Free Bets
Get £50 in Bonuses
Get £50 in Bonuses
50% of First Day Losses Back As a Free Bet Up To £25
50% of First Day Losses Back As a Free Bet Up To £25
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10, Get £30 Free Bet + £10 Casino Bonus
Bet £10, Get £30 Free Bet + £10 Casino Bonus
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
50% Welcome Offer up to £50
50% Welcome Offer up to £50
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Top 10 Horse Racing Betting Sites
There are lots of online bookmakers and sports betting sites out there all clamouring for your attention. That’s why we asked our experts to highlight the cream of the crop. Here are their 10 top horse racing betting sites that punters in the UK gamble on:
- BetMGM – Golden Silks deal for 10 weekly profit boosts
- Spreadex – Horse racing spread betting & fixed odds
- Betgoodwin – Many free bet up to £100 promotions
- Betfred – Bonus King with more Extra Place Races
- 888sport – Excellent extra features on sportsbook
- QuinnBet – Lots of horse racing offers available
- Grosvenor – Cash Back if 2nd to SP Favourite deal
- BoyleSports – Irish bookie with horse racing focus
- bet365 – Price Promise to match competitor odds
- 10bet – Acca bonus of £5,000 extra paid on horses
- William Hill – Big name brand offering Bet Boost
- BetVictor – Loyalty Club includes horse racing bets
Key Horse Races to Bet on This Week
The week commencing 4 December builds to the two-day Betfair Tingle Creek Festival at Sandown Park on Friday and Saturday. A couple of Grade 2s headline the 8 December card in the Winter Novices’ Hurdle and brand new to the pattern Esher Novices’ Chase for stayers.
Saturday, 9 December has a bumper day at the Greater London track with the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle transferred from Newcastle following freezing temperatures last week. While we may see Constitution Hill and/or Shishkin there, Jonbon is set to run in another of the three Grade 1 races, the feature Tingle Creek Chase.
Also on Saturday, the Grand National fences will be in use with the Becher Chase taking centre stage. Sunday, 10 December features cards from Cork in Ireland and Huntingdon where Grade 2 action is the main event courtesy of the Hilly Way Chase and Peterborough Chase respectively.
Navan also has a graded novice hurdle in the Emerald Isle on Saturday. The table below contains all the Group, graded and Listed races down to Class 2 level, including valuable handicaps from this week’s feature horse racing meetings in the UK and Ireland that you can bet on:
| Race | Type of Race | Class of Race | Distance | Where | When |
| TrustATrader Approved And Reviewed Tradespeople Introductory Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Class 2 | 1m 7.5f | Haydock | Wednesday, 6 December |
| Winter Oaks Trial Fillies’ Handicap (0-105) | 3yo+ AW Handicap | Class 2 | 1m 2f | Lingfield | Wednesday, 6 December |
| trustatrader.com Veterans’ Handicap Chase (0-150) | 10yo+ Handicap Chase | Class 2 | 3m 1.5f | Haydock | Wednesday, 6 December |
| Hyde Stakes | 3yo+ AW Flat Race | Listed | 1m | Kempton | Wednesday, 6 December |
| London Stayers’ Series Final | 3yo+ AW Handicap | Class 2 | 2m | Kempton | Wednesday, 6 December |
| Betting.Betfair.com Introductory Juvenile Hurdle | 3yo Hurdle Race | Class 2 | 2m | Sandown | Friday, 8 December |
| Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Grade 2 | 2m 4f | Sandown | Friday, 8 December |
| Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 2 | 3m | Sandown | Friday, 8 December |
| Houghton Mares’ Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Listed | 2m 4f | Aintree* | Saturday, 9 December |
| Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Listed | 2m | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Beginners’ Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Class 2 | 2m 4f | Aintree | Saturday, 9 December |
| Sandown Pertemps Qualifier | 4yo+ Handicap Hurdle | Class 2 | 2m 7.5f | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| Fighting Fifth Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Grade 1 | 2m | Sandown^ | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase (0-145) | 4yo+ Handicap Chase | Class 2 | 2m 4f | Aintree | Saturday, 9 December |
| Bective Stud, Tea Rooms & Apartments Handicap Hurdle | 4yo+ Handicap Hurdle | Listed | 3m 1f | Navan | Saturday, 9 December |
| Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 1 | 1m 7.5f | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase | 6yo+ Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap | 3m 2f | Aintree | Saturday, 9 December |
| Coral Welsh Grand National Trial | 4yo+ Handicap Chase | Class 2 | 2m 7.5f | Chepstow | Saturday, 9 December |
| Foxrock Handicap Chase | 4yo+ Handicap Chase | Listed | 2m 4.5f | Navan | Saturday, 9 December |
| Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle (Registered as the December Handicap Hurdle) (0-150) | 4yo+ Handicap Hurdle | Class 2 | 2m | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boylesports Daily Money Back 2nd Juvenile Hurdle | 3yo Hurdle Race | Listed | 2m 1f | Aintree | Saturday, 9 December |
| Navan Novice Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Grade 2 | 2m 4f | Navan | Saturday, 9 December |
| Betfair Tingle Creek Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 1 | 1m 7.5f | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boylesports Extra Place Races Handicap Hurdle | 4yo+ Handicap Hurdle | Class 2 | 2m 4f | Aintree | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boost Your Acca-Fenwa With BetUK Handicap (0-105) | 3yo+ AW Handicap | Class 2 | 1m 2f | Newcastle | Saturday, 9 December |
| Betfair London National Handicap Chase (0-150) | 5yo+ Handicap Chase | Class 2 | 3m 4.5f | Sandown | Saturday, 9 December |
| Boost Your Acca At BetMGM Handicap (0-105) | 3yo+ AW Handicap | Class 2 | 7f | Newcastle | Saturday, 9 December |
| Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap (0-105) | 3yo+ AW Handicap | Class 2 | 1m 4f | Wolverhampton | Saturday, 9 December |
| Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase | 5yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 2 | 2m 0.5f | Cork | Sunday, 10 December |
| TrustATrader Peterborough Chase | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 2 | 2m 4f | Huntingdon | Sunday, 10 December |
| O’Flynn Group Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase (Registered as the Lombardstown) | 4yo+ Steeplechase | Grade 2 | 2m 0.5f | Cork | Sunday, 10 December |
| Singletons SuperValu Stayers Novice Hurdle | 4yo+ Hurdle Race | Grade 3 | 3m | Cork | Sunday, 10 December |
| TrustATrader Henrietta Knight Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race | 4y0-5yo Bumper | Listed | 2m | Huntingdon | Sunday, 10 December |
Reviews of the Best Horse Racing Betting Sites
You’ve seen our list of top bookies to bet on horse racing with but what do the elite have that sets them apart? That’s where our experts come in. We asked them to put each of the leading five under the microscope. They lift the lid on what these bookmakers have to of offer. These are the best online horse racing betting sites UK punters place wagers on reviewed in more detail:
1. BetMGM Horse Racing – Stellar Coverage from UK Newcomers
BetMGM tops our list of the best horse racing betting sites, despite being a relative newcomer to the game. The iconic US brand launched in the UK in August 2023, demonstrating a commitment to horse racing odds and markets. They offer Best Odds Guaranteed on selected British and Irish horse racing from 11am on racedays, which is solid.
The real table turner with this site is the quality of their betting odds. We found some excellent prices for domestic meetings as well as races in the United States, South Africa, and other regions. What sets BetMGM’s horse racing product one cut above, however, is their Golden Silks promotion. Simply opt in and bet £20 on the racing on a Monday to unlock ten potential Profit Boosts for that week up to a total of £10,000.
Another jewel is the live streaming feature, where you can watch the action from several angles once you have placed your singles, multiples, or cover bets. There is also the option to replay races, if you need to catch up. As well as a good range of payment methods, the classy BetMGM Rewards feature is a nice touch. They have almost everything a top horse racing betting site in the UK should have.
What we like:
- Golden Silks Profit Boosts promotion
- BOG on raceday for selected UK and Irish races
- Customisable live streaming with race replays
- Pays First Past the Post for UK/Irish/South African races
- Strong selection of ante-post markets
What we don’t:
- BOG promo starts slightly late at 11am
- Just £10 of £40 BetMGM’s welcome offer usable on horse racing
2. Spreadex Horse Racing – Spread Betting & Fixed Odds Together
Unlike the other best horse racing bookies that UK punters bet with, Spreadex provides two gambling services for the price of one. Not only can you place regular fixed odds wagers on their site and app, but there are spread betting options available. A full understanding of the differences and risks that come attached with that before you start taking a punt is important.
There are ante post fixed odds markets for the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National on Spreadex just like ordinary horse racing betting sites where live streaming also features. Watch the next events unfold on the track with a funded account, plus access to Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing streams when logged in.
Not only do Spreadex pay out on First Past the Post and any amended result on British and Irish races, but their 2nd to a Rag Insurance provides money back as a free bet if your pick finishes runner-up to a 33/1+ outsider. Other horse racing UK bettors use online do have a Best Odds Guaranteed deal, and it’s in the offers area where there’s room for improvement.
What we like:
- 2nd to a Rag Insurance deal
- Ante post betting on big races
- Lots of free live streaming
- Pays out First Past the Post
- Spread bets & fixed odds
What we don’t:
- BOG promo not among available offers
- Spread betting losses can exceed deposit
3. Betfred Horse Racing – Bonus King with More Extra Place Races
The nickname of “The Bonus King” isn’t just a gimmick when it comes to Betfred, who are one of the best horse racing betting sites around today. This is due to the range of offers specific to the sport they have on their online sportsbook. From Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd in selected races to their pledge to provide more Extra Places than any other horse racing bookmaker out there, they embrace this traditional gambling pastime.
For further evidence of that, look no further than the fact that Betfred provide their Best Odds Guaranteed deal on selected international races as well as all UK and Irish meetings. Their All Correct and One Winner Bonuses incentivise you to try combination and system bets like Yankees, Lucky 15s, Canadians, Lucky 31s and so on.
While their Acca Insurance promotion applies only to football betting, Betfred do go Non-Runner No Bet early on major events like the Grand National and championship races at the Cheltenham Festival. You can also live stream all the horse racing action in the British Isles so long as you’ve placed a qualifying bet.
What we like:
- All Correct & One Winner Bonus deals
- BOG for selected international races too
- Money Back as a Free Bet promotions
- More Extra Place races than most bookies
- NRNB on Cheltenham & Grand National
What we don’t:
- Acca Insurance not available for horses
- Qualifying bet needed for live streams
4. 888sport Horse Racing – Excellent Extra Features on Sportsbook
As UK horse racing bookies online go, 888sport have a great reputation. They’ve developed that by providing plenty of promotions to punters.
