Horse Racing Betting Sites

Beginner’s Guide to Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing is one of the world’s most popular sports to bet on, right up there with the likes of boxing and football betting. After all, there’s nothing quite like the buzz of watching two horses go neck and neck as they race towards the finish line. Pretty much every top bookie offers horse racing markets, but we’ve put together a carefully curated a list of Ireland’s very best horse racing betting sites. Whether you’re looking for the most generous bonuses, the highest quality live streams or support for PayPal payments, our list of the best sports betting sites has got you covered.

While you could place your bets at random and hope that luck is on your side, we recommend getting familiar with horse racing and the markets offered at the top online betting sites before you place your first wager. To help you get started, we’ve got the low down on everything you need to know about betting on horse racing, from the biggest events to backing a winner. Let’s get to it.

Bet on these top horse racing events

There are horse racing events pretty much all year round, so a betting opportunity is never far away. It’s the biggest events that attract the most bettors, and with plenty of major festivals across the world, racing fans are spoilt for choice. Let’s take a look at a few of the top events:

Kentucky Derby

Famously known as “the fastest two minutes in sports”, the Kentucky Derby has a $2 million purse and attracts a huge 150,000 spectators. It’s the most prestigious race in the US, making up the “triple crown” along with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

Epsom Derby

England’s richest and most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby is a Group 1 flat horse race that takes place on the first Saturday of June. The 2019 derby was won by Anthony Van Dyck at a starting price of 13/2.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

One of Europe’s most prestigious horse races, this event sees thoroughbreds compete on a 1.5 mile track. Also known simply as the Arc, the €5 million prize pool makes this the world’s second richest turf race after the Everest.

The Grand National

The Grand National is one of the UK’s biggest races, as people across the country tune in to watch the contestants battle it out for a chunk of the £1 million prize money. This four mile race features 30 fences, making it one of racing’s most challenging courses.

Melbourne Cup

Easily the top horse race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup is a handicap race run over two miles. Held annually in November, this event attracts over 100,000 spectators and has a purse of A$7.3 million.

Dubai World Cup

While the Dubai World Cup doesn’t quite match the history of some other major races, it’s quickly established itself as an important date on the racing calendar. With a $10 million prize pool, this is among the most lucrative events in horse racing.

These races are just a few of the many top events that take place annually around the world. Other important dates include the Irish Derby, the Galway Races, Royal Ascot, Cheltenham and the Breeders’ Cup, to name just a few. It’s not just the major festivals you can wager on, either. A huge number of smaller races take place throughout the year, so you’ll never have to wait long to place your next wager.

Follow these tips for making sensible horse racing bets

It’s fair to say that deciding who to back when you bet on horse racing isn’t always straightforward. Whereas most sports feature just two teams or competitors per match, some races can feature 40 horses, which can make picking a winner a little tricky.

Of course, you could always follow the odds and side with the bookies’ favourite, but with so many possible scenarios in each race, this is far from a guarantee. Races often throw up surprising results – 2019 saw many upsets, from Country House’s stunning Kentucky Derby victory to 66/1 outside Croco Bay winning the Grade 3 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham festival.

On top of that, horse racing betting odds are notoriously volatile and prices can change just moments before the start of a race, so the smart money is placed after you’ve done your research. Recent form, ground type, pedigree and jockey are just a few factors you should consider when deciding which runner to put your money on.

As with any sport, keeping up to date and actually watching horse races will always help develop your understanding. There are also countless number of horse racing betting tips online, which can be helpful, but remember that no tip can guarantee a winning bet. Our top tip is to build up your own knowledge of horse racing and pay close attention to the important statistics to help make the best-informed bets possible.

Wager on a range of horse racing betting markets

If you think that horse racing betting simply consists of backing a winner, think again. Although single bets are still the most popular wagers, there’s plenty of betting opportunities on offer at horse racing betting sites. These are some of your options:

