2024 States With Legal Horse Betting

Yes, betting on horses online is a completely safe option when it comes to pari-mutuel wagering. You just have to make sure that you are using a reputable racebook before joining. There certain domestic websites such as TVG and Twin Spires to do the trick, but online offshore racebooks like MyBookie and Bovada are also safe and reliable options as well. 

Yes, you can bet on horses and races happening in any state. Most states with legal horse betting also offer simulcast wagering with different tracks around the nation. Offshore racebooks offer the most horse betting options. With these, you can bet on races taking place in the US, the UK, and any other country. Online racebooks like Bovada give you access to all things horse betting from anywhere in the US.

Online racebooks have the same wager types that you would find at your local track. You can choose from Win, Place, or Show bets if you want to place straight wagers. Some of the exotic horse bets available include exactas, trifectas, superfectas, daily doubles, pick 3s, pick 6s, and much more. With such a variety, you’ll usually find more wager types per race online than on-site. That said, the odds are also formulated from a different pool than the ones at your local track, which means that the odds online will often be different for each horse compared to their published odds at their actual racetracks. Otherwise, the odds work exactly the same way, based on the pari-mutuel system (though house-banked odds types are also available at offshore racebooks).

You can have multiple online racebook accounts across different horse racing betting sites. You may find that one racebook has a wider variety of tracks, better bonuses, or higher rebates. In fact, we – along with other pro handicappers – recommend utilizing more than one account for shopping lines. Proper bankroll management is key when switching between online racebooks. That said, having more than one account at the same site is not permitted under any circumstances, and attempting to do this will result in permanent account suspension and full funds confiscation.

State regulated race books will not always offer mobile betting. However, there are mobile betting sites accepting horse wagers from all US players. There are no states that have outright banned mobile horse betting, after all. Along with your smartphone, racebooks take wagers from tablets as well. Android and Apple users can all engage in legal horse race betting from their mobile devices. Keep in mind that not every racebook will have an app. For example, Bovada is only accessible from the browser on your preferred device.

The chance of you getting in trouble for betting on horses is slim to none in all US states. This includes states that have not yet legalized horse race betting at the state level. As long as your offshore racebook has a license you are free to bet on the ponies. There are not any recorded arrests of players betting on horses in any state. However, we still recommend following local laws in your area.

Local horse betting tracks do not offer any big promotions because of how they operate. This does not mean you will never find any promos at your local track. But, you will not find any large deposit bonuses that Bovada and other online racebooks offer. Local tracks almost exclusively offer pari-mutuel betting. Whereas offshore books offer you the chance to bet against the house. With these sites, the house can offer deposit bonuses or rebates. With their current legal structure, land based horse tracks are not able to offer these types of bonuses. You can still be thoroughly entertained and win big at an on site race track. For bettors wanting the biggest promos, head over to Bovada or other mobile racebooks.

Triple Crown races are the most popular and well known in the world of legal horse betting. You can wager on any of the three races up to six months in advance at Bovada. Additionally, you can wager on a horse winning the Tripple Crown. Online racebooks also take wagers on smaller events. You should be able to find odds on any local race or race outside of the US like the Bahrain International.

Many online racebooks are safe to use, although there are occasionally bad actors within their number. Some online racebooks are sketchier than others, with long times taken to provide the funds you earned on the sportsbook. However, there are a bevy of well regarded online racebooks, and those are the ones we recommend. You can check out our recommendations on this page. Just be sure to read reviews before signing up for a site.