Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2023

Anyone that’s ever wanted to bet on the sport of kings should listen up. We’ve been in the betting business for decades, so we know how to spot a thoroughbred bookie.

This guide to horse racing betting sites will not only show you the best place for odds, offers, and more. But it will show you how to up your game.

Indeed, we believe an educated punter is a happy punter. Therefore, as well as rating the top horse racing bookmakers, we’ve explained how we do it. So, if you’re ready to race, let’s get started.

Top 5 Best Horse Racing Betting Sites

What are the five best horse racing online betting sites in the UK? Let’s find out…

Why These Sportsbooks Are The Best Horse Racing Websites

Bet365

Bet365 is big on odds, value, and promotions. New customers can unlock an exclusive bonus worth up to £100 using Bet365 promo code PLVIP. Once you’ve deposited £5+ and made a qualifying bet with minimum odds, you’ll receive your match bonus. From there, it’s all about quality.

Bet365 is one of the largest privately-owned betting companies in the world and excels in all areas. The desktop site and mobile app are slick, secure, and efficient. The odds team covers all major racing events, including Royal Ascot, the Grand National, and the Cheltenham Festival.

Plus, bettors always get added value with regular free bets, cashback offers, and much more.

BetVictor

BetVictor is ranked among the leading horse racing betting sites in the UK for many reasons.

Firstly, their new customer offer is one of the best around. You can sign up today and get £30 in free bets. All you have to do is register, opt in and make a minimum bet of £5 on something with odds of 2.00 or greater to receive your welcome bonus.

Secondly, BetVictor runs daily and weekly deals, including free bets, enhanced odds, and risk-free racing bonuses.

And thirdly, BetVictor offers great tips to its customers. From basic betting guides to stats and expert insights, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in a sea of information before you make your picks.

Unibet Sport

Unibet Sport has been one of Europe’s leading online bookmakers since 1997. Although football is its forte, horse racing has become a major part of its package in recent years. In fact, Unibet now sponsors many racing events. As such, you can get access to great horse racing odds, promotions, and live streams via the Unibet Sport app.

New customers can sign up today to get money back (up to £40) if your first bet loses, plus a £10 casino bonus. Naturally, t&cs apply. However, all you have to do is use our link, create your first account and make an opening bet with min. odds of 1.40 (2/5).

888Sport

888Sport goes big on everything including their welcome offer. For example, you can click here to create your first account and receive £30 in free bets, plus a £10 casino bonus, when you stake £10 at min. odds of 1/2 (1.50). If that’s not enough, 888Sport has the best odds guaranteed, each-way+ (enhanced place terms), free bets, and more.

This operator is also among the best horse racing betting sites in the UK thanks to neat features like live streaming and bet finder. The former lets you watch live racing from around the world. While the latter is a search function that uses smart algorithms to help you find the ideal bet.

Betfair

Betfair has been big on horse racing betting since it launched in 2000. As well as owning one of the largest betting exchange sites in the world, this operator has a dedicated sportsbook.

Horse racing is high on its list of priorities, which means you get exceptional service at all times. From enhanced odds, bet specials, live streams, and the horse finder feature, you’ll never be short of options.

Add to this virtual horse racing and you can bet on the sport of kings whenever you like.

Also, make sure you get the most value and enjoyment in your betting with their welcome offer. New customers can get up to £100 in free bets using our exclusive Betfair promo code ZBBC01 during registration. Once you’ve done that, stake £10 or more five times and you’ll get a £20 free bet. Repeat the process four times more to unlock another £80 in added value.

New Horse Racing Betting Sites That Have Impressed Us

Unibet Sport hasn’t always been big on horse racing betting. But now, it is up there with the best new bookmakers in the business. If you’re looking for a new horse racing website, try their risk-free moneyback offer now.

Online Horse Betting Sites That Are Great For Beginners

BetVictor is perfect if you’re new to horse racing. The daily tips and stats are supplemented by beginners guides that will help you into the saddle. Plus, their welcome offer of Bet £5 Get £30 free bets means you can try them out at a low cost.

Horse Racing Sites That Offer The Best Odds

Betfair offers some of the best horse racing betting odds in the world. Regardless of the race, you’ll find best odds guarantees and boosters for all the latest action.

Best Horse Racing Betting Sites For Big Festivals

Betfair is perfect when it comes to big festivals. This horse racing bookie likes to have fun. As a result, they create tons of innovative promotions during major events such as Royal Ascot and the Grand National.

Horse Racing Bookmakers That Run The Best Promotions

We really like 888Sport’s horse racing promos. Not only are they generous, but they’re also designed to suit punters at all levels. For example, they run each-way+ which gives enhanced place terms, as well as free bets. Also, 888Sport will pay you out if your horse gets promoted to a place or awarded the race

7 Key Factors We Considered To Rank The Best Horse Betting Sites

How do we find top horse racing bookmakers online? Well, we give them a grade based on the following features and services:

1. Welcome Offer

A sign-up bonus, aka a welcome bonus, is a reward given to new customers, hence the term “welcome bonus”. The value of said reward will vary between horse racing sites. But, it’s typically the case that you’ll get free bets or some sort of cashback.

These deals are great for horse racing bookies because they attract new punters. If you see the headline “get a £50 free bet as a new customer”, you’re going to be interested.

However, it’s important to understand that the devil is in the detail. A horse racing welcome bonus can look great on the first inspection but not so much when you read the terms and conditions.

For example, let’s say a bookie is offering new customers a £50 free bet. That’s great. However, when you look further into it, you have to deposit £1,000 to release the free credits. Suddenly it’s gone from a great deal to one you should avoid.

Therefore, when it comes to assessing sports betting bonuses, you need to look at the details. Fortunately, that’s why we’re here.

Our expert team has reviewed the top horse racing betting sites to see what promotions they’ve got on offer. They look beyond the headlines and weigh up how generous a bonus really is. Then, they discard the rubbish and show you the best horse racing betting bonuses online.

What’s more, we’re able to use our industry contacts to broker exclusive deals. When you use our sports betting promo codes, you can get even more added value at the leading horse racing betting sites in the UK.

2. Horse Racing Promotions

New customers aren’t the only ones that can get more for less. Regular punters can boost their bankroll, insure losses, and generally get more value thanks to regular promotions. Some of the most common betting promotions at UK racing sites are:

Extra Places For Each Way Bets

Big horse racing events always bring out the best in the UK’s top bookmakers. We say that because they’ll often extend the number of places they pay in major races. For example, Paddy Power will pay up to five or six places for races like the Grand National or the Gold Cup.

It’s the same at 888Sport and Betfair. The former will pay out on extra places when you make an each-way bet on big events. It will also offer enhanced returns for certain finishes.

Meanwhile, Betfair has something known as Each Way Edge. This feature allows you to alter the terms of an each-way bet. As a result, you can control the number of places that get paid and the software will adjust the odds accordingly.

Free Bets For Existing Customers

Free bets are a staple promotion within the online racing betting world. The way you unlock these freebies will always be different. Making a deposit or betting on certain events are common ways to get them. But, you can also get them as part of a VIP/loyalty scheme.

One of the best free racing bet promos we’ve seen in recent times is from Bet365. All you have to do is make a single or each-way bet on any horse with odds of 4/1+ in a race shown on ITV. If your horse were to win, great. If it loses, Bet365 will refund your stake (as a free bet) up to a maximum of £50.

Non Runner No Bet Offers

There are times when a horse you’ve backed doesn’t run. This could be the trainer’s decision, an injury or it simply won’t go into the stalls. Whatever the reason, non-runners will cost you money if they’re not insured.

The way to “insure” them is by taking advantage of non-runner, no bet (NRNB) promotions. These are available at many of the leading horse racing betting sites, such Betfred. The premise is simple: if an NRNB promotion is in place, you get your stake back if the horse doesn’t run. Simple.

3. Best Odds Guaranteed

Horse racing bookmakers are always competing for your attention. The UK is packed to the rafters with betting sites, so everyone is fighting for position. As a result, many of the biggest brands often get ahead of new horse racing betting sites by offering the best odds guaranteed. Sites that offer the best odds guaranteed means they’ll match or beat the odds for any race in the UK or Ireland.

For example, if William Hill was offering 2/1 on a horse but Paddy Power wasn’t, the oddsmakers at Paddy Power would adjust their line to match William Hill.

As well as staying on pace with the best odds guaranteed, the top operators will try to edge ahead with promotions. The main odds-based promotions are:

Odds Boosts For Upcoming Races

Odds boosts are exactly that: promotions that boost the odds on a race. Typically, you will find the biggest boosts occur during big races. However, on any given race day, the likes of Betfair, 888Sport, and William Hill will jack up the odds for certain events. So, instead of betting on something at 2/1, you might be able to get it at 3/1. This means you’ve got the chance to win more from a horse that still has the same shot at winning a race.

Enhanced Odds Specials

Enhanced odds specials are similar to boosts but cover the entire field or multiple races. For example, Uniboost from Unibet gives all real-money customers the chance to boost the odds across three races every day.

Additionally, Unibet Sport will let you boost the odds for a single horse or the entire field. The latter is very impressive because it means you can spread your bets across multiple horses in a single race and get more value.

4. Diverse Horse Racing Betting Markets

Diversity is the spice of life when it comes to betting on horse racing. In today’s market, bookies can’t just cover the basics.

In other words, they can’t only offer generous odds on major events such as Royal Ascot and Cheltenham. The oddsmakers have to be banging the drum every day in an effort to stay competitive.

As such, the best horse racing betting sites will cover every type of race. From flat racing and jumps to harness racing in the US, the market leaders make sure you’ve got plenty of action to bet on.

In fact, the very best also offer virtual horse racing for those times you can’t find a live event. In the same way, UK horse racing bookies have to cover a wide variety of events, they also have to offer various types of bets. Offering singles bets simply isn’t enough. Our recommended betting sites give you the ability to make picks in multiple ways. Some of the most popular bet types are:

• Each-Way Bets
• Accumulator Bets
• Forecasts
• Tricasts
• Doubles
• Trebles
• Yankees
• Lucky 15s
• Heinz/Super Heinz

Furthermore, online bookmakers have introduced some innovative products in recent years. These products are designed to enhance your betting experience and bring more diversity to the mix. The innovations to look out for are:

Cashouts and Partial Cashouts

There are times when a bet just isn’t going your way. You thought it was good at one point but now things are going south. At times like these, you need cashouts. This feature allows you to accept a payout in return for ending a bet before its natural conclusion. The payout won’t be as much as it would be if you held your nerve. However, the payoff could be enough to ensure you don’t completely decimate your bankroll.

Cashouts have become so popular in recent years that many of the biggest horse racing betting sites now offer partial cashouts. This is where you can accept a partial offer for ending part of your bet. You can then let the remaining part of the bet play out as normal but with the potential payout adjusted.

In-Play Betting

In-play betting, also known as live betting, isn’t as popular for horse racing events as it is with football betting sites.

However, most modern UK online betting sites will let you make picks once a race is underway. Naturally, there is a cut-off point i.e. you can’t make a bet when a horse is a nose from the finishing line. However, you can make in-play bets once a race has started.

Bet Builder and Request A Bet

Bet365 was the first online sportsbook to offer bet builder. However, it’s now become a popular feature at many of the best horse racing betting sites. The premise is simple: you add your own picks to a bet slip. The software then calculates the odds for these picks as a single bet.

The beauty of bet builders is that you control what goes on the slip. Most bookies offer racing specials that include multiple outcomes and generous odds. However, you don’t get to decide what the outcomes are. With bet builder, you do.

Another way to take control of the bets you make is to request one. Paddy Power, Betfred, William Hill, BetVictor, and many more top-rated racing bookies will let you request a bet. The request won’t always be successful.

However, you’ll always have the option to submit your idea and have it reviewed. If the bookmakers agree it’s a worthwhile market, they’ll set some odds for it.

5. Live Streaming

Live streaming has become a cornerstone of the horse racing world in recent years. The ability to watch races in real time, as well as video replays, is now seen as a standard. Every major racing bookmaker will offer live streams. From Paddy Power and BetVictor to Bet365 and Betfair, they’ll all let you watch the action live.

In fact, when it comes to live racing action, William Hill not only have streams but audio commentary. WH Radio lets you listen to live races when there isn’t a stream available. So, in this regard, it’s probably the best horse racing betting site for live action.

To activate a live racing stream, you need to make a bet. Each bookie will have a daily schedule of races for which streams are available. All you have to do is place a minimum bet on that race and you’ll be able to watch the action as it unfolds.

6. Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

Betting on horse racing requires money. Unlike online poker or casino games, you can’t bet on this sport without cash in your account. Therefore, if you want to be part of the action, you need to make a deposit.

Our recommended horse racing online betting sites are all licensed and regulated. In other words, they operate legally in the UK, Europe, and beyond.

Licensed racing bookmakers have an obligation to process and store your money in a secure way. Thus, you’ll be given a choice of reputable payment options.

Also, as a licensed bookmaker, they must keep your funds in segregated bank accounts. Therefore, your bankroll can’t be used for operational purposes.

However, you don’t have to worry about any of this. The reason being that the sites listed here are all responsible, legal operators with sound financial policies. The only thing you have to think about is the processor you’re going to use and the amount you want to deposit.

As a general rule, racing betting sites let you credit your account with as little as £5. These deposits will also be processed instantly. On the way out, withdrawals start at between £5 and £10, and the average processing time is 24-48 hours.

Therefore, you should receive your winnings within a few days depending on your payment method. The best horse racing betting sites will offer a wide range of deposit methods. For example, VISA, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Boku. However, we find that PayPal bookmakers and other e-wallets return winnings the quickest.

7. Reliable Customer Service

The final thing to look for when you’re sizing up horse racing betting sites in the UK is customer service. An operator can offer all the best odds and bonuses but miss out by a nose because of poor customer service. We’ve interacted with all the support teams at our recommended online racing sites, so we know they’re top-notch.

However, if you’re doing your own research, an FAQ should be seen as the minimum when it comes to help and advice. Ideally, an online bookie should have live chat services, email support, and a phone number. Moreover, it’s nice to see bookmakers with a presence on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

Best Horse Racing Bookmakers For The Big Events

Big events in horse racing are, as you’d expect, a big deal. Racing, as an industry, is built on the foundations of sports betting. In fact, horse racing receives annual contributions from the UK’s largest operators collectively make annual contributions to various organisations that support horse racing. This reciprocal relationship means operators and racing venues are always doing whatever they can to give fans maximum value.

This is most apparent during major events such as Royal Ascot, the Cheltenham Festival, and the Grand National. Of course, there are many more big events, including the Oaks, the Guineas, and the Derby. Then there are international events like the Kentucky Derby and the Arc de Triomphe. The point here is that the largest horse racing betting sites will not only offer odds on these races but special promotions.

In fact, you’ll often find the best horse racing promos at the betting sites that sponsor a race. For example, Unibet and Betway have been official sponsors of the Cheltenham Festival in recent years. MansionBet sponsored Arena Racing Company (ARC) and Jockey Club Racecourses (JCR) in 2021. While Paddy Power has been ITV’s official betting partner for many years.

When it comes to horse racing and betting, the links are inseparable. As such, you can always expect more for less during the big events. This added value will come in the form of best odds guaranteed, daily coverage and schedules, expert tips, and live streams. You’ll also be able to find a free bet stake or two, enhanced odds, acca protection, extra places, and much more.

In short, when there’s a major event going down, the best betting sites for horse racing have you covered.

Some names to look out for during the Grand National, Cheltenham Festival, and other big racing events are:

• Paddy Power
• William Hill
• BetVictor
• Ladbrokes
• Unibet Sport

Horse Racing Sites For Tips

OK, so we’ve covered the horse racing betting world from top to bottom. We’ve shone a spotlight on some of the best bookmakers online. We’ve told you what makes a great horse racing betting site, and we’ve even shown which operators are thoroughbreds in certain categories. If we stopped now, you’d have all the information you need to get maximum value from the sport of kings.

However, there’s just one thing missing. To stand any chance of making a return on your investments, you’ll need some skills. Yes, you’ll always enjoy the racing experience and have fun. But we also can’t ignore the fact there’s real money on the line.

That’s why we have an exclusive tipping service. That’s right, here at Punters Lounge you can get daily free horse racing tips with a few clicks. From the top jockeys to running conditions at tracks around the world, our experts leave no stone unturned.

In fact, they’ve turned up so many stones over the years that they’ve found plenty of hidden gems. So far, our daily racing betting profit and loss is up over £34,000 in winnings.

Of course, we’re not saying we always get it right. But, if you heed the advice of our racing experts and follow their betting tips, you’ll be on the right track. Then, to ensure you’ve really got your finger on the pulse, you can combine this advice with our fantastic resources:

The Punters Lounge Forum

As well as expert racing betting tips from our team, you can see what everyone else is saying. The Punters Lounge racing forum is filled with like-minded individuals passing tips and tricks on upcoming races. They say that two hands are better than one. Well, the Punters Lounge racing forum is many hands and they’re all reaching for the same goal: to make a profit.

Daily Race Cards

If you want to know what’s going on in horse racing, we’ve got you covered. Our daily racecards show you what’s happening on specific days so you can plan your betting activity. Then, using our secure racing bookmaker links, you can get straight into the action via your desktop or mobile.

The Latest Horse Racing Results

From Grade 3 races to the elite end of the spectrum, our racing results database gives you a complete overview of who won what. This is a great tool to combine with our racing betting tips. The reason is that it tells you which runners are in form and which ones are falling behind the pack.

The Latest Non-Runners

You need to know if a horse isn’t running, which is why we continuously update our non-runners list. From pull outs and injuries to horses not entering the stalls, you can find all the latest information here.

Ready, Set, Race

So, that’s about it. You’re now a fully-fledged jockey in the horse racing betting world. All the information you need is at your fingertips and the only thing left to do is saddle up and race towards the best odds in the business. Use the horse racing bookies in this guide as a starting point. But, don’t be afraid to check out all of our recommended online betting sites for all the latest offers.