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Horse Racing betting sites in Canada cover image

Horse Racing Betting Sites in Canada

We list pros and cons of 9 horse racing betting sites in Canada, include reviews for them, and provide a guide on how to bet on horses.

What you need to know about Horse Racing Betting in Canada

Betting on horse racing is permitted throughout all of Canada’s provinces and territories. Betting sites in Ontario do not offer horse racing odds, so if you are living in Ontario, you can only bet on Dark Horse Bets, or HPI Bet if you want to bet on horse racing.

If you reside in any of Canada’s other provinces or territories (outside of Ontario), you are able to bet online on horse racing, on any of the horse racing betting sites listed below.

If you’re new to betting on horses, we’ve included a section that explains how to bet on horse racing, and we've also included a bunch of horse racing betting terms and definitions that may help you with understanding what the different betting types mean.

Best Horse Racing Betting Sites

Bet365 Horse Racing

For experienced racing bettors
  • Extensive range of horse racing bets
  • Price promise which ensures you get better odds
  • Watch your bets come off in real time with live-streaming
  • You’re able to switch on alerts for race off & more
  • Widest range of races
  • May not be the best for new players
Bet365
Our Pick for Odds and Lines
AGCO licence number: OPIG12324
Play now Go to website

Bet365 operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario.

Website: bet365.comFounded: 2006
Owner: Bet365 Group LtdHeadquarters: Stoke
Bet365 CA Homepage
Bet365 CA Live Betting
Bet365 CA Live Casino

Summary

Author: Alex Goldstein Alex Goldstein

Betway Horse Racing

For beginner racing bettors
  • Specials markets for racing
  • Regular boosts for horse racing
  • Live-streaming for races
  • Helpful statistics provided by “TimeForm”
  • Handy prompts to help beginners
  • Better boosts available on Bet365
Betway
Our Pick for NHL Boosts
AGCO Licence number: OPIG1235075
Play now Go to website
Website: betway.comFounded: 2006
Owner: Betway Group LimitedHeadquarters: Malta
Betway Canada home
Betway Canada live
Betway Canada casino

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Betway is our top sportsbook pick in Canada. The usability, soccer, and esports options stand out most. Betway could improve the odds it offers, and tends to restrict winnings accounts, which should also be improved. Betway received the Ontario license, making it legal in the province, and is also available throughout the rest of Canada as well.

Visit Betway

Read full review

BetVictor Horse Racing

  • Live-streaming offered for horse racing
  • Offers each way bets of up to 5 places
  • Daily horse racing odds boosts
  • Intuitive website and betting app
  • Lacks beginner information
  • Could offer more horse racing markets
BetVictor
Our Pick for NBA Bet Builders
AGCO licence number: OPIG1239051
Play now Go to website

19+ | T+Cs apply | Play responsibly | ConnexOntario.ca | BetVictor operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario

Website: betvictor.comFounded: 1946
Owner: Betvictor LtdHeadquarters: Gibraltar
Betvictor Canada home
Betvictor Canada live betting
Betvictor Canada casino

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

BetVictor is an independent sportsbook and online casino with a long history dating back to 1946. The bookmaker has established an outstanding reputation over the years, and the betting site is now available to Canadians. There is undoubtedly a UK focus on BetVictor, but bettors in Canada can choose from a wide range of markets from sports spanning across the globe.

Read full review

Bwin Horse Racing

  • Offers tips for each race from time form & suggests picks too
  • Each way bets of up to 5 places
  • Shows you how the odds have changed since their release
  • Allows you to sort by odds (favourite) or race card
  • Lacks the range of bets found on Betway
  • Doesn’t offer any tricast bets
Bwin
Our Pick for Live Streaming
AGCO licence number: OPIG1233926
Play now Go to website
Website: bwin.comFounded: 1997
Owner: EntainHeadquarters: Vienna
Bwin home page
Bwin live betting
Bwin Casino

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Bwin is an internationally recognised betting operator that has been in the picture for a long time. Their platform provides plenty of live streaming options, a wide range of bet types, and a strong offering of different sports.

Read full review

888Sport Horse Racing

  • Lists popular bets, which can be helpful for newer players
  • Handy bet finder tool for horses
  • Useful informational prompts
  • Offers races from the UK, France, Japan & more
  • No tricast bets
  • Lacks specials bets for horse racing
888sport
Our Pick for Puck Line Betting
AGCO licence number: OPIG1225636
Play now Go to website
Website: 888sport.comFounded: 2008
Owner: 888 Holdings PLCHeadquarters: Gibraltar
888sport home ca
888sports live ca
888casino ca

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Sports Interaction Horse Racing

