Few sports can match the excitement one feels when watching horses gallop at scintillating speeds. Also, few sports have the history that horse racing has. Even the ancient Greeks enjoyed watching jockeys guide their animals to victory! At some point, they realized that these races are much more fun when you place a stake on them. And that’s how horse racing betting was born!
A lot has changed since then. With the rise of online bookmakers, you don’t need to spend the entire day at the tracks. You can pick markets and earn some money from the comfort of your own home. Considering all this, our team of experts wanted to create a beginner’s guide for everyone interested in entering the world of horse racing betting.
What you see in front of you is the result of months of research, countless bets, and tons of betting sites tested. So, your only job is to sit somewhere comfortable, soak all the info in, and prepare to take your first punt. Good luck!
Understanding the Rules
Before you start with horse racing betting, it’s important to know two main factors in play — the horse and the jockey. Unlike greyhound races, in which dogs run on their own, horses must be ridden by jockeys to ensure that they will reach the finish line. This is because dogs are easy to train, whereas horses don’t yield to commands or training lightly. To motivate the horses to run faster, riders use small whips. Some jurisdictions allow unlimited whipping, while some have outright banned it or imposed a limit on the number of whips allowed (UK).
Not every horse is suitable for racing. Usually, only Arabians, Quarters, and Thoroughbreds are the participants. As for jockeys, they have to be relatively small and lightweight people so that horses carry as little weight as possible. They also have to wear helmets and padding, as falling off or getting trampled can have potentially deadly consequences.
The two main rules, ones that are present in all types of races (more on that later), are that all riders must start simultaneously and give it their best effort. Early starts might result in penalties or disqualification.
As for the other rule, it exists to prevent fixing. Horse racing gaming allows bettors to take punts on the market called ‘place’. What it means is that you’re betting on the exact placement of the horse. If the rule mentioned above wouldn’t exist, a rider could purposely slow down and earn people bets in an illegal manner.
There you have it – the basics of horse racing. There are several sub-categories, but the framework is the same. Some jurisdictions add their own specific regulations, so make sure you analyze them before pouncing on a particular market or event.
Basic Terms
Horse racing betting is far from the most difficult endeavour. Despite this, there are many slang terms that might confuse you in the beginning. To avoid this confusion, we rounded up the most frequently used ones and provided explanations. Once you memorize them, doing research at any horse racing bookmaker will be a piece of cake.
- Bit – A steel bar that’s placed in the horse’s mouth and is attached to the bridle. Using it, the jockey can steer the horse or cause him to slow down, especially in corners.
- Bloodstock – While not necessarily integral to the race itself, the bloodstock is still essential. It’s the part of the industry that’s involved in breeding horses. Champions pass their genes onto other champions. It’s not uncommon to see multiple generations of successful racehorses.
- Colt – An uncastrated male horse that still hasn’t reached four years of age. A colt that still races is called an entire, while a retired one is a stallion.
- Stallion – A retired horse, usually with a racing career behind him, that’s used for breeding new racehorses.
- Draw – All horses start in their own respective stalls, one beside the others. The draw is a random pick that assigns stalls to horses. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t matter whether a horse starts close to the rail or a bit further. For instance, the Kentucky Derby features 20 horses, and they all line up to the rail after a few seconds. There’s no correlation between the stall and the horse’s position at the end of the race.
- Boxed-in – When there are many horses in the same place, it’s impossible to move out of the crowd and make a clear, straight run. So, when a horse is unable to overtake, he’s boxed in.
- Going – A slang term that relates to the conditions on the racetrack itself. If it’s muddy and wet, the going is bad. When there isn’t any rainfall and horses won’t lose speed, the going is good.
- Handicap – Depending on their past performances, horses are given weight to carry. If a horse is blowing everyone out of the water, they will be given the heaviest weight in their next race. This is so that the playing field is even and that the race remains exciting.
- Juvenile – In many jurisdictions, a two-year-old horse the minimum age allowed for a horse to participate in official races.
- Nap – A bet that’s sure to win. When a horse is an overwhelming favourite, bettors usually say, ‘go for it, it’s a nap’.
- On/off the bridle – When a horse is off the bridle, it means it does not have a particularly good race. When it’s on the bridle, things are going well.
