Betting On Horse Racing: What You Need To Know
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that betting on horse racing is incredibly popular. There are dozens of betting websites and online casinos which now allow you to bet on the sport, but for anyone new, the number of websites, the variety of betting options, and the list of promotions can be overwhelming.
Before we suggest our top five best horse racing betting sites, we’ll go through how you wager on horse racing as well as the various bets and promotions available for you.
Horse Racing Bets: The Best Bets For New Users
Like with most other sports, horse racing allows you to place several different types of bets. When placing a bet on horse racing, you won’t be required to just stick to one as you can mix and match them as much as you want as long as you know what you’re doing and have an understanding of the sport.
Anyone new to horse race betting should first read up on the different types of bets available before placing any wagers. This will help you understand what you can bet on and what’s required of you to make a win. Take a look at the most common types of horse racing bets below:
- Single: A very common bet where you wager on which horse will win a race.
- Double: A bet where you wager on two horses to win or place in two different races. You’ll need to be correct with both bets to win.
- Treble: A bet where you wager on three horses to win three different horses. Like with doubles, you’ll need to be correct with all bets to win.
So Singles, Doubles, and Trebles are the most common and simplest bets you can make on horse racing. There are plenty of other betting options available to users which are far more popular among experienced gamblers and require multiple wagers. One example is a Four-Fold where you accurately bet on several different outcomes across different events.
Other bets include a Trixie bet which is comprised of three doubles and a treble, a Patent bet which is comprised of three singles, three doubles, and one treble wager, and plenty more. However, these types of bets are incredibly complicated and should only be placed by people confident in their betting abilities and knowledge of horse racing.
Horse Racing Tips And Strategies
Since horse racing generally depends on chance and your knowledge of the sport, the horses, and players, there aren’t any strategies to follow to ensure you make wins. However, we have put together a series of tips you can follow to help you while betting on the sport as well as a more detailed analysis of the various bets, including those which are much more complicated. Just head on over to our horse betting tips guide here.
Famous Horse Racing Events For 2021
Horse racing is one of the biggest sports available in the United Kingdom, and there are plenty of big-name events you can enjoy by watching and placing bets. Take a look at what the biggest events in horse racing are and when they’ll be taking place in 2021 below:
Royal Ascot
The Royal Ascot is one of the biggest race horsing events in the United Kingdom. The event dates back to the 1700s, is populated with spectators in fancy dress, and it’s so big that the entire Royal Family make an appearance every year. The Royal Ascot runs for five days, is comprised of around eighteen group races involving around 500 horses. The Royal Ascot will run between Tuesday, June 15 and Saturday, June 19 2021.
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is another major horse racing event. This popular event runs for four days and takes place at the Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It’s comprised of various horse races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Strayers’ Hurdle, and more. In 2021, the Cheltenham Festival will run between Tuesday, March 16 and Friday, March 19.
The Aintree Festival & Grand National
The Grand National is second to the Royal Ascot in popularity. The event is regarded as one of the most iconic horse races in the world and takes place during the Aintree Festival in Aintree, Liverpool. The Grand National is the culminating race and occurs on the third day of the Aintree Festival, which means there are plenty of other races to enjoy beforehand! The 2021 Aintree Festival will run between Thursday, April 8 and Saturday, April 10.
Epsom Derby
The Epsom Derby is another well-known horse racing event which takes place at Epsom Downs in Surrey at a racecourse which is regularly praised for its scenic views. Comprised of seven big-name races, the Epsom Derby will take place between Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5, 2021.
Glorious Goodwood
The Glorious Goodwood is another major horse racing event in the UK which, much like the Royal Ascot, is filled with glamour and extravagance. The event features several flat races and will take place between Tuesday, July 27 and Sunday, August 1 2021.
What Are The Best Horse Racing Betting Sites – Our Top 7 Picks
As already mentioned, there are dozens of different websites offering horse race betting. While all sites will allow you to bet on various horse racing events, they will vary in other factors like casino game selection, customer support, accepted payment options, promotions, and more. We’ve extensively reviewed numerous casino and betting sites and have come up with a list of the best horse racing betting sites. Take a look at our picks below:
William Hill
William Hill is arguably one of the biggest names in sports betting. The website, which is operated by WHG (International) Limited, allows users to wager on horse racing, golf, darts, football, tennis, and more. It also offers a wide selection of casino games like video slots, table games, jackpots, live casino, poker, and runs bingo rooms too. Customers can enjoy two £15 free bets, as well as boosts on horse racing, cashback bets, and plenty of other promotions too. You can read more about the website in our William Hill review.
Casumo Casino
Casumo is primarily an online casino, but its brand also runs a sportsbook. New users who register with the Casumo sportsbook can claim a £10 free bet and enjoy placing bets on horse racing, cricket, football, snooker, and more. In addition, users will have access to the Casumo Casino site, which offers a gigantic selection of fun and exciting casino games. The site is mobile-friendly, accepts several major payment options, and offers great customer support. More information about the casino can be found in our Casumo review.
10Bet
10Bet is another leading betting website. Operated by Blue Star Planet Limited, this betting site is giving all of its new users a £50 welcome bonus which can be used to place bets on various sports. Alongside the welcome offer, you can enjoy plenty of other promotions and a wide selection of casino and virtual games. For sports, you can wager on horse racing, basketball, handball, volleyball, golf, and so many other sports too. Want more information on the website? Take a look at our 10Bet review.