  • Bet on odds for the Kentucky Derby well in advance
  • Horse racing bets include straight, exacta & trifecta
  • Includes races from Switzerland and South Africa
  • Includes harness racing and grey hounds
  • Lacks variety of bet types
  • Lacks specials bets for horse racing
Sports Interaction
Our Pick for Novelty Bets
AGCO licence number: OPIG1242525
Play now Go to website
Website: sportsinteraction.comFounded: 1997
Owner: Mohawk Online LimitedHeadquarters: Kahnawake
Sports interaction sports ca
Sports interaction live betting ca
Sports interaction casino ca

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Pinnacle Horse Racing

  • Bet on Kentucky Derby futures
  • Bet on high stakes at the best odds
  • Sorely lacks horse racing options
  • Offers no horse racing aside from the Kentucky Derby
Pinnacle
Our Pick for Pro Bettors
AGCO licence number: OPIG1236075
Play now Go to website
Website: pinnacle.comFounded: 1998
Owner: Pinnacle Sports WorldwideHeadquarters: Curacao
Pinnacle home page
Pinnacle live betting
Pinnacle Casino

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Pinnacle is an online betting site which is, according to them, 'where winners bet'. Sharp punters bet with Pinnacle because they take low margins on their odds, allowing bettors to turn over a better profit over time if they are successful with their wagers. Pinnacle allows for higher limits across all sports and markets.

Read full review

LeoVegas Horse Racing

  • Offers bets for trotting in Sweden & France
  • Bet on win/place for trotting
  • No purebred racing
  • Lacks specials bets for horse racing
LeoVegas
Our Pick for Mobile Betting
AGCO Licence number: OPIG1233813
Play now Go to website

19+. T&C Apply. Please play responsibly. Connexontario.ca 1-866-531-2600

Website: leovegas.comFounded: 2011
Owner: LeoVegas Gaming plcHeadquarters: Stockholm
Leovegas home
Leovegas live bet ca
Leovegas casino ca

Summary

Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Maybe you know the bookie you want to sign up with, but aren't sure how to get started? Or maybe you noticed a couple of phrases in there that you didn't understand?

Click on one of the buttons below to jump to our guides on how to start betting on horse racing, or our section explaining the different terms and definitions that can help you understand the different bets on horse racing.

Below you can find all the best horse racing betting sites available throughout Canada.

Click on the red links to navigate to the given mini review further down this page

Top Horse Racing Betting Sites in Canada

  1. Bet365 - Widest range of horse racing markets
  2. Betway - Unique specials bets for horse racing
  3. 888Sport - Handy horse racing bet finder tool
  4. BetVictor - Easiest option to stream horse races
  5. Bwin - Changes in horse racing odds visible on site
  6. Sports Interaction - Offers forecasts & tricasts for horse racing
  7. Pinnacle - Releases Kentucky Derby odds well in advance
  8. LeoVegas - Win & place bets for harness racing (trotting)
  9. Dark Horse Bets - Smart Picks function for horse racing
  10. HPIbet - Bet on over 500 horse racing tracks

Best horse racing betting sites for each feature

In the sections below, we explain which horse racing betting sites are the best for each of the top horse racing betting features. To us, the most important aspects when it comes to horse racing betting include streaming, range of betting markets, odds, and the range of horse races users have to bet on. We’ve made a pick for each of these features, and explained why we’ve chosen each betting site.

Best for Horse Racing Streaming

BetVictor.

BetVictor offers streaming on all major races, which users can access by placing a $1 bet. The reason we’ve picked BetVictor for streaming over other bookmakers is because they make accessing this feature so easy, and offer it for more races compared to Betway for example.

Bet Victor Horse Racing Betting Odds

Best for Horse Racing Betting Markets

Betway.

Betway offer race specials, which include bets such as versus (head to head), insurebet, top 2 finish, to finish second, and more. Aside from more markets, Betway also offers boosted odds on the favourite, which can’t be said for Bwin for example.

Betway Horse Racing Betting Odds

Best for Horse Racing Odds

Bwin.

We liked Bwin’s odds most because they’re competitive, and, Bwin displays how the odds have fluctuated over time. You’re able to view the at which price points the odds have changed, which can provide some context into the estimated probability of a horse winning.

Bwin Horse Racing Odds

Best for range of horse races to bet on

Bet365.

Bet365 quite simply offers the best range of races in Canada. If you’re a fan of a lot of racing action, and if you’re keen on watching these races in real time, our top pick would be Bet365. Bet365 make races from everywhere in the world available, from the UK to Japan.

Bet365 Horse Racing Betting

Getting started with finding an Online Horse Racing Betting Site

To bet on horse racing online in Canada, you need to be at least 19 years old, and to get the best value, you need to use an offshore bookmaker if you're residing outside of Ontario. If you're residing in Ontario, you're limited to only two options - Dark Horse Bets and HPI Bet.