From the 4/1 Winner offer giving you a bonus horse racing free bet once a day to Extra Place Races and enhanced terms available through the Each Way+ deal, this is an area in which they excel.
You also receive the Best Odds Guaranteed and free live streams to all UK and Irish horse racing events on the day they take place. 888sport event have handy tools like BetFeed that show you popular, trending wagers and BetFinder, which helps you narrow the field down to find the right horse for you.
Also committed to paying out on Double Results, its claims of being of one of the top horse racing betting sites out there are obvious. There are plenty of reasons why on top of those outlined above.
These include a good range of ante post betting and daily markets across many different countries worldwide on 888sport. The only aspect that could be better was if they offered more horse racing specials on the sportsbook.
What we like:
- 4/1 Winner offer includes horses
- BetFeed & BetFinder tools help
- BOG on day of UK & Irish races
- Each Way+ deal for extra places
- Free live streaming available
What we don’t:
- Could feature in more 888 Specials
- International live streams not free
5. QuinnBet Horse Racing – Lots of Offers Available
Another of the best horse racing bookies for offers is QuinnBet who pack their site full of great deals. The Acca Bonus covers wagers on this sport, while selected events and meetings qualify for other promotions. These include Money Back as a Free Bet if Beaten a Head or Less or if 2nd (or 3rd, or even 4th) to the SP Favourite.
QuinnBet have the Best Odds Guaranteed deal in effect from 9am on race days covering all UK and Irish meetings. While other horse racing betting sites provide this deal from an earlier time, they’re also far from the latest out there. Their Fail to Finish if your horse unseats the rider and Fallers Insurance deal are also great cover during the core jumps season in particular.
Extra Place Races and live streaming opportunities are well advertised on the QuinnBet sportsbook too. Their Future Races section for ante post betting could do with tidying up and some international events adding to it. This is a very minor quibble with QuinnBet, though, who may also benefit from adding some horse racing specials to what’s on offer.
What we like:
- Acca Bonus & Beaten a Head or Less deals
- BOG into effect from 9am on race days
- Daily Extra Place Races & live streaming
- Fail to Finish & Fallers Insurance offers
- Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd / 3rd
What we don’t:
- Lacks international Future Races betting
- No horse racing specials are available
6. Grosvenor Horse Racing – Cash Back if 2nd to SP Favourite Deal
While the Grosvenor brand is well-established in the casino sector, they’re also one of the new horse racing betting sites UK punters can wager with online. Branching out makes sense and there certainly aren’t half measures. Grosvenor Sport takes aim at its competitors with a BOG deal from 9am on race days, plus free live streaming of UK and Irish meetings.
They also run as a Cash Back if 2nd to the Starting Price Favourite promotion on selected horse racing events. This goes a step further than leading and new horse racing bookies who run a similar offer by issuing free bet refunds. Grosvenor give you your stake back as cash up to £20. Supporting these offers are a good range of ante post betting options for punters.
If you like to be on horse racing regularly, then the Grosvenor Sport Club weekly free bet deal rewards that loyalty. Opt-in and stake £25 in qualifying wagers to receive a £5 bonus. Grosvenor have really made a great start with their coverage of horse racing but, and they’re not alone in this, would benefit from having specials on this sport more often.
What we like:
- BOG promo from 9am on race days
- Cash Back if 2nd to SP Favourite deal
- Free live streams of UK & Irish races
- Grosvenor Sport Club weekly free bet
- Plenty of ante post markets available
What we don’t:
- Needs more horse racing specials
- Qualifying bets for overseas streams
7. BoyleSports Horse Racing – Irish Bookie with Big Focus on This Sport
BoyleSports are one of the big hitters among Irish and UK horse racing betting sites today. Their BOG deal comes into effect earlier than most of the competition, starting at 8am. There are Extra Place Races and a Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to the SP Fav deal available every single day, so they do traditional horse racing offers really well.
Accumulators are another area of expertise from BoyleSports. Their Acca Loyalty promotions gives you a free one each week if you place five that qualify within that time and horse racing is included. Watch out for the customary free live streaming of UK and Irish horse races that their rivals all boast too.
If you want to see something outside of the British Isles, however, you’ll need to place a qualifying with BoyleSports to get access. They have lots of specials every day catering for all kinds of horse racing punters, plus a wealth of ante post betting markets on future events. The prominence given to virtual racing on the BoyleSports sportsbook is interesting, but does distract from real-life on-course action.