- Silks – Since there are many horses on the track during an event, owners all have different colours. They appear on the jockey’s clothing and equipment, as well as the horse’s apparel. That’s how you tell them apart.
- Stay on – This refers to a horse who won the race thanks to an excellent finish, despite being off the bridle until the last few yards.
- Open ditch – In jump racing (we’ll talk about it in a bit), an open ditch is a rail with a rather long ditch right where the takeoff area is.
- Stud – A horse breeding facility. Stallions are kept here while the mares are being brought to conceive a baby horse. Horses younger than 12 months are called foals.
Horse Racing Types
When someone mentions horse racing betting, you probably think of round tracks with a starting point and a finish line. Believe it or not, that’s not the only type of race that you can take punts on. These beautiful beasts can square off in several different sub-sports if you will. Here are the most popular ones.
Flat racing
The most common type, you’ll find it at just about any bookie. There aren’t any obstacles involved, and the track can have a maximum length of up to 2 miles. Grass and synthetic surfaces can be used.
Jump racing
Any event involving obstacles. Small ones are called hurdles, while big ones are called fences. There are also small ponds of water, ditches, and hedges. It’s a test of both endurance and athleticism.
Harness racing
Basically the modern version of chariot racing. Instead of the jockey riding the horse, he is placed in a sulky, a two-wheeled cart. The sulky is connected to the horse’s torso, and he pulls the jockey by galloping.
Endurance racing
Probably the most extreme form of horse racing. Endurance races don’t take place in stadiums or on racetracks. Instead, the horses race in natural environments, on lengths of up to 150 miles. Such events can last for hours and require massive amounts of strategizing. Arabians are the best at endurance races due to their build and stamina.
Where to Find Horse Racing Betting Websites?
- Generous Welcome Bonuses and Promotions
- Among the Highest Odds in the industry
- Wide Variety of Sports Betting Markets
- A lot of Casino Games
- Trusted Online Betting Website
- Licensed by the UKGC
- Best Sports Betting Features
- High Odds
- Great Range of Sports Betting Markets
- Wide Variety of Casino Games
- Generous Bonus Offers
- Mobile App is Available
- Trusted & Secure Online Betting Site
- Competitive Sports Betting Odds and Markets
- Great Range of Casino Games
- Professional Customer Support
- Fantastic bonuses
- Good sportsbook
- Amazing casino games
- Many payment methods
| gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly- Wide sports coverage
- Competitive odds
- Rich bonus section
- Mobile app available
- An amazing sportsbook
- Superb bonus offers
- Cash-out feature available
- Mobile apps
- Extensive sports library
- High odds
- Separate apps for sports, casino, and poker
- Fully legal and licensed
- Trusted online betting site
- Great range of Sports Betting markets
- Top-class Customer service
- Various Payment methods
- Generous welcome pack + Free Spins
- High-quality games by top suppliers
- Regular Tournaments & Must-Drop Jackpots
- Generous Welcome Offer
- Bonuses for Existing customers
- Wide array of Slots and Sports Markets
- Generous Betting Odds
- Impressive sports catalogue and betting markets
- Live Betting & Live Streaming
- Several welcome offers
- Variety of payment methods
- Great welcome bonuses
- A ton of features
- Variety of sports
- Live streaming
- Great Range of Sports Betting Options
- Casino Games are Available
- Generous Welcome Bonus and More Promos
- Different Sports betting features
- Great Sports Betting Coverage
- Secure Deposits and Withdrawals
- Enhanced Player Security
- Various Promotions
- Trusted & Licensed UK Brand
- Great Customer Support
- Competitive Odds
- Various Sports Betting Features
- Unique Welcome Bonus
- Good Odds
- A lot of eSports
- Crypto Payments
- Big welcome bonus
- A lot of sports
- Crypto accepted
- Live casino available
- Good looking website
- An operator with a long history
- Great selection of sports
- Helpful customer support
- Generous welcome bonus
- Bitcoin payments
- Higher odds
- Good welcome offer
- Active cash-out option
- Plenty of sports
- Wide range of sports betting markets
- High odds
- Casino Games
- Professional support
- Extensive sports catalog
- Separate sections for Virtuals & Horse Racing
- Live Betting & Live Streaming available