We’ve listed the best 9 horse racing sportsbooks you can use outside Ontario, and then we've gone on to list the two betting apps you can use for racing in Ontario. Each of the sportsbooks we list have a license, in Ontario and abroad. For those of you that want a quick overview of the top horse racing betting sites in Canada, take a look at the table below.

Top Horse Racing Betting Sites Compared
Odds9/108/108/1010/107/107/10
Markets10/109/107/107/107/106/10
Streaming10/108/1010/10n/an/an/a
Races10/109/108/107/106/107/10
Boosts8/109/109/107/107/106/10
Summary9.4/108.6/108.4/107.8/107.5/106.5/10
Visit Visit Visit Visit Visit Visit

The best horse racing betting sites in Canada

The online racebooks that appear here are those that offer up the best range of options. From them, you can expect extras such as streaming, special bets, boosts, and races from a wide range of destinations from around the world.

The best horse racing betting sites in Canada are Bet365, Betway, BetVictor, and Bwin.

Best Horse Racing Betting Site in 2023

1. Bet365 Horse Racing

#1 Horse Racing Sportsbook

Bet365 is our top pick for horse racing in Canada. The main reasons for this include their extensive range of horse racing bets, which were more than we could find anywhere else. For one, you can bet on a horse not to win, a horse to place or not to place, and you can bet on a race without the favourite. Bet365 also gives you the option to add up to seven places to your each ways bets, with most we’ve seen elsewhere was five.

Another aspect we really enjoyed about racing with Bet365 was the price promise they offered on a handful of bigger race meets, wherein they promise to offer users better odds than all the other sportsbooks with horse racing in Canada (the likes of 888sport, Betway & Sports Interaction). This promise can mean a lot to the bettors out there who are hellbent on betting on the best odds.

Other big pros about horse racing betting with Bet365 include the fact that you can watch the races you’re invested in with their live-streaming offering. All Bet365 requires of you to access live-streaming is to have placed a bet within the last 24 hours, or to have funds in your betting account, as well as to be signed in to your account. The final factor that led the team at MyBettingSites to add Bet365 to the top of their horse racing sportsbook rankings was the fact that users can bet on more races with Bet365 than any other sportsbook. From Mombetsu in Japan to Vaal in South Africa, Bet365 quite literally allow bettors to bet on races from around the globe.

The only thing we didn’t enjoy about Bet365’s racebook is the fact that it wasn’t the best for users new to betting on horses. We felt that there could have been a few more informational prompts, to aid newer users on their journey. If this sounds like you, we’d recommend Betway.


More about Bet365’s racebook

What do each way bets mean on Bet365?

When you place an each-way bet, you’re placing half of your stake on your horse to win the race, and the other half the stake is put on that same horse coming in the top 3 or however many places are being offered.

What makes Bet365’s each way bets special is that they allow you to place each way bets up to 7 places. That means that you’ll still win some of your bet if the horse you picked to win ends up coming in at 7th. Most other horse racing betting sites cut limit each way bets to the horse finish in 5th.

It's important to note that each way bets are offered when a certain number of horses are running in a given race. If there are between 1 and 4 runners, each way bets are not made available. If there are between 5 - 7 horses running, each way bets pay out to the top two positions. If there are more than 8 horses running in a race, each way bets will pay out the top 3 positions. For races involving between 12 and 15 horses, the top 3 positions will be paid out, and if the race has 16 horses running, the top 4 positions will be paid out.

What does it mean for a horse to place on Bet365?

For a horse to place, it means that the horse needs to finish within the top two positions. This is a fairly common bet on most horse racing sportsbooks, but Bet365 also gives you the option to bet on a horse not to place, which most other online racebooks do not offer.

What does it mean to bet without the favourite on Bet365?

Like with any other sport, horse races have their favourites to win a given race, but unlike most other sports, there are far more competitors in an event than just two. To bet without the favourite means that Bet365 removes the horse that is favourite to win, which is ideal if there’s one horse that is a heavy favourite in a given race.

Who should opt for Bet365

✅ Racing bettors looking for the best options in Canada.

✅ Players interested in betting with the best odds.

✅ Players that want to access horse racing live-streaming.

Who should avoid Bet365

❌ Players using an online betting site for horse racing for the first time.

2. Betway Horse Racing

#2 Racing Sportshook in Canada

The next best sportsbook for horse racing for us has to be Betway. Unlike Bet365, we actually felt that Betway was a nice option for beginners, but we’ll go into more detail on that a little later. The first thing we really enjoyed about Betway’s racebook were the special markets that rival (but don’t beat) the markets made available by Bet365. Betway offers head-to-head bets, allowing you to bet on one horse to beat another, which was something that stood out for us at MyBettingSites.

Another thing we liked about Betway were the regular boosts you can find across all the different races on a given day. The one thing we didn’t like was that Betway don’t tell you how much the odds have been boosted, they just present odds. We preferred Bwin for this because they tell you exactly how the odds have changes. Either way, boosts are always a big pro.