• Each way – This is one of the most common horse racing bets and consists of two parts – the ‘win’ and the ‘place’. This means that you’re betting on a horse to either win or finish in a place, such as second or third. An equal stake is placed on each part, and it means that you can still make some returns even if the horse you’ve backed doesn’t come first.
• Place only – This is a simple bet on a horse to finish in one of the places, either first, second, third or fourth, depending on how many runners are in the race. Place bets are one of the safest horse racing wagers, but the odds are generally a lot shorter than those offered on other markets.
• Forecast, tricast – Forecast bets involve predicting who will come first and second in a race, and in what order. If you want to go one better, you can try your hand at a tricast bet and predict the top three.
• Reverse forecast, reverse tricast – Some sites also offer reverse forecast and tricast markets, where you pick the top two or three but don’t have to specify placing order.
• Double, treble – These are multiple bets where you bet on a number of horses to win separate races – two for doubles, three for trebles and so on. A multiple bet with at least four selections is a horse racing accumulator. You need all your selections to come in to win, though some horse betting sites let you cash out before all the races have finished.
• Trixie – A trixie is a multiple bet and is wagered on three horses across three races. You’re placing four bets in total – three doubles and a treble. Two of your horses need to win in order to bank some returns.
• Patent – This is essentially a trixie bet but with three added single bets, so altogether you’re placing seven bets. The single bets mean that only one selection needs to win for you to make some returns, though this doesn’t guarantee a profit. The more winning selections, the higher your returns.
• Yankee – This is where it starts to get a little complicated. A yankee is another multiple bet, but you’re betting on four horses. You’re placing six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold accumulator, so there are 11 wagers in total. Like a trixie, you need two to be right in order to win some money.

These bets only scratch the surface of horse racing markets, with plenty of other multiple bets on offer at horse betting sites. If you really feel like pushing the boat out, you could try out lucky 15s, super yankees, lucky 31s and heinzs. These bets become increasingly complex, so make sure you do your research before putting your money on the line.

Bet as the action takes place

Some of the best bookmakers allow punters to bet live in-play, or ‘in-running’, on horse racing. This means you can place your bets as the race takes place, adjusting your wagers accordingly. Live horse betting can provide plenty of excitement and even provide the opportunity to bag some favourable odds—-if you’re quick enough—-but make sure you pay attention!

While some races, like the Grand National, can last over ten minutes, many races take only a few minutes to complete. This means the odds are particularly volatile, so you’ll have to watch closely and place your bets quickly if you want to try your luck at live horse racing betting.

Compare the top horse racing betting bonuses

Horse racing is a favourite among bettors the world over, so it’s natural that horse racing betting sites offer welcome bonuses to attract new punters These are usually matched deposits or free bets, which reward you with a bonus fund once you make a qualifying deposit or wager. You can then use your bonus to bet on horse racing without dipping into your real money bankroll. Let’s take a look at some of the best betting offers available at horse racing sites:

Boost your bankroll with betting promotions

Due to the popularity of horse racing betting, many bookies also offer racing-specific bonuses that aren’t exclusive to new customers. These may be in the build up to a big event, such as the UK’s Grand National, but many sites also have regular promotions that can be used to bet on smaller races. Common bonuses include odds boosts, where you can get better prices on a selection, and money-back promotions, where you get back a portion of your stake if your bet loses.

Bet on horse racing on your smartphone

With many players preferring to set their stakes on their smartphone, it’s important to find a sportsbook that offers a top mobile betting experience. Luckily, all the horse racing betting sites on our list have mobile optimised websites, which means you can place your wagers via mobile web browsers. However, if you’re looking for the best possible mobile betting experience, we’d recommend choosing a bookie that offers a native mobile app for iPhone and Android.

Mobile betting apps are the perfect way to bet on the go, as they make it faster and easier to navigate to your sportsbook and place your bets. They also come with the added benefit of push notifications to alert you to the hottest new horse racing betting bonuses and promotions. That means you’ll never have to worry about missing out when you bet on horse racing on a mobile app!

Bet on Horse Racing at New Betting Sites

You don’t have to sign up to a well known brand to bet on horse racing – you’ll find racing markets at all the best new sports betting sites as well. In fact, some of 2024’s top new bookies specialise in horse racing, and might even provide an even more complete betting experience.

New horse racing betting sites often offer particularly generous bonuses to entice new players, as well as having the latest sports betting technology, so they’re definitely worth checking out. Our list of the top horse racing betting sites features both the top new and established brands, so you can easily compare the finest sites on the market.

Banking options at horse racing sportsbooks

Ireland’s best sports betting sites offer a range of deposit and withdrawal methods, but the available banking options aren’t the same at every site. For example, while all bookies offer debit card banking, other methods like PayPal and pay by phone bill aren’t quite as widely available.

Wondering how to deposit at horse betting sites? Follow these simple steps:

Don’t forget to read up on the banking terms and conditions as well. Checking the minimum and maximum limits will help you find the sportsbook that’s best suited to your budget. Keep the withdrawal times in mind as well, particularly if you want fast access to your winnings – some of the top horse racing betting sites offer fast payouts to e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill.

Getting started at a horse racing betting site

Follow these four simple steps to get your horse racing betting account up and running.

Bet on Horse Racing

Ready to try your luck at the races? Look no further than our recommended best sports betting sites in Ireland to find your perfect bookie. Compare the top bonuses using our list, and check out our sportsbook reviews to get the lowdown on banking, odds and withdrawal times. Simply sign up to place your bets!