What we like:
- Acca Loyalty offer covers horse racing
- BOG in effect from 8am on race days
- Considerable ante post bets & specials
- Extra Place Races available every day
- Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd deal
What we don’t:
- Place a bet to stream overseas races
- Virtual racing prominent on site
How we Rate the Top Horse Racing Betting Sites
Best Odds
The price you get on any bet is everything these days. There’s one very simple reason for this, and it’s the fact that bigger odds when you bet on horse racing means larger profits if you’ve backed a winner. All forms of gambling are about getting the greatest return on your investment possible. Our experts were quick to recommend bet365 here because of their Price Promise promotion and offering Best Odds Guaranteed earlier than any other bookie in the market.Deals & Promos
It also follows that the more deals horse racing betting sites offer you, the better as these create incentives and opportunities to take a punt. Promotions must include all existing customers and not simply be aimed at attracting newcomers. From BOG and Extra Place Races to Money Back as a Free Bet deals and more besides, QuinnBet have plenty going for them in terms of horse racing offers.Events Covered
Breadth and depth of coverage is also important as horse racing bookies have to cater for all kinds of punters. Whether you’re a regular bettor or just like an annual punt on the Grand National, what’s available to bet on plays its part. You can expect to find overseas and international races featuring in both daily markets and ante post betting, as well as wall-to-wall coverage of British and Irish horse racing. They may be fresh faces on the scene, but Grosvenor have surprisingly wide coverage for one of the new UK horse racing betting sites out there.Other Features
Additional features are always handy, especially if they help you reach better decisions when taking a punt. From live streaming and free access to watching horse races at home and abroad to tools that help you find the right bet for you, our experts wholeheartedly recommend 888sport for those little extras.Types of Bet
Let’s not forget about the way in which you can bet on horse racing either. Any bookmaker just offering the basic win and each way bets aren’t really up to it. You may want access to pari-mutuel betting pools and BoyleSports can oblige there. More sophisticated horse racing punters with wider experience may want to try a horse racing betting exchange or placing spread wagers. For the latter, there’s always Spreadex who are real industry leaders within their own niche markets.
Key Features of UK Horse Racing Bookmakers Online
It’s often easier to compare the best horse racing betting sites with a visual. That’s what the below table is all about. By looking at it, you can see what each bookie has in terms of popular offers and extra features:
| Bookies | BOG | Acca Deals | Cash Out | Extra Place Races | Free Bet Club | Live Streaming |
| Spreadex |  |
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| 888sport | Day of races | |
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| QuinnBet | 9am | |
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| Grosvenor | 9am | |
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| BoyleSports | 8am | |
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| bet365 | Final decs | |
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| 10bet | |
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| Betfred | 8am | |
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| William Hill | 10am | |
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| BetVictor | 9am | |
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Popular Markets with UK Horse Racing Bookies Online
Something that all of the top horse racing betting sites have in common is the fact that they will offer you lots of markets. We asked our experts to explain all of the most popular wagers punters put on horses:
Fixed Odds Bets
- Win – You can keep things simple and just wager on a horse finishing first in the race.
- Place – Alternatively, you can bet on horses finishing placed. Precisely what constitutes a place is governed by factors like the type of race and number of runners. Be aware that place betting probably won’t be available on horse racing events with four or fewer runners.
- Each Way – Combining win and place bets together is very popular. They call this each way betting where your unit stake doubles to cover both elements of the wager. A fraction of the outright win price, typically a quarter or fifth depending on the type of race and number of runners, is paid for a place. Those aspects all dictate how many places the bookies pay out on.
- Ante Post – Any bet struck prior to final declarations is called ante post. You aren’t guaranteed a run for your money with these, but may get better odds for the horse in question.
- Forecast Bet – You can bet on two horses in the same race to finish first and second in a set order. Reversing this doubles your unit stake and covers any order with those particular runners.
- Tricast Bet – Like a Forecast but with three horses in the same race and to finish first, second and third in a given order.
- Distance – There is also the option of betting on horses to win by a set margin or greater. The unit of distance is lengths.
- Without the Favourite – It’s possible to take the market leader out of contention through betting without the favourite, which is like wagering on the race and the most fancied runner isn’t there. Any punts pay out if the horse wins the race or finishes second to the market leader.
Accumulators, Combination & System Bets
- Double – 2 selections from different races on the same slip. All must win for a payout.
- Treble – 3 selections from different races on the same slip. All must win for a payout.
- Trixie – 4 bets on the same slip featuring 3 horses as: 3 doubles and a treble.
- Patent – 7 bets on the same slip featuring 3 horses as: 3 singles, 3 doubles and a treble.
- Accumulator – Any straight multiple with 4 or more selections in it from different races. All must win for a payout.
- Yankee – 11 bets on the same slip featuring 4 horses as: 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a fourfold accumulator.
- Lucky 15 – 15 bets on the same slip featuring 4 horses as: 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and a fourfold accumulator.
- Canadian – 26 bets on the same slip featuring 5 horses as: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 fourfolds and a fivefold.
- Lucky 31 – 31 bets on the same slip featuring 5 horses as: 5 singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 fourfolds and a fivefold.
- Heinz – 57 bets on the same slip featuring 6 horses as: 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, 6 fivefolds and a sixfold.
- Lucky 63 – 63 bets on the same slip featuring 6 horses as: 6 singles, 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, 6 fivefolds and a sixfold
- Super Heinz – 120 bets on the same slip featuring 7 horses as: 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 fourfolds, 21 fivefolds, 7 sixfolds and a sevenfold.
- Goliath – 247 bets on the same slip featuring 8 horses as: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 fourfolds, 56 fivefolds, 28 sixfolds, 8 sevenfolds and an eightfold.
Exchange Bets
We’ll have more on horse racing betting exchanges later, but the bets work differently through these services to regular fixed odds markets. There are only two types of wager you can place on them:
- Back – You bet on the horse to win the race or run into the number of places quoted in the market.
