Welcome to Canada Sports Betting’s guide to the best horse racing betting odds. The Sport of Kings (and Queens) has been the canvas that many equine athletes have used to paint their way into immortality. Legends of yesteryear, like Seabiscuit, still get referenced in pop culture almost a century after their careers ended. Even though the sport has seen its better days, many still find a way to get out to the track and witness poetry in motion (and maybe make a few bucks, too).
After all, we at Canada Sports Betting believe that if a person can take the time to learn how to play the ponies, they may never want to go back to betting on sports. Hands down, horse racing offers the best value for your buck. Although win probabilities are smaller because race fields can be large, a good horse player can make a hefty ROI if they know what they’re doing. Of course, there’s only one pesky problem for those newbies who want in on the action: horse racing odds and the types of wagers that surround them can be freaking hard to understand.
No worries, though. CSB has made the wise choice to invest in someone who knows their stuff, and that person (you probably know who just by reading the byline) is going to walk you through the basics of horse betting.
Horse Racing Odds Explained
If you’re a sports bettor, you’re probably used to American odds. As in -120 means you’d have to bet $120 to make $100 in profit. +120 means that if you bet $100, you’d make $120. Unfortunately with horse racing, things can get confusing fast as they use fractional odds and decimals to announce payouts. And the way it’s done can leave inexperienced horseplayers scratching their heads.
Horse Racing Odds Example
For example, if we use our betting calculator (a great resource for converting a number to a form of odds you understand), a horse that goes off at 5/2 in fractional form might not be +250 in American odds. The horse racing odds could be closer to +275 or even +280. You won’t know until you read the payouts in decimal form, which sites like BetVictor or SIA will sometimes have listed in $1 form before the race. After the race, the payouts will be listed in the $2 decimal form.
To break things down, we’ll use the payouts to the 2024 Kentucky Derby above as an example. Of course, the Kentucky Derby saw the 18-1 longshot Mystik Dan shock the crowd at Churchill Downs.
The winner went off at 18-1 odds “post time,” which would usually be +1800 in American odds. Nevertheless, a quick review of the payouts would make you think the horse went off at slightly higher odds. That’s simply not the case.
As we said before, these are $2 payouts. The first thing you’ll want to do is divide 39.22 (see the screenshot above) by 2. That’ll equal a $19.61 payout. However, there’s still one problem: You have to subtract $1 to see the true “payout in profit,” which would be $18.61. Nevertheless, once you do the math, you’ll realize that you actually made closer to 19-1 odds. We know it’s confusing at first, but after a while, it gets easy.
To make things quick, we suggest looking at the payout first. Make sure it’s shown in the $2 format. Subtract $2.00 from the number and then divide that number by 2. Boom, you have your payout in decimal form. From there, it can easily be converted to American odds by moving the decimal back two spots and throwing a + sign in front of the number.
Where to Find the Best Horse Racing Odds
Online horse racing betting sites have taken off in recent years, boosted by the proliferation of iGaming and everything surrounding it. Now, horse racing bettors and the older folks who aren’t always able to travel to the track for one reason or another are wondering if horse betting is legal in Canada. Can they make bets on their computers and/or phones from the comfort of their own homes? In Canada, they surely can, because it’s flipping legal all over the country. Not to mention, tons of sportsbooks offer horse racing odds.
We will name a few sportsbooks below to start your search, but we’ve got an entire page dedicated to the best horse betting sites in Canada, where you can find in-depth reviews on various horse-friendly bookies.
William Hill Online Horse Betting
William Hill has a strong relationship with the “Sport of Kings.” In the United States and Europe, the operator offers both an excellent land-based and online sportsbook. In other words, William Hill knows how to give horse race bettors a good experience, which translates well to the Canadian market. Everything you want will be in one place.
Horse Betting at William Hill
BetVictor Online Horse Betting
BetVictor got its start in the horse racing and greyhound bookmaking business years ago. Sports betting wasn’t really the operator’s first passion to start. All these years later, the relationship between BetVictor and horse racing has remained strong, creating a top-notch betting site.
Horse Betting at BetVictor!
Sports Interaction (SIA) Online Horse Betting
When it comes to betting sites in Canada, Sports Interaction is highly regarded, and for good reason. SIA knocks it out of the park with its hockey offerings, which is why so many people use the sportsbook to begin with. That said, SIA is very versatile in its betting selection. The operator doesn’t joke around regarding its horse racing selection. Basically, if there’s a big race on the telly, you’ll be able to bet on it.
Horse Betting at SIA!
Latest Horse Racing Betting Odds
If you know anything about horse racing, there are always big events happening throughout the year. Whether that be in Canada, the United States, or across the pond, CSB is going to keep you in the loop with horse racing odds for today’s races.
Please note that for bettors and events in Ontario, bet365 horse racing pari-mutuel betting is offered in association with Woodbine Entertainment Group. Horse racing betting markets are only available to bet365 Ontario Account Holders. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly 19+.
King’s Plate (Gl) @ Woodbine Racetrack
| Post Position | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1 | Jokestar | 20-1 | Emma-Jayne Wilson | Kevin Attard |
| 2 | Rafaroo | 8-1 | Ryan Munger | Harold Ladouceur |
| 3 | Essex Serpent | 2-1 | Patrick Husbands | Mark Casse |
| 4 | Caitlinhergrtness | 12-1 | Rafael Manuel Hernandez | Kevin Attard |
| 5 | Midnight Mascot | 10-1 | Kazushi Kimura | Mark Casse |
| 6 | Friendly Ghost | 30-1 | Justin Stein | Evette Chartrand-Hoek |
| 7 | My Boy Prince | 7-5 | Sahin Civaci | Mark Casse |
| 8 | Pierre | 20-1 | David Cohen | Kevin Attard |
| 9 | Thor’s Cause | 50-1 | Jeffrey Ian Alderson | Krista Cole |
| 10 | Bedard | 30-1 | Pietro Moran | Kevin Attard |
| 11 | Roar of the Crowd | 50-1 | Fraser Aebly | Dominic J. Polsinelli |
| 12 | No More Options | 30-1 | Daisuke Fukumoto | Zeljko Krcmar |
| 13 | Vitality | 20-1 | Jose Campos | Harold Ladouceur |
Where to Find the Best Horse Racing Odds
There are several places you can bet on a horse race in Canada, but in our books, these are the best sites for horse betting odds in Canada.
Bettors in Ontario can only wager at bet365, HPIBet, or Dark Horse. Please note that for bettors and events in Ontario, bet365 horse racing pari-mutuel betting is offered in association with Woodbine Entertainment Group. Horse racing betting markets are only available to bet365 Ontario Account Holders. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly 19+.
For a person who wants to take a stab at wagering on a horse race during a boring Thursday afternoon, bet365 has you covered with a usable interface that does the trick well. It won’t overwhelm the newbies. Plus, there’ll be race previews, which can be very handy for someone who doesn’t have access to a racing program or doesn’t know how to use it.
For bettors in the rest of Canada, check our our full list of the best horse betting sites in Canada here.
Legal Online Horse Betting in Ontario
Betting on horse racing is finally available to Ontario race fans courtesy of the newly established partnership between bet365 and Woodbine. As such, the pair will combine to provide bet365 horse racing pari-mutuel betting in association with Woodbine Entertainment Group. In addition, horseplayers can find horse racing odds at the following locations in Ontario:
Without a doubt, the second best option has to be HPIbet. For years, seasoned horseplayers have flocked to HPIbet’s solid betting platform. It’s a one-stop shop for everything a person needs to “properly play the horses,” like the Daily Racing Form programs, clocker reports, race replays, and so much more. New customers are welcomed with open arms, receiving generous bonuses and the ability to watch live races from all around the world.
