Horses Racing

Horse Racing Betting Sites UK - 2023

By Daniel Bennett & others on Fact checked by Adam Dickinson
Fancy a punt on the races? Try your luck at one of our recommended horse racing betting sites. Our carefully selected list features the best bookies in the business - simply compare sites and bonuses, sign up and place your bets!
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1. Unibet
85%
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40 + £10 Casino Bonus

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"The easy to access odds boost option on racing bets makes this a solid option for those wagering on the horse. "
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New Customer Offer Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first sports bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Visit Unibet.co.uk for full T&C's. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
PayPal Accepted 2. Bet Victor
89%
Bet £5 Get £30

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"Liked the choice of four different welcome offers when you first sign up and my withdrawal was processed quicker than expected. "
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30
Yes
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New Customer Offer 18+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £5 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 2x £10 Free Sports Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater, expires in 7 days.  Plus a £10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of £250. PayPal and Card Payments only. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
PayPal Accepted 3. 888 Sport
84%
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"One of the best betting apps I've used. Really easy to navigate and great market coverage. Fast withdrawal – paid out within 48 hours. "
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New Customer Offer Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
4. Betfair
87%
Get up to £100 in free bets

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Enjoy a multitude of betting options on the world's leading betting exchange "
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No
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New Customer offer Get up to £100 in free bets. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. Payment restrictions apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
5. Paddy Power Sport
91%
£20 Cashback

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Bet with PaddyPower for the best money back specials on the market, live streams and custom bets with #WhatOddsPaddy"
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32
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New Customer Offer New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of min 2.0 (EVS) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
6. Bet365
92%
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Bet365 are one of the biggest online bookies and offer players a Bet Builder, Acca Boost and Early Payout on multiple markets"
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37
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New Customer Offer New customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
Editor's Choice 7. 10bet
87%
50% up to £50

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"The 10Bet experience was extremely smooth, verification was instant and my withdrawal was processed within 48 hours"
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New Customers Offer Min. deposit £15; Bonus amount 50% of deposit up to £50; Wager deposit and bonus 8x within 60 days; 4/5 Min. single odds or 2/5 min. acca selection odds; Max. stake contribution equal to the initial bonus; Certain bet types and payment methods excluded 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
8. BetUK
Bet £20 Get £60 in Free Bets

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Enjoy free horse racing and football tips from Bet UK's ambassadors"
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Yes
Yes
No
New Customer Offer New customers only - opt in and stake £20+ on any sporting event at odds of 1.8 or greater before 17:30 17/03/23. Free bets non-withdrawable and 7-day expiry. Qualifying bet restrictions, exclusions and full T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
9. Betfred
91%
Bet £10 get £40

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"The design of the Betfred app makes managing multiple selections incredibly simple, while live streams on top football matches are also available. "
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New Customer Offer New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
10. Coral
91%
Bet £5, get £20 in free bets

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"Verification was instant with quick & easy deposit. Wide range of markets & good odds. Paid out within 24h."
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53
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New Customer Offer Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
Highly Trusted 11. Grosvenor
82%
Double the odds

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

"Know Your Customer check easy to complete - simply scanned in my documents and the confirmation was received instantly "
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New Customer Offer Double the odds. Bet must be placed using real money in combination with the Odds Boost Token. Offer applies to Sport bets only. £10 Max stake. Each way bets are a maximum of £5 each way (£10 total stake). Extra winnings are paid in cash. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
🏆 Best Overall Score:
92%
🎁 Largest Free Bet:
£100
🤝 Highest Deposit Match:
100%
💷 Minimum Deposit:
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Legality

Horse Racing Betting Legality in the UK

Horse racing has been one of the most popular sports in the UK since the Tudor times, and betting on the sport emerged during the reign of King James I in the early 17th century. Some of the most famous and prestigious racecourses in the UK opened around this time, including Ascot in 1711 and Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1661, while the Epsom Derby got started in 1780.

Betting on horse racing is legal in the UK at racetracks as well as at licensed betting shops and online sportsbooks. Here’s a brief timeline of the history of horse racing betting legislation in the UK:

  • 1853 Betting Act – outlawed the running of a house, office or room for betting purposes;
  • Racecourse Betting Act of 1928 – regulated horserace betting at tracks and legalised the use of totalisators, also ensured the 1853 Betting Act wouldn’t apply to racecourses;
  • Betting and Gaming Act 1960 – legalised the opening of betting shops across the UK, allowing punters to legally bet on horse racing away from the track;
  • Horserace Betting Levy Regulations 2017 – requires the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) to collect a levy from horse racing bookmakers, for reinvestment into the sport and breeding.

Recommendations

Recommended UK Horse Racing Betting Sites

With so many to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed — so here are a few of our recommended UK horse racing betting sites to give you a bit of inspiration.

  • One of the biggest UK sportsbook names, Coral has almost a century of history behind it. It shows — the site has extensive market coverage and a well-designed interface that makes it easy to find everything. There are plenty of offers on UK horse racing, with the Racing Super Series paying out a prize pool of £25,000 every Saturday, daily enhanced odds, and extra places paid on each-way bets.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Mobile app
    • Live streaming and in-play betting
    • One of the most trusted household names in the business
    cons icon Cons:
    • Payment options somewhat limited
  • Another bookie stalwart is Ladbrokes, known for both its high street and online presence. It’s a great choice for horse racing fans, as Ladbrokes runs Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse races plus a daily odds boost token to use on any sporting event. We also love the in-play betting and mobile app with this bookmaker, although the welcome bonus isn’t the largest.  

    pros icon Pros:
    • In-play betting with live streaming of events
    • Solid range of ongoing offers
    • Mobile app
    cons icon Cons:
    • Smaller welcome bonus
  • There’s no doubt Bet365 is one of the top names when it comes to horse race betting in the UK. This industry giant offers plenty of markets to punters, and there’s a generous welcome offer of £50 in free bets when you bet at least £10. Throw in features like the Bet Builder, Acca Boost, and Early Payout, and you’ve got everything you need for a fantastic sportsbook experience, no matter what you’re betting on.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Bet Builder and accas
    • Mobile apps for Android and iOS
    • Well-known and trusted brand
    • Live betting and streaming functions
    cons icon Cons:
    • Uninspiring site design
  • With almost two decades of experience as an online sportsbook, 10bet delivers nearly everything our punters want. One highlight is the entertaining ongoing promotions with 10bet pitching highly specific scenarios for you to bet on every week, along with some top deals for horse racing bettors including money back if your horse loses by a neck or less, and best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish horse racing. There’s also a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, although the welcome bonus is lacking in comparison to other sites and there’s no live streaming functionality.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Great choice of sports and markets
    • Interesting regular promotions
    • Dedicated mobile apps for Android and iOS
    cons icon Cons:
    • No live streaming functionality
    • Smaller sign-up bonus with high 8x wagering requirements
  • Unibet is a great stop for horse racing, with wide coverage of the top events. The site offers Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish races, and you’ll also get your money back as a free bet if your backed horse finishes second on selected races. There’s also a weekly free bet club specifically for in-plays — you could see some serious long-term value if you’re into these kinds of bets. 

    pros icon Pros:
    • Over 35 sports to bet on
    • 24/7 support
    • In-play free bet club
    cons icon Cons:
    • Not as many payment options
  • Grosvenor was established back in 1970 and is known for its land-based casinos. Its online site, however, is another excellent option for horse racing betting. It offers a huge range of markets and live streaming options for this sport, along with plenty of regular offers like best odds guaranteed and money back if your horse finishes second to the starting price favourite.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Great range of horse racing promos
    • Specific mobile app for sport
    • Trusted brand
    • Live streaming for horse racing
    cons icon Cons:
    • Welcome bonus is casino-focused
  • Luckster Sport offers a £10 bet token for new customers when they register and place a £10 bet with their own cash. Once you’re in, there are regular opportunities to bag boosted wins on pre-match combos. Luckster also offers a wide range of banking options, including PayPal, Skrill, Trustly, and Paysafecard.

    pros icon Pros:
    • No wagering requirements on the welcome bonus bet token
    • Mobile app
    • Broad range of payment methods
    cons icon Cons:
    • No specific horse racing promos advertised
  • 32Red is another sports betting and casino hybrid with loads to offer horse racing fans. Not only are there plenty of markets available every day, but you can also watch races live through the site if you’ve placed a minimum £1 bet. There are daily horse racing price boosts too, so there’s good value for money on this site.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Horse racing promos
    • Live streaming
    • Mobile app
    cons icon Cons:
    • No sports betting welcome offer
  • Former sponsor of Real Madrid, Bwin is another great option for horse racing betting. It offers competitive odds for races all around the world, and applies the best odds guaranteed promotion to quite a few of its markets. Bwin also offers a huge range of payment methods and an extensive FAQs section where you can learn more about each one.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Regular Best Odds Guaranteed promotion
    • Great range of payment methods
    • Detailed FAQs
    cons icon Cons:
    • £20 Backup Bet welcome offer excludes horse racing
  • What brings 888’s sport, casino and poker sections together is the excellent site design and user experience. The dark background is ideal for browsing over longer periods, while the colour coding of orange, green and blue is a simple but nice touch. There’s a great range of horse racing markets available, and choosing your bet is helped by the innovative smart search feature, which’ll bring your attention to previous course winners and much more.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Smart search feature
    • Regular free bets and best odds guaranteed
    • Clean and easy to use site design
    • £30 in free bets for new customers
    • Mobile app
    cons icon Cons:
    • 40x wagering on the casino bonus

Ranking Criteria

How We Rate Horse Racing Betting Sites

Our team of experts dives deep into a number of factors when reviewing horse racing betting sites. Here are just a few criteria we consider before making a recommendation:

UKGC Licensed

Any site offering horse racing betting in the UK will need to be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), the governing body responsible for regulating gambling within the United Kingdom. This is always the first thing we’ll check, as it provides a degree of protection against shady business practices — bookmakers who fail to comply with UKGC regulations face large fines or closure. 

Bonuses and Offers

The best horse racing betting sites not only cater to new bettors with enticing, player-friendly deals such as free bets without a deposit, but deliver ongoing value to loyal players too. Among the promotions on offer, we love to see enhanced odds for big events, loyalty point schemes, and free bet clubs. 

Mobile Experience

Mobile compatibility is a given with any sportsbook these days, but the best horse racing sportsbooks provide a premium experience from the palm of your hand — that means identical functionality to the desktop site, including easy access to sports markets, account management, banking, and support. Bookmakers with a native mobile app get bonus points, as these deliver the smoothest mobile experience. 

Fast Payouts

Patience is a virtue, but that doesn’t mean our punters want to wait around for their payouts. Our top bookmakers support fast withdrawals with a variety of high-speed payment methods including e-wallets like PayPal, or the Visa Fast Funds service for quick debit card payouts. They’ll also keep their own processing times to a minimum so you receive your funds sooner.

Available Markets

The best horse racing betting sites offer unparalleled choice when it comes to the markets you can bet on. For starters, every bookie worth its salt should take bets on the biggest events in the horse racing calendar, whether it’s the Grand National at Aintree or Goodwood fixtures throughout the year. To find itself in the top tier, however, a horse betting site should offer a diverse array of international races as well.

Another element to consider is the types of bets you can make. Win, place, and each-way wagers are pretty much a given at all horse racing betting sites, but what choice have you got beyond this? Betting without the favourite is another popular option. For the more adventurous bettors, we’ll look for Trixie, Heinz, Goliath, or some of the other weird and wonderful wagers — Lucky 63, anyone?

Other Sportsbook Options

While horse racing is likely your priority if you’re on this page, you might want to place bets on other sports too. As part of our assessment, we’ll see what else there is to wager on. Many of our recommended sportsbooks take bets on popular sports like football, tennis, and golf, but diversity is the name of the game here. Motorsports coverage like Formula 1 or MotoGP, more niche sports like badminton and darts, or even non-sports events like the outcomes of elections and TV shows can be found at the best horse racing betting sites. 

Payment Options

In order to fill up your bet slip, you’re going to need some funds in your account. To make this easy for their punters, the best horse racing betting sites will support a broad array of payment methods to suit all needs.

Like to keep things simple? All our recommendations support deposits and withdrawals via debit card. But if you’re looking for some extra features and the fastest withdrawals, we’d recommend an e-wallet. PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller are a few e-wallet services you’ll find at the best horse racing betting sites. Trustly is another option popular with those prioritising speed, convenience, and security, as are pay by phone services like Boku.

