Thoroughbreds at full gallop are a sight to behold, and punters can enhance the thrill by wagering on races.
The expert team at Wisegambler.com has searched for their best horse racing betting sites and compiled a guide for bonuses, bet types, and banking.
Discover the perks of joining reliable UK horse racing bookmakers:
Best horse racing betting sites in the UK reviewed
- Copybet – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
- BetVictor – Bet £10 Get £45 in Free Bets
- William Hill – Bet £10 Get £60 in Free Bets
- Betfred – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
- Spreadex – Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
- BetMGM – Bet £10 Get £60 in Free Bets
- 10bet – 50% up to £50 Welcome Bonus
- Fitzdares – Bet £50 £25 in Free Bets + 10 Free Spins
- Tote – Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
- Betway – Get £15 in Free Bets Every Week
- Unibet – Bet £10 Get £1 Free Bet for Every Race
- Boylesports – Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
- bet365 – Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
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DISCLAIMER: This article is provided by wisegambler.com, part of the Acroud group and all opinions are their own. All offers are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change without notice.
Top UK horse racing betting sites reviewed
Discover the finest platforms for horse racing enthusiasts and place bets securely.
- Copybet – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Copy Bet is a UK horse racing betting site with up-to-date results and stats on multiple markets, enabling punters to keep track of wagers and make educated bets. This is a low-key bookmaker, but a visit will make you feel you are betting on a top-tier sportsbook.
Get the ball rolling with the Copy Bet new customer offer, from which users can claim a bonus to use on horse racing markets. We were left impressed with the user interface at Copy Bet, which made it easy to find the markets you desire.
2. Betvictor – Bet £10 Get £45 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
BetVictor is a decade away from its centennial celebration, and through its long history, it has always been recognisable as one of the top horse racing betting sites. This bookmaker follows a conventional layout and does not miss any crucial features, ensuring a safe betting experience.
Upon registering an account for the first time with BetVictor, new punters can claim a welcome offer. On top of that, an excellent live-streaming service is available and enables users to watch live racing action from across the UK and Ireland almost every day of the year. BetVictor also boasts some of the most competitive odds on horse racing throughout the industry.
3. William Hill – Bet £10 Get £60 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
William Hill is one of the oldest UK sportsbooks, with an impressive resume built largely on its horse racing betting options. This bookmaker offers a variety of features, such as daily enhanced offs and live betting on comprehensive horse racing coverage, making it a popular UK betting site.
New members who sign up for the first time can claim a generous welcome bonus and a number of additional horse racing promotions for existing customers. William Hill is big on horse racing, which is clear from just a few minutes spent browsing the site.
4. Betfred – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
Live streaming and in-play bets are the key components encouraging punters to join Betfred, one of the best horse racing betting sites. The range of unique promotions targets horse racing, earning this bookmaker extra points.
Bettors can claim a welcome bonus upon joining Betfred for the first time and will be equally impressed by the vast number of horse racing promotions available. This makes Betfred a prime destination for horse racing punters wanting to place their bets online, thanks to the great value provided to customers.
5. Spreadex – Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
Spreadex focuses more on spread betting. This means you are betting on the scale of something happening rather than on fixed odds. Spreadex offers all new customers who sign up to the site for the first time a chance to claim a welcome bonus simply for signing up. Players can also choose from a wide selection of horse racing betting selections, such as first past the post, lucky double odds, and many more.
6. BetMGM – Bet £10 Get £60 in Free Bets
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
BetMGM ranks high among new horse racing betting sites thanks to its easy-to-use website and a steady supply of promotions. The mobile expanse is top-notch, and a broad range of betting markets with attractive odds exist.
The welcome offer at BetMGM is an industry-standard offer that sets new customers off on the right foot. From there, they can enjoy a strong choice of betting markets and horse racing coverage from multiple countries. BetMGM is one of the UK’s best new horse racing betting sites.
How does our expert team select the best horse racing betting sites?
Identifying the best horse racing betting sites is a task our team embraces enthusiastically and utilises vetted parameters for evaluating online bookmakers. We will elaborate on our priority criteria below, but if you want to know more about the best horse racing betting sites in the UK, click here for more information
Range of horse racing markets
Comprehensive coverage of racing events is necessary for a bookmaker to be considered by our team as one of the premium horse racing betting sites. The definition of full coverage is not limited only to races hosted in the UK and Ireland. A bookmaker must provide odds and a diverse range of betting types on races from the international market.
There is no benchmark cutoff number of horse racing markets, which eliminates brands from consideration. Our philosophy is that more is always better.
Live streaming
It is physically impossible to be present at every racetrack, and with the dynamic nature of horse betting, being tuned in to developments is a requirement to take advantage of multiple betting markets. That is why bookmakers with live streaming earn extra points during our review process.
Live streaming of horse races is a feature available on the best betting sites and is not exclusive to horse racing, as other sports receive live coverage, too. Bookmakers make live broadcasts accessible to every player with a registered account that has made a wager on the sportsbook.