- Lay – This is where you gamble on a horse losing the race or failing to run into the number of places quoted in the market.
Pool & Pari-Mutuel Bets
The horse racing betting markets popularised by the Tote and known internationally as pari-mutuel bets work differently. These are also called pool bets. Horse racing betting sites can and do offer access to these, but you don’t wager against a bookmaker here. Instead, it’s all about how many people involved in the pool pick a certain horse. That means prices aren’t known in advance and the returned dividends reflect the popularity of selections.
- Win – The same as a fixed odds win wager. You gamble on the horse finishing first.
- Place – Just like a fixed odds bet to be placed. With these you wager on the horse running into a place.
- Exacta – Much the same as a Forecast. Pick two horses in the same race to finish first and second in a set order.
- Quinella – The pool betting equivalent of a Reverse Forecast. You wager on two horses from the same race to come first and second in any order.
- Trifecta – Mirroring the Tricast from fixed odds betting. This is a punt on three (or more) horses in the same race finishing first, second and third in a set order (or any if you add more lines).
- Swinger – Unique to the Tote, this is where you pick two horses from the same race and they both have to finish in the first three for the bet to pay out.
- Placepot – Find horses that finish placed in the first six races of a particular meeting.
- Jackpot – Pick the winners of the first six races during a set meeting.
New UK Horse Racing Betting Sites
The great thing about new horse racing bookies is they provide opportunities for you to sign up and take advantage of their welcome bonuses. They also allow you to cover more of the available markets on races when you open an account and access the odds they have to offer. You might even be pleasantly surprised by what new bookmakers have to offer.
What they lack is the proven track record of more established bookies, but everyone has to start somewhere. The leading new horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with are actually better than a lot of people give them credit for. They run Best Odds Guaranteed deals and other promotions to keep you interested, so check out our experts’ top three:
- Grosvenor – Cash Back if 2nd to SP Favourite deal
- Rhino Bet – BOG on all UK & Irish horse races
- Betgoodwin – Money Back as a Free Bet promos
Where to Get the Best Horse Racing Betting Odds
Anyone betting on UK horse racing bookmakers online and looking at today’s racecards wants the top prices for their punts. That’s only to be expected, but tracking those down can be challenging. Many of the top horse racing betting sites provide the Best Odds Guaranteed, ensuring you receive the Starting Price if it’s bigger but that only applies to wagers stuck on the day of the race in question at UK and Irish meetings.
The BOG offer isn’t the same as getting the top price. In order to get that, you often have to go into the market early or even wager ante post to get true value. It’s bet365 who earn our experts’ recommendation here thanks to their Price Promise. This promotion pledges to match any odds for win and each way bets struck on any UK or Irish race shown on ITV Racing from 10am on the day until 15 minutes before the off time offered by competitors BoyleSports, Coral, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Sky Bet and William Hill .
Taken together with their BOG deal that overlaps and predates this deal in terms of when it’s active, starting as soon as the market is formed after final declarations, bet365 has to be the place to go for top horse racing betting odds. They won’t let their major industry rivals offer you a better price, so they have a strong case and come recommended with good reason.
Best Horse Racing Bookies vs Betting Exchanges
Using a horse racing betting exchange like Betfair or Smarkets is an option available to you. You need to understand the key differences between these gambling services and wagering with traditional fixed odds bookmakers first, though. Unlike horse racing betting sites where you take odds offered by traders, you need another punter to match your stake on the exchanges.
This is called peer to peer betting with a small percentage paid out to the operator in commission to facilitate the service. When you want to back a horse, you enter a stake and wait for it to be matched. If it wins, then the person who laid your bet owes you money. Should the horse lose, then it’s you who owes the laying punter money. It’s the other way around if you put on a lay bet.
Costs involved with horse racing betting exchanges can thus exceed your stake. That is one of the major downsides of gambling this way, along with commission fees to pay whether you win or lose. On a positive note, betting on an exchange often yields better prices than fixed odds bookies offer. It’s important that you understand these additional risks and rewards, and how the service works.
Online Horse Racing Bookmakers UK with Live Streaming
Something all the best horse racing betting sites UK punters use needs to have these days is access to live streams. This is so you can bet and watch on the same platform for convenience. It’s also common now for horse racing meetings in the British Isles to be available for free.
All you need to get get access is a funded account, i.e. a positive account balance or to have placed a bet within the last 24 hours. Qualifying wagers to watch international horse racing events may be needed, but here are our experts’ top three live streaming bookies for the sport:
- Spreadex – Spread betting & fixed odds with live streaming
- 888sport – Lots of extra features including streams of horses
- QuinnBet – Tons of offers alongside horse racing live streams
Best Horse Racing Betting Apps
Mobile technology has completely changed the way we wager. All the best online horse racing betting sites UK punters wager with now have apps you can download for your smartphone. These work on devices powered by Android and iOS software, providing a streamlined gambling experience to anyone using them. That is why horse racing betting apps are particularly useful to punters out and about in attendance at tracks across the British Isles.
