Today, it’s easier than ever to wager on horse racing using legal horse racing betting apps and online racebooks.
Most US states allow you to bet on horse racing online, and many of them have also legalized sports betting apps in general.
We review the best horse betting apps available today to help you find the right platform. Place your exactas, trifectas, and superfecta bets throughout the 2023 season, and get ready for the 2024 Triple Crown series with the horse betting sites recommended here.
Best Horse Racing Betting Apps in 2023
Are you searching for the perfect racebook app to bet on the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and other premier racing events? Look no further than the racebooks listed throughout this page. Each one offers several horse betting markets for every race, a great welcome offer, a clean and easy-to-use interface, plus much more.
FanDuel Racing App
With extensive race coverage, live streaming, and a well-designed interface, the FanDuel Racing app stands out as an elite option among horse racing betting sites for novice and expert bettors alike.
- FanDuel Racing Promos: Get a $200 No Sweat First Win Bet
- Why We Like FanDuel Racing: Well-designed app with plenty of betting choices and high-quality live streaming.
- Platforms: FanDuel Racing is available on desktop, iOS, and Android.
FanDuel Racing is a market leader among apps in the horse betting space, and it has the distinction of being the first legal horse racing app in the US. FanDuel Racing is an official wagering partner of all three Triple Crown races: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
FanDuel Racing offers betting and HD live streaming at more than 300 tracks worldwide. You’ll also have exclusive insider access to the FanDuel TV network and terrific handicapping info.
In December 2022, FanDuel announced that its customers can access parimutuel wagering on horse racing and traditional sports book wagering with a single account. FanDuel Sportsbook became the first US sportsbook to offer this feature with this launch. Users can wager on — and stream racing coverage from — FanDuel TV and other racing content for which FanDuel has wagering rights. In September 2022, Churchill Downs Incorporated and FanDuel announced a multi-year agreement involving multiple facets of FanDuel’s sports wagering, advance deposit wagering (“ADW”), and television businesses.
In March 2023, it was announced that FanDuel will retain its status as the Official ADW Partner, Official Sports Wagering Partner, Official Fantasy Sports Partner, and Official Mobile Casino Partner of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Extensive race coverage
Customers in over 30 states can join FanDuel Racing and place wagers on dozens of horse races on US and worldwide tracks.
Live streaming on most events
When you enter a race page, you’ll see tabs with different types of bets. The odds are primarily shown in fractions, but you’ll see US odds displayed right below them. To watch the race, hit the Watch Live button near the top of each race page.
Beginner-friendly layout and design
For those with no wagering experience, FanDuel Racing mobile app offers a resourceful Horse Racing 101 section ideal for learning the basics.
Caesars Racebook
Caesars Sportsbook and NYRA Bets partnered to launch the Caesars Racebook app for horse racing, which is now available on iOS, Android, and desktop in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
The app will eventually be available in the 30 states NYRA operates. Download today and access over 300 tracks, including Horseshoe Indianapolis, Del Mar, Saratoga, Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park, Keeneland, and more! You can also wager and watch all the high-stakes international races from Hong Kong, France, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and many others — all on mobile or desktop.
On May 16, Caesars Sportsbook announced agreements with Keeneland and Red Mile Gaming & Racing in Lexington, which grant the operator market access to offer legalized mobile sports wagering in Kentucky. Caesars Sportsbook will be an official sports betting partner of Keeneland and Red Mile. In addition, Caesars Sportsbook will operate an on-premise retail sportsbook at Red Mile.
“Keeneland and Red Mile are iconic horse racing venues with an important legacy in Kentucky,” said President of Caesars Digital, Eric Hession. “Customers in the region have long enjoyed our world-class Caesars destinations and, most recently, our horse racing wagering app, Caesars Racebook. Working with these historic institutions provides an unmatched opportunity to reach sports and racing fans in the state.”
DK Horse Betting App
Given the popularity of horse race betting in the US, it is no surprise that several of the most prominent names in the sports betting industry are getting in on the action.
DraftKings announced on March 29, 2023, that the DK HORSE app, the digital gaming operator’s first-ever horse racing product, has launched in 12 states and expects to launch in additional states soon. The standalone DK HORSE-branded app allows eligible customers to access pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing. In November 2022, DraftKings and Churchill Downs Incorporated announced a multi-year agreement under which CDI’s subsidiary, TwinSpires, agreed to power the advance deposit pari-mutuel wagering technology for DK HORSE.
DK Horse requires customers to register and deposit funds into new accounts separate from their “one account, one wallet” tethered to DraftKings Sportsbook, Casino, and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) apps.
BetMGM Horse Racing
The BetMGM Horse Racing app gives you much more than the ability to bet. You’ll also find live streaming video, race replays, and horse racing content updated daily. All the major races in the US, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, are available to wager on at BetMGM Horse Racing. You can also access a live stream of races from international events, including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and The Grand National.
PointsBet Horse Racing App
PointsBet, an Australian-based sportsbook with a significant market share in the US, launched the PointsBet Horse Racing app ahead of the 2023 Triple Crown series. Now live in 25 states, this standalone product will allow PointsBet users to immerse themselves in a modern, all-in-one horse racing experience. PointsBet previously announced it had agreed with 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, a business division of The Stronach Group, North America’s largest Thoroughbred horse racing company.
The full list of states that PointsBet Racing is available in includes Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Additionally, PointsBet has ADW license applications pending in numerous other states, including where PointsBet is currently live with online sports betting and/or casinos.
How To Join a Horse Racing Betting Site
You can register for an online horse racing site or app in the US in multiple ways.
Desktop Registration
Desktop sites have the easiest registration process by far. You can visit the desktop site of your chosen horse race betting operator and click “Register.” Then, you’ll need to provide personal information like your date of birth, address, and Social Security number.
Once the site verifies your identity and age, you can fund the account through various deposit methods. Once funding is complete, take advantage of any opening bonus that may apply and begin betting!
iOS Device Registration
Apple makes it easy to register for a horse race betting app on any iOS device:
- Type the name of the betting app in the App Store’s search bar. This will take you to a download page
- Download the app and let it install on your device
- Then, follow the same registration process as outlined above. Provide personal information like your address and age.
- The app will automatically install geolocation software. The geolocation software will ensure you only use the app in your registered state.
Android Device Registration
If you have an Android device, you may need to follow a slightly more complex process to register for your horse race betting app of choice:
- The Google Play Store began allowing gambling apps on its platform in early 2021, but not all horse race betting apps are listed. Your best bet is to visit the desktop site using your Android device.
- Find the link to either the Google Play store or download the app directly to your device from the website.
- The download should begin automatically. You may need to allow a .apk file access to your phone.
- Once the installation is complete, follow the same registration process as above. Geolocation software will also be installed.
Most Popular Horse Racing Bet Types
Horse race betting operates on a pari-mutuel basis. You’re not competing against the house but rather your fellow gamblers. All of the money from individual gamblers goes into one pool.
Rather than having odds calculated by professional statisticians called oddsmakers, horse race betting odds are calculated based on how much money is bet overall. Payoff odds are calculated by sharing the total money in the pool among all winning bets (after taxes and the vigorish have been collected).
With online horse race betting, there are several different types of bets that you can make.
Single Horse Wagers: Win, Place, Show
Single horse bets have you place your wager on an individual horse’s race result.
- Win wagers mean you wager that your chosen horse will win the race outright.
- Place wagers mean that your horse must come in either first or second place.
- Show wagers mean your horse can come in first, second, or third place and you’ll win.
You also have the option of betting a single horse “across the board,” and that means you’ll collect win, place, and show money if he wins the race. This option is tantamount to making three different bets, so you’ll pay three times as much for the privilege!
Multi-Horse Wagers
Naturally, multi-horse wagers mean placing a bet on multiple horses.
- Exacta wagers have you pick two horses that must finish in first and second place and in the correct order to win.
- Trifecta wagers are similar to exacta wagers, but you have to pick three horses in the correct order.
- Superfecta wagers have you pick four horses. Each horse must come in the wagered place (first, second, third, or fourth) for you to win the bet.
- Quinella bets are wagers in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order.
With each of these wager types, gamblers can “box” their bets, meaning they bet more than once to cover multiple finishing orders. Again, this form of insurance also requires doling out more cash at the betting window.
Multi-Race Wagers
Multi-race wagers have you place bets on the outcomes or places of horses over more than one race. Examples include:
- Daily doubles. This wager revolves around picking the winner of back-to-back races. In thoroughbred horse racing, there will typically be two daily doubles on the race card. There’s an early double (races 1 and 2) and a late double (races 9 and 10) available to bet on.
- Pick 5/6 wagers. With these wagers, sports bettors will pick the winner of multiple races at a particular track during the day.
Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are more complex than straight bets. A good example of an exotic bet in the superfecta, which requires to you to pick the top four horses in a race (in the correct order). The Pick-6 wager referenced above can also be considered an exotic bet. Bettors will often place small wagers using multiple horses in each race to try and land a big payout from picking six winners in a row.
Popular Racebook Bonuses and Promotions
Horse race sites and betting apps offer welcome bonuses to entice new bettors. Some are relatively small, but others can significantly build your bankroll out of the gate.
Deposit Match
Deposit match bonuses will match your initial deposit (and no other deposits, so choose your first funding wisely) with site credit. For example, a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $200 will potentially let you start wagering with up to $400 of app credit.
Bet Credits
Bet Credits are quick and easy to access. They give you some site credit for opening an account without any strings attached. However, you usually need to take advantage of the extra credit within seven days or so. Bet credits can also be delivered as a loyalty program as a reward for using your preferred app.
For many of these bonuses, note that you’ll need to “play through” any awarded site credit one or more times before you can withdraw your winnings. With some apps, you have to play through your deposit match credit at least once before you can withdraw any winnings you get from wagering that credit in a bet.
Horse Betting Apps: Deposit and Withdrawal Options
Horse race betting sites and apps typically provide a variety of deposit and withdrawal methods. Many people opt to use Visa or Mastercard debit or credit cards. At Gaming Today, we list the best sports betting sites that accept credit cards.
Other options can include prepaid debit cards, like Visa gift cards. You can also connect your online bank account to your horse race betting account.
PayPal is one of the easiest and best options for deposits and withdrawals. Most of the top sports betting sites are sportsbooks that accept PayPal.
Skrill and PayNearMe are alternatives, but check your horse betting site to be sure what methods are currently available.
Top Horse Races: Dec. 2-3
Dec. 2
- $500,000 Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct
- $250,000 Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct
- $250,000 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct
- $200,000 Go For Wand (G3) at Aqueduct
- $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar
Dec. 3
- $300,000 Matriarch (G1) at Del Mar
Latest Horse Betting News
Here, we review the latest news from the world of horse racing betting.
Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Retired to Airdrie
Kentucky Derby winner Mage has been retired from racing and will begin his stallion career at Airdrie Stud for the 2024 breeding season, his connections announced in a release.Racing for the ownership group of OGMA Investments, LLC, CMNWLTH, Sterling Racing, LLC and Ramiro Restrepo and trained by the father-son team of Gustavo Delgado and Gustavo Delgado, Jr, Mage’s victory in Kentucky Derby 149 stands as the highlight of a 3-year-old campaign that saw him break his maiden in his racing debut on Jan 28 and win the Derby in just his fourth career start less than 100 days later.
Mage’s defining win came on the heels of a narrow defeat at the hands of champion Forte in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and preceded a runner-up effort in the Grade I Haskell Invitational and third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes. He retires as North America’s leading three-year old earner with more than $2,500,000 in 2023 earnings.
“Mage has been a great blessing in our family’s life,” said trainer Gustavo Delgado, Sr. “He was special for so many reasons and he gave all of us that were blessed to be associated with him the greatest days you could ever have in racing. He was so brilliantly talented and an incredible horse to work with as his mind and determination were as exceptional as his abilities.”
Betting On The Triple Crown Races
The most popular horse racing events in the US are the Triple Crown: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. They span five weeks from May until June.
The Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown and is held at Maryland’s Pimlico Race Course two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The Belmont Stakes occurs three weeks after the Preakness Stakes at Belmont Park in New York.
These three apps are great options for betting on the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
Kentucky Derby
The 2023 Kentucky Derby saw upstart Mage collar Two Phil’s in the midstretch en route to winning the 149th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds before a crowd of 150,335. Trained by Gustavo Delgado and ridden by Javier Castellano, Mage covered the mile and a quarter in 2:01.57 and gave Castellano his first Kentucky Derby victory from 16 mounts. It is the first Derby win for Delgado from three starters.
Mage is the fourth horse to win the Derby off only three lifetime starts. The others were Justify in 2018, Big Brown in 2008, and Regret in 1915. Mage won on debut at Gulfstream Park, going seven furlongs on Jan. 28, and immediately was put in stakes company with a fourth-place finish behind Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and then a runner-up finish to Forte in the Florida Derby (G1).
The 2023 Kentucky Derby saw five horses scratch out of the race in the days leading up to the classic, including champion and morning-line favorite Forte. The last time five horses were scratched from the Kentucky Derby was 1936, when 19 horses entered the race, and 14 ran.
Nothing is more exhilarating than betting on the Kentucky Derby, known worldwide for being the fastest two minutes in sports. Before the 2022 Kentucky Derby, we ran this piece on the five biggest upsets in recent years. You can watch the race broadcast for each, too.
Preakness Stakes
The Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure led from the start and held off a game Blazing Sevens the length of the stretch to win the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) by a head on May 20, 2023 at historic Pimlico Race Course. Owned by the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan, National Treasure ($7.80) completed 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.12 over a fast main track to earn his second career win from six starts and first in stakes.
National Treasure became the 12th horse since 1909 to win the Preakness from Post 1, including American Pharoah, and the first since War of Will in 2019.
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes held at Belmont Park is the final race in the Triple Crown, and it is the longest at 1 1/2 miles. That is a grueling distance for many horses. The Belmont has been nicknamed “the Test of the Champion” as a result.
The 2023 Belmont Stakes winner was Arcangelo, who earned a 1 1/2-length victory in the 155th edition of the classic. Arcangelo’s trainer, Jena Antonucci, was the first female trainer to win any of the Triple Crown races. Arcangelo, sent to post as the 7-1 fifth choice, returned $17.80 for a $2 win ticket.
Other Popular US Horse Racing Events
Breeders’ Cup World Championships
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships started in 1984 as the brainchild of horseman John Gaines. The idea was to create a season-ending championship to determine the best horses in the world.
The 2023 Breeders’ Cup was held at Santa Anita Park for the 40th running of the World Championships. In 2024, the Breeders’ Cup returns to San Diego’s iconic racing venue, Del Mar, where the turf meets the surf. The FanDuel Group, home of FanDuel Sportsbook, FanDuel Racing, and FanDuel TV, has a multi-year agreement as the official wagering partner of the Breeders’ Cup.
The 2023 Breeders’ Cup was hosted by Santa Anita Park for a record 11th time and featured 14 championship races spread over November 3-4.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the highlight of this annual event. It’s open to horses three years and older, and the field is limited to 14 starters. The 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic was won by White Abarrio, who posted a one-length victory over Derma Sotogake (JPN). Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., White Abarrio will remain in training for a 2024 campaign.
Total all-sources, global common-pool handle for the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park was $176,281,989.
Popular International Horse Racing Events
Horse racing apps also allow you to bet on international horse racing events. Some of these include:
- Dubai World Cup: This race card boasts one of the richest purses in the world. Meydan Racecourse is home of the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup, which took place on March 25, 2023.
- Epsom Derby: This event started in 1870 and served as the inspiration for the Kentucky Derby.
- Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: This is another high-profile event near Paris in the fall.
All three of the biggest horse racing sites mentioned earlier allow you to wager on these international events.
Is Online Horse Betting Legal in the US?
Yes, but it’s up to individual states whether they will allow it. Under a provision of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, states could decide whether they wanted to legalize horse race betting or not.
States With Legal Horse Betting
More than 40 US states allow in-person or online horse race betting. Before the removal of PASPA in 2018, the states that allowed horse race betting largely had horse racetracks and whose state revenue benefited greatly from its inclusion. As a result, states like Kentucky, New York, and California have allowed online and retail horse race betting for many years.
States such as New Jersey and Colorado have also legalized both regular sports betting and online horse race betting, provided you sign up with a licensed sportsbook.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Is It Safe To Bet On a Legal Online Horse Betting Site?
Yes, as long as the betting site is licensed and regulated. These horse betting sites, including FanDuel Racing, DK Horse, BetMGM Horse Racing, and Caesars Racebook, are safe thanks to their high-quality digital security and the regulation they receive from state gaming commissions. Conversely, due to inferior digital security systems, illegal horse betting sites cannot be trusted with your money or personal information.
Horse Racing Betting FAQ
We recommend FanDuel Racing for the best customer experience and market depth. FanDuel Racing is an official wagering partner of all three Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
Yes, online horse betting is legal in the US. However, it is up to individual states to determine whether they want to offer online horse race betting within their borders. Most states with legal sports betting do allow online horse race betting.
You must be at least 21 years old to place horse racing wagers in most states.
Yes, DK HORSE went live in 12 states on March 29, 2023. DK HORSE is expected to become available in 21 total states, pending all necessary regulatory approvals.
In addition to FanDuel Racing, DraftKings offers horse betting through their DK HORSE app while BetMGM and Caesars also have highly-rated horse racing betting apps.
It is illegal to bet on horse racing in Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington, D.C.. These states do not allow online horse betting.
No, horse racing betting apps like FanDuel Racing and DK Horse only offer odds for upcoming horse races. Bettors interested in placing wagers on other sports can join one of the many legal US sportsbooks (if located within a state with legal online betting).
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