- Mobile app for Android & iOS
- Reliable & professional brand
- UKGC licensed
- Great betting features
- Wide variety of horse races
- Good looking website
- Great selection of sports
- Competitive odds
- Helpful customer support
- A ton of sports
- Generous welcome bonus
- Variety of betting features
- Helpful customer support
- UKGC Licensed Bookmaker
- Wide Range of Sports Betting Options
- Competitive Odds
- Professional Support
- Wide selection of Sports & Markets
- Several welcome offers
- Variety of payment options
- 24/7 customer support
- Great range of Sports betting Markets
- Generous bonus offers
- A wide array of Casino games
- Different Payment options
- Good looking website
- Big selection of welcome offers
- Cash-out and live streaming available
- Helpful customer support
- Broad sports coverage & competitive odds
- Betting features available
- Diversity of payments (including crypto)
- Great bonus selection
- Good payment methods
- Allows easier access to mobile betting games without the need of a browser
- Trusted & Licensed UK Brand
- A wide array of promotions
- Various Sports betting features
- Various payment options
- 50+ Sports & 4000+ Casino Games
- Mobile Apps for Android & iOS
- Impressive bonus selection, regular missions and tournaments
- On-point Betting Features
- Great selection of sports
- Competitive odds
- Casino section available
- Good sports welcome bonus
- Licensed bookie
- A lot of betting features
- Live betting
- A ton of payment options
- Various Sports Betting Options
- Exclusive Cricket Betting Markets
- High Odds
- Mobile App is Available
- Great range of sports betting options
- Cash out is available
- Wide array of casino games
- Great range of Betting Markets
- A lot of Casino Games
- Generous Welcome Bonuses and Additional Offers
- Mobile App is Available
- Extensive Sports Selection
- Range of betting features & responsible gambling tools
- Diversity of slots, table games & Live Casino
- 24/7 Customer support
- Excellent Sportsbook
- Reputable Bookmaker
- Live Streaming Function
- Top-notch Casino Providers
- Great sportsbook
- Lots of astounding promotions
- Available mobile apps
- Professional customer support
- Works with crypto payments
- Excellent welcome offer
- Various bonuses for existing players
- Intriguing design
- Cash out option is available
- Modern and stylish approach
- Huge selection of games from several providers
- Rich assortment of betting markets
- Android betting APP
- Fast and secure deposits & withdrawals
- Fully licensed in Zambia
- Wide range of betting markets
- Generous welcome offers for Sports and Casino
- Mobile apps
- Competitive Odds
- A big range of sports betting options
- Live betting feature with high odds and helpful information
- Cash Out option
- Good bonus offers
- Extensive sports selection
- Thousands of casino games
- Good bonus selection
- Wide range of payments
- Competitive Odds
- Virtual Sports
- Nice Design
- Variety of promotions
- available cash-out option
- offers live streaming function
- has apps for iOS and Android
- payout speed
- the website is extremely easy to use
- it has a very wide range of interesting sports markets and casino games
- Amazing design of the site
- Mobile-friendly platform
- Generous bonuses
- Awesome support team
- Variety of special and prop bets
- Generous Welcome Bonuses
- High payouts
- Good customer support
- Good range of sports betting options
- Cash out option
- Live streaming services
- Competitive odds
- Lots of promotions
- Fully licensed
- Competitive odds
- Wide selection of sports
- Welcome bonus & more offers
- Range of betting features
- Responsive customer support
- Excellent design
- Superb betting experience
- Great variety of eSports
- Cool bonuses
- Great design and navigation
- Competitive Odds & 11,000+ Casino Games
- Cash out & Bet Builder available
- Wide selection of payment methods
Show More
An essential part of every bettor’s arsenal is a good app or online bookmaker. With it, you can put all your skills and knowledge to use. However, finding the right fit can often take hours or even days. Well, not anymore. Check out our list of the top-rated bookmakers for horse racing betting. It’s the result of extensive testing and comparisons.
Not only will you find some highly-rated desktop sites, but you’ll also see what’s the best betting app for horse racing. NostraBet knows that gaming on the go is popular, so we decided to lend you a hand. Analyze the list, pick a bookie you like, and start taking punts. Have fun and bet wisely!
How to Bet on Horse Racing
Betting on horse racing is the same as wagering on any other sport. Albeit having specifics, the overall steps are the same, and it all starts by choosing some of the best sites for betting on horse racing. Due to this sport’s popularity in some parts of the world, you can find a lot of bookies that specialize in it.
- After choosing the most suitable betting site for the job, the next step is to sign up. We recommend learning more about any active promo codes from Nostrabet, as they’ll boost your welcome promotion.
- Assuming you’re aware of the welcome bonus, you can make a deposit and get it. If you do not know anything, we suggest learning more about it.
- Now that the funds are in your account, check the pre-match and live betting categories.
- Although most people want to punt on live horse racing matches, bookies also offer pre-match options. Decide what you want to bet, analyze the markets, and choose one or more alternatives.
- The markets will be added to your betslip after choosing them, meaning the next step is to place a bet.
- We already had an account with the operator, so we signed up. Luckily, we also had $10 in our balance, so there was no need to make a deposit.
- After going to “Sports”, followed by “Horse Racing”, we saw all of the upcoming events. In the end, we chose to bet on Moe Race 7 in Australia.
- There were numerous intriguing markets, but we’ve decided to bet the $10 we had on “Winner No.1 Bunjil “Jake Noonan) to win the race. The odds were 4.00, so predicting this bet would give us $40 in total.
Horse Racing Bet – Real-Life Example
Since we want to give you an example of how we’ve wagered on horse racing, we’ve chosen 22bet. The latter is an international brand that’s famous for providing more options than the rest, so here’s how it worked out:
Which Are the Most Popular Tournaments?
Regardless of where you are in the world, chances are there’s a racetrack near you. Still, not every event is the same. Unfortunately, most of them don’t receive enough coverage for you to place stats-based bets and make informed decisions. Stick to the following ones, and you’ll get all the data you need to win.
Short History and Facts
Chariot racing and horse racing have been a part of the Olympic Games since the 7th century BC. However, no one really knows when it officially became a sport. It is believed that it was actually created by cavalry members who were bored on duty and wanted to have some fun. While it was mainly a nobleman’s sport throughout its history, horse racing is now widely available to anyone. Millions of people visit both racetracks and betting sites, all to capitalize on the action.
Here’s some fun information related to this unique sport’s history:
- The horse racing industry as a whole is very beneficial to the British economy. Apparently, around ￡3.7 billion trickles down and gets used for education, healthcare, etc.
- Did you know that, in 1605, King James I became so addicted to horse racing that he forgot to run the country? The parliament had to remind him to snap out of it.
- The first horseback riding tournaments in Britain were held back in 200 AD. Nomadic peoples in central Asia raced even earlier. There is evidence of races in the Mongolian prairies, some even from the 5th millennium BC.
- Thoroughbred horses in Britain can be traced to 3 sires, all of which were initially bred for war.
Final Thoughts
If you like sports that are both easy and profitable, horse racing betting is tailor-made for you. By investing enough time and conducting enough research, you may be able to get Lady Luck on your site. However, it’s still gambling, and anything can happen. So, just stick to your budget and be careful about taking on overly risky markets.
FAQ
How to bet on horse racing?
Approach it like any other sport. Never bet on anything you aren’t sure about and find the best risk-to-reward ratio.
What is the best type of bet in horse racing?
The each-way market is an excellent choice for both beginners and experts. It gives you many leeways and has a fallback option if one part of the bet backfires.
What is a place bet in horse racing?
A place bet is when you’re placing a wager on a horse finishing in an exact sport, not lower or higher.
Should I use a horse racing bet calculator?
All kinds of betting software exists on the market. Companies will tell you that these calculators and programs will turn you into a millionaire. If that were true, don’t you think that everyone would be using them? Sure, calculators can be useful, but they can’t be a surrogate for proper research and preparation.
How to win a horse racing bet?
Find out everything about the horse and the opposition, locate the best odds, and don’t take gargantuan risks.
Can you make a profit off of horse racing betting?
Yes, if you are diligent and devoted, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t earn a bit of money here and there.
Do I have to know about the horses and breeders?
Yes. Find out everything there is about the horse’s performance, for starters. Then, do some research about the breeder. Reputable breeders have a track record of champions, so a new horse from their stable might be a dark horse (pun very much intended) you were looking for.