The beauty of them is the convenience. All you need is an internet connection and a smartphone or tablet with some battery. We asked our experts what they rate as the best horse racing betting app today and they came back with a list of three that you should consider having on your mobile:
- Spreadex – Unique fixed odds & spread betting service
- 888sport – Adds loads of extra features to your mobile
- BoyleSports – Horse racing plays a major role on app
Top Horse Racing Betting Offers & Promotions
If they’re wise, then horse racing betting sites will run deals to attract your custom. The range of free bets, offers and promotions they provide is a vital aspect of the experience. Whether they’re deals that mitigate losses or reward you with something extra, these are worth looking at in more details. These are the most common horse racing betting offers you’ll find online:
- Accumulator Offers – Accas are very popular on the horses as well as football these days. Promotions have built up around them across both sports. Acca Insurance returns your stake as a free bet if one leg lets you down with Betfred running this very offer. Other accumulator offers apply bonus winnings if you pull of a successful straight multiple, combination or system bet. Check out 10bet for additional cash winnings of up to £5,000 on accas.
- Best Odds Guaranteed – When you bet on horse racing, you’ll never miss out on a bigger Starting Price again. That’s thanks to the Best Odds Guaranteed deal that most bookies offer. The earlier this comes into effect, the better, and bet365 are well-known for offering it before the day of the race in question.
- Extra Place Races – Getting four places instead of three, five rather than four and so on when you bet each way is very attractive. If additional finishing spots in a race pay out on horse racing betting sites, then that’s all the incentive you need to get on. Extra Place Races are something that 888sport do well through their Each Way+ promotion.
- Free Bet Clubs – Regular punters can be rewarded for placing a set number of qualifying wagers each week with a bonus. That’s what Free Bet Clubs are all about. Check out the Grosvenor Sport Club, where £25 worth of bets at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.50) gets you a weekly £5 bonus token.
- Money Back as a Free Bet – Any time you can get losing stakes refunded and a free hit at winning your money back, that too is appealing. There are lots of Money Back as a Free Bet promotions run by the bookies on horse racing. Over at QuinnBet, they offer a range of scenarios where this applies.
- Non-Runner No Bet – Another deal that all horse racing betting sites provide is a total refund in cash on any horse that doesn’t take part in a race after featuring in final declarations. This is called Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB). Also known as Non-Runner Money Back (NRMB), it’s an automatic offer where you don’t have to do anything. The best bookmakers may even have Cheltenham betting offers that include this coverage for the Festival on ante post wagers.
888sport – 4/1 Winner Offer
If you back a winner at odds of 4/1 (5.00) or bigger with 888sport, then they reward you with a £5 free bet. This offer applies to horse racing and indeed all sports, but is only credited to punters once per day. The minimum bet to qualify is £10 and the free bet token expires after seven days from the point of being credited. Further terms and conditions apply.
Grosvenor – Cash Back if 2nd to the Starting Price Favourite
You can get up £20 back as cash on selected races and meetings every day at Grosvenor when your horse finishes second to the Starting Price favourite. There must be a minimum of five runners for this deal to apply and only the first real cash bet qualifies. Only the win part of an each way bet will be refunded. In the event of a dead heat, the offer is void.
bet365 – Each Way Extra
If you’d like the option to increase or decrease the number of places available when betting on horse racing, then bet365 have their Each Way Extra deal. When you add places to your wager, you reduce the price on offer. If you remove places from the bet, then that increases the odds available. Each Way Extra bets are available from 10am on race days and won’t be eligible for Best Odds Guaranteed or the bet365 Price Promise promotion.
Horse Racing Betting Guide to Big Races & Meetings
It doesn’t matter if you’re using established or new horse racing betting sites UK punters gamble on, they all have to cover the biggest days of the sport in the British Isles properly. We’re talking about the festivals held across multiple days here as these tend to attract the best racehorses. Check out all the major meetings in the UK and Ireland in the table below:
| Race Meeting | Course(s) | Feature Races | Type | When |
| Dublin Racing Festival | Leopardstown | Irish Gold Cup, Dublin Chase, Irish Champion Hurdle | National Hunt | February |
| Cheltenham Festival | Cheltenham | Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Gold Cup | National Hunt | March |
| Easter Festival | Fairyhouse | Fairyhouse Gold Cup, Devenish Chase, Irish Grand National | National Hunt | Easter |
| Grand National Festival | Aintree | Aintree Hurdle, Betway Bowl, Melling Chase, Topham Chase, Liverpool Hurdle, Grand National | National Hunt | April |
| Guineas Festival | Newmarket | 2000 Guineas, 1000 Guineas | Flat | May |
| Derby Festival | Epsom Downs | Coronation Cup, The Oaks, Epsom Derby | Flat | June |
| Royal Ascot | Ascot | Queen Anne Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Coronation Stakes, Commonwealth Cup, Platinum Jubilee Stakes | Flat | June |
| Glorious Goodwood | Goodwood | Goodwood Cup, Sussex Stakes, Nassau Stakes, King George Qatar Stakes, Stewards’ Cup | Flat | July / August |
| Ebor Festival | York | Juddmonte International Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks, Nunthorpe Stakes, Ebor Handicap | Flat | August |
| St Leger Festival | Doncaster | Sceptre Stakes, Park Hills Stakes, Doncaster Cup, St Leger | Flat | September |
| Irish Champions Weekend | Leopardstown & Curragh | Irish Champion Stakes, Matron Stakes, Flying Five Stakes, Irish St Leger | Flat | September |
| British Champions Day | Ascot | Champions Sprint, Fillies & Mares’ Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Champion Stakes | Flat | October |
| Christmas Festival | Leopardstown & Limerick | Faugheen Novice Chase, Paddy Power Chase, Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle, Savills Chase, Matheson Hurdle | National Hunt | December |
| Christmas Festival | Kempton Park | Kauto Star Novies’ Chase, Kempton Christmas Hurdle, King George VI Chase, Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase, Desert Orchid Chase | National Hunt | December |
Effective Horse Racing Betting Strategies
When you bet on horse racing, we’d love to tell you there’s a magic bullet or one size fits all solution for finding winners. The truth is, however, that these clichés and adages just don’t apply to the sport of kings. There are some popular horse racing betting systems that you can try and see if they work for you. While these can’t guarantee you success every time you take a punt, they should prove effective over time…
Do Some Dutching in Competitive Races
You are allowed and perfectly entitled to bet on more than one horse in the same race. When you do this, there’s a way of adjusting stakes wagered relative to the available odds so that you roughly end up with the same profit regardless of which one wins. This particular horse racing betting strategy is called Dutching.
With this particular system, you have to write off one bet as a loser unless you can get an each way price. This is because, provided the race doesn’t end in a dead heat, only one horse can win. Dutching allows you to cover more bases and such strategy is tailor-made for betting on competitive races that look open on paper.
Each Way Bets are Your Friend
As all horse racing betting sites with fixed odds markets allow each way wagers, you should use these to your full advantage. What you need to understand with these is the minimum threshold for breaking even or making a profit regardless of whether the horse you back wins or places. If a quarter of outright horse racing odds pay on a place, then the selection must be a minimum of 4/1 (5.00) to get your money back. Should the fraction be a fifth, then it’s 5/1 (6.00)
Bookies that offer horse racing even incentivise you to go each way through their Extra Place Races provided every day. While it might not feel the same as getting an outright winner, the golden rule with gambling is adopting horse racing betting strategies that mitigate the potential for loss. Betting each way certainly does that yielding a return so long as the selection runs into a place.
Give Beaten Favourites Another Chance
Don’t be too hasty in writing off a beaten favourite last time out. Sure, it’s disappointing that they didn’t run up to market expectation on the track but there might be a good reason or excuse for their below par display. The ground might not have been ideal, the horse could’ve lost a shoe in the run or got going too late after being trapped in the wrong place at a key stage. You need to be careful to avoid backing false favourites in horse racing at all times, though.
Dismissing beaten favourites out of hand isn’t wise, because horse racing betting sites will have to factor their poor run in to the price they offer next time. If they needed the run to strip fitter or had a bad draw to overcome, but are better placed to give a proper account of themselves they could well make amends when we see them on the track again. Think carefully about adopting this horse racing betting system as the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
Horse Racing Betting Terms Glossary
As with any sport, there’s plenty of jargon surrounding horse racing and betting on it. We want to help you make sense of it all. That’s why our horse racing betting guide contains this glossary of key terms for your reference:
- All-Weather – Any horse races that take place on artificial, manmade surfaces apart from turf. Examples of tracks with All-Weather courses are Chelmsford City, Dundalk, Kempton Park, Lingfield Park, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton.
- Bar – The next biggest price of remaining runners not included on a betting show.
- Classic – The most prestigious age-restricted races exclusively for three-year-old colts and fillies. The five British Classics are the 2000 Guineas, 1000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, Epsom Derby and St Leger.
- Colt – Any male horse aged between two and four that hasn’t been gelded.
- Conditions Race – A horse race that isn’t run as a handicap but has set conditions that determine the weights carried. These include weight for age terms, penalties for winning a race with a set number or days or amount or Class of races within a certain timeframe. On the Flat, there are even races where horses’ Sales prices determine what weight they carry.
- Dead Heat – When the winner of a race can’t be called in a photo finish involving two or more horses. In betting terms, a Dead Heat means you receive a payout equal to half your stake based on the full Starting Price.
- Drifter – Any horse whose price to win a race increases.
- Favourite – The shortest price runner in the betting. Favourites can change based on market support and other gambles.
- Filly – Any female horsed age between two and four.
- Furlong – The standard unit of measurement for horse races in the UK and Ireland. A furlong is one-eighth of a mile, equal to 220 yards.
- Gelding – Any male horse that is no longer an entire colt. They will have had a gelding operation either because the owner has no intention of breeding from them, or because it helps them to settle and concentrate on their racing better.
- Handicap – The majority of horse races that take place in the UK and Ireland where the weight carried is relative to the assessment of their ability from an official handicapper at the BHA or IHRB. The horse with highest rating carries the heaviest weight with the difference between that and the others in the race reflected in what they’re allotted.
- Juvenile – On the Flat, this term applies to any two-year-olds. Over jumps, juvenile refers to any horse aged three when the current National Hunt season started tackling hurdles.
- Mare – Any female horse aged five and up.
- Non-Runner – When a horse is withdrawn from a racing after final declarations for any reason.
- Rule 4 – A deduction codified in Tattersalls Rules of Racing of so many pence in the Pound Sterling (£) applied to bets in the event of a Non-Runner. The odds of the withdrawn horse shape what this is, so long as they weren’t bigger than 14/1 (15.00). Rule 4s increase at 5p intervals depending on how short the Non-Runner was when taken out of the race.
- Sex Allowance – Fillies and mares receive a gender allowance from colts, geldings and older horses. On the Flat, this is set at 3lb in conditions races, while the National Hunt code gives the females a more generous 7lb.
- Starting Price – Often shortened to SP, these are the odds on the final betting show before the off. You will often hear it said that a horse has been returned at X Starting Price.
- Steamer – Any horse whose odds to win a race shorten considerably.
- Weight for Age – Terms that can apply to both Conditions Races and Handicaps. Younger horses receive weight from their elders to try and level the playing field in terms of racing experience and physical development. The amount received may change throughout the course of the season. Weight for age applies independent of any Sex Allowance.
Top Horse Racing Betting Tips
As if our strategy section wasn’t enough, there’s even more advice on how to make horse racing betting sites work for you from our experts. These helpful hints should prove useful in your quest to best the bookies and back some winners. You just have to accept that you won’t get everything right when you take a punt. By following our horse racing betting tips below, though, you’ll make better decisions more often than not!
Capitalise on Horse Racing Offers
Promotions aren’t just a tool that bookmakers use to attract business. They can certainly be turned to your advantage. Horse racing betting offers like Extra Place Races or Money Back as a Free Bet mitigate the potential for loss and that’s important for your account balance. Get involved with these deals safe in the knowledge they provide extra cover for each way bets and losing wagers respectively.
Know as Much Form as Possible
In order to pick out the right wagers on UK horse racing betting sites today, you need to know more about those competing. If the sport interests you, then that’s a starting point. Just like fans follow football, you can do the same with horse racing by checking results to see which stables are currently in form and look back over a horse’s past performances. There really is no substitute for studying before you bet.
Spot Market Movers in Both Directions
Keeping an eye on the betting is important as it allows you to see gambles develop and identify which horses are drifting. Steamers can happen for any number of reasons. A well-known tipster may have put that particular horse forward and punters latch onto it, or people realise it’s well-handicapped on old form. Drifters also occur with a variety of explanations. The horse may not look so good in the paddock or it misbehaves on its way down to the start. If you haven’t taken a punt yet, then check the market to see who’s being supported and deserted by bettors.
Take a Selective Approach to Betting
The horse racing betting sites you use aren’t going anywhere, so there’ll be another day to wager with them. You don’t have to get involved with everything from the All-Weather and Flat to jumps if you don’t want to. It can actually pay to be selective about the type or class of horse racing events you bet on. More focused gambling usually yields better results than looking at everything. Knowing when not to get involved is one of the top horse racing betting tips anyone can give you.
Conclusion
That brings our look at horse racing betting sites to an end. They are packed full of great offers, odds and deals to keep you wagering all year round. That’s because there’s so much happening on the track practically every day in the British Isles weather permitting. The best horse racing betting site in the UK right now, according to our experts, is BetMGM. This is because of their overall product and unique spread betting niche. Make sure that you gamble responsibly!
FAQs
How do I sign up to horse racing betting sites?
The sign up process is just like joining any other bookmaker. Hit the Join button and enter your personal details. Create a username and password for your account. Once you've passed an identity check by providing ID and click through a verification link sent to your email address or code to your mobile phone, you'll be able to log in. It's at this point that you need to make a deposit from an accepted payment method. Once you've got funds in your account, visit the horse racing section of the bookie site and find the event you want to bet on. Click the odds next to the horse you fancy to add them to the betslip. All you have to do now is enter your desired stake and confirm the wager.
What does SP mean in horse racing betting?
SP stands for Starting Price. These are the odds at which a horse is sent off for a race.
How can you spot a winning horse?
There is no set formula for finding winners on horse racing betting sites unfortunately. Studying previous and current form, looking at the race conditions, the potential for progress, the distance of the event and going it's being run on.
What is the safest bet you can make on horse racing?
An each way bet if seen as the safest horse racing wager because it returns at least something if the selection runs into a place. While the unit stake doubles to cover both an outright win and the placed element of the bet, you can end up making good profits without the horse finishing first. An each way bet mitigates the potential for losing that just a straight win wager has considerably.
Can you make money from horse racing betting sites?
You can if you know your stuff or get very lucky. Be prepared for the fact that you're not going to win every single time, though. Bookies may restrict your account and/or limit the stakes you can place on horse racing bets if you're too successful at it.
What is the best horse racing bet?
This depends on the type of punter you are. For some bettors, it's going each way. Others prefer combination and system bets as these yield potentially large profits off small stakes. Good horse racing betting sites will offer you a range of options, so you can try different types of bets out and see for yourself which you like best.
Why is horse racing betting so popular in the UK?
The popularity of this sport in the British Isles has evolved over the centuries. Thoroughbred horse racing was once a major pastime of the nobility and wealthy, yet the advent of the railways opened up travel to ordinary people so racecourse attendances boomed in Victorian times.
Jamie Clark has been with bettingsites.co.uk from the very beginning and penned the very first pieces of content that appeared right here. Known for his horse racing expertise, his strong gambling knowledge comes from childhood where he was surrounded by both horses and betting. The godson of a former on-track bookmaker at Market Rasen Racecourse, Jamie ended up working in the same industry and became Sports Editor of heavyweight bookies Coral for three years before they merged with Ladbrokes. After a successful spell freelancing for other big names in the business, he helped us launch this site with his skills, experience and ability coming in useful. Read long form content across a range of betting subjects from Jamie right here.
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