If a horse racing betting site really wants our attention, it’ll support cryptocurrency deposits and cash-outs. This cutting-edge method is highly secure and you’ll often receive withdrawals instantly.

Customer Support

At the end of the day, it’s your money on the line, so you should feel confident the horse racing betting site has your back if you run into any technical hitches or problems. Live chat is one of the most common avenues of support today, but we give maximum points to operators with the most choice: phone lines, email, and social media are also important. 

The best horse racing betting sites provide 24/7 support, 365 days a year, but speedy responses that are helpful and friendly are vital components to top customer support. 

Site Design

There’s no getting around the fact that poor site design makes for a bad betting experience, and our first port of call here is the user interface. A sportsbook should be logically laid out, with menus that are simple to navigate. This is especially important when you consider how many races and markets there are at the best betting sites.

Appearance is also a factor we’ll consider. It may not matter to some, but it all feeds into the betting experience. No one wants to spend their time at a horse racing betting site which looks like it’s come from the dial-up internet era!

Racing Site Features

There’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple with a good old win or place bet, but there’s a whole lot more on offer at the best horse racing betting sites. For starters, we love to see racing sites that offer in-play betting, where you wager on a race once it’s already begun. Whether you missed the starting bell or your horse took an early fall, live betting gives you another chance to bet on the race. Early cash out allows you to secure a profit or minimise a loss, and can include innovative bet editing features where you’re able to change your wager on the fly.

To bolster the live betting features of a racing site, it’s great to see them supplemented with live streaming of Irish and UK horse racing. Our favourite UK horse racing betting sites provide this free of charge, although you may need to wager on a race before you can access the live stream. With so much daily racing to bet on, live streaming makes it easy to keep tabs on all the action without ever having to leave the betting page.

One feature you may come across that’s unrelated to horse racing is an online casino library. Many UK horse racing betting sites include popular casino games like roulette and blackjack, as well as video and jackpot slots. The more options available to punters, the better!

Your Checklist

Horse Racing Betting Site Checklist

Across the vast range of sportsbooks, there are some must-haves that we’re always on the lookout for when we conduct our reviews — we love horse racing betting sites that check every box, and so do our players. 

Competitive Odds on Top UK Races

Savvy punters know not all bookmakers are created equal when it comes to the horse racing odds they offer. Our team runs a fine-toothed comb through each sportsbook we review to make sure it’s competitive — betting sites with the best odds on top UK horse racing events deliver the highest value for our readers.

Good Market Coverage

When it comes to market coverage, choice is the name of the game. We love to see a wide array of bet types available to punters on every race, whether it’s singles, doubles, trebles, accumulators, or more.

Best Odds Guaranteed Promotion

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is where a bookmaker pays out winning bets at the best odds — that means if you take an early or fixed odds price and the starting price (SP) ends up being greater, you’ll be paid at those odds instead. It’s a promotion popular for horse race betting in the UK as, again, punters get the best value.  

Live Streaming

We love it when horse racing betting sites integrate live streaming into their sportsbooks. It makes it easy to stay on top of the action while placing your bets, and everything you need to enjoy the race is in one place. 

We only recommend sports betting sites that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, which guarantees account security and access to responsible gambling settings.

Horse Racing Events

Bet on These Top Horse Racing Events

There are horse racing events pretty much all year round, so a betting opportunity is never far away. Let’s take a look at a few of the top events in the UK:

The Grand National

The Grand National is one of the UK’s biggest races, with people across the country tuning in to watch the contestants battle it out for a chunk of the £1 million prize money. This four-mile race features 30 fences, making it one of racing’s most challenging courses.

The Grand National is hosted in the same location every year — Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. The 175th Grand National is set to take place on Saturday 15 April 2023.

Horse Racing Betting

First place in the 2022 Grand National was taken by Noble Yeats, an Irish race horse with a starting price of 50/1. Noble Yeats is the first seven-year-old horse to win the Grand National since Bogskar in 1940. The win also marked a fantastic end to the career of his jockey, Sam Waley-Cohen, who subsequently retired.

Cheltenham Festival

Another top UK racing event is Cheltenham Festival, a four-day National Hunt racing festival taking place at Prestbury Park. There are loads of individual races to bet on throughout the event, with many Grade I races including:

  • Cheltenham Gold Cup
  • Champion Hurdle
  • Queen Mother Champion Chase
  • Stayers’ Hurdle

Cheltenham Festival is one of the most popular horse racing events to bet on, with hundreds of millions being staked every year. The festival takes place in the early spring, with 2023’s event to run from Tuesday 14 March to Friday 17 March.

Horse Racing Betting

The 2022 Gold Cup was won by A Plus Tard and jockey Rachael Blackmore, the favourite to win at odds of 3/1.

Royal Ascot

Five days of top-quality racing take place at Ascot every year, often with the Queen and Royal Family in attendance. Much of this event is steeped in history and tradition, with a strict dress code enforced. Over 30 races take place across the five days, including several Group 1 races like the Coronation Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup. 

Royal Ascot is typically held in mid June. The 2023 event will run from Tuesday 20 June to Saturday 24 June.

Horse Racing Betting

Frankie Dettori took the Coronation Stakes flat racing win in 2022 on the horse Inspiral. Dettori is considered one of the best jockeys in the world, having won every Group 1 race in the UK barring the July Cup.

Epsom Derby

England’s richest and most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby is a Group 1 flat horse race that takes place on the first Saturday of June. The 2022 derby was won by the favourite, Desert Crown, and jockey Richard Kingscote at a starting price of 5/2. The 2023 Epsom Derby takes place on Saturday 3 June, with Ladies Day taking place the day before.

International Horse Racing Events

Of course, horse racing isn’t just popular in the UK. With plenty of major festivals across the world, racing fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to events to bet on. Below are some of the highest-profile international horse racing events.

Kentucky Derby

Famously known as “the fastest two minutes in sports”, the Kentucky Derby has a $2 million purse and attracts 150,000 spectators every year. It’s the most prestigious race in the US, making up the “triple crown” along with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville on the first Saturday of May. The eponymous 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival will begin on 22 April, with the Derby itself running on 6 May. 

Horse Racing Betting

2022 saw the second-largest upset in Kentucky Derby history, with Rich Strike and his jockey Sonny Leon taking the win. The horse was a last-minute entry with odds of 80/1.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

One of Europe’s most prestigious horse races, this event sees thoroughbreds compete on a 1.5 mile track. Also known simply as the Arc, the €5 million prize pool makes this the world’s second richest turf race after The Everest. Usually run on the first Sunday in October, the Arc takes place at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.

