Best Betting Sites For Horse Racing In The United States
Horse racing betting sites are where you get in on the action from break to wire. They cover tracks across the US and abroad, with expert tips and insights, wagering options, and the freedom to play your angle. The best ones also stream races live and provide horse betting promos.
This guide has everything you need to know about horse race betting in the US. We’ll kick things off with the top site and what promos it’s running, then take a look at the markets you can bet on, the major race days, and walk you through how to sign up and get going.
Horce Racing Betting Sites: Table of Contents
Best Horse Racing Promo And Bonus Codes Right Now
The best online horse betting bonus in the US right now comes from FanDuel Racing:
Breaking Down The Best Horse Betting Bonuses For New Users
There is one horse racing site that hovers above the rest in the United States, and it’s FanDuel Racing.
FanDuel Racing
FanDuel Racing is the kind of platform that’s easy for newcomers to get the hang of but still packed with everything seasoned bettors look for. You’ve got races going off around the clock, with coverage spanning top US tracks and major international meets. Some of the big-name events on the calendar include the Triple Crown series, Breeders’ Cup, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and the Melbourne Cup.
The FanDuel Racing promo takes the pressure off your first bet by covering it — up to a maximum of $500 — if it doesn’t come through. Let’s take a closer look at how it works and what you’ll find inside the racebook:
FanDuel also has its own exclusive TV channel you can stream straight from the site or on platforms like Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV. It runs live racing from 300+ tracks, sports coverage, and a variety of betting insights, analysis, and picks from some of the top names in the game.
When it comes to betting options, you’ll find the full lineup — win, place, and show, plus exotics like exactas, trifectas, and superfectas. Some of the biggest potential payouts come from pick bets, where you try to nail the winners in three to six races in a row at the same track. If there’s anything you’re still not totally comfortable with, FanDuel has a Racing 101 hub that breaks everything down nice and easy.
Above all, FanDuel has the best horse betting promo in the US right now. If you’re new and in an eligible state, all you have to do is sign up, verify your details, and deposit at least $0.10 using anything except PayNearMe or cash at the counter. Then place your first wager. Win, and you keep the payout. If you lose, FanDuel gives your stake back as a free bet credit up to $500, which remains valid for seven days.
- Welcome offer: No sweat first bet up to $500
- Promo (or bonus) code: No code needed; Click to claim promo
- Available in: AZ, AR, CO, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, VA, WA, WV, WY
- Best horse racing feature: Live streaming (FDTV)
How To Bet On Horse Racing
Horse betting in the US mostly follows the pari-mutuel model. That means all wagers of the same type go into a shared pool, and payouts are calculated after the track takes its cut (called the takeout).
A few states like New Jersey, Colorado, and more recently West Virginia have legalized fixed-odds betting. With that setup, your odds are locked in when you place your bet, so you know exactly what you’re getting if your pick comes through.
Here are the most popular wagers you’ll find at horse betting sites:
Straight Bets
Straight bets are the simplest form of horse betting. You put money on one horse to finish in a specific position without combining it with other outcomes.
- Win: Your horse must finish first. Any other position loses.
Place: This one gives a little more breathing room, since your pick can finish first or second. The trade-off is a slightly lower payout if you do win.
- Show: You’re betting on a top-three finish. It can be a good one if you’ve got faith in a longshot.
Exotic Bets (Single-Race)
Single-race exotics work like a parlay, only everything plays out within one race. Here are some of the most common ways to go about it:
- Exacta: Bet on two horses to place first and second in a specific sequence.
- Quinella: Similar to the exacta, but the order doesn’t matter — your two picks just need to finish first and second.
- Trifecta: Pick three horses to finish first, second, and third in precise order. A common strategy is boxing selections to cover more combinations.
- Superfecta: Requires four horses to place first through fourth in the correct sequence.
- Super High Five: This one’s only available in larger fields. You must predict the first five finishers in the correct order.
Exotic Bets (Multi-Race)
The following exotic bets let you attempt to pick winners across multiple races on the same card:
- Daily Double: The track selects two back-to-back races, and you must pick the winner of both.
- Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Pick 6: The objective here is to pick the winner of each selected race in a set sequence. Pick 3 covers three straight races, Pick 4 covers four, and so on. Naturally, the more races you include, the harder it is to win — but the payout also climbs.
How Do We Rank Horse Betting Sites?
For a horse betting site to make our list, it goes through a full-on evaluation to prove it meets the mark. On top of that, we go sign up ourselves, deposit money, claim bonuses, and use every feature like regular bettors. Along the way, we analyze various factors, including the following:
- Bet variety (both straight and exotic bets).
- Track selection, including major and regional circuits.
- Deposit and withdrawal experience.
- Interface design and mobile responsiveness.
- Horse racing 101 guides for new bettors.
- Availability of live streams or race replays.
- Licensing status and overall trustworthiness.
- Promo structure and how bonuses apply to racing.
- Reward programs or VIP perks for frequent bettors.
- Customer service access and issue resolution speed.
- Performance during busy race times or big events.
The Best Current Site For Recurring Horse Betting Promos — FanDuel Racing
Signing up at FanDuel puts you in the running for a range of horse betting promos beyond the welcome deal. Just last year, it rolled out a no sweat bet for up to $20 for each leg of the Triple Crown. On top of that were rotating odds boosts, exacta insurance, superfecta promos, and streak rewards, most of which were available only for a limited time.
How Do I Sign Up At Horse Betting Sites?
Signing up to bet at horse racing sites only requires that you provide your personal info and go through ID verification. It’s extremely quick and straightforward.
Sites like FanDuel even let you pre-fill most fields by entering your phone number and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Here’s how it plays out:
- Go to the FanDuel Racing website and click the blue Join Now button.
- Enter your email address, then on the following tab create a username and choose a password.
- Follow the prompts and enter your personal info exactly as it appears on your official documents. That way, you’ll avoid any issues
- when it comes time to verify.
- Submit the form and verify your email to activate your account.
In FanDuel’s case, you don’t need any codes to claim the horse betting promo. It gets applied to your account automatically once you opt in through the promotions page. Other racebooks might ask for a code during sign-up or when you make your first deposit.
Horse Racing Triple Crown Betting
The Triple Crown is the biggest series in American horse racing. It consists of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes — each pulling huge national attention. With all that action, there’s a lot more money in the pools, which opens the door to stronger payouts. You’ll also see extras on the board like futures on whether a horse will sweep all three.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby opens the Triple Crown series every May at Churchill Downs in Louisville. It’s a Grade I stakes race contested over 1¼ miles on dirt, open exclusively to 3-year-old thoroughbreds.
Horses punch their ticket by earning points in prep races across the US, Japan, and Europe/Middle East circuits. The top finishers from each path fill out the 20 available spots in the starting gate.
FanDuel covered the entire 2025 trail, starting with the Iroquois Stakes on Sept. 14 and kept things lively with a steady stream of promos. During the March and April championship stretch, 14 key races included a $20 money-back special if your pick ran second or third.
Fun fact: The Kentucky Derby is called the “Run for the Roses” because the winner is draped in a giant blanket of 554 red roses, a tradition that started in the late 1800s.
Preakness Stakes
Maryland locals circle the Preakness Stakes on their calendars every year. Taking place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, it doesn’t follow a set qualification trail. Instead, owners and trainers nominate their horses and cover the fees, with many of the Derby’s top finishers invited back, along with others selected based on form or promise.
Many undoubtedly agree it’s a pivotal race. If the Derby winner takes the Preakness, the Belmont suddenly turns into a Triple Crown decider, which draws huge national attention. But plenty of challengers line up to play spoiler and chase their cut of the $2 million purse.
FanDuel’s betting window for the 2025 race opens Friday, May 16. No promos have been announced just yet, but if last year’s $20 no sweat bet is anything to go by, we’ll likely hear something soon.