Betway also offer up streaming for races, all that is required is that you need to be signed in to your account. Something to note however is that Betway largely offers streaming for races in the UK and Ireland, so if you’re interested in other races, we’d have to suggest opting for Bet365 (covering races from South America to South Africa), or BetVictor (covering races from USA to Japan). The other things we really enjoyed about Betway’s platform included the helpful statistics courtesy of TimeForm, along with the helpful prompts that included explanations of what different bets mean. The way the odds and information is laid out was a big highlight for us.

The only thing about Betway’s racebook that we could critique was the fact that users could find better boosts, (and odds in general) on Bet365.


More about Betway’s racebook

What are head-to-head bets on Betway?

A head to head bet on Betway means you get to bet one horse against another. Similar to sports with two competitors you get odds for one horse to finish the race ahead of another, which can be a simpler way for a bettor new to horse racing to get involved.

What is TimeForm?

TimeForm is an independent racing data company, that provide statistics, tips, and news about different horses and jockeys. The information provided by TimeForm can be exceptionally useful to inform your bets.

What is Betway’s InsureBet?

Insurebet is similar to each way bets, but differs in one key way. With each way bets, your bet is combined, in that you’re essentially betting on your horse to win, or finish in a top three position, but with insure bets, you are insuring your stake in the event that your horse doesn’t win but still finishes in a top 3 position. With each way bets, you win if your horse finishes in the top 3, while with insured bets, you get your stake back if your horse doesn’t win but still finishes in the top 3.

Who should opt for Betway

Players looking for plenty of tips and stats.

Players looking for a wider range of bets.

New players that could benefit from helpful prompts.

Who should avoid Betway

Users can find better boosts available on Bet365.

3. BetVictor Horse Racing

#3 Horse Racing Sportsbook in Canada

BetVictor’s racebook comes in at third for horse racing for us. BetVictor is one of the more underrated bookmakers available in Canada, which extends to their racebook as well. For one, they offer streaming, just like the big boys, and allow you to access streaming if you’ve put down very small bets. It’s for this reason we like BetVictor most for horse racing streaming.

What’s more is that BetVictor offer up some in-house developed virtual racing games, which are perfect for passing the time between race-offs. Some games users can enjoy include Hold Your Horses, Big Horsey Fortune, and Racetrack Riches Megaboard. Another thing we loved about BetVictor’s racebook were the range of daily odds boosts that users can find throughout the catalogue of races. On occasion, we saw odds boosted from +480 to +550, and even from +460 to +550. Pretty impressive if you ask us!

Lastly, we were big fans of BetVictor’s simple and easy to use interfaces. Whether you’re betting on an app or on a desktop website, you’ll have an easy time of navigating between bets, viewing information and eventually placing your bet.

There were two things on BetVictor's platform that we thought could be improved. First, was the lack of beginner information, and second, the lacking horse racing markets compared to Bet365 and Betway. Betway is also a good option if you're looking for more informational prompts and beginner information.


Who should opt for BetVictor

Players that like a simple, straightforward sportsbook.

Players that want to access horse racing live-streaming.

Players that want daily odds boosts for horse racing.

Who should avoid BetVictor

Players look to bet on a wider range of markets than what’s usual.

Players that are totally new to horse racing betting.

4. Bwin Horse Racing

#4 Horse Racing Sportsbok

Bwin may not be the most popular, or well known sportsbook brand across Canada, but what we can say about them, is that they blew our expectations out of the water when it came to the racebook they have to offer. It was much better than we expected it be before reviewing it. The first thing they offer that we’re big fans of were the tips and suggested picks that they offer courtesy of Time Form. You can read about each horse’s performances in their last few races, along with some insights about which kinds of tracks they perform better on, and so on.

The suggested picks can be super handy when you’re looking to make forecast bets. Simply click on the forecast button, and click on the button that says “Select Top Two”, for the suggested picks for a given race card. We thought this was a great way for users newer to horse racing betting to get involved with forecast bets. Another thing we really liked about Bwin’s racebook were the odds that they show on their racebook. You can see how the odds have changed in price overtime, which can help you decide whether a particular bet is the one you still want to take forward.

Bwin also allows you to sort the horses in the race card by odds (from the favourite down) or by how they appear on the race card itself. This might sound simple, but we couldn’t find any other racebooks doing the same thing, and we found it useful, especially if you’re looking to quickly filter by the favourite horse.

There were two issues we experienced on Bwin's racebook. The first was that users don't have the same selection of different bets compared to what is found on Betway and Bet365. The second was that Bwin didn’t offer any tricast bets. Aside from that, we were very happy with what Bwin had to offer.