Torquator Tasso won 2021’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, ridden by Rene Piechulek. Torquator’s victory was a huge upset, with the horse starting at odds of 80/1.

The 2022 Arc will take place on Sunday 2 October.

Melbourne Cup

Easily the biggest horse race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup is a handicap race run over two miles. Held annually in November at the Flemington Racecourse, this event attracts over 100,000 spectators and has a purse of A$8 million. Verry Elleegant and her jockey James MacDonald took first place in the 2021 race, with 2022’s event set for Tuesday 1 November.

Dubai World Cup

While the Dubai World Cup doesn’t quite match the history of some other major races, it’s quickly established itself as an important date on the racing calendar. With a $10 million prize pool, this is among the most lucrative events in horse racing.

Frankie Dettori took the win on Country Grammer in the 2022 Dubai World Cup. The next race will be held on 26 March 2023.

Betting Tips

Horse Racing Betting Tips

It’s fair to say that deciding who to back when you bet on horse racing isn’t always straightforward. Whereas most sports feature just two teams or competitors per match, some races can feature 40 horses, which can make picking a winner a little tricky.

Of course, you could always follow the odds and side with the bookies’ favourite, but with so many possible scenarios in each race, this is far from a guarantee. Races often throw up surprising results – 2019 saw many upsets, from Country House’s stunning Kentucky Derby victory to 66/1 outside Croco Bay winning the Grade 3 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham festival.

On top of that, horse racing betting odds are notoriously volatile and prices can change just moments before the start of a race, so the smart money is placed after you’ve done your research. Recent form, ground type, pedigree and jockey are just a few factors you should consider when deciding which runner to put your money on.

As with any sport, keeping up to date and actually watching horse races will always help develop your understanding. There are also countless number of horse racing betting tips online, which can be helpful, but remember that no tip can guarantee a winning bet. Our top tip is to build up your own knowledge of horse racing and pay close attention to the important statistics to help make the best-informed bets possible.

Betting Markets

Wager on a Range of Horse Racing Betting Markets

If you think that horse racing betting simply consists of backing a winner, think again. Although single bets are still the most popular wagers, there’s plenty of betting opportunities on offer at horse racing betting sites.

These are some of your options:

  • Each way – This is one of the most common horse racing bets and consists of two parts – the ‘win’ and the ‘place’. This means that you’re betting on a horse to either win or finish in a place, such as second or third. An equal stake is placed on each part, and it means that you can still make some returns even if the horse you’ve backed doesn’t come first.
  • Place only – This is a simple bet on a horse to finish in one of the places, either first, second, third or fourth, depending on how many runners are in the race. Place bets are one of the safest horse racing wagers, but the odds are generally a lot shorter than those offered on other markets.
  • Forecast, tricast – Forecast bets involve predicting who will come first and second in a race, and in what order. If you want to go one better, you can try your hand at a tricast bet and predict the top three.
  • Reverse forecast, reverse tricast – Some sites also offer reverse forecast and tricast markets, where you pick the top two or three but don’t have to specify placing order.
  • Double, treble – These are multiple bets where you bet on a number of horses to win separate races – two for doubles, three for trebles and so on. A multiple bet with at least four selections is a horse racing accumulator. You need all your selections to come in to win, though some horse betting sites let you cash out before all the races have finished.
  • Trixie – A trixie is a multiple bet and is wagered on three horses across three races. You’re placing four bets in total – three doubles and a treble. Two of your horses need to win in order to bank some returns.
  • Patent – This is essentially a trixie bet but with three added single bets, so altogether you’re placing seven bets. The single bets mean that only one selection needs to win for you to make some returns, though this doesn’t guarantee a profit. The more winning selections, the higher your returns.
  • Yankee – This is where it starts to get a little complicated. A yankee is another multiple bet, but you’re betting on four horses. You’re placing six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold accumulator, so there are 11 wagers in total. Like a trixie, you need two to be right in order to win some money.

These bets only scratch the surface of horse racing markets, with plenty of other multiple bets on offer at horse betting sites. If you really feel like pushing the boat out, you could try out lucky 15s, super yankees, lucky 31s and heinzs. These bets become increasingly complex, so make sure you do your research before putting your money on the line.

Markets

Betting Markets

Our recommended horse racing betting sites offer a broad range of different markets punters can wager on. Here are some of the key betting markets you’re likely to come across:

Betting Without the Favourite

Betting without the favourite is great when you want to back a horse but you’re not confident it can beat the favourite. When you bet without the favourite, your selection only needs to finish ahead of the other horses in the betting market — that means it doesn’t matter where the favourite places.

Single

The simplest horse racing wager to make, a single is a bet on one horse to win a specific race.

Double

A double essentially combines two single bets, so you’ll pick two horses to win in two separate events. Both horses need to win for your bet to come good, or both must place if it’s an each-way double.

Treble

Just like a double bet, a treble bet is three bets on three horses for three races — all three must win, or place if it’s an each-way treble.

Accumulator

Accumulators are commonly seen in other sports where you can combine bets for a larger payout. In horse racing, an accumulator is just like a double or treble but consists of four legs or more, all of which must succeed. Sometimes you’ll be able to get acca insurance too, where your stake is returned if only one leg fails.

Ante-Post Bets

Ante-post bets are placed before the market opens for a particular race. Punters make these bets on the assumption the odds are currently more favourable than they’ll be when the market opens, although that means the bet comes with additional risk as the stake is lost if your chosen horse doesn’t run. Ante-post bets can vary significantly between bookmakers so it’s worth shopping around.

Best Bookie For Multiple Markets
Coral
Coral
Our score: 91%
Bet £5, get £20 in free bets
New Customer Offer Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

Each Way

Each Way Betting

An each-way bet is effectively two bets — one on your chosen horse to win, and one on it to place. It’s great if you’re not too certain your horse is going to be first to cross the line, as you’ll still get a payout as long as it places high enough. If your selection does take the win, even better! You’ll take home a payday from both the win and place portions of your bet. 