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes wraps up the American Triple Crown and is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Thoroughbreds face a true stamina test over what’s known as the “Test of the Champion” — 1½ miles on dirt, the longest of the three Triple Crown races. Last year, FanDuel brought extra excitement to the day with a no-sweat bet up to $20, open to all bettors, much like what the racebook offered for the Preakness.
While it’s always a marquee day on the calendar, the atmosphere at Belmont hits another level when a Triple Crown’s in play. We’ve seen plenty roll in with two wins under their belt, but only 13 have gone all the way. Near misses like Smarty Jones (2004) and California Chrome (2014) are still talked about. Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015) were the latest to join that elite club after a 37-year drought.
How To Choose A Horse Betting Site That’s Right For You
Going with the horse betting sites on this page is always a safe bet because the way we size them up hits every angle that matters. However, it never hurts to do a little digging of your own.
When choosing a racebook, make sure you’re looking at these four key areas:
Odds Pricing
Prioritize horse betting apps that keep odds updated in real time and display them clearly. Anything that lags behind or rounds too aggressively can throw off your read on the race, especially if you’re playing for value or looking to beat the public.
States like New Jersey and Colorado also allow fixed-odds markets, so it’s smart to shop around. Keep tabs on which racebooks are posting the best prices before you place any bets.
Recurring Promos
Outside of the sign-up deal, you want horse racing sites that keep the promos coming. Most, including FanDuel Racing, will roll out offers tied to big events like the Triple Crown or the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The best ones, though, don’t let things cool off in between. Look for boosted payouts on weekday cards, exacta or trifecta insurance, safety nets on the featured race, and perks through some sort of loyalty setup.
Deposits And Payouts
The speed money moves makes a big difference in how smooth the horse betting experience feels. Deposits should hit your account instantly. Withdrawals, on the other hand, often go through a review period — we’d say 48 hours is pretty standard.
When it comes to payment methods, it depends on what you’re most comfortable with. The usual options are online banking, debit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, PayNearMe, and gift cards. FanDuel also has a cash-at-the-counter option, so you can take your winnings out directly.
Customer Support
Even if you’re using one of the top horse betting apps out there, questions are bound to come up. And when they do, you want someone on the other end who actually knows the sport.
For starters, check that the betting site has live chat available 24/7. If there’s phone support, even better. We recommend testing it out yourself. Ask something about the sign-up bonus or bring up an upcoming race.
Something we look for ourselves is agents who can hold a real conversation and give you useful info, not the kind who just keep repeating terms or reading off a script.
Is Betting On Horse Racing Legal In My State?
Horse racing betting is legal in many U.S. states and regulated at both state and federal levels. FanDuel Racing operates legally in most jurisdictions where pari-mutuel wagering is permitted. However, due to state-specific laws and regulatory restrictions, FanDuel Racing does not currently accept wagers from residents of Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. As legislation evolves, availability may change, so it’s important for users to check the current legal status in their state before placing bets.
Horse Racing Betting Sites: People Also Ask
To go with all the information above, check out the following frequently asked questions related to betting on horse racing.
Is betting on horse racing legal in the U.S.?
What is a win, place, and show bet?
A win bet pays if your horse finishes first; a place bet pays if it finishes first or second; a show bet pays if it finishes first, second, or third.
What does “across the board” mean?
An “across the board” bet combines win, place, and show bets on a single horse, costing three times the base wager.
What is pari-mutuel betting?
Pari-mutuel betting pools all wagers on a race, with payouts determined by the share of the pool each winning bet holds after deductions.
What is an each-way bet?
An each-way bet combines a win and a place bet; you win if your horse finishes first or in a specified top position, depending on the race.
How are odds determined in horse racing?
Odds are set based on the amount wagered on each horse, reflecting public betting patterns and determining potential payouts.
What is the minimum age to bet on horse racing?
The minimum age varies by state, typically 18 or 21; always check local laws before betting.
