Best US Horse Racing Betting Sites & Apps for April 2024

Top horse race betting apps in the US are licensed in individual states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Arizona, West Virginia, and more. But we know it can be tempting to join a well-established international sportsbook. While that's perfectly fine, joining a locally licensed bookie offers you more betting security. For this reason, we make sure to only recommend US-licensed sportsbooks for players looking to bet on horse racing.

The reputation of the horse racing betting app amongst bettors and reviewers is critical. Before listing any platform, we always run a thorough background check to find out what other bettors say about the sportsbook. This is the only reliable way to know a thing or two about the sportsbook's support, bonuses, odds, markets, and other features. Of course, we don't believe all reviews as some bettors are usually at fault themselves.

With all US horse racing betting apps gladly accepting real money, joining the safest and most secure options is critical. As a standard, we ensure that the bookie uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption to safeguard transactions and communication.

Even the most experienced bettors need help from time to time at online horse betting sites in the US. Maybe a particular feature isn't working, or you want to claim a bonus that you don't understand how it works. Whichever the case, we ensure that all our recommended bookies offer support via email, live chat, phone, Twitter, or Messenger.

Even if the sportsbook checks all the boxes above, it's still not worth considering if the bet types and markets are not up to scratch. At BestGamblingSites, we make sure that the online horse betting sites we pick allow US punters to place live bets in addition to the standard pre-match bets. Market-wise, our bookies also offer parlay, superfecta, daily double, trifecta, exacta, and more.

The best US horse race betting sites on our list offer incentives to loyal and new bettors. Newcomers get generous offers like risk-free bets, free bet credits, deposit bonuses, and no-deposit bonuses. Our ranked platforms also offer daily, weekly, or monthly rebates for loyal bettors. Interestingly, you can find standalone horse racing betting offers on the racebook. A good example is FanDuel Racebook, which welcomes newcomers with a 100% up to $50 bonus.

Placing an online bet at the best bookies is just as seamless as horse racing wagering at a land-based betting venue. Our bookies offer stylish, friendly, and straightforward websites that even the greenest hands should not have trouble using. You'll see marked tabs on the homepage for the sportsbook, racebook, online casino, promotion, payments, and live betting.

There are many payment methods to use these days. But the best sports betting sitesdon't just support any payment method. You should be able to transact via safe, secure, and reliable methods like PayPal, PayNearMe, Skrill, credit/debit cards, ACH and wire transfers, check, you name them. In addition, bookies such as Caesars and BetMGM allow punters to make cash payments at their land-based betting venues.

Finally, when ranking the best horse racing sites in the US, we always confirm the duration it takes to complete payments. Deposits should typically be instant, with withdrawal time varying between sites. Even at that, e-wallet payments via Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, and ecoPayz should take less than 24 hours. Credit/debit card, as well as ACH and wire transfer payouts, can take 3-5 working days.

Also called a single bet, a straight bet is the most common betting market in horse racing. Here, you risk everything for a particular horse to win the race. In short, you'll receive a payout if the selected horse wins the race and lose if it finishes in any other position. This is called a win bet.

Alternatively, you can predict a horse to finish first or second in a place bet or the horse to finish third or better in a show bet. Plus, you can predict a horse to finish top three and be in the money. Although straight bets can be risky, they have the longest and the best odds in horse racing.

Horse racing punters add excitement to their bet slips by choosing this exotic bet type. In this bet, you predict the top two finishers in a single race. Let's say you favor horses B and C in Race 2 at Belmont Park. Then, you make a $5 exacta on horse C to finish first and horse B to finish second. If that happens, you walk away with the money.

Also called tricast in the UK and triactor in Canada, a trifecta bet is a pari-mutuel wager where you predict three horses to finish top three in a specific order. Just think of it as exacta just that this time you're dealing with three horses.

To make this wager even more exciting, a bookie can allow you to "box" the bet. This means you win the money if the horses finish top three in any order. Remember that boxed bets can also apply in an exacta bet.