So, how many places does each bookie pay out on an each-way bet? The rules are pretty consistent among sportsbooks, although keep in mind these can be changed if you take advantage of an Enhanced Place offer:

No. of Runners (at the off) Race Type Place Terms
2–4 All Races Win Only
5–7 All Races 1/4, first 2
8–11 All Races 1/5, first 3
12–15 Handicap 1/4, first 3
12+ Non Handicap 1/5, first 3
16+ Handicap 1/4, first 4

Each Way Betting Calculator

# Outcome Odds Place Odds Rule 4
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Betting Offers

Betting Offers

Horse racing remains an ever popular betting market among UK punters, and there are plenty of offers geared towards the sport. Whether it’s locking in the best price with Best Odds Guaranteed or placing a free bet in the hopes of a no-risk profit, there’ll be something to suit you. Below are some betting offers you might find at our recommended UK horse racing betting sites. As always, be sure to read the full terms before you claim any bookmaker’s offer.

Best Odds Guaranteed

A best odds guaranteed promotion means punters who place a bet at a fixed or early price can still benefit if the starting price ends up being greater, essentially taking the risk out of betting early. Should your bet win under a best odds guaranteed promotion, you’ll be paid out at just that — the best odds.

Free Bets

Free bets come in all shapes and sizes. They often come as part of a welcome bonus at horse racing betting sites, like a £10 free bet when you bet £5. Free bets are frequently given to existing customers too, often when there’s a big racing event coming up such as Cheltenham Festival. You might also see free bet clubs where you can get a weekly free bet once you stake the required amount. 

Enhanced Odds

If you place a bet with enhanced odds, you’ll net yourself a bigger payout if the bet comes good. Say a horse’s starting price is 2/1 — under enhanced odds, you could get 10/1 odds or even higher on that very same horse. These offers are often given to new customers at a site, and sometimes the extra profit from the enhanced odds is given as a free bet token, with cash paid out at the normal book odds.

Enhanced Place

Enhanced place offers like Bet365’s Each Way Extra allow punters to increase or decrease the number of places in an each-way bet, reducing the price or increasing the odds on your selected horse.

Live Betting

Bet as the Action Takes Place

Some of the best bookmakers allow punters to bet live in-play, or ‘in-running’, on horse racing. This means you can place your bets as the race takes place, adjusting your wagers accordingly. Live horse betting can provide plenty of excitement and even provide the opportunity to bag some favourable odds—-if you’re quick enough—-but make sure you pay attention!

While some races, like the Grand National, can last over ten minutes, many races take only a few minutes to complete. This means the odds are particularly volatile, so you’ll have to watch closely and place your bets quickly if you want to try your luck at live horse racing betting.

Cash Out

If you’re able to place in-play bets at a horse racing betting site, there’s a good chance you can cash out early as well. Early cash out is where you settle your bet before the race is over, receiving a different payout to what you’d get if you had otherwise let it run its course.

Why would you want to do this? There are two main scenarios. Say you’ve bet on a particular horse to win, and it’s ahead of the pack by some margin. But at the final corner, it’s starting to lag and you’re not convinced it’ll take first place. In this instance, an early cash out could let you lock in a win, albeit with a smaller profit than if you’d let the bet play out to the end — assuming it did indeed win. 

Or, take the opposite case — you’ve bet on a horse to win and it gets off to a bad start. If you don’t have faith it could still catch up, it might be worth cashing out your bet early. Doing so will refund a portion of your stake, minimising your loss. Of course, the worst-case scenario here is if you cash out your bet but your horse does go on to win.

Ultimately, cash out features let punters better manage the risk vs reward of their bets. They’re also handy for editing your bets if you’ve had a change of heart — you can even cash out before the race starts at some sites. 

Live Odds

In order to let punters place in-play bets or cash out early, a bookmaker needs to provide down-to-the-second live odds. For fast-paced sports like horse racing, the odds can fluctuate dramatically and a well-timed bet can have a significant impact on the payout. If you’re planning to make in-play bets regularly, look for horse racing sites which offer competitive odds on their live markets. 

Some top bookies offer live streaming of horse races, which is perfect for live betting or if you just want to watch the action unfold. Just keep in mind that at some sites you may have to place a bet in order to stream races.

Best Bookie For Live Betting
Bet365
Bet365
Our score: 92%
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
New Customer Offer New customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

Bonuses

Compare the Top Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

Horse racing is a favourite among bettors the world over, so it’s natural that horse racing betting sites offer welcome bonuses to attract new punters These are usually matched deposits or free bets, which reward you with a bonus fund once you make a qualifying deposit or wager. You can then use your bonus to bet on horse racing without dipping into your real money bankroll. Let’s take a look at some of the best betting offers available at horse racing sites:

A free bet is any offer where punters receive bet tokens that can be used to place wagers without staking their own money. There are many different types of free bets up for grabs:

  • No deposit free bets are given as soon as you sign up;
  • Risk-free bets and bet refunds are a type of offer where you’ll receive your stake back as a free bet if your qualifying bet loses;
  • Deposit free bets require a qualifying deposit in order to receive them. You may also have to enter a promo code during sign-up.;
  • Bet X Get Y free bets are given when you make a qualifying bet of a certain amount. For example, a ‘Bet £10, Get £30’ offer would give you £30 in free bets when you bet £10 on an eligible market.

Free bet credits can’t usually be withdrawn, and the stake isn’t returned if your free bet wins. However, the profit is yours to keep. Sometimes there may be wagering requirements attached, but these are typically quite low — you’ll need to meet them before you can withdraw the free bet winnings. 

Best Free bet Bonus
Bet Victor
Bet Victor
Our score: 89%
Bet £5 Get £30
New Customer Offer 18+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £5 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 2x £10 Free Sports Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater, expires in 7 days.  Plus a £10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of £250. PayPal and Card Payments only. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

If you’re looking for a flexible horse racing bonus, a matched deposit is a solid option. These deals quite literally match the value of your deposit with bonus credit, giving you more to play with. Say you’ve seen an offer for a 100% match up to £50. Deposit £50 and you’ll receive another £50 in bonus bet credit, which can be used to wager on eligible markets. 

100% matches are the most common, but you could see 50%, 200%, or even higher matches available. Before making your qualifying deposit, check the terms and conditions for the minimum amount and any excluded payment methods. It’s worth checking which bets are eligible too — there may be minimum odds requirements, and live bets or accas could be excluded. 