32Red Casino
32Red is a well-known online casino operated by 32Red Limited. The website offers a great selection of games including slots and table games, and it’s home to plenty of promotions including 10 free spins, a bonus of £150, and more. If that isn’t enough, 32Red also runs a sports betting site under the same branding which allows you to wager on horse racing, rugby, football, snooker, and more sports. You can even enjoy several betting promotions, including profit boosts, daily horse racing price boosts, and plenty more. You can read all about the website in our 32Red review.
Betway
Betway is another big name in the gambling industry. The brand runs both a sportsbook and an online casino, providing registered users with a wide selection of activities to join. Promotions include a £50 casino bonus or a £10 free sports bet, and the sports you can wager on include American football, boxing, cycling, football, horse racing, volleyball, and more. The site is also mobile-friendly via both in-browser and a dedicated app, allowing you to play whenever you want! More details on the Betway website can be found in our review here.
Mansion Bet
Mansion Bet is one of the biggest online sports betting sites. It offers all new users a £20 free bet with numerous other promotions including horse racing boosts, and it allows you to bet on plenty of sports including football, tennis, basketball, greyhound racing, horse racing, rugby, and numerous others. You can also play at the Mansion Bet casino which offers plenty of slots, table games, jackpots, and more for you to enjoy. Our Mansion Bet review has more information on the site.
Bet365
Our final suggestion for the best horse racing betting site is Bet365, an online sportsbook operated by Hillside ENC. New users who register can claim up to £100 in bet credits and enjoy wagering on sports such as tennis, snooker, golf, horse racing, football, cricket, and plenty more. The website is also home to a small selection of casino games including slots, table games, live casino, poker, and bingo too. Our Bet365 review has more information about all of this.
Why Should I Join These Betting Sites?
The sites we’ve listed above have all been extensively reviewed by us. We can confirm that they all hold licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, making them completely safe to use, and provide players with the best overall online betting experience. While there are numerous other betting sites available, we believe these will provide you with the most enjoyment and are the websites who take your security seriously. So take a read through our reviews to discover more about each of the sites and maybe you’ll find an online sportsbook that appeals to you.
How To Register At A Horse Racing Betting Site
Registering at a horse racing betting site is incredibly easy. All you need to do is have a read through of our reviews of betting sites, find a website that interests you and load it up.
Once you’ve done that, you simply need to hit the ‘Join’ or ‘Sign Up’ button. This will take you to a form you’ll need to complete by providing information such as your first and last name, your date of birth, your email address and mobile number, as well as your address. You’ll also be required to create a username and password to log in to your account.
Once the entire form has been completed, you’ll need to submit it, and that’s it! You’ll have registered with your horse racing betting site. Before you can deposit any money or place wagers, however, you’ll need to verify your account by providing the site’s support team with copes of identification documents such as your passport or driver’s license. You’ll also need to verify your address with copies of a recent tax bill or a bank statement.
Once your account has been verified by the website’s support team, you’ll be free to make a deposit through your favourite payment method and start placing wagers. Simple, right?
Horse Racing Promotions: What To Look Out For
When you’re registering with a betting site, you should keep an eye out for promotions. Most websites will provide you with free bets as a welcome bonus once you’ve made a deposit or placed your first bet, but other sites may offer different welcome bonuses which can only be claimed during or immediately after registration, so keep your eyes out for any special rewards like this.
In addition, you should also check with long-term promotions are available. We’ve found that most websites will provide you with boosted odds or winnings, free bets for making wagers on select sports, as well as cashback bonuses as bets. Now, the promotions available will all depend on the individual website, so check our reviews and the betting site for more information on this.
If you do want to claim a welcome bonus, we’ll warn you that you should always read through the terms and conditions of a bonus before claiming it, so you know exactly what you’re being offered and what’s required of you. The terms and conditions will note all restrictions which can include win limits, expiry dates, and more, so remember to check them.
Horse Racing Betting: Summary
There’s no denying that horse racing is one of the most popular sports to place bets on. Although it can seem fairly complicated at first glance, it’s rather easy. There are numerous betting sites out there which offer you the chance to wager on horse racing, and we’ve made a list of the best horse racing betting sites to simplify which betting sites are the best for you to play at.
Betting on horse racing is fun and exciting, and it can be a social experience too. If you haven’t already, we suggest giving it a try. If you do, just remember to start off slow, do your research, and enjoy the experience.
Questions & Answers (FAQ)
Is horse racing betting safe in the UK?
Yes. Betting on horse racing is completely safe to do in the UK as long as you’re placing bets on a website that is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. You can check if a casino website is licensed by the Commission by scrolling down to the footer of the website.
Are there any no deposit horse racing bonuses?
Right now, there are no no deposit horse racing bonuses. Most of the promotions available to use with horse racing include free bets, cashback bonuses as bets, boosted odds, and more. If you want to claim a no deposit casino, you’ll then to register with a casino site.
Can I use place horse racing bets on mobile?
Yep! The horse racing betting sites we’ve suggested are all mobile-friendly which means you can place bets whenever you want on your mobile. Some sites support dedicated mobile apps, while others require you to play in-browser. Both methods are great for playing on mobile.
Is there a list of horse racing events to bet on?
We’ve shared a list of some of the biggest horse racing events which you can bet on in our guide with dates for when the events are next being held. We suggest you take a look and prepare yourself for the fun and excitement ahead.
Is betting on horse racing better than other sports?
Much like football, horse racing is one of the most popular sports in the United Kingdom, which is why so many people like betting on it. The best sport to bet on is determined by your opinion, so we suggest you take a look at what’s available and find something that works for you.