Horse racing bettors often underrated quinella bets. That's probably because the potential payout is smaller than what you'll get with other bets. That said, quinella bets are almost the same as exacta bets. Here, you pick horses to make it in the top two positions. But unlike in exacta, where the horses must finish in a specific order, quinella bets payout regardless of the order.

For example, you can choose horses B and D to finish in the top two positions. In that case, you receive a payout if horse B completes first and horse D second. The bet also pays if horse D wins and horse B is the runner-up. The bet losses if either horse finishes outside the top two positions.

Superfecta is a popular exotic bet that can yield handsome payouts. Punters predict the top four horses in a single race to win a payout. This makes superfecta bets one of the most challenging wagers to succeed in a horse racing event.

But to increase the probability of hitting a win, a bookie can allow punters to box a superfecta bet. As said before, you win the wager regardless of the order of the finish. But still, winning this bet can be challenging in a race with 8 or 10 horses.

A daily double bet involves predicting the winners of two separate races usually held on the same track. As the name of this wager suggests, the race should happen on the same day. And if possible, the races should be consecutive like the first two or last two (late daily double bet).

Like other exotic bets, the minimum you can wager with daily doubles is $2, although some bookies can allow as little as $0.50. Also, the odds accumulate, meaning the prices are multiplied together.

Parlay bets or accumulator bets are pretty common in traditional sports betting. In this wager, punters combine several single bets into one colossal bet. However, all legs must win for a parlay bet to stand. The good thing is that some bookies give parlay insurance when you lose the bet.

For example, you can place a $10 on three horse racing legs. So, assuming leg 1 has a $3 win, leg 2 has a $2 win potential, and leg 3 a $5 win, your payout will be $300 ($10 x $3 x $2 x $5). Remember, most bookies allow you to combine different markets in parlay bets.

Live betting is where you place a wager on a race already underway. This bet is trendy in long, drawn-out sports like football, rugby, soccer, and basketball. In horse racing, in-play betting requires punters to make quick judgments because the event is fast-moving.

The best horse racing betting sites also let punters place live racing bets while watching the action unfold via live streaming. This allows you to make proper decisions in split seconds. However, ensure that your internet connection is fast and reliable to enjoy a seamless live betting experience.

Before placing money on any horse, conduct a background check on their running style. You'll realize that some horses are slow off the mark but catch up later in the race. Conversely, some horses are fast off the track but fall short when it matters most. Some horses maintain constant speed throughout the race. Overall, this should determine your betting style.

This is somewhat a continuation of the first point. Dig out the record and the experience of the horse on the racetrack in question. Some horses tend to perform better on a particular racetrack by design or luck. Also, look at the condition of the horse. Have they run a couple of tough races recently? Could they be fatigued? Answer these questions!

If you attend or watch horse races often, you'll realize that not all racetracks are the same. They may have varying weather, turf, synthetic, humidity, etc. This can determine how well a horse performs on the track. To be sure, look at the horse's history on the track. For instance, most horses produce results on dirt surfaces rather than turf. Analyzing the racetrack can be time-consuming, but it's worth the trouble.

This is a top secret that the most experienced horse racing bettors won't tell you. Betting on multiple horses in the same event ensures you can win something from either horse. However, don't overdo it, as this can be counterproductive if most bets lose. Also, limit the bets to just two or three options, although there's no harm in being more ambitious.

Another top horse racing betting strategy is going on a line shopping spree. The thing is that different racebooks have varying odds on the same race and event. For example, you can find a sportsbook paying $6 while another sportsbook is offering $6.45 on their website. It would take immense persuasion to ignore the bigger odds. Remember, nothing bars you from creating an account on different racebooks.

The biggest horse racing events are where most sportsbooks camp. Despite offering most markets, oddsmakers also provide better odds on these events. This makes significant horse racing events excellent platforms for green hands. Look at this; significant events attract the best racers in the country. Now this means each horse has almost every chance of winning.

Successful gamblers plan their finances. The reality is that you'll lose most of your bets even if you're really good at it. So, ensure that you have a bankroll big enough to carry you through the losing sessions, which are sure to come along quite often. Set aside a specific portion of your income strictly for betting purposes. Don't bet with money meant for critical expenditures like utility bills, school fees, medical cover, and more.