Horse Racing Betting

Are you new to online horse racing betting in Canada, or unsure where to safely gamble at? This page will take you through it all. We’ll show you the best horse racing online betting sites, how to bet on the sport, information on wager types and more.

Read on for our full guide to online horse betting.

How we Review Horse Racing Betting Sites

Horse racing online is big business through sportsbooks. We have an experienced expert team who review all the best sites for you. Their advice on what the best online horse racing experience looks like for bettors is as follows:

• Security:

  Horse betting online needs to take place on sites where you believe everything is safe

• Licensing:

  SSL encrypted sites that are certified and licensed are best, because you can bet with confidence

• Bonuses:

  Additional value on horse racing betting through bonuses makes bettors feel appreciated in this competitive market

• Payments:

  A wide range of payment methods for deposits to fund your gambling and withdrawal options for winnings is what to look for

• Choice of bets:

  The best online horse betting sites offer you a great variety of wagers to choose from

How to Sign Up and Bet on Horse Racing

1. Horse betting is what you’re after, so choose a recommended site to gamble at
2. Find the ‘Sign Up’ or ‘Register’ button, which should be prominent on the homepage
3. Hit that and enter your personal details on the registration form
4. Security questions and answers can make your account even more protected
5. Create a username and password – mobile bettors may find a passcode easier
6. Some bonuses need promo codes to activate them, so source and enter these
7. Agree to site’s terms of use and confirm your age to complete registration

Horse Racing Wagering Options

In order to know how to bet on horse races, you need to be aware of the popular types of wagers sportsbooks offer.

Whether you place bets using British fractional odds, the American money line or take decimal prices, we can help. Our handy odds calculator tool shows you how to work out horse racing bets.

Some of the most popular horse betting types are:

Straight wagers

• Win

  Betting that your chosen horse finishes first in a race.

• Place

  A wager that your horse comes first or second. You have an increased chance of a payout compared to a Win bet, but the price will be shorter.

• Show Bet

  This bet is for your horse to finish first, second or third. Three wagers are combined into one. If your selection wins, you win all three wagers. If second, two. And if third, one. The payout is smaller because the odds are shorter.

• Across the board

  Why not combine separate Win, Place and Show bets together? You gamble more with three wagers in one but for greater potential profit.

• Each-way

  Most popular at UK and Irish-based sportsbooks, an each-way bet is two in one. Half of your unit stake goes on a Win and half on place terms that are determined by the site. These vary depending on the type of horse race and number of runners.

Exotic wagers

• Exactor

  You’re betting on two horses to finish first and second in the same race in a specific order. This wager is also called an Exacta in the US and Forecast in the UK.

• Quinella

  This is like an Exactor, but there are two bets in one. Quinellas see you wager on two horses in the same race to finish first and second in any order.

• Triactor

  Taking it a step further, you can also bet on three horses to finish first, second and third in the same race in a given order. This is also called a Trifecta in the US and Tricast in the UK.

• Double

  Where you bet on two horses to win two different races.

• Triple

  Here, you bet on three horses to win three different races. This is also known as a Treble in the UK.

• Multi

  Also called an acca, Multis are where you bet on multiple horses to win their respective races. All legs of the wager need to win in order to receive a payout.

Bonuses

In an ever-growing marketplace, attracting and rewarding your customers is something every sports betting site should do.

One classic method they use is offering bonus incentives. These largely fall into three categories:

• Welcome Bonus

  • Free bet tokens once you’ve registered and made a deposit are the norm for new customers
  • If you don’t receive something for signing up to an online horse racing betting site, then that sportsbook isn’t worth your time
  • Make sure you check terms and conditions attached to welcome offers – just so you’re satisfied that the bonus is the real deal

• Enhanced Odds

  • If major horse races are taking place, then lookout for enhanced odds
  • These could take the form of price boosts for a win or even extra places if many runners are taking part
  • Enhanced odds promotions are open to both new and existing customers, but remember stake limits may apply

• VIP Club

  • Regular bettors can have their loyalty to sportsbooks rewarded through VIP Clubs
  • Opt-in and place a certain number of bets each week to receive bonuses like free bet tokens
  • The VIP Club experience can make you feel special as not every user of the site will be getting such benefits

Main Horse Races to Bet On

• Breeders’ Cup

  Breeders’ Cup

  The Breeders’ Cup is the premier horse racing event in North America, held annually over two days in early November. And did you know it took place in Canada at Woodbine Racetrack in 1996?

  A series of Flat horse races around the world carry invites to the Breeders’ Cup for the winners. With events on both dirt and turf, it attracts worldwide entries.

• Cheltenham Gold Cup

  Cheltenham Gold Cup

  If you prefer betting on horses over jumps and under National Hunt rules, then the Cheltenham Gold Cup is for you.

  It’s the feature steeplechase race during four fabulous days from the Cheltenham Festival held in the UK every March.

• Kentucky Derby

  Kentucky Derby

  The best three-year-old North American thoroughbreds contest the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in early May.

  Nicknamed ‘the Run for the Roses’, it is arguably the world’s most famous Flat dirt race. The Kentucky Derby is certainly the most prestigious in the USA and it’s the first leg of the American Triple Crown.

• Melbourne Cup

  Melbourne Cup

  Flat handicaps don’t come more prestigious or valuable than the Melbourne Cup. Known as ‘the race that stops a nation’ in Australia, there is global appeal with horses sent Down Under just to run in it.

  Held at Flemington in Melbourne, Victoria on the first Tuesday in November, horses need speed as well as stamina to win.

• Queen’s Plate

  Queen’s Plate

  Not to be outdone by their American neighbours, Canada has its own Triple Crown for three-year-old thoroughbreds foaled in the country. The first leg of that is the Queen’s Plate.

  Named after Queen Victoria and first run in 1860, this race is on an artificial tapeta surface. The Queen’s Plate takes place at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario each June or July.

Mobile Horse Racing Betting

Sportsbooks are looking to keep themselves at the cutting edge of technology. That means mobile apps for smartphones and tablets can help Canadian bettors with horse betting online.

We all take our iPhone, Android or other devices with us everywhere we go. Gambling on horse racing online has never been easier with streamlined experiences through downloaded betting apps.