Horse racing betting sites are now available in over 40+ US states, so you can legally back your favorite ponies at hundreds of home-soil and international racetracks. Just make sure to check local laws before you saddle up to bet.
Here, we’re taking a trackside view of US horse betting, giving you the current state of play along with useful background intel. Our experts are on hand to offer insights into the most popular races to bet on, as well as the different types of bets available. Plus, we’ve recommended three brands that could elevate your horse betting experience.
Betting on horse racing is a remarkably old pastime, with scholars agreeing that its origins stem from ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Greeks. By contrast, it’s only just gotten started in the USA, with the popularity of online horse race betting increasing steadily since amendments to the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 were passed in 2000.
Here in 2025, interest in horse betting online has never been higher, thanks in part to the increased coverage that online betting sites now enjoy across the United States. So, if you’d love to get involved and have a flutter on a prized nag, join us as we introduce the fundamentals of horse race betting in the USA.
While many people reading this may have laid a bet at their local racetrack, gambling on horse racing online is something else entirely. There’s a wholly different set of laws governing digital horse race betting versus its trackside counterpart, so even if you have backed a favorite at the Kentucky Derby or dropped a few dollars at Preakness Stakes, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can do the same online.
Or doesn’t it? You see, since amendments to the Interstate Horseracing Act were passed in 2000, there’s been a huge rise in the number of legal online horse race betting sites across the US. Indeed, as of 2025, online horse racing betting is now legal in 41 states, so there’s every chance that you can lay a bet on your favorite four-legged runner.
Given that horse race betting is legal in the majority of US states, it probably makes sense to list the places where it isn’t legal. Currently, betting on horse racing online is prohibited in:
We should note that lawmakers in North Carolina have recently passed a motion legalizing online horse racing gambling, but the market isn’t yet fully operational. Nevertheless, it won’t be long before Tar Heelers can choose a prized pony to back at their preferred online sportsbook.
US horse race betting sites are regulated through state and federal laws, chiefly the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978. Of course, many of our readers will be all too aware of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which effectively banned the use of online casinos and sportsbooks when it was introduced in the early noughties.
While the UIGEA has relaxed somewhat in recent years, allowing for new sportsbooks to set up shop in states where they were once prohibited, horse race betting has always been exempt from this legislation. That’s why betting on horse racing is legal in so many US states when compared to other sports like football, basketball, baseball, and so on.
In saying that, though, wagering on horse races online is by no means a free-for-all. Many states have limits, rules, restrictions, and requirements that you must abide by to stay within the limits of the law, so it’s worth checking what these are with your local gambling commission before you go about choosing a suitable sportsbook.
Online horse betting may be big business in the US today, but that hasn’t always been the case. The industry has undergone quite the transformation in its comparatively short history, so here’s a quick timeline to get you up to speed…
Now that we’ve established that web horse betting is perfectly legal in the majority of US states, let’s take a look at the racetracks that draw the biggest virtual audiences. Most of these events ought to be pretty familiar to you, but there may be a couple you haven’t heard of that could inspire your horse race betting strategy.
| # | Top 5 most popular US horse races | Key details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky Derby | Where else to begin than the Kentucky Derby? Not just a major horse race but one of the key events on the USA’s annual sporting calendar, the Derby has been delighting bettors and spectators for decades. Expect excellent payout potential and top odds across the best horse racing betting sites. |
| 2 | Preakness Stakes | One of the famous Triple Crown horse races in the USA’s equestrian calendar, Preakness Stakes doesn’t have quite as many riders as the Derby, but it still attracts huge crowds. Expect a smaller field but strong interest from the USA’s premier equestrian bookies. |
| 3 | Belmont Stakes | The longest and most challenging of the USA’s Triple Crown races, Belmont Stakes promises an edge-of-your-seat viewing experience. Given the stamina required, this can skew the odds, so a little pre-research on the race favorites is definitely recommended here. |
| 4 | Breeders’ Cup World Championships | Nicknamed the “Super Bowl of horse racing”, the Breeders’ Cup is a real fan favorite, thanks in part to the fact that it rotates between different local racetracks. With races taking place over two days, there’s plenty of betting potential to enjoy. |
| 5 | Travers Stakes | Travers Stakes may not enjoy the same profile as its Triple Crown counterparts, but the fact that it takes place mid-summer when there are very few other races on the calendar means it always proves popular. The race attracts talent, too, so it’s a good way to canvas future Triple Crown winners. |
Of course, as an online horse race bettor, you aren’t just limited to wagering on home-soil races. It’s possible to bet on any number of international horse races on the USA’s best betting apps and sites, be it the British Grand National, the Melbourne Cup, or the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, France’s foremost steeplechase.
By now you should be familiar with the legal status of horse race betting in the USA, along with some of the most popular events to wager on in the equestrian calendar. But if you’re completely new to placing horse race bets and eager to get involved, understanding how things work and the different types of bets you can place is your first step into the exciting world of online horse race betting.
Before you rush off and join one of our recommended horse racing bookmakers, it’s worth getting a handle on the types of bets you’re likely to find. That way, you can wager with confidence while knowing exactly what to look for.
Generally speaking, horse race bets fall into two categories: straight bets and exotic bets. We’ve covered how these wagers are defined in our quick-reference table below.
| Straight bets – Recommended for beginners | |
| Win | The clue’s in the name for this type of straight bet. You’re betting on the horse you predict will win a race outright. In other words, if it wins, so will you. |
| Place | Place straight bets are when you bet on a horse to place 1st or 2nd. Granted, the payout potential is lower than it is for “win” wagers, but you do have an improved chance of winning. |
| Show | If you’re a complete horse race betting novice, a show wager could be a smart way to get started. Here, you’re essentially predicting that a horse will place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, so you’re tripling your chances of winning. Sure, payout potential is a trade-off, but it can be a sound confidence-builder. |
| Exotic bets – Recommended for advanced, high-stakes bettors | |
| Exacta | Exacta horse race betting is when you predict the two horses that will place 1st and 2nd in a race. You’ll need to guess both places correctly to win, so there’s high payout potential and increased risk here. |
| Trifecta | As the name suggests, trifecta betting is when you correctly predict 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place horses in the exact order that they finish. There’s some impressive payout potential here, but the risk is only increasing. |
| Superfecta | If you really know your stuff and are eager to flex your knowledge of a field, a superfecta wager presents the motherload of horse race wagering. Here, you must predict 1-4 places in exact order – no mean feat, but the rewards are potentially seismic. |
Assuming that you’ve never used a horse racing betting site before, here’s a quick look at how the process of placing a bet typically plays out.
Pretty simple, right? Of course, as your experience grows, you can enjoy a much more immersive and strategy-driven experience. Don’t forget that some bookies also offer horse race live streams, so you can follow the action in your browser or app.
Recently, we put together a guide on the best March Madness betting sites for passionate basketball fans. And it just so happens that the same brands are perfect for horse racing betting, too. So, with that said, here’s a closer look at three legal US sports betting sites that offer an outstanding horse race betting experience, including bet365, BetMGM, and FanDuel.
bet365 needs little introduction, it being one of the world’s most recognizable sportsbook retailers. Horse racing is entrenched in bet365’s DNA, so it came as no surprise to learn that it’s been given the green light to begin operating as a racing bookmaker in a handful of US states. Currently, you can access bet365 horse racing in Colorado and New Jersey, with the brand expected to set up shop in additional jurisdictions soon.
One of the advantages of placing horse race bets at bet365 is the presence of live streams across a swathe of international tracks. You can catch the action live from Belmont Park to Aintree, which adds spectacle and immersion to your betting experience. Plus, there’s also the bet365 mobile app, which is easily one of the best ways to enjoy horse race wagering on the move.
BetMGM may be best known for its NFL and NBA betting products, but its horse race offering is gaining ground rapidly. The brand currently offers an immersive equestrian gambling experience in Florida, Louisiana, and Ohio, and we predict that it will expand its reach to cover more states in the months and years ahead.
What’s perhaps most impressive about BetMGM horse race betting is that the brand covers over 200 tracks globally. That means there’s almost always new races to bet on, so you’ll certainly be a busy bettor if you choose to wager here. Live streaming, exotic bets, and a seamless, user-friendly interface establish BetMGM as a serious player in the USA’s horse race betting market, so be sure to give the brand your time and attention.
It’s fair to say that FanDuel saw the potential in online horse race betting and ran with it, quickly setting up a dedicated portal for its equestrian offering. FanDuel Racing is arguably the most complete horse race betting site that is legally available to bet at in the USA, with 300 tracks on its books and complimentary live streaming via its browser site and mobile app.
While the site is accessible and user-friendly, FanDuel is a place for serious horse race betting. This is evidenced by the presence of dozens of integrated “educational resources”, including strategy guides, odds selector tools, and insider news and features from trackside experts around the globe. So, if you’re seeking a comprehensive, detail-oriented place to back your favorite ponies, this could be it.
It’s crazy to think that horse racing betting continues to generate billions of dollars in revenue for a sport that people have wagered on for thousands of years. Can you imagine what the Ancient Greeks would have thought of live-streaming races from tracks on the other side of the globe?
In all seriousness, we’re happy to have brought you the news that horse betting is not only legal but flourishing in the USA. With coverage in the majority of US states, there’s every chance that you’ll be able to partake in casual or serious horse race wagering, with the likes of bet365, BetMGM, and FanDuel just a small handful of the different equestrian sportsbooks available.
Of course, we should caveat this by stressing the importance of checking local laws in your state before you choose to register with a horse racing betting site. There are plenty of restrictions and rules where horse race betting is concerned, so it’s important to know you stand from the get-go.
Sure, it is. Horse racing is one of many sports you can place legal, real-money wagers on in the USA. Just make sure you do so at a legal and licensed bookmaker that’s permitted to operate in your state.
Some of our favorite US horse betting brands feature mobile apps where you can bet on horse races via smartphone. Most brands also have mobile browser sites that are just as good for on-the-go gambling.
Yes, you can. Many sportsbooks that feature horse racing have free bet bonuses and other deals, so it’s possible to score a promotion as a new or returning customer.
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