Orse racing is an ancient sport with a rich history dating back thousands of years. For as long as horses are domesticated, folks have been racing them. The tradition continues today, with important horse racing events held regularly around the world.
In the USA in particular, you can find horse racing tracks in most states. And needless to say, where there is competition, there’ll be individuals betting on the result. Up till recently, all horse racing betting happened in the track. The world wide web has changed everything and now people can just as easily put real money wagers online.
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One of the pleasant things about internet horse racing is that you can bet on races that happen around the nation. If you live on the West Coast and need to bet on a race that’s taking place on the East Coast, that’s no problem. Internet betting brings the action for you.
The best part of all is the fact that it is all legal. Most states in the united states allow online horse race betting. So as long as you don’t live in one of those few limited states, you can bet to your heart’s content. You may even watch the races live in your own computer and see how the bets pan out in real time.
Of the racebook sites listed on the page, all operate in accordance with the law in the United States. You do not need to visit offshore gambling sites to bet on horses. Websites we recommend are all licensed and regulated to do business in the US.
The Legality of Online Horse Racing
Online horse racing gambling is legal in most states at the USA. Horse and greyhound racing received particular exemptions from anti-gambling prohibition which was passed at the federal level in 2006.
A few states have opted from online horse betting, but many Americans are free to wager on horses they all desire. You can see the graph below to get a list states that let online horse gambling, and those that DO NOT enable online wagering. If you reside in one of these countries, you’ll need to pay a visit to a track in person, or use an approved off track centre. Everybody else is welcome to join and wager at licensed and regulated online racebooks.
Why is online horse racing betting legal in the United States?
Online gambling law is murky and convoluted, but the general agreement is that almost all forms of gambling, gambling and gambling are outlawed. The Wire Act of 1961 was used as the foundation for anti-gambling authorities, and then the UIGEA of 2006 further strengthened that line of thought.
Horse racing in particular has got two noteworthy exceptions in national law. First was that the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (IHA). Although the IHA was written well before the arrival of the world wide web, it’s played an instrumental part in giving us valid online horse racing betting now.
In short, the IHA made it lawful to put interstate wagers on horse races as long as such gambling is permitted in both states. This piece of legislation is the reason off-track betting parlors (OTBs) located in one state may take wagers on races taking place in a different state. Back after the IHA was written, it was with OTBs in mind.
Legislators upgraded the Interstate Horseracing Act in 2000 using a slight alteration to the definition of an”interstate off-track wager” to include the words”or other electronic media.” This opened up the door for authorized online horse racing betting.
The second major exemption for horse racing arrived in 2006. That year, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in a bid to crack down on illegal online gaming. The UIGEA basically made it illegal for banks and other financial issues to conduct business with offshore gambling sites. This didn’t technically make it illegal to citizens to place bets on the internet, but it rather made it rather hard to move money to and from gambling sites.
However, horse and greyhound racing received specific exemptions from the UIGEA. It ended up being a small controversy at the moment, but many senators managed to make sure carve-outs for racing betting. This setup the frame for the system we have today: valid online horse betting.
The only catch is that the individual states have been given the choice to”opt out” of online horse racing. Several states took that route and the citizens of those states are not allowed to combine or place wagers at horse betting sites. The good news is that only a few states decided to determine.
How Horse Racing Betting Works
This is your primer manual for actually placing bets on horse races. The bets outlined below could be placed both in-person and online. The very best way to begin is to test out a number of the fundamental bets . As you become comfortable with how it works, it is possible to advance up to more complex wagers.
Before we enter every kind of bet, I’d love to offer you a general overview of how the betting system functions with horses. Horse wagering is categorized as a kind of”parimutuel wagering.” This is a little different than sports betting, so read carefully if you are new to horse gambling.
In parimutuel betting, all bets on a particular race are pooled together. The racetrack then sets aside a percentage of that pool to keep for its income and operating expenses. This is known as the”vig.” This system makes sure that the racetrack gets its cash regardless of the outcome.
The percentage taken out of the pool fluctuates depending on the track and type of bet set. Generally, you can expect to see a vig of anywhere from 15% to 30 percent.
After the vig is removed, the rest of the money in the pool is used to pay out the winners. The payouts in a horse race shift constantly up before the beginning of the race. As new wagers are accumulated, the offered payouts vary to account for the new gambling action.
This is why favored horses offer lower payouts. More people have a tendency to wager on the favorite, so when the preferred wins, the section of the pool delegated to that horse has to be divided among more people. When a longshot horse wins, there tend to be fewer individuals financing that horse, therefore each individual accumulates additional winnings.
Types of Bets
There are all types of different bets that can be placed on a single race. The rule of thumb is that the harder the wager is to win, the higher it pays. For instance, a straight bet on a single horse to acquire pays pretty well, but a wager on the exact finishing order of the top 3 horses pays even better.
Here are the most Frequent types of horse bets:
Straight Bets
There are 3 distinct types of bets that are straight. These wagers are fairly straightforward and act as a great starting point for newbies.
Win: This is a wager on a single horse to take 1st Location Place: A wager on a single horse to take either 1st or 2nd Location Prove: A bet on a single location to take 1st, 2nd or 3rd Location Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are somewhat more complex than direct bets. In an exotic bet, you make several picks that include more than 1 horse and perhaps more than 1 race.
Exacta: A bet on two horses to take 1st and 2nd location. Your horses must finish in this exact order to acquire Quinella: A bet on two horses to take 1st and 2nd but the order does not matter
Trifecta: A wager on three horses to take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in that Specific sequence Superfecta: A wager on four horses to take 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in that exact order Daily Double: A wager where you pick the 1st place finishers of two different races
Select 3: A wager where you pick the 1st place finishers of three consecutive races
Pick 4: A bet in which you pick the 1st place finishers of four successive races. Boxing Horses
Boxing comes in handy when you know that a few horses are solid favorites, but aren’t sure which order they will finish. You can”box” these horses cover every possibility.
Quinella Box: You select three horses and you’ll win if any two of these horses finish in 1st and 2nd location. A quinella box on horses #3, #4 and #5 will cover all possible results: 3-4, 3-5, 4-3, 4-5, 5-3 and 5-4.
You could also box exactas, trifectas and superfectas in this manner.
Keying Horses
It is possible to key horses when you have a strong feeling that a horse will finish first but you aren’t as sure about the horses which will take 2nd and 3rd location. To put it differently, you’ve got one”key” horse picked to win the race and some other horses which will come in after that one.
So let’s say you create a $1 trifecta key of #1 over #2, #3 and #4. In this example, you need the #1 horse to win, and then some of the other three horses to finish in 2nd and 3rd set in no specific order.
Getting Started
Now you have a grip on the basics of horse betting, you can apply that knowledge to betting online. In practice, it’s basically the exact same idea. The only difference is that rather than talking to a cashier in the racetrack, you select your wagers onscreen using your mouse and keyboard.
1. Create and Fund Your Betting Account
The first thing you’ll need to do to wager online is register for an account in a legal horse racing site (visit my three selections close to the top of this page). All you have to do is see the race betting site of your choice, click a few of the large”join now” buttons and complete the new account form. It should be pretty self-explanatory.
The next step is to fund your account. You do this by logging into your account at your betting site and then hitting the”deposit” link on your account area. If you’ve never made a deposit before, you’re likely going to receive a pop-up requesting you to deposit.
Then, you can choose from a number of deposit methods:
Wire transfer
Credit cards and debit cards
Check or money order
E-Check
Green Dot Moneypak
Note: The Green Dot Moneypak is a form of prepaid voucher that you are able to purchase at stores like Wal Mart and Walgreens. You pay cash for the Moneypak and then redeem that Moneypak online by typing from the unique number on the back of the card. Essentially, it’s a simple way to fund your account with cash.
2. Place Your Bets
As soon as you have an account financed with money, you should start putting your wagers. Click on the”bet today” button, which will take you to a region which shows a list of all the tracks supported by your gambling site. Click on the title of a monitor and then you’ll see a list of upcoming races along with also the horses competing in every race.
Every betting site does it a little differently but generally speaking, you will find a screen that lets you select your wager amount, the sort of wager and the horses which are going to be competing. As you make your choices, you need to see a bit slip that reveals a summary of your current bet. You will also have the option to box and secret your horses in this time.
When you believe you have your bet all set up, you’ll see a”verify” or”submit” button near the wager outline box. Hit that button and then it will ask you one more time if you are sure that this is your bet you would like to place. If everything looks good, click on the confirm button and your bet will go live.
After you submit your wager, you can return and place more wagers, see the race live on the website or go about your day as usual. The website will monitor your wager and pay out your winnings if applicable. If any of your wagers are winners, then the betting site will immediately credit your account with all the money. You can then cash your winnings out or use them to put more wagers.
Betting Promotions
The best horse gambling sites compete heavily with one another for your business. They all know it will not take much effort whatsoever for a customer to switch to a rival. Thus, they all offer their own rewards promotions and programs in an effort to increase customer loyalty.
You won’t go wrong with some of the horse gambling websites on this page, but you might want to check out their promotions to see which ones seem the best for you. Here’s a look at what each betting site has to offer:
BetAmerica.com Promos
Right off the bat, BetAmerica gives all new clients a 100% match deposit bonus worth up to $300. This means that any amount you deposit will be doubled for up to $300 in additional money. The bonus money is released at a rate equivalent to 10 percent of every wager you place at BetAmerica.
BetAmerica also allows players to create their own gaming tournaments. This is a exceptional idea in which you’ll be able to produce your own handicapping championship where you define the buyin, demanded bankroll, wager types, date and payouts. You can then invite your friends or let anybody join. BetAmerica also picks one tournament weekly and promises at least $250 in prizes for free.
On chosen”bonus tracks,” BetAmerica provides 3% cashback on all wagers, without the maximum cashback amounts. You can also refer friends to BetAmerica and receive $50 if your friends sign up and make a deposit.
BetAmerica.com Review.
TwinSpires.com Promos
TwinSpires takes a slightly different approach using its promos. Instead of focusing on long-term promos that rarely change, TwinSpires constantly releases new, short-term promotions. All these promos revolve around special betting events in which you are able to make more loyalty points and receive payout bonuses for placing bets on large racing events.
Player points are summed up at TwinSpires by placing wagers and participating in the regular promos mentioned previously. You can redeem those points for wagering credits, gifts from Brisnet.com and also for free entrance to racetracks.
Furthermore, new customers are welcomed to TwinSpires with a $100 signup bonus. This bonus is granted when you join, make a digital banking deposit and wager at least $500 during your first month. Meet those requirements and you will receive $100 added to your betting account.
Twinspires.com Review.
TVG.com Promos
TVG is somewhat weak on the promotions side, but it does offer a few perks to clients. All new players qualify for a 150 signup bonus that is released in $50 increments directly to the actual money account. For the first 3 months, you’ll receive $50 added to your balance should you wager at least $250 in any single month.
TVG also has an ongoing advertising where you get 1 point for each dollar wagered. Over time, you may collect these points and will eventually redeem them for money rewards and Skymall present certificates. The rate of yield is a bit on the low side, however, it will come in handy after a few months of heavy gambling.
TVG.com Review.
Major Horse Racing Events
People today bet money on horses year-round, but a huge part of gambling action revolves around big horse racing events.
The Triple Crown
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Triple Crown for short) is a set of three different races. This really is the biggest racing event of them all and it’s restricted especially to 3-year-old horses. This makes it a once-in-a-lifetime event for every racehorse.
The pinnacle of horse racing glory would be to win all 3 events in the Triple Crown. It is exceedingly difficult to win a Triple Crown since every race is of a different period, and horses generally fare better at a certain lengths than in the others. Add to that the fact that every horse only gets one chance ever to triumph, and you may imagine that it doesn’t happen often. In the United States, only 11 horses have earned Triple Crown glory.
And simply to clarify a thing — that the term”Triple Crown” means different things in different nations. Every horse racing nation has its Triple Crown series of occasions. Therefore, in the event that you overhear someone talking about the Triple Crown and they cite the Epsom Derby, that individual is speaking about the UK’s variant.
The three events that make up the Triple Crown at the United States are:
Kentucky Derby
Preakness Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Kentucky Derby
When: First Saturday in May
Where: Louisville, Kentucky
Length: 1.25 miles
The very first event in the series, the Kentucky Derby, is the single most celebrated event in most of horse racing. It is held at Churchill Downs every year since 1875 and even non-horse racing enthusiasts dress up in flashy clothes and outlandish hats to celebrate. Even in the event that you can’t make it to Churchill Downs, the odds are you can find a Kentucky Derby party in your own city.
Preakness Stakes
When: Third Saturday in May
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Length: 9.5 furlongs (1 and 3/16ths miles)
Following the Kentucky Derby comes the Preakness. This one doesn’t draw much of a crowd as the Kentucky Derby, but it is still a huge event in its own right. This is also where you’ll start to see some of the drama that accompanies the chance of a Triple Crown. All eyes are on the winner of the Kentucky Derby.
Belmont Stakes
After: Three months after the Preakness
Where: Elmont, New York
Length: 1.5 miles
And the last leg of the Triple Crown is that the Belmont Stakes. At 1.5 mph, this is the greatest race in the sequence. This one is run three months after the Preakness and positions somewhere in the top 5 with regard to attendance and viewership. But this race becomes the biggest of them all whenever there is a horse that has taken 1st in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, giving a horse a shot in the coveted Triple Crown title.
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday prior to the Kentucky Derby annually in the Exact Same racetrack in Louisville. The Kentucky Oaks is an extremely popular race that regularly attracts a crowd of 100,000. The winner gets a $600,000 purse and the famous garland of lilies known as the Lilies for the Fillies.
Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup is a set of 14 races held across a single weekend every November. This event is usually held at a different track in the United States each year. It is among the most-watched events in horse racing, with over $25,000,000 in prize money up for grabs.
The largest event in the Breeders’ Cup is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is a 1.25 mile race worth $5,000,000. The smallest event in this series is worth $500,000; every other occasion is worth $1 million or more.
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is the oldest thoroughbred racing event in the United States and is now 1.25 miles in length. The race is open to 3-year-olds just and contains a purse worth $1,000,000. Only one horse in history (Whirlaway in 1941) has taken the Triple Crown and the Travers Stakes.
Big Players in the Industry
This segment will cover some of the huge players in the US horse racing industry. More importantly, we will discuss some of the major betting websites and explain how they all fit into the large picture.
TVG and Betfair
TVG is short for the”Television Games Network” and it is a television network dedicated entirely to horse racing. It began broadcasting in 1999 and has become the greatest horse racing community in the United States. TVG also facilitates offtrack betting via the internet, phone and sometimes even through boxtop sets on your tv.
The television portion of TVG displays live horse races, analyses, betting tips and other programs that cover the broad topic of horse racing. TVG also functions a US-based site which it is possible to visit to see live races and place wagers in your PC.
In 2009, TVG was bought by Betfair, a UK-based betting site founded in 2004. Betfair is famous for its exchange-style gaming platform where people can buy and sell”shares” in positions online sports bets. In this manner, gambling at Betfair is very similar to trading options.
Betfair does not do business with customers in the United States, but it keeps TVG residing as a distinct entity. You likely won’t find any references to Betfair when you see TVG, but Betfair does own the company.
TwinSpires
TwinSpires is a US-based horse betting website owned and operated by Churchill Downs. TwinSpires is open to customers from the USA and provides betting options on tracks around the nation. It is a free-to-use service that offers a vast selection of wagers, live races and signup bonuses for new customers.
TwinSpires is one of the biggest horse racing betting websites and has a clean history. If you choose to wager here, you’ll be in great hands. The business is licensed to accept and handle real cash betting in the US.
BetAmerica.com
BetAmerica.com is the youngest horse racing game bet website but it has grown rapidly and now acts as a significant player in the online betting market. BetAmerica is accredited by the North Dakota Racing Commission and accepts wagers from clients in most US states.
Like the other race betting websites on this page, BetAmerica offers many different racing wagers, live streaming video and simulcast options for all members free of charge. Why is BetAmerica unique is the fact that it offers online greyhound betting in addition to its horse racing choices.
Online Horse Racing Gambling in a Declining Industry
Major horse racing events draw impressive audiences to this day, but the game as a whole has experienced a slow, steady decline over the past couple of decades. Betting manage is down considerably since the 1970s and many horse racing tracks are affected financially.
You can point to a variety of reasons for the decrease. Americans have more gambling options, other sports have increased in popularity, so it is a lot easier to sit and watch TV and so on. Today, you can get the general public to tune in to the Kentucky Derby, but other races tend to be the domain of critical horse racing fans.
Racetracks first looked into adding other gaming games to their premises as a way to bulge earnings. We can see this with state legislatures finally opening into the idea of ontrack slot machines. The tracks which have been able to add slots have benefitted greatly from the new earnings.
Likewise, tracks are based increasingly more on off-track betting — specifically online betting. The horse racing industry still retains considerable clout in politics, and that is most likely 1 reason why horse racing obtained a carve-out from the UIGEA at 2006.
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