Best Virtual Horse Racing Betting Sites

By Alice Soule & others on
If you enjoy a punt on the horses, why not try your luck with virtual horse racing? It’s fun, fast-paced, and available on demand. Our guide covers what you need to know about virtual racing betting, so read on to compare the best available bookies.
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1. Bzeebet
78%
Bet £20 Get £20

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

George Edwards Headshot
"A sleek design and array of sports, including horse racing, make this brand new UK bookmaker the place to be"
Get Bonus
38
No
No
No
New Customer Offer 18+. New Customers Only. Max one £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1(2.00) or greater. Paid as Bonus Token with Min 4/5(180) Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs Apply 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
2. Mr Play
73%
Bet £10 Get £15

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Take advantage of Mr Play's excellent welcome bonus and get to grips with the wide array of sports markets today"
Get Bonus
29
No
No
No
New Customer Offer Bet £10, get £15. £10 minimum deposit. Max £10 free bet is only valid for 14 days. Bet must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
3. Luckster Sport
78%
Bet £10 Get £10

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

George Edwards Headshot
"Try this brand new sportsbook which has a particularly strong section on football & e-sports"
Get Bonus
41
No
No
No
New Customer Offer New customers only. Max one free £10 bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 odds required. Skrill, Neteller & PayPal not eligible. T&Cs apply. 18+ 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
4. BetMGM
Bet £10 Get £40

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

George Edwards Headshot
"Get a free bet on horse racing, football, bet builders and accumulators when you bet £10 "
Get Bonus
34
No
No
No
New Customer Offer New cust only. Opt in & place a qualifying bet within 7 days to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca, 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. T&Cs & exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs Apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
5. Parimatch
92%
Bet £10 Get £40

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

George Edwards Headshot
"You can withdraw your funds from Parimatch within 30 minutes using the Visa FastFunds service available at selected banks."
Get Bonus
32
Yes
Yes
No
New Customer Offer New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. No cash-out. Get 3x£10 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 10 days. Offer valid from 14:00 UK time on 11/01/2024. Card payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
6. Grosvenor
82%
Double the odds

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

Liam Hoey Headshot
"Know Your Customer check easy to complete - simply scanned in my documents and the confirmation was received instantly"
Get Bonus
38
Yes
Yes
Yes
New Customer Offer NEW CUSTOMERS. MAX £10(EXC PAYPAL). 100% ODDS BOOST TOKEN. T&CS APPLY. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
7. 32Red
80%
100% Profit Boost

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

Liam Hoey Headshot
"The Know Your Customer check is easy to complete and free bet welcome bonuses are easy to claim right after you sign up."
Get Bonus
33
Yes
Yes
Yes
New Customer Offer Opt in. Min. Odds Evs, Max. £10 stake, Max. additional profit £100. Skrill and Neteller deposits are not eligible 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
8. Unibet
85%
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40 + £10 Casino Bonus

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

Liam Hoey Headshot
"The easy to access odds boost option on racing bets makes this a solid option for those wagering on the horse."
Get Bonus
38
Yes
Yes
Yes
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
9. HeySpin
79%
Bet £15 Get £10

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

George Edwards Headshot
"Enjoy this new sportsbook with its slick platform and huge range of sports betting markets"
Get Bonus
45
No
No
Yes
New Customer Offer New Players only. Max. Free Bet Token amount: £10.Minimum Deposit: £15. Minimum wagering on Sport to activate the Free Bet Token: £15 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
10. Bet Victor
89%
Bet £5 Get £30

Reviewed, rated & tested by our team

Liam Hoey Headshot
"Liked the choice of four different welcome offers when you first sign up and my withdrawal was processed quicker than expected."
Get Bonus
30
Yes
Yes
Yes
New Customer Offer 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 1/1+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 2x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 1/1+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. 7 day bonus expiry. Debit Card/Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
🏆 Best Overall Score:
92%
🎁 Largest Free Bet:
£40
💷 Minimum Deposit:
£5
Virtual Horse Racing Explained 

Virtual Horse Racing Explained 

Virtual Horse Racing Explained

Virtual horse racing is a form of online entertainment that offers the thrills of regular horse racing with a crucial difference. When you bet on virtual horse racing, you’ll be putting your wager on a digitally simulated horse rather than a real-life animal in a real-life race. That’s not to say it feels fake. High-quality graphics and sound effects make virtual horse racing look and feel as close as possible to the real thing. This all makes it just as thrilling to watch the horses jockey for position as they approach the finish line.

As virtual horse racing, and indeed virtual sports in general, grow in popularity, there’s never been a better time to get involved. Our guide to virtual race betting gives you the essential information on this online opportunity. From the pros and cons of virtual racing to the different bet types and the bonuses available at the UK’s top bookies, we’ve got you covered.

Pros and Cons

The Pros and Cons of Betting on Virtual Horse Racing

Online SlotsAs with any form of online gambling, there are both advantages and drawbacks to betting on virtual horse racing. Let’s take a closer look.

Pros

No Need to Wait for Race Day

Virtual horse races start every few minutes, 24/7. There’s no waiting around for races to start and no delays, official decisions, poor weather, or non-runners either. Its readily available nature means you can bet on virtual horse racing whenever the mood strikes.

Realistic Technology

Recent years have seen significant improvements to the software used to power virtual horse racing and other virtual sports. In turn, punters enjoy an authentic experience complete with first-rate graphics, realistic soundtracks and flawless streaming.

Fast Results

There’s no need for officials to make any decisions or analyse photo finishes in virtual horse racing. This efficiency means you’ll know the outcome of your wager just as soon as the race finishes and see any potential winnings land in your account faster.

Beginner-Friendly

As with many online casino games, a random number generator (RNG) determines the result of virtual horse races. There’s no benefit to studying past races, which makes virtual racing betting ideal for newbies who are getting to grips with online wagering.

Completely Fair

The use of RNG technology means that wagering on virtual horse racing is fair. There aren’t any unnatural advantages at play and there are no official decisions to sway the results one way or another. For bettors who enjoy games of pure chance, virtual racing fits the bill perfectly.

Cons

Less Atmosphere

While developers have included sports commentary and the sounds of crowds in their virtual horse racing software, let’s be honest – this can never truly replicate the atmosphere of real racing. Whether you’re watching a bustling event from home or cheering on your horse beside the track at Cheltenham or Aintree, real horse racing has a magic of its own.

Form Doesn’t Count

In real life racing, bettors can study the form of both horses and jockeys to try to predict future outcomes. Past performance doesn’t count a jot in virtual racing, which – as noted earlier – makes it less intimidating for newbie bettors. But seasoned racing buffs may miss the ability to research races and make informed strategic betting decisions.

Race Winner

Virtual Horse Racing Markets

Race Winner

The simplest of all virtual horse racing markets, a race winner bet requires you to pick the horse you believe will win the race. This is arguably the quintessential horse racing wager. 

Each Way

Each way bets allow you to back a horse to win but still get some money back from your wager if your horse finishes second or third instead. In other words, an each-way wager comprises two wagers in one. 

Forecast

With a forecast bet, you’re predicting which two horses and jockeys will finish in first and second place, and in what order. Some bookies also offer a reverse forecast market. These bets still require you to pick the top two finishers, but you won’t need to specify the order. 

Tricast

A tricast bet is much like a forecast bet but gives you the option to predict the top three finishers in order rather than just two. Reverse tricasts see bettors picking three horses to finish in the top three places in any order. 

In-Play

Betting on Virtual Horse Racing In-Play

We know it is a staple to place bets as sporting events are underway. Unfortunately, however, in-play betting is not yet available on virtual race betting, so you’ll be restricted to placing your wagers before each race starts. It’s not all bad news, though! In-play betting for virtual sports is an area that’s seeing some movement. The B2B software developer Betradar, for example, has already introduced in-play betting markets for virtual tennis and virtual baseball and has plans to introduce live betting for additional sports in the future. 

Virtual horse racing doesn’t lend itself quite so well to in-play betting markets, but as software developers are constantly working to improve the product, there’s every possibility that live betting options may become available in the future. Be sure to check back with Compare.bet for all the latest news on the virtual race betting space.

Bonuses

Claiming Virtual Horse Racing Bonus

Virtual horse racing is an increasingly popular pastime among bettors, so it’s no surprise that bookies are offering bonuses and promos to attract punters. Let’s have a look at some of the more common bonuses punters can claim at the best betting site

Free Bets

A free bet bonus is exactly what it sounds like. The bookie will let you place a certain amount in wagers without risking your own money. You may be awarded free bets just for signing up, with no deposit required. However, a minimum deposit or wager is more commonly required to unlock the bonus. An example of a free bet promotion might be ‘bet £10 and get a £20 free bet’. 

Matched Deposits

Matched deposit bonuses give you bonus funds in proportion to how much you pay into your account. The percentage matched varies but can be 100% or more. A typical example might be ‘100% up to £250’. Here, a bettor who deposits £75 will earn an extra £75 in free bet credits, but can claim up to £250 if their first deposit meets that figure.

Compare & Bet

Ready to Bet on Virtual Horse Racing?

Ready to put some wagers down? Check out our list of top UK bookies to find the perfect place to bet on virtual horse racing online. You can check our bookmaker reviews to find practical information on things like banking, betting markets and loyalty schemes, then follow our links to sign up and claim your welcome bonuses whenever you’re ready.

FAQs

Can I bet on virtual horse racing on my mobile phone?

Yes. You can access a mobile-friendly version of pretty much all sports betting sites on your phone or tablet. What’smore, many bookies also have a native mobile app you can download. These apps make it even easier to access betting markets and will also provide push notifications alerting you to the latest bonuses and deals. 

Is it safe to wager real money on virtual horse racing?

Absolutely. As with real money wagering, virtual sports betting sites must adhere to the rules and regulations set out by the UK Gambling Commission. Here at Compare.bet, we will only recommend sites approved by the UKGC.

How old must I be to bet on virtual horse races?

The legal gambling age in the UK is 18. This age limit applies to betting on virtual sports as much as it does to real sports and casino gambling. You will be required to prove your identity and age to place real money bets on legit betting sites.  

Can I bet on any other virtual sports besides horse racing?

Yes. Virtual sports are big business for bookies, and many sites offer action on several sports. At Betfred, for example, you can bet on virtual greyhound racing, tennis, football, motor racing, darts, cycling and, of course, horse racing. 

Are all virtual horse races run on flat courses?

No. Virtual horse racing attempts to replicate real racing as far as possible. As such, you can bet on several different types of horse races. Along with flat racing, options include jump racing, sprint racing and harness racing.

The people behind this page

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

Alice is an Editor at Compare.bet, having joined the company from Gambling Insider in 2022. She's a dab hand at all things online gambling, from expertise in payment methods to her commitment to responsible gambling promotion. Outside of work, Alice is a huge sports fan who closely follows Arsenal and plays lacrosse in her spare time, to name just a couple of her sporting pursuits.
Ben is former editor at Compare.bet, specialising in all things gambling and football. He has an MA in American History and extensive writing experience with bylines in a range of different publications, from Breaking the Lines to CLASH. As well as covering Premier League for Compare.bet news, he also wrote about the Championship and a range of European football topics. In his spare time, Ben enjoys music production and playing football.