Not every race is televised, and sportsbooks with live horse racing streaming of the biggest races that are accessible for free tick an essential box in our checklist. This option is precious for placing in-play bets.
Bonuses and promotions
Bonuses are risk-free propositions, and although wagering requirements undermine their value, it’s never a bad option to wager with the bookie’s money. Our team strives for dedicated horse racing offers and a generous welcome bonus. The goal is to find a diverse promotional page with match deposits, free bets, cashback deals and loyalty programs for existing customers.
The formula for deducing a bonus value used by our staff is to locate promotions that hit the right balance between a large bonus amount and flexible wagering requirements, ensuring the player can take full advantage of the boost.
Payment methods
Banking is the pipeline fuelling bets on horse racing. Without a deposit, it’s not possible to wager or secure a bonus. That is why a cashier receives special treatment from our contributors. We examine every accepted payment provider and inspect the terms and conditions to deduce if any hidden fees are lurking. We also check the limits for minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal amounts.
This is one segment of the review process where manual testing greatly benefits. The team assesses internal approval of withdrawal speeds and final delivery via a couple of the banking methods. We aim to recommend sites with a wide range of reliable payment methods.
Safety and security
The best bookmakers for horse racing hold a UKGC licence, signalling that that brand abides by legal requirements. Offshore platforms aren’t considered for recommendations by our staff. Although the UKGC has some of the strictest vetting procedures, our team prefers to see multiple licences as a guarantee of an operator’s commitment to a fair attitude toward players.
Aside from licences, safety measures such as SSL encryption provide an additional vote of confidence. We also audit responsible gambling sections and try to see which options are available to control gambling impulses.
Event coverage
Bettors must have access to racetracks from around the world, with special coverage for events such as the Kentucky Derby, The Royal Ascot, Dubai World Cup and Melbourne Cup. The coverage must be supported by diverse betting types, focusing on live betting. In-play betting and early cashout are features that enhance the popularity of big racing events.
The best sites offer bets for each runner’s precise finish, and niche markets are what elevate a horse racing experience for popular events.
Competitive odds
Odds are vital to horse racing and can enhance or undermine a bookmaker’s reputation. Luckily, most horse betting sites work with a similar methodology for formulating betting lines, making the odds similar across the industry. Plus, most bookmakers want to be competitive, and that results in matching rivals’ odds.
However, discrepancies are encountered, and no matter how small, our job is to find the best margins available to maximise punters’ payouts for regular races and significant occasions. The titles of top horse racing betting sites go to bookies with above-average odds.
Mobile compatibility and experience
In today’s tech-driven era of online betting, a mobile device is a primary tool for placing wagers; for our team, that means finding bookmakers with native apps. The best horse racing betting sites produce dedicated apps for Android and iOS hand-held devices equipped with many features.
The installation package cannot be too hefty. An intuitive layout is crucial for betting sites UK to attract our attention. The load speeds cannot falter, and the icons should respond to the slightest finger swipe.
For more information on the UK’s best horse racing betting apps, head over to our page here.
Reputation
The team researched punters’ reviews on forums and app stores, trying to gauge the reputation of a bookmaker. News media is also scanned, and our primary aim is to determine if a parent company has been entangled in any scandals.
Negative comments are not new, and we know that only frustrated punters voice their dissatisfaction. But our staff possess valuable experience and are capable of deducing if a complaint is valid or inspired by bad luck. We only recommend brands with a pristine reputation, known for fair policies and legitimacy.
Customer support
Membership at top betting sites must be supported by a comprehensive help system. The standard communication methods are live chat, phone number and email. These methods must be accessible 24/7 and manned by competent and polite agents.
Any call for help deserves a prompt response, ideally within seconds. Waiting times over a few minutes are not desirable. Including a detailed FAQ section is another option that enhances the customer experience and helps foster seamless betting sessions.
Best horse racing betting offers
The assortment of horse racing betting bonuses diverges slightly from more conventional bonus types. You can claim various good value bonuses with the help of our guide.
- New Customer Bonus: Welcome bonuses are one of the unavoidable horse racing betting offers encountered on every bookmark and reserved for new members. The preferred bonus types for this deal are a match deposit or free bets. Bettors can secure the boost by registering an account and making the required deposit or wager.
- Free Bets: Free bets are giveaways to punters after a deposit, usually in small increments of £5 to £20. In the case of a winning wager, the amount for the free bets is not withdrawable. Only the profit from the bet can be paid. This can be an offer for new and existing players.
- Money Back As A Free Bet: This is one iteration of free bets as a cashback in case of a losing bet. The concept is straightforward: a bookmaker will allocate a specific bonus amount in free bets, and if the wager does not pan out, the stake amount is refunded to the bettor. This happens only under certain stipulations in selected horse races.
- Best Odds Guaranteed: Odds fluctuate as circumstances change before a race. Best Odds Guaranteed fixes that instability by guaranteeing that a punter with a winning bet will get paid according to the highest odds offered when a wager gets placed and the race starts.
- Extra Places: The concept is that horse betting sites pay more places in a race than in the betting exchange. If a horse finishes in that extra place, a punter earns more. For example, a bookie pays 4 places, while the exchange market is for 3 places. If the chosen horse finishes in 4th place, it’s a win.
- Bet Through The Card: It’s a rare offer reserved for big meetings and requires punters to place a wager on the first race but before a day’s racing. After the bet settles, the punter can receive a free bet available for the remaining races on the program for that day.
- Price Promise: A Price Promise is another form of guarantee bookmakers make. The idea with this bonus is to reassure punters that the offered odds are better than what competitors provide and that players will not be beaten on a price on any horse in a race.
- Betting Without The Favourite: Betting without the favourite offers better payouts by excluding a favourite horse from the final result. Punters get paid if a selected horse wins or comes in 2nd behind the favourite, but not if another one wins. William Hill and Coral offer this bonus.
- Faller Insurance: The name is self-explanatory, but for more clarity, it’s important to mention that this bonus acts as insurance if a horse is brought down or unseats the jockey. In any of these circumstances, the stake is returned. You can find the bonus at Betfred and BetUK.
- First Past The Post: It’s not uncommon for a horse to finish first and get disqualified for some reason. This promotion ignores the disqualification and awards a winning bet if a specific horse is first past the post. 888Sport and Ladbrokes payout on official results and horses that finish first past the post.
How to join horse racing betting sites
Membership of horse racing betting sites is a privilege attainable to every punter 18 years old or older. The only other requirement is to share information about your identity. The sign-up procedure is intuitive, and it’s impossible to get it wrong if you are truthful.
Let’s inspect the sequence of steps for opening an account and claiming a bonus.
- Navigate to the official URL or download the app.
- Open the sign-up form by clicking the ‘Join’ or ‘Register’ button.
- Enter the required information, such as full name, birthday, email, residential address, and phone number.
- Create a unique username and password.
- Opt in for a welcome bonus or use a promo code.
- Complete a KYC verification by uploading photocopies of the required documents.
- Choose a payment method from the list of accepted providers.
- Enter the minimum deposit amount and opt-in for a match deposit bonus.
- Place a qualifying wager for a free bet offer and wait for the bet to settle.
- The free bets will be credited to your account.
Top UK horse racing betting events
The best horse racing betting sites are not deficient in horse races. There are many high-profile racing events that you can look forward to each year.
- Cheltenham Festival
- Month: March
- Duration: 4 days
- No. of Races: 28 races
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire
- Why it stands out: This event attracts the best UK trainers and jockeys due to the high prestige of its races.
- Grand National
- Month: April
- Duration: 3 days
- No. of Races: 30 races
- Where: Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool
- Why it stands out: This event is followed globally and concludes with the most famous race in the UK.
- Royal Ascot
- Month: June
- Duration: 5 days
- No. of Races: Varies per year
- Where: Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire
- Why it stands out: This event includes a royal procession before the races commence and attracts top trainers, sprinters and jockeys worldwide.
Horse racing odds
Odds express how much a punter can expect to win with any bet. In the UK, horse betting sites prefer fractional odds, but players can change the format to decimal or American. In the case of decimal odds, for example, 1.5 odds are multiplied by staked to discover the potential payout amount.
On the other hand, in fractional odds such as 6/2, the second number informs you how much to wager and the first number how much you can expect to win. It’s important to know that not all horse racing betting sites UK offers have identical odds. That’s why you must explore the market and find the best odds.
Gamble responsibly
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it’s important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are horse betting sites legal?
Yes, it is legal to use horse betting sites in the United Kingdom, so long as you are 18 or over and the bookmaker holds a gambling license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Which horse bet pays the most?
The goliath bet is one of the most lucrative in horse racing. It is a bet on eight selections that consists of 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 fourfolds, 56 fivefolds, 28 sixfolds, eight sevenfolds and an eightfold accumulator. In total, 247 bets make up the goliath, and punters require two winners to have any returns on their selections.
Which horse racing bookmakers offer the best odds guaranteed?
Some online betting sites that provide the promo are Coral, VirginBet, 888Sport and BetVictor.
Which UK betting sites offer horse racing live streaming?
Live streaming of horse racing is a regular feature at new betting sites. William Hil,l Betfred, BetUK, and Virgin Bet are a handful of sportsbooks that provide live broadcasts of races.
Which UK horse racing betting sites have the best odds?
The odds are similar on most betting sites. However, bookmakers such as Spreadex, William Hill and Betfred outperform competitors when it comes to odds.
What to do if you have a Gambling Problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it’s important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
Gamcare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk
GambleAware: https://www.begambleaware.org/
