Horse Racing Betting Sites UK - 2023

Recommended UK Horse Racing Betting Sites

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

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.

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

The best UK horse racing betting sites offer lots of great features to enhance your betting experience:

• In-play betting – It’s great to have the opportunity to place a bet even after the race has begun.
• Live streaming – Betting in-play is made all the more exciting by being able to follow the action in real time.
• Cash out – While cash out is more or less a prerequisite, we like to see it available for as many markets as possible. Additional options like partial and auto cash out give punters even more control over their bets.
• Online casino – If you also enjoy a few spins of the roulette wheel from time to time, it’s helpful to have an online casino integrated into the site.

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. 

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.

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 took place on Saturday 15 April 2023.

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 took place in the early spring, with 2023’s event running from Tuesday 14 March to Friday 17 March.

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.

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 was held on 22 April, with the Derby itself running on 6 May. 

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.

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 winner being Gold Trip and jockey Mark Zahra.

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 and Japan’s Yuga Kawada taking the title in 2023 on Ushba Tesoro. 

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

Bet as the Action Takes Place

All the top horse racing betting sites in the UK facilitate in-play betting, also known as live betting. Of course, with many horse races being quick affairs, there isn’t always time to place a bet after the riders are out the starting gates. But distance races like the Grand National offer many twists and turns and opportunities to place a bet.

Cash Out

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. It can be used to minimise your losses or lock in a profit before the race is over.

Some UK horse racing betting sites give punters even more flexibility. With partial cash out, you can pocket some of the profit and leave a portion of your stake running. Auto cash out, meanwhile, allows you to set a predetermined limit — if your profit reaches this point during the race, your bet is automatically settled.

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. 

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:

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.

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 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.

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:

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.

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.

Getting Started at a Horse Racing Betting Site

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

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!

Top 10 Best Licensed Racing Betting Sites for UK Customers: