Top Horse Betting – Where to Go
Betting on horses is a lot of fun, yet many people seem to imagine it is a lot more complicated than it really is.
In this guide to online horse betting we debunk this popular myth and explain the different types of horse racing bets with their wacky-sounding names.
We’ll even share some tips to help you make the most out of your experience of horse race betting and give you a list of the top betting sites that allow Canadian players to make real money wagers.
Join many other Canadian players who took the time to learn more about this fascinating sport and cash in their love for horse racing and knowledge about the odds to win lucrative rewards. You can start playing today by creating your free sports betting account at any of our recommended sites.
TOP ONLINE GAMBLING SITES FOR CANADIAN PLAYERS
Horse Betting Explained
When you bet on horse races you have two types of wagers to choose from: straight wagers and exotic wagers. The main difference between them is that straight wagers allow you to pick one horse which you predict will come in first, second or third, while exotic wagers let you make multiple bets on several horses at once.
We’ll explain each bet type in more detail here:
Types of straight wagers
There are the simplest and often the cheapest wagers available:
Straight win – Where you bet that your horse comes first.
Place only – You wager that your horse will either come in first or second place. The odds are better for this type of bet compared to a straight bet, but your payout will be less.
Show bet – You wager that your horse will finish in first, second or third position. Again, the odds for this bet type is better than the previous two, but the payout is comparatively less.
Across the board – This bet type combines all the previous three bets into one. It’s more expensive than the other types, but the profit potential is higher.
Types of exotic wagers
Exotic wagers are harder to win and more expensive than straight wagers, so they generally require more skill by the player.
Exacta – With an exacta bet, you’re betting on two horses to finish in first and second place in an exact order.
Quinella – With this bet you’re wagering on two horses to finish in first and second places in any order.
Trifecta – In this bet type you pick the three horses which will finish in first, second and third position in an exact order.
Horse Betting Tips to Improve Your Experience
Every site featured on this page is the result of hundreds of hours spent reviewing and scoring websites using our rigorous testing protocol.
Horse betting takes the challenge of sports betting to a whole other level because you’re betting on the abilities of an animal and a jockey that’s hanging for dear life! You might assume, correctly, that horse betting involves a fair bit of luck and thrill-seekers gravitate naturally towards it for this reasons.
However, as more experienced horse racing bettors who had their share of wins and losses at the tracks or online will tell you, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your experience, have more fun playing, and increases the likelihood of pocketing a win.
The first thing you should do before wagering a stake on a horse race is setting a budget with limits on how much you’ll spend. This is especially important if you never gambled before, since it’s easy to get giddy with a few early wins and start chasing for bigger payouts by spending more money.
Secondly, we encourage to learn about strategy in horse betting. Did you know, for example, that the top 10 jockeys tend to win 90% of the races at a track meet and that favourite horses, although yielding lower returns, win 33% of the time?
Surprisingly, there are a lot of ways you can use to leverage the mathematics of probabilities to your advantage and swing the odds every so slightly to your favor. There are plenty of resources online that will teach you how to do that.
Horse racing betting has a long tradition. Playing online is a way to participate in this tradition and learning more about it puts you in a better position to become a winner.
How to Find the Best Horse Betting Sports Sites
Finding the best horse betting sports sites is the easiest thing you’ll do today. Why? Because you’ve already found them here!
We know how difficult it is to search and compare betting sites, especially since you have to sign up for a bunch of accounts first and then spend some time playing—and spending your money—before reaching a conclusion.
And what happens if none of the sites you find live up to your expectations? You might not always win money, but every smart gambler demands to at least have fun whether they win or lose!
To help you avoid disappointment we’ve set our expert reviewers loose on dozens of top online sports betting sites in a bid to find the very best.
Every site featured on this page is the result of hundreds of hours spent reviewing and scoring websites using our rigorous testing protocol to ensure they give out fair payouts and that Canadian players can trust them to make real money wagers in C$ and other currencies. Only the sites that score 90% or more are included on this page.
Sign up for a free account today and get a welcome bonus when you make your first real cash deposit. If you have more questions about gambling online in Canada, check out our horse racing betting FAQs below to get started.
Horse Betting FAQ
Where can I find information on races?
You’ll find plenty of information about upcoming horse races in North America and other major competitions around the world by clicking on any our recommended sports betting websites. Go to the horse racing section and you’ll be able to scroll through the odds for upcoming races, including the date and time when they’ll be held. You can find in-depth information including horse racing tips for Canadian players on this guide.
How do the odds work?
Understanding who odds work is an import part of horse racing. Betting odds are usually presented as fractions which give you an idea how confident the bookers are of a certain outcome and how much you could win if you made a wager.
Odds of 2/1 means that there is a 33.3% (one-third) chance of winning. You can convert odds to percentages by adding the two numbers on both sides of the slash (2+1=3), then dividing the number on the right of the slash by the total and multiplying the result by 100%. (1/3=0.333=33.3%).
You can also find out exactly how much money you can win adding by the numbers on both sides of the slash, diving the total by the number on the right, then multiplying the result by the amount wagered. So if you bet $10 at 5/2, then 5+2=7, 7/2=3.5, and 3.5 multiplied by $10 gives you a $35 return, which is $25 in winnings plus your $10 stake.
Can it be profitable?
Yes! Many bettors have won large sums of money betting on horses and made huge profits on their wagers. There are two ways to turn a profit on horse racing: you’re either lucky enough to score a big win once which amounts in the five- to six-figure region, or else by taking a skill-based approach and aim to make small wins over a period of time and earn more money in the long-term than you have spent. Remember that profit is the difference between the money you’ve won and the amount you’ve wagered to make that amount at the races.
How much can be won?
How much you win depends on how much you bet and the odds available on a certain outcome. Most websites provide you with online betting calculators that let you input the amount you want to wager on a race and instantly show you the amount you could win with that bet. In many cases, the amount you could win is also listed on the betting slip.
Is there a limit to the size of bet?
Not necessarily. Different operators set different limits on the amount of money you can bet on a race. We recommend you check out our list of top horse racing betting sites to find out and compare bet size limits.
Is it fixed?
No. Horse racing itself is regulated by various authorities to ensure that all races are fair and not fixed in any way. Horse racing betting and the operators that provide odds on races are also regulated by state and independent entities that license the sites and carry out regular testing and inspections to ensure they conduct business in an honest and transparent manner.
Where can I find a trusted site?
Right here! As horse betting enthusiasts ourselves we know how difficult it is to find a betting website you can trust. You want to make sure before depositing any of your money that the site you’re dealing with is run by reputable and trustworthy people who will respect the outcome of the bet and pay you your winnings in a timely manner. Account security is also a major issue for many bettors who wish to gamble online in a discreet and safe environment.
We’ve saved you a lot of trouble and disappointment by asking our expert Canadian reviewers to test the top sportsbooks that offer horse racing betting online and score them based on these criteria and more. On this guide you’ll find the highest-rated sites for real money horse betting, trusted by millions of Canadian players like you.
Can I watch it live online?
Yes, the major online horse betting sites will provide live streaming services that let you sit back and watch real or virtual horse races as they happen on your desktop or mobile screen.