Finally, let’s say you usually experience bad episodes of paralysis by analysis and like to keep things simple to avoid such harsh occurrences; well, my friend, Dark Horse will be your saving grace. The sleek app uses its built-in AI to help you craft clever wagers so you can focus on enjoying the races. While also acting like you know what you’re doing. Hubba, Hubba!
Horse Racing Odds Explained
If you’re a sports bettor, you’re probably used to American odds. As in -120 means you’d have to bet $120 to make $100 in profit. +120 means that if you bet $100, you’d make $120. Unfortunately with horse racing, things can get confusing fast as they use fractional odds and decimals to announce payouts. And the way it’s done can leave inexperienced horseplayers scratching their heads.
Horse Racing Odds Example
For example, if we use our betting calculator (a great resource for converting a number to a form of odds you understand), a horse that goes off at 5/2 in fractional form might not be +250 in American odds. The horse racing odds could be closer to +275 or even +280. You won’t know until you read the payouts in decimal form, which sites like HPIbet will have listed in the usual $1 form before the race. After the race, the payouts will be listed in the $2 decimal form.
To teach you how to figure this out, we’re going to use an example from Woodbine Racetrack, one of the premier tracks in Canada. We’ll be viewing the results and payouts of The 2024 HPibet Marine Stakes (Glll), where well-regarded jockey Patrick Husbands guided the #5 horse, Essex Serpent, to a hard-fought length and a quarter win. FYI, “The Marine” is a prep race for Canada’s version of the Kentucky Derby, The King’s Plate (formerly called “The Queen’s Plate”).
As you’ll see, the winner went off at 5-1 odds “post time,” which would usually be +500 in American odds. Nevertheless, a quick review of the payouts would make you think the horse went off at 7-1 odds or +700. That’s simply not the case.
As we said before, these are $2 payouts. The first thing you’ll want to do is divide 13.70 by 2. That’ll equal a $6.85 payout. However, there’s still one problem: You have to subtract $1 to see the true “payout in profit,” which would be $5.85. Nevertheless, once you do the math, you’ll realize that you actually made closer to 6-1 odds. We know it’s confusing at first, but after a while, it gets easy.
To make things quick, we suggest looking at the payout first. Make sure it’s shown in the $2 format. Subtract $2.00 from the number and then divide that number by 2. Boom, you have your payout in decimal form. From there, it can easily be converted to American odds by moving the decimal back two spots and throwing a + sign in front of the number.
Horse Racing Betting Strategy & Free Picks
When you’re betting on horses, there’s so much to look out for, and as the days go by, CSB will give you in-depth guides on specific strategies. Until then, we don’t want to leave you hanging. These are the things we look out for when trying to pick a winner.
1. Class Assessment
Horse races in North America are divided into classes. All horses usually start in maiden races. Once they “break their maiden” by winning a race, they’ll either be put into a claiming race for lower caliber horses, an allowance race to see how they stacked up against decent horses, or if the owners are confident, they’ll run the horse in a stakes race where the cream of the crop equine specimens duke it out for the big bucks.
Most of that depends on the horse’s pedigree, the plan the trainer has for the horse, and what the condition books look like at the places the horse’s ownership group wants to race them. If there’s a horse that’s jumping up in class or moving down, there could be good betting opportunities, especially if the trainer is looking to get the horse an easy win so they can qualify for better-paying races. There are also times when a trainer will throw a graded stakes winning horse in an allowance to get a run after a long layoff. Those horses usually get over-bet and very rarely finish well. If you can, try to get to the bottom of why a certain horse is in a specific race.
2. Pedigree
When you’re betting on maiden races specifically, handicapping based on pedigree can be a useful tool when trying to gauge how well a horse will run, especially if it’s the horse’s first-ever race. For example, if the horse’s sire (father) and dam (mother) were both seven-furlong turf specialists, and the horse is racing a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt, odds are that the horse might not have the stamina to finish the race “on the board.” That said, if the horse’s next race is on the turf going seven furlongs, the thoroughbred might be a true win contender.
3. The Connections
When you’re at the track, you might hear the in-house analyst say something like, “I love the connections on this horse.” Essentially, what they mean is they love the horse’s trainer, jockey, and owner combo. Every track, and, by virtue, every circuit has its own top combo. If you’re a fan of the New York circuit, you’ll probably know one of the best “combos” in North America is any horse trained by Chad Brown, ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., and owned by Klaravich Stables.
Regardless of the race or the track, any horse with those names in the program will get “respect in the betting.” If you know what you’re doing, you can find good opportunities to bet against those connections in wide-open stakes races. The “Klaravich Bros” are good but not unbeatable. The same goes for any top combo at any track and/or circuit. As always, keep it locked to CSB for all the latest horse racing odds and betting previews.
Latest Horse Betting Previews
- Oasis Is Reuniting And Most Likely Coming To Toronto, According To Oddsmakers At FanDuel CanadaLast Updated:
- 165th King’s Plate Rescheduled Due To Inclement WeatherLast Updated:
Popular Types of Horse Racing Bets
Okay, if you’re on this horse betting odds page, we wager there’s a chance you’ve been considering betting on horses. We understand that there’s a lot to take in. In this section, we’re going to run you through some of the most popular types of horse racing bets. We’ll admit, for the sake of not overloading you with too much information, we’re going to keep things semi-short. That said, if you want to get deeper into the weeds when it comes to learning how to bet on horses, we have a full pledge guide that you can dive into here.
1. Straight Bets
The first bet type we’ll discuss is “straight bets.” Horse racing straight bets are wagers for a specific outcome that usually involve only betting one horse. The three main bet types include; win, place, and show.
Win Bets
When you make a win bet, you’re wagering on a horse to win the race. That means the horse must finish in first place. If the horse doesn’t finish in the winner’s circle, you lose. Typically, grizzled horse race betting veterans will recommend newbies focus solely on making $2 win bets. Through the process of “denial and error,” new bettors can quite quickly learn what works when looking for winners and what doesn’t, which can help them avoid falling for traps when they start to bet larger sums of money.
For example, betting on a favourite at Fort Erie Racetrack that shipped from Woodbine isn’t always a “for sure” thing, as some analysts might say. You’ll quickly learn that although these horses are the best horses in the race, most trainers are sending them to “The Fort” so they can get a race because there’s nothing in the condition book at Woodbine. We’re not saying the intention isn’t to win, but a lot of trainers will tell the jockeys “not to push the horse.” Heck, a lot of the time a trainer will send a horse to “The Fort” to stretch it out and race it at a longer distance to see how the horse runs against less skilled opponents. This happens especially if a trainer is thinking of pointing that horse towards a specific stakes race where the competition will be stiff. Nevertheless, you’ll never learn those things until you start betting, monitoring your plays, and getting a deeper knowledge of the track and the circuit.
Place Bets
A place bet is essentially you picking a horse to finish in second place or better. If the horse finishes in third place or lower, the bet loses.
When horseplayers want to take a shot on a horse with long odds, they’ll usually do something that’s called a win/place bet. The player is betting that the horse is going to finish in the top two. The hope is that the horse wins the race outright so they can cash both bets. If the horse gets nipped on the wire and finishes in second, and if the odds are long enough, the player can get place bet money and recoup their overall investment. With some luck, they could earn some profit along the way.
Show Bets
A show bet cashes if the horse finishes third or better. In horse racing jargon, someone might say you’re betting that the horse “finishes on the board.” You’ll see a lot of people who go to the races just for the atmosphere of making these bets. It’ll give them something to cheer for (and getting third place can be a lot easier than getting first).
Although regulated sportsbooks in Ontario aren’t allowed to offer fixed odds horse racing bets on any odd race, you’ll see futures pools where you can bet on a horse to win the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks at a fixed price. Those pools will be offered a certain times during the prep season. For each pool, the prices will change as certain horses separate themselves from the pretenders in that year’s three-year-old crop. These futures pools operate similarly to those that you’ll see in other sports like the NHL, NBA, or NFL.
2. Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are single race wagers where you’re picking horses to finish in a certain order. Many players will throw money at exotic bets because they have higher payouts. We will warn you that a lot of people lose their socks trying to make the perfect exotic bets. That’s not to say there aren’t people who make the majority of their winnings off playing the exotics, it’s just the probability of doing such a thing is slim, even if you really know what you’re doing. The one percent of the one percent of horseplayers will encourage newbies to stick to straight wagers. Nevertheless, let’s discuss what types of exotic bets there are available to punters in Canada.
3. Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas, and Superfectas (and Box Bets)
An exacta bet requires you to pick the top two horses in a race in the correct order. There’s a caveat to that, though. You can box horses, meaning that if you think the #1 horse is the most likely winner, but the #8 could give that #1 horse some stiff competition, you can bet the 1 and the 8 to finish in first and the 1 and the 8 to finish second. As long as they finish in the top two, your exacta wins. If they don’t finish in the top two, your bet loses. Also, keep in mind when you start to “box horses,” your wagers will cost more to make. The same rules apply to the other exotic bets we’ll discuss.
For your information, there’s another bet called a quinella that essentially does the same thing by boxing the top two horses, but it’s another pool altogether. A trifecta is a bet where you wager on the top three horses in the race. If you’re picking it “straight” with no horses boxed, you’ll need the horses to finish in the correct order that you picked. A superfecta bet requires you to pick the top four horses in the race in the correct order. We should mention again that the more horses you have to pick correctly, the better the payouts will be.
4. Multi-Race Bets
In the grand scheme of things, multi-race wagers in horse racing are sort of like parlays. What will happen is certain tracks will offer things like $1 pick 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s that start at a certain time on the card.
Horse race bettors will make their selections. Unlike sports betting where you CAN’T pick multiple outcomes in a single event on a parlay, with multi-race bets, you can. That said, the more horses you add for each race, the more your ticket will cost. If you’re betting on bigger pick-6 cards like Gulfstream Park’s renowned “Rainbow Pick 6” pool, just adding a few horses in each race can bring the cost of your multi-race bet into the thousands of dollars range. That said, many will take a stab at the big pick 6 pools because a horse odds bettor could potentially win tens of thousands of dollars, and even hundreds of thousands of dollars if the ticket ends up cashing.
Just at Gulfstream Park alone, the Rainbow Pick 6, when it “has to go,” can reach upwards of $2 million, if not more. After you factor in how much the track gets to pull out of the pot for themselves (takeout), whoever manages to win the darn thing (or comes closest to it) can bring home literal life-changing money.
Make no bones about it: When the “pick 6 must go,” you sure as heck know, the card will be full of wide-open races where any of the horses can win. Meaning that people are more likely to load up their cards, making the pot even bigger.
That said if Gulfstream announcer Peter Aiello belts out his famous phrase, “Who do you like here?” as the horses reach the home stretch in the final leg of the pick 6 and your horse(s) are in the mix, everything slows down. Time stops. Your life flashes before your eyes. In the span of 30 seconds, you either get to experience one of the best feelings of being a horseplayer or one of the worst. When the inevitable loss comes, take it from the people who know best, handle it with grace and avoid punching another hole in the wall.
Ah, the joys of playing the ponies.
Top Online Horse Betting Events in Canada
Alright, we’ve talked a ton about the betting side of things, but let’s talk about the races themselves. There are so, so many good horse races that take place during the year. Not just in Canada, not just in the good ol’ U.S. of A, but around the world. We’re going to highlight some of the top races to look out for below.
As a reminder, events that take place at Woodbine are available to Ontario bettors only, and are only available to bet365 Ontario account holders. bet365 horse racing pari-mutuel betting is provided in association with Woodbine Entertainment Group. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. 19+. Visit http://ConnexOntario.ca for responsible gambling information.
King’s Plate Horse Racing Odds
The King’s Plate takes place at Woodbine Racetrack in the heart of Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the month of August. Billed as the most prestigious race in Canada and the start of the legendary Canadian Triple Crown, the best Canadian-bred three-year-olds of the crop compete to edge their names in the history books. Not to mention winning the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown whilst also capturing their share of the $1 million purse.
The King’s Plate, formerly known as The Queen’s Plate (R.I.P Lizzie), is Canada’s oldest stakes race. Meant to honour the reigning monarch, the majestic stakes race has taken on a legacy of its own. The most famous winner of “The Plate” is none other than Northern Dancer, who had previously won the Kentucky Derby months prior, becoming the first Canadian-bred horse to accomplish a historic feat.
Winners of “The Plate” have many backstories, but the one thing bettors should know is that favourites don’t do the greatest at this particular stakes race. It’s usually a long shot, or at the very least, a horse no one expected to win. Note to the reader: If someone says the favourite can’t lose, that means the favourite CAN lose. As Chuck D would say, “Don’t believe the hype.”
Learn more about King’s Plate betting →
Belmont Stakes Horse Racing Odds
The Belmont Stakes is the final jewel in horse racing’s illustrious Triple Crown. The race takes place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York at some point in June. As “The Belmont” is the final step to capture racing immortality for Triple Crown hopefuls, it has been labelled as the true “test of champions.” Many wannabes have come and failed. Only so few have succeeded. None more strikingly so than the beloved “Big Red,” whose Belmont record we can confidently say will never be broken.
As the race is a mile and a fourth, the longest race in America’s Triple Crown, horses that have pedigrees showing they’re capable of winning longer-distance races have had decent showings at “The Belmont.”
Kentucky Derby Horse Racing Odds
The first Saturday of May has always been marked on every horse racing fan’s calendar. That’s when the best three-year-olds in all of the land head on down to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in arguably the biggest race the sport has to offer, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Some of horse racing’s most celebrated equine legends have captured the roses. Not to mention the hearts and minds of racing fans worldwide. The most talked about being the enigma, horse racing’s last big superstar, Secretariat, also known as “Big Red.”
If there’s anything we can tell folks who tackle the Derby in all its glory, keep an eye out for the horses who did most of their prep races in Florida at Gulfstream. The (Gl) Florida Derby has quickly become one of the key prep races for the KY Derby hopefuls. Horses that have finished on the board in the Florida Derby usually put on a good show in Louisville. The most recent being the winner of the 149th Kentucky Derby, Mage.
Learn more about betting the Kentucky Derby →
Woodbine Mile Horse Racing Odds
The Woodbine Mile takes place at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario usually midway through September. As the race is a part of the “Breeder’s Cup Win and You’re In Challenge,” some of the best turf horses throughout the world flock to the 6ix to strut their stuff.
We find that horses who have a late turn of foot can do really well in this stakes race, especially if they can stay within five or six lengths of the leader throughout the mile.
Breeder’s Cup Classic Horse Racing Odds
The Breeder’s Cup Classic is horse racing’s all-star race, usually taking place in early November of every year. The venue changes from year to year, but don’t be surprised to see the event held in the state of California more often than not.
Something to note: Favourites can win the Breeder’s Cup Classic at a high click, but don’t overlook the other horses in the field. Much like the Kentucky Derby, there’s a lot of money to be made on exotic wagers.
Learn more about Breeder’s Cup betting →
The Travers Stakes Horse Racing Odds
What list of some of the best stakes races in horse racing would be complete without a mention of The Travers Stakes at “The Spa” in Saratoga Springs, New York? Any horse racing nut knows the Saratoga Race Course summer meet is unrivalled. Several owners buy and breed horses specifically to win “The Travers,” which is the highlight of the meet and the racing year in the NYRA circuit (sorry to say Belmont). The race itself takes place at the tail end of August and, as you can imagine, receives a fair bit of fanfare.
Saratoga is known to be the deathbed of champions. Even the greatest of all time, “Big Red,” couldn’t win The Travers. If you like to bet chalk, you better avoid playing The Travers. Even the best horseplayers have a hard time winning at “The Spa.”
How to Bet on Horse Racing in Canada
Alright, we’re almost done. The fact that you’re still here is great. In this final subsection, we’re going to walk you through how to bet on horses in Canada. Without further ado, let’s get the ball rolling.
1. Select a Sportsbook
First things first, you need to find a good sportsbook. Unfortunately, there’s not a huge selection in Ontario, so your choices are limited. That said, some choices are better than none. For the rest of Canada, all your favourites like Sports Interaction, BET99, and TonyBet have horse racing odds.
If you live in Ontario, and already have a bet365 account, for the sake of simplicity, your best move might be to just rock with that. If you’re new and just want to bet races without having every single tool known to man, rock with Dark Horse. If you want the ability to watch races from around the world, have access to the Daily Racing Form, and several other tools, use HPIbet.
2. Understand Horse Betting Markets
Most sportsbooks will organize horse races based on the markets. You’ll usually have your straight bets and the markets in those, exotics, etc. It may seem confusing at first but don’t be scared. Write down on a piece of paper what you want to bet. See what market it corresponds to on your sportsbook of choice, and make sure you get your bet in on time. Most sportsbooks will countdown how many minutes there are until post time. If you’re too slow, you won’t be able to get your bet in for the race.
3. Do Your Research
For the love of all that is good, if you’re going to bet serious money on horse racing, before doing anything rash, please make sure your horse(s) are in an optimal spot to win. If there’s a weird rider change or bad weather that brings a race from being on the turf to a yielding dirt track, odds are your horse that was bred specifically for turf racing is not going to do well. Heck, if you’re at a track where the bettors know their stuff, you’ll see that reflected in the odds. Always, always, always research your bets, even if you don’t want to make the effort.
4. Make Your Horse Bets
Once you’ve figured out what you want to bet, follow the interface on your sportsbook. Make sure to select the right bet and enter the right amount of money you wish to wager. Before hitting confirm, make sure everything is correct. Mistakes can happen. Once the race goes off, there’s no way of correcting an error.
Horse Racing Betting Odds FAQ
There are various types of betting types available to fans of the King of Sports when they look to place a bet. Some of the main bets are simply Win, Place, and Each Way, while there are numerous other more special bets.
For example, in Kentucky Derby betting last year the most popular bet was a To Win bet. The more exotic type of bets are Quiniela, Exacta, Trifecta, First 4, Daily Double and Running Double. These types of bets are slightly more technical, but also worth a punt as a horse-racing fan.
Finding the best odds is about finding value in the stake you place, ensuring you maximize your opportunity to win before placing the bet.
This is achieved by looking across the various sportsbooks and looking at the market bettors want to play on. Shop around, don’t just stick to the first odds you find. Most venues will be pretty similar in what they have to offer, but not identical – there is almost always a relative edge available to the diligent.
In horse race betting the level of the odds are always a great indicator as to how the wager will play out. If the heavily favour one team or individual, it’s highly likely they would win.
Bettors should look for odds levels as close to 100% as possible, this way the bettor will get as much money back for the initial bet placed as possible.
There are lots of good bonuses available year-round, but it’s really down to the sportsbook provider as things change from one to the next.
Online sportsbooks will always try to entice their users during peak race season, so it’s important to take things with perspective when navigating the various sportsbooks.
Major online sportsbooks will offer almost daily promotions during peak season.
There is a long-list of terminology related to horse racing, too long to put here. Though two of the main terms you’ll hear are “length” and “hand”.
A hand measures equal to four inches and is used to measure the height of a horse. The measurement begins at the ground and spans to as high as the shoulder of the animal.
The Length is simply used as a general unit of measurement, which is approximately equal to 8 feet. It’s not a measurement used for one individual horse or a standardized size for racehorses, but a measure used to describe the length between horses. So you’ll often hear commentators discussing the distance between two runners using this term.
There are a number of horse-racing providers that offer live viewing of races for events across the globe. While this isn’t the case for all sportsbooks, it’s something we expect to see more of in the coming years.
Many online sportsbooks are exploring hosting all sports racing events through one package, though this is far from being confirmed. For those that are hungry to see all the races as they happen, there are various sites dedicated to showing the races.
This is a common question among betters, especially with new customers. Though it’s not an easy one to answer. The limits vary so much from one sportsbook to the next, it’s hard to give even a general amount.
The minimum and maximum bets limit from track to track, with differing limits based on the bet type and race type. It’s worth exploring the limits before placing a wager or signing up with a particular sportsbook.
Horse race betting has been legal for many years now, with a huge industry built around the sport on a global scale. There is a multitude of horse race betting sites for customers to choose from; but which is the best? Well, it’s difficult to say, but make to sign up to a recommended horse racing book so as to ensure the bets are legal and legitimate.
Horse racing can be highly profitable like any wager placed if the player is trying to maximize the value of their stake they will be in with a chance of winning big.
It can be profitable for some and others aren’t so lucky. But the outcome of a wager is often down to how well prepared the bettor was beforehand. Exploring the race, horse and rider are all important factors when placing a bet, not to mention the venue, turf, and many more things! The purists will know it all.
As always, playing responsibly is key. Betting can be a nice way to pull in supplemental revenue when a good system mixes with great fortune, but it also lacks guarantees. Set limits on yourself and don’t bet outside of your means.
The best bet in horse racing really depends on the type of race being run, the horses involved and the depth of knowledge of the bettor. It’s important to try to find the most value as possible in the market. For the majority of people, simply following the odds and choosing a Win, Place or Each Way wager are the best options for new customers.
Whereas, an experienced horse race bettor will be able to make a far more cultured bet. For example, an avid horse race fan at the Queens Plate Stakes would be able to wager on a more complex wager, such as a Quiniela, Exacta, Trifecta, First 4, Daily Double and Running Double.
Simply put, this is just another way of speaking to probability. X to 1 means that the scenario is being projected to happen in 1 in every X occurrences. So 25 to 1 would be 1 in every 25 races, 9 to 2 would be twice in every nine scenarios, so on and so forth.
For those looking for the best online horse betting sites, the landscape in Canada is a bit tricky. Horse betting is legal in the same way that sports betting is legal across the country, which for most means going onto your usual books. But there are some differences in certain regions.
Most notable is Ontario, which has a robust third-party market but keeps horse racing off their regulated platforms. That doesn’t mean that here’s no Ontario market for betting horse races online, though – it’s just done seperately. Woodbine operates Dark Horse and HPIbet as options for Ontario bettors.
The key, like most sports betting, is to not go into this thinking that you’re going to make riches. Profit is nice, and there are strategies to put yourself in positions to succeed, but betting should primarily be treated as entertainment with a potential windfall and not something to put large amounts of risk into.
As far as giving yourself the best chance goes, the best thing to do is be attentive. Keep an eye on the status of all the horses in the race, see which books and platforms give boosted odds or odds above expected value. Or, just focus on having fun!
Most racetracks and sportsbooks display odds in a fractional format.
Profitable sports bettors will say any straight bet like win, place, or show.
Show means that the horse must finish in the top three or better. In horse racing lingo, players will call it “finishing on the board.”