Best Matched Deposit Bonus
888 Sport
888 Sport
Our score: 84%
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus
New Customer Offer Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

If you plan on sticking around at your chosen horse racing betting site, it’s worthwhile choosing one that offers cashback. With this bonus, you’ll receive a percentage of your lost wagers back, helping you to get more value out of your bankroll. Anywhere from 1%–10% is a common amount of cashback to receive. 

You might receive your cashback as real money that can be immediately withdrawn or used to place bets with no restrictions. Alternatively, some racing sites pay cashback in the form of free bet credit which can’t be withdrawn. While this is less valuable than cold hard cash, you’ll still be getting some more mileage out of your budget. 

When you sign up to a site with cashback, check if you need to opt in — while many racing sites automatically enrol customers, others do not. Furthermore, some may only let you claim cashback when your betting balance drops below a certain value, typically around £10.

Best Cashback
Bet365
Bet365
Our score: 92%
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
New Customer Offer New customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

Make sure to check the bonus terms and conditions – terms like wagering requirements, minimum odds restrictions and win limits determine the true value of a bonus or free bet offer. It’s also fairly common for horse racing bets like forecast and tricast bets or system bets like trixies and yankees to be excluded from welcome bonuses.

Promos

Boost your Bankroll with Horse Racing Betting Offers

Due to the popularity of horse racing betting, many bookies also offer racing-specific bonuses that aren’t exclusive to new customers. These may be in the build up to a big event, such as the UK’s Grand National, but many sites also have regular promotions that can be used to bet on smaller races. Common betting bonuses include odds boosts, where you can get better prices on a selection, and money-back promotions, where you get back a portion of your stake if your bet loses.

888 Sport
888 Sport
£5 Free Bet If You Win at 4/1 Or Bigger

Available once a day, every day on all sports. Minimum £10 bet required.

Mobile

Bet on the Horse Racing on Your Smartphone

With many players preferring to set their stakes on their smartphone, it’s important to find a sportsbook that offers a top mobile betting experience. Luckily, all the horse racing betting sites on our list have mobile optimised websites, which means you can place your wagers via mobile web browsers. However, if you’re looking for the best possible mobile betting experience, we’d recommend choosing a bookie that offers a native mobile app for iPhone and Android.

Mobile betting apps are the perfect way to bet on the go, as they make it faster and easier to navigate to your sportsbook and place your bets. They also come with the added benefit of push notifications to alert you to the hottest new horse racing betting bonuses and promotions. That means you’ll never have to worry about missing out when you bet on horse racing on a mobile app!

Best Mobile Bookie
Bet365
Bet365
Our score: 92%
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
New Customer Offer New customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

iPhone betting apps

Explore iPhone betting apps

Android betting apps

Explore Android betting apps

New Sites

Best New Horse Racing Betting Sites

While you can’t go wrong with a trusted bookmaker with a long history, there are plenty of compelling reasons to opt for a new horse racing betting site. These new online bookies might present you with unique offers, a more modern look and feel, enticing bonuses, or innovative new features to draw you through their doors. Below are a few of our favourite new horse racing betting sites.

Best New Betting Sites

HeySpin
Bet £15 Get £10
Luckster Sport
Bet £10 Get £10
Our score: 78%
BetUK
Bet £20 Get £60 in Free Bets
Bwin
Sign up to get your £20 Backup Bet
Our score: 82%
Bet Storm
Bet £10, Get £30 with Code 'Bet30'
Our score: 71%
  • STS Bet is a sportsbook with Polish roots. New players at the site can net £30 in free bets when they stake just £10, getting you off to a great start. We also love the insurance given on 5+ accas, although unfortunately, it’s not valid for horse racing bets. 

    pros icon Pros:
    • Decent welcome bonus
    • Insurance on accas with five or more legs
    cons icon Cons:
    • Acca insurance not valid for horse racing
    • No mobile app
  • Although the welcome bonus isn’t huge at BetTarget, there’s plenty of added value elsewhere — punters can enjoy betting tournaments, boosts on combo bets, and early cash-out. There’s even an innovative Target Tip feature which uses statistics to recommend bets.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Target Tip tool to recommend bets based on statistics
    • Modern site design
    cons icon Cons:
    • No live streaming
    • Small welcome bonus
  • If you’re a fan of American horse racing events, Bet Storm could be a good choice — that’s the only region it covers for the sport. Players can also take part in the Wager Wars contests for a chance at a cash prize. 

    pros icon Pros:
    • Wide range of sports on offer
    • Live streaming support
    • Fun Wager Wars competition
    cons icon Cons:
    • No mobile app
    • Only covers American horse racing events
  • There’s a really great selection of sports on offer at Luckster, including more unusual games like Gaelic hurling and futsal — so if you’re looking for something new to bet on, it might be a solid choice. The site is well-designed and easy to browse, although we’d love to see a better range of promotions and support for live streaming.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Clean site design
    • Huge range of markets including niche sports
    cons icon Cons:
    • No mobile app or live streaming
    • Lack of ongoing promotions
  • RubyBet offers new punters a £10 free bet when they make their first £10 bet of their own. Any wins from the free bet have to be wagered once before they can be withdrawn, which isn’t too severe but still compares unfavourably to no wagering horse racing betting sites. Still, there are plenty of markets available as well as a great range of payment methods — everything from Trustly to PayviaPhone.

    pros icon Pros:
    • Free bet welcome offer
    • Variety of payment methods
    • Live multiview streaming feature
    cons icon Cons:
    • Wagering requirements on the free bet

Banking

Banking Options at Horse Racing Sportsbooks

The UK’s best sports betting sites offer a range of deposit and withdrawal methods, but the available banking options aren’t the same at every site. For example, while all bookies offer debit card banking, other methods like PayPal and pay by phone bill aren’t quite as widely available.

Wondering how to deposit at horse betting sites? Follow these simple steps:

  1. How to deposit with PayPal
    Head to the cashier and select your preferred deposit method.
  2. Enter the amount you wish to deposit and hit confirm.
  3. paypal casino deposit
    Your deposit will be processed instantly.

Don’t forget to read up on the banking terms and conditions as well. Checking the minimum and maximum limits will help you find the sportsbook that’s best suited to your budget. Keep the withdrawal times in mind as well, particularly if you want fast access to your winnings – some of the top horse racing betting sites offer fast payouts to e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill.

Debit Cards

  • Deposit speed: Instant
  • Withdrawal speed: 3–5 days (Visa Fast Funds: Instant – 24 hours)
  • Availability: All sites

Found at every horse racing betting site, debit cards are the most ubiquitous payment method — and also the most popular. Nearly everyone has one and there’s a good chance you’ve used one for an online payment before, so using it to make a sportsbook deposit will feel familiar and simple. 

Transactions are secure thanks to the latest encryption methods employed by UKGC-licensed online bookmakers, and deposits are generally instant. Withdrawals are a little slower with this method, taking 3–5 days. If you’re a Visa user, look for Fast Funds support as you could receive your money within an hour when you withdraw via this service.

PayPal

  • Deposit speed: Instant
  • Withdrawal speed: Instant – 24 hours
  • Availability: Most UK betting sites

PayPal is one of the most widely used e-wallets in the world and online betting is one of its many functions. It’s a digital wallet, which is essentially a virtual bank account. Once you link a debit card to PayPal, you can simply log in with your username and password to make sportsbook deposits and withdrawals. Your bank details are kept private at all times.

Along with a host of additional functionality, PayPal offers some of the quickest withdrawals, usually taking under 24 hours. There are some drawbacks: you won’t find PayPal at every site, although you may find an alternative e-wallet like Skrill or Neteller. More importantly, most e-wallets are excluded from claiming betting offers, which users should keep in mind. 

pros-icon Pros

  • Fast withdrawals – payouts can reach your account in less than 24 hours at fast withdrawal betting sites;
  • Free to use – there may be fees incurred when using a few select services with PayPal, but registration and most payments are free;
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – by setting up an extra step to log in, 2FA is a simple way to keep your account secure;
  • Mobile app – getting set up on the PayPal mobile app ensures it’s easy to manage your payments wherever you are, and comes with the added security of Touch or Face ID if your device supports those options.

const-icon Cons

  • May be excluded from bonuses – betting sites often prohibit customers from claiming deposit bonuses with an e-wallet, so be sure to check the T&Cs;
  • Not universally available – some horse racing sites may offer other digital wallets instead.

Trustly

  • Deposit speed: Instant
  • Withdrawal speed: Instant – 24 hours
  • Availability: Many sites

Trustly is a third-party payments intermediary that essentially acts as a middleman between you and the sportsbook. By logging into Trustly through Open Banking, the service lets you make deposits and withdrawals directly to horse racing bookmakers. Transactions are incredibly fast, with withdrawals often being received within a few hours. There aren’t many drawbacks to Trustly — it’s usually eligible for claiming offers and there are no fees involved. You won’t find it at every horse racing betting site, however.

pros-icon Pros:

  • Secure – Trustly’s use of Open Banking technology means you don’t have to share any personal information with the betting site;
  • Fast withdrawals – get your cash within 24 hours in most cases;
  • Quick and easy – there are no accounts to set up and no forms to fill in.

const-icon Cons:

  • Not universally available – while Trustly does feature at most UK casinos and betting sites, some still only offer regular debit card deposits;
  • Lack of features – one of the pros of Trustly is its simplicity, but some customers may be looking for other features like digital wallets and prepaid cards that are absent here.

Paysafecard

  • Deposit speed: Instant
  • Withdrawal speed: N/A
  • Availability: Many sites

If security is top of mind, Paysafecard is a fantastic choice. It’s a prepaid card that can be bought at thousands of participating retailers around the country in amounts from £10 to £100. Each Paysafecard voucher has a 16-digit PIN which can be used to transfer the funds to your sportsbook account. No bank details are shared at any time. The limited value of each voucher also makes Paysafecard a useful tool for budget management. 

Deposits are usually instant, but you can’t make withdrawals to Paysafecard. AstroPay is another prepaid card service you might find at the best horse racing betting sites — this service does support withdrawals.

pros-icon Pros:

  • Safe to use – using Paysafecard offers greater protection from hackers, as you don’t need to share your bank details at any stage;
  • Straightforward – once you’ve purchased a voucher, you’ll just need the 16-digit PIN to complete the deposit;
  • Budget management – £100 is the maximum amount you can load onto a card.

const-icon Cons:

  • No withdrawals – you’ll need to use an alternative method to cash out;
  • Store purchase – buying a card in shops may be less convenient than purchasing online.

AstroPay

  • Deposit speed: Instant
  • Withdrawal speed: Instant – 48 hours
  • Availability: Some sites

AstroPay is a versatile payment method that offers just about everything you need if you’re looking for an alternative to debit cards. The mobile app is split between ‘wallet’ and ‘vouchers’. The virtual prepaid vouchers are a great option for making secure payments online, including deposits to your betting account. There’s also the AstroPay Visa debit card, which can be used in stores as well as online; basically anywhere a Visa card is accepted.

The wallet section works in a similar way to the likes of PayPal — you can hold a balance, make payments, exchange currency, and more. You can also use funds from the wallet to generate vouchers. The main draw of the wallet function for horse racing fans, however, is that you can use it to withdraw funds from your betting account. 

pros-icon Pros:

  • Excellent range of services – whether you’re looking for e-wallet functionality, a virtual prepaid card, or a virtual debit card, AstroPay has it all;
  • Fast withdrawals – AstroPay withdrawals tend to be faster than debit cards;
  • No bank details required – choose whether to deposit by logging in with your account details or by using one of the virtual prepaid cards.

const-icon Cons:

  • Lack of availability – AstroPay is fairly new on the scene in the UK, so only some betting sites have adopted it so far.

Betting Strategy

Horse Racing Betting Strategy

Like any form of sports betting, there’s no surefire way to guarantee success when betting on the horses. However, there are plenty of factors worth considering and strategies you can employ to give yourself the best chance of landing a winner. Check out our top tips for horse racing betting below.

Check the Horse’s Strengths

An important step before committing to a horse is to have a look at its profile. You can usually access this simply by clicking on a particular racer when browsing the betting markets. Here you’ll find information about the age, sex, breeding history, owner and trainer. Some runners are suited to flat races while others are jumps specialists. Jumps horses can be easier to assess as they race for longer than flat racing horses, meaning there’s a longer history of form to pore over. You can also look at the horse’s racing history to see whether the upcoming race is suited to its strengths.

Assess the Form

That brings us onto form. It’s no easy feat assessing the form of a horse, but it can be helpful in picking a winner. The letters ‘CD’ — referring to course and distance — next to the horse’s  name means that it has previously won that exact race at the same distance, so that’s always a good place to start. ‘BF’, meanwhile, stands for beaten favourite, meaning the horse didn’t win its last race but had been listed as the favourite. Indications of recent form are generally considered to be more relevant than career wins. So if an older runner has had a lot of success but is in a bad run of form, it may be wise to stay away, particularly if it indicates a lack of peak fitness.

Back Second Favourites

This is a pretty simple one but a potentially good way to start off if you’ve never bet on horse racing before. Often, if an overwhelming number of bettors back the favourite in a race, horse racing betting sites will increase the potential payouts on the other runners in order to balance their books. This means you’ll get a better price than you should for the second favourite, while the odds for the favourite will remain low. Even though the favourite wins most of the time, you may find you turn a profit once the second favourite eventually comes up trumps.

Make Use of Horse Racing Promotions

The best horse racing betting sites offer lots of regular promotions to enhance your wagers, so it’s a good idea to make use of what’s on offer. One of the most popular bonuses among horse racing punters is best odds guaranteed. Here, if the starting price on a horse is better than when you placed the bet, you’ll receive the improved odds. Best odds guaranteed may not be available on every market, so it’s worth having a look to see where it’s available before laying down your cash.

Step by Step

Getting Started at a Horse Racing Betting Site

Follow these four simple steps to get your horse racing betting account up and running.

  1. Compare sportsbooks

    Use our carefully selected list to compare 2023’s top horse betting sites and find the perfect site for you. Our expert reviews cover you need to know, including bonuses, betting options and banking methods.
  2. Sign up

    Follow the ‘claim bonus’ link on our list to take you to the bookie registration page. You’ll just need to provide a few details to sign up, and you may be asked to provide identity documents to verify your account after you’ve registered.
  3. Deposit

    Head to the cashier, select your preferred payment method and complete your first deposit. Your deposit will be processed instantly, so you can start betting right away.
  4. Bet

    Time to place your first wager! You’ll find plenty of exciting betting markets at the top horse racing betting sites. Good luck!

Compare & Bet

Bet on Horse Racing

Ready to try your luck at the races? Look no further than our recommended best sports betting sites to find your perfect bookie. Compare the top bonuses using our list, and check out our sportsbook reviews to get the lowdown on banking, odds and withdrawal times. Simply sign up to place your bets!

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Top 10 Best Licensed Racing Betting Sites for UK Customers:

Racing Betting Site Bonus Value Mobile App Available Score Licence
Betfair
£100 Yes 87% UK Gambling Commission
Ladbrokes
£30 Yes 88% UK Gambling Commission
PaddyPower
£30 Yes 91% UK Gambling Commission
Sport Nation
£50 Yes 76% UK Gambling Commission
Unibet
£40 Yes 85% UK Gambling Commission
Coral
£30 Yes 91% UK Gambling Commission
Bethard
£50 Yes 73% UK Gambling Commission
Betway Sports
£30 Yes 90% UK Gambling Commission
Grosvenor Sports
Double Odds Yes 82% UK Gambling Commission
888 Sports
£100 Yes 84% UK Gambling Commission

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these horse racing betting sites safe?

Yes. All the horse betting sites we recommend are licensed by UK Gambling Commission, which ensures your account and finances are secure and that players have access to responsible gambling settings.

If my horse falls, do I get my money back?

In most cases your bet would become void if your horse falls, meaning it’s a loss. However, some horse betting sites now offer “faller insurance”, which means you’ll get your stake back if the horse falls, unseats the jockey, or is brought down. However, this is usually only available for selected races, and bets may be priced at lower odds or have lower maximum bet limits than usual.

What is a starting price?

The starting price (SP) is the odds on a horse at the time a race begins. As odds often fluctuate in the build up to a race, many sites give punters the choice between the current odds or SP when placing a bet. If you choose the SP, you could get better or worse odds, depending on how they change. Most bookies also offer ‘best odds guaranteed’ promotions. This means that if a punter places a fixed odds bet and the SP offers better odds, the payout will be calculated using the SP.

Can I cash out on horse racing bets?

Yes. Some of the UK’s best horse racing betting sites offer cash out, which is a great way to secure some profit or cut your losses. However, not all sportsbooks have this feature, so if you want to cash out, make sure you choose a top sports betting site that does.

What is virtual horse racing?

Virtual horse races are computer-simulated races that are available to bet on at some online horse betting sites. The results of virtual horse races are determined by random number generator (RNG) technology, and you can bet on these races 24/7, which is one of the reasons they’ve become popular among punters.

Which horse racing betting payment method is best for fast withdrawals?

e-Wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller typically offer the fastest withdrawals, and you might receive your funds within just a few hours of requesting them. Visa Fast Funds and Trustly are also fast, with some withdrawals taking under an hour.

Can I make a profit on free bets?

Yes, but you’ll need to check the T&Cs to understand how much. Wagering requirements might stop you from withdrawing your profit until you’ve bet a certain amount of your own money at the site, and there could be caps on how much you can win from the offer. It’s worth keeping in mind that a free bet stake is usually not returned — just the profit. And, of course, in order to make a profit, your bet will have to win!

Can I live stream races at UK horse racing betting sites?

Yes. Many horse racing betting sites allow punters to stream both big races and smaller events directly from the sportsbook interface. This feature is free to use at plenty of UK horse racing betting sites, although some require punters to place a bet on a race before they can stream it, or make a qualifying deposit to access the feature. As well as daily UK and Irish horse racing, some sites even let you stream international races.

The people behind this page

Compare.bet's online gambling content experts helped write, edit and check this page:

Daniel is Head of Operations at Compare.bet. He has half a decade of experience writing on topics including sports betting, online casino and the NBA. Daniel also covers Premier League football for Compare.bet news and has interviewed Louis Saha, Richard Dunne and Gary Pallister. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys film photography and making Spotify playlists.

The following external expert(s) contributed to ensure this page provides maximum value, accuracy and insight:

Adam Dickinson
Adam has almost a decade of experience working in the gambling industry, including various content and marketing roles at the likes of PlayOJO, Betway and Entain He is currently the Head of Marketing at Arena Entertainment. Adam puts his vast experience to use as a fact checker for Compare.bet.
James is a betting and casino expert at Compare.bet who specialises in writing and editing in-depth guides and reviews. As well as producing copy for the site, James is instrumental in making tweaks that keep our pages at the cutting edge of gambling comparison.