Ben Smith

Ben Smith

My Betting Sites Betting Expert

Ben, what is a tricast bet?

Similar to forecast bets, tricast bets require you to correctly choose the horses that you expect to finish in the top 3 positions, where forecast bets require choosing the horses you expect to finish in the top two positions. These are quite common across different racebooks.

Who should opt for Bwin racebook

✅ Players that would find suggested bets helpful.

✅ Players interested to see how odds have changed over time.

✅ Players that rely on tips from racebooks.

Who should avoid Bwin

❌ Players who like a wide range of diverse bets.

❌ Players that want to place tricast bets.

Horse Racing Betting Sites with Solid Options

The next racebook reviews that appear here are options that didn’t quite crack the top list, but still offer up some solid options, and are perfect for you if you already have accounts with some racebooks already listed.

888Sport, and Sports Interaction have solid options, albeit somewhat limited when compared to the other online racebooks appearing on our list.

5. 888Sport Horse Racing

#5 Horse Racing Sportsbook in Canada

If you don’t already have an 888sport account, then we can highly recommend signing up, as this fresh sportsbook provides plenty to keep users happy. With regard to their racebook, we really enjoyed the fact that they listed trending and popular bets as you arrive at the horse racing page of their site. This forms part of their bet feed feature, which allows users to see the latest trending bets, and is filtered once you go to a sports specific page.

We also really enjoyed their handy bet finder tool, which is perfect for testing out a bet type if you don’t know the horses in a given race, or don’t know much about horse racing. 888Sport’s useful prompts and information again solidify it as a great option for newer users still learning the game of betting on the ponies.

The last factor we really enjoyed about 888sport were the range of races they offer to users. Users can bet on races from the UK, France, Japan, South Africa, and of course, the UK and Ireland. This is far better than what Pinnacle, for example, has to offer, as the only race they offer odds for is the Kentucky Derby.

Where 888sport could improve include their lack of tricast bets, which, if you’re determined to bet on tricasts, we’d have to recommend Bet365. The other aspect about 888sport’s racebook that was less than impressive were the lacking specials bets for horse racing. If you’re interested in viewing, and betting on markets that are a little unique, we’d have to recommend Betway.


Who should opt for 888sport’s racebook

✅ Players that want to be informed about trending bets.

✅ Players that are new to horse racing bets and need informational prompts.

✅ Players that know the bet they want to make, but aren’t sure about the horse or race.

Who should avoid 888sport

Players looking for a wider variety of bets.

Players looking to place tricast bets.

6. Sports Interaction Horse Racing

#6 Horse Racing Sportsbook in Canada

Canada’s very own Sports Interaction is the next entry into our list, and while they may not offer up something that's competitive with the likes of Bet365 or Betway, their racebook is a solid option, and will keep newer racing bettors happiest most of all. The first thing we enjoyed about their platform was the fact that they offer up odds for the Kentucky Derby well in advance, which was something we only saw Pinnacle also do.

We also liked to see that the horse racing bets included straight bets, exactas and trifectas. You can learn more about these different bet types below. Why this was a highlight for us was because racebooks like 888sport and Bwin do not frequently offer tricast bets when we reviewed them. Sports Interaction also offers up some races from unique parts of the world, such as South Africa and even Switzerland. While offering races in South Africa is somewhat common, offering up races from Switzerland is less common.

Finally, Sports Interaction also offers odds for greyhounds and harness racing (known also as trotting), meaning that you get a full racing catalogue, something that the likes of LeoVegas can’t boast.

Issues with Sports Interaction include the lack of variety when it comes to the bets they have to offer. For example, you can’t access head-to-head bets, or bets without the favourite, like you can on Bet365. We were also disappointed to see the lack of specials bets on the site. For example, we would have liked to have seen something similar to Betway’s insurebet, for example.


More about SIA’s racebook

What are straight bets?

Straight bets are the simplest form of horse racing bet, and involve simply betting on one horse to win the race. For us, this is one of the best ways users can begin betting on horse racing.

What are forecast bets?

Forecast bets involve choosing two horses to finish in the top two positions in a given race. The two horses need to finish in the places you have selected for them for you win the bet.

What are trifecta bets?

Trifecta bets simply take things a step further, requiring the user to bet on three horses to finish first second and third, and the bettor only wins their bet if the horses they have selected finish in the exact order.

Who should opt for SIA’s racebook?

✅ Players looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby.

✅ Players looking to bet on harness racing and greyhounds.

✅ Players looking for bets from races around the world.

Who should avoid SIA

❌ Players looking for advances horse racing markets.

❌ Players looking for betting on horses through a betting app.

Horse Racing Betting Sites that could Improve

The sportsbooks that are appearing below are those we’d recommend steering clear of if you’re looking for something purely horse racing focussed. The books below are all round great betting sites, but leave much to be desired when it comes to horse racing, in some cases only offering odds for the Kentucky Derby, or only offering odds for harness racing (also known as trotting).

We’ve added them on this page so to give you a quick heads up about them. visit the best horse racing betting sites section to take a look at a book that’s actually worth choosing.

The horse racing betting sites we recommend steering clear of are LeoVegas and Pinnacle.

7. Pinnacle Horse Racing

#7 Horse Racing Sportsbook in Canada

Pinnacle’s usually extensive platform leaves plenty to be desired when it comes to horse racing. What Pinnacle does do right, is that it releases odds for Kentucky Derby futures well in advance. The only other positive thing we can comment on about Pinnacle’s racebook is the fact that when you do have access to racing markets, you get to bet on the best odds with the highest stakes. For the most part, Pinnacle is a really nice book for more experienced players, but the same does not apply for more experienced racing bettors.

If we were to start delving into the negative aspects of Pinnacle as a horse racing sportsbook, we’d have to begin with the fact that it is sorely lacking a more extensive range of racing options. On Betway, you have races ranging from South Africa to Japan. On SIA, you can make selection on horses racing in Switzerland and beyond, so of course, we were very disappointed that Pinnacle only offered futures bets for the Kentucky Derby.

If we’re being honest, we can’t recommend Pinnacle particularly highly to horse racing bettors.


8. LeoVegas Horse Racing

#8 Horse Racing Sportsbook

LeoVegas is another sportsbook we recommend steering clear of when choosing a sportsbook for horse racing in particular. The Swedish owned and operated casino giant does little to hide it’s more Scandinavian roots, with it only offering harness racing (or trotting, which is massive in Sweden). We were again pretty disappointed to see that the operator offered nothing in the form of thoroughbred racing, no Kentucky derby, no UK races, nada.

If you’re interested in giving trotting a go, then LeoVegas can be decent, as they offer races from France and Sweden, and you’re able to make some more straightforward win and place bets on the sport.

As we mentioned however, we were sad to see no regular racing, as well as the lack of any kind of special bets for regular horse races.


Horse racing betting sites in Ontario

As was mentioned earlier on this page, users in Ontario only have access to two different horse racing betting apps, both operated by Woodbine entertainment, the company that also owns the famous woodbine racetrack that hosts the King’s Plate.

These two sportsbook apps are racing focussed, so if you’re an Ontario resident looking to bet on other sports, we’d recommend using the likes of Bet365 or Betway, alongside Dark Horse Bets and HPI Bet.

10. Dark Horse Bets

✅ SmartPicks Predictions

✅ Live Odds & Race Stats

✅ Personal stats provided

❌ Racebook app only

❌ No sports to bet on

Dark Horse Bets appears to be the best online racebook app for users that are maybe a bit more comfortable placing bets, but have not yet begun to bet on horses. Dark Horse Bets provides users with easy access to race stats, live odds, and win percentages, while also providing their smart picks feature, which allows exclusive expert recommendations.

Dark Horse Bets is perfect for the Ontario local looking to get into horse racing betting.

Dark Horse Bets Racing

11. HPIBet

✅ Easy & secure online racebook app

✅ Bet on over 500 tracks across the world

✅ Legal across all of Canada

❌ Racebook app only

❌ No sports to bet on

HPI Bet is our pick for the more seasoned racing bettors out there. Racing bettors that may have placed their bets at the track would probably be best suited to using HPIBet. Users are promised an easy to use, and secure racebook, that offers streaming, 500 racetracks from around the world, as well as different horse racing options such as exactas, trifectas, and superfectas, along with pick 6 bets.

For those of you out there that know your way around a horse racing bet, and are keen to join an exclusive club, HPI Bet is the way to go!

HPI Bet horse racing

Horse Racing Betting Guide

In the remaining sections, we give you a guide on how to get started with horse racing betting, and we further list some terms and definitions are often used in by betting sites in their horse racing sections.

Finally, we end off with some insights from Ben Smith, our resident betting expert, who’s been betting on horses for years.

How to bet on Horse Racing

1

Create an account & log in

The first step in starting to bet on horses is pretty simple. If you don’t have an account with a horse racing sportsbook, you’ll need to create one, by picking a horse racing betting site, and creating an account with them. The process usually takes around a minute, and is pretty straightforward.

If you have an account already, all you’ll need to do is make sure that you’re logged in.

2

Click on the horse racing tab & select a race

If you’re using Dark Horse Bets or HPI Bet, then this step may not necessarily apply to you, as they are solely racebooks (all the horse racing options will appear from the homepage).

If you’re outside Ontario, and using another sportsbook, you’ll need to click on the horse racing tab. This will typically be found on the left sidebar if you’re on desktop, and within the all sports tab on mobile.

3

Read some tips and information

The beauty with sportsbooks like Betway and Bwin, is that they offer up horse racing analysis and tips from a company called timeform, which is a leader in providing information to do with horse racing.

Before randomly choosing a horse because you like it’s name or the colour the jockey will be wearing, go ahead and read some of the information that is provided.

4

Choose a bet and make your selections

Once you’ve been updated on all there is to know about an upcoming race, as well as the horses and the jockeys, you’ll be in a position to place a bet. This step largely depends on what kind of bet you’re going to making.

If you’re placing a straight bet (on a single horse), simply select the horse, and move on, otherwise, select a handful of horses, and move on to the next step in the process.

5

Enter your stake & confirm your bet

Once you’ve made your selections, they will automatically be loaded up into your bet slip. From there, you will need to enter your stake, which is the amount of money you’re prepared to put on the horses.

Your winnings are determined by your stake multiplied by the odds of your selected horses winning the race, or accomplishing the task they need to accomplish. Once you’ve entered your stake, all that’s left is to click on “Confirm bet”!

Horse Racing Betting Terms & Definitions

Straight

Straight bets are, in our opinion, the best way for users to get into betting on horses. Simply choose one horse to bet on, and if they manage to do what you selected them to do, you win your bet. The three types of bets below are the most common forms of straight bets.

Win - Bet on the horse to win the race, and if it does, you win your bet.

Place - Bet on one horse to come first or second. If they do, you win your bet.

Show - Bet on one horse to finish within the top three positions. If they do, you win your bet.

Forecast/exacta

With forecast (also known as exacta) bets, you’re betting on two horses to come first and second. The two horses need to finish in the places that you’ve selected for you to win your bet.

Tricast/Trifecta

Tricast bets are similar to forecast bets, in that you again need to correctly select the order in which the horses are going to be finishing the race. Different to forecast bets, trifectas involve selecting three horses, and those horses need to finish the race in order of how you selected them for you to win your bet.

Each Way Bets

Each way bets can be found available on other sports, but with horse racing they involve placing a bet on a horse with half of your stake being placed evenly across your horse winning, and the other half on the horse finishing 2nd, 3rd or 4th. Each way bets are a great way to solidify a level of bet security when it comes to horse racing.

Head to Head/Versus Bets

Head to head, or versus bets are one of our favourite ways to encourage newer users to see if horse racing betting is enjoyable for them. Instead of having to decide between a range of different options, head-to-head bets involve deciding who will cross the finish line first between just two horses.

Head-to-head bets mean that you don’t need to do research into all the horses that are running, and they can become pretty thrilling.

Starting Price (SP)

Starting price is the name given to the odds that represent the likelihood of the horse to win the race at the start of the race.

More about betting on horse racing

The most straightforward type of bet on any horse race is a straight win. When you go to the horse racing section of any betting site and see races listed, the odds next to each horse will be for them to win the race, unless specified otherwise.

Punters can choose to place a bet on a horse to win the race at the fixed odds offered at the time of the bet. Prices do tend to change regularly in the minutes and hours leading up to a race, and bettors can instead choose to bet on a horse at the starting price, meaning the bet can be placed in advance but the odds taken will be whatever that horse’s odds are at the time the race starts.

Fixed odds vs starting price
Ben Smith

Ben Smith

Let's say there is a race meeting at Wolverhampton in the UK, and the 1:25pm race has a horse named Red Gunner as the favourite at +275 (3.75).

The race starts in 20 minutes, and you place a $10 bet on Red Gunner now at its current price of +275.

In the minutes leading up to the race, a lot of money is placed on another horse, called Greengage, which was priced at +800 but is backed into +500 (6.00).

As a result of the betting activity just before the race, Red Gunner drifts out to +400 (5.00).

Red Gunner wins the race, and your $10 bet wins you $37.50 including your returned stake.

If you had placed a $10 bet on Red Gunner but chosen to back it at the starting price, you would have instead collected $50.

Of course, it can also work the other way. Red Gunner could have been backed into +175 (2.75) right before the race, meaning your winnings would have been lower than what you did end up winning.

Taking the starting price is taking a gamble on how the odds will change before a race, which could end up either increasing or decreasing your winnings.

It might be worth studying the odds for a few races for 10 minutes before they all start to get a feeling for how odds move, and how you can best use it to your advantage.

Also note that on some races, fixed odds may not be available.

In a safer option, bettors can pick a horse to place only, which is a bet on the horse to finish either first or second. There are no extra rewards for finishing first, and the payout is less than a straight win, but the chances of success are greater.

An even safer bet is a show bet, which is like a place bet but instead of the horse having to finish in the top two, it only has to end up in the top three. Payouts can be low, but because of the increased chance of winning the bet, punters often stake more money on these wagers.

While place and show bets allow horse racing punters an opportunity to play it safer and increase chances of winning, there are various other more audacious bet types that are much more difficult to win.

A quinella is a bet on two horses to make up the top two in a race. They can finish in either order but must come in first and second.

More difficult than a quinella but similar is an exacta. Again, two horses in any given race are selected, but in this instance, the winner, and runner-up must be specified in exact order.

To take it further, a trifecta bet is the same as an exacta but with a third-place horse added, and a superfecta, which is extremely difficult to win, adds a fourth horse.

European betting sites may refer to exactas and trifectas as forecasts and tricasts respectively.

Different types of parlay bets can also be placed on horse racing. For example, a daily double lets punters pick winners in back to back races, and both must win in order to receive the potentially high payout.

There is also the option of a pick 3, pick 4 or pick 6, but these wagers are very tough and the latter is borderline impossible. Combining bets on multiple races into one wager can also be simply referred to as a parlay.

Find the Best Horse Racing Odds

Odds fluctuate all the time in horse racing, particularly as each race draws nearer. With so much betting activity, it is inevitable that prices will change.

It is basic supply and demand. If a horse is being backed heavily at a certain price, the odds will be reduced. If nobody is backing one horse but there are many bets on all the others, that one horse’s odds will go up as the bookie wants people to back it.

While some sportsbooks just have better odds in general across the board, when you compare a number of bookmakers in an attempt to find the best prices on a certain race, it is often the case that one bookie will have the highest odds on one horse, and another will have the best price on a different horse, and so forth.

It is difficult to narrow it down to just one betting site for all horse racing - you need to have options.

You should have a few accounts with different sportsbooks, and pick and choose when you use each one based on their odds for particular horses that you want to back.

If you are looking to put together a pick 4 or a parlay of some kind, you should add the same bets to your bet slip on each horse racing betting site, and see which would give you the highest payout.

All the bookmakers listed on this page have competitively priced horse racing odds, but they do differ in terms of variety and what type of bets they offer, so be sure that they have the markets and odds you are looking for before signing up.

Horse Racing Betting Sites Conclusion

As you can tell by now, there are a number of horse racing betting sites you can choose from in Canada. If you’re from Ontario, your choices are a little more limited, however if you’re from one of Canada’s other provinces, then you have up to eleven other horse racing betting sites to choose from.

While horse racing betting has traditionally been done at a track, online betting sites mean that you don’t need to make your way out to the tracks if you want to bet on local races.

Online racebooks also give you the option that racetracks can’t, as online, you get to bet on races from across the world, use nifty features, and access tips and stats right in front of your eyes.

While we’ve been through a lot already, here’s a run down of the best horse racing betting sites in Canada based on what you may be looking for.

Horse Racing Betting Sites Summarized

I want a betting site to bet on the Kentucky Derby” - Sports Interaction.

I want to bet regularly on different races throughout the world” - Bet365.

I want to start horse racing betting” - Betway.

I bet on other sports, but want to try horse racing” - Betway.

I want to access the best horse racing betting features” - 888sport.

Horse Racing Betting Sites FAQs

What are the best horse betting sites?

According to the experts at MyBettingSites, the best horse racing betting sites in Canada are Bet365, Betway, BetVictor, Bwin, 888Sport, Sports Interaction, Pinnacle, LeoVegas, Royal Panda, Dark Horse Bets and HPIBet.

Can you bet on horses online in Canada?

Yes, you can bet on horse racing on any betting site accepting Canadian players outside of Ontario, and in Ontario, you can bet on horses through Dark Horse Bets and HPIBet.

How do you bet on horse racing in Ontario?

To bet on horse racing in Ontario, you’ll need to create an account with either Dark Horse Bets, or HPI bet, log into that account, and then choose a race, select a horse, choose your bet, and then select a stake and confirm your bet.

Where can I bet on horse racing in Canada?

If you’re from Ontario, you’ll be able to bet on horse racing on HPIbet and Dark Horse Bets.

If however, you’re from another one of Canada’s provinces or territories, you can use one of the following horse racing betting sites:

Best horse racing betting sites in Canada:

  1. Bet365
  2. Betway
  3. BetVictor
  4. Bwin
  5. 888Sport
  6. Sports Interaction
  7. Pinnacle
  8. LeoVegas
  9. Royal Panda

What is the safest bet in horse racing?

The safest bet available on Canadian horse racing betting sites is the each way bet. You can place one bet, and if your horse finishes in the top 4, you will win some money.

What is the best horse bet for beginners?

We like head to head, or versus bets, as you don’t need to painstakingly do research into every single horse running a race. All you’ll need is to bet on whether one horse will finish ahead of another.

What bet wins the most in horse racing?

If you make a winning Pick 6 bet, that is most likely the bet that can yield the most profits. For this type of bet, you need to pick six different horse to win six different races. The odds are usually stacked against you if you make this bet, and the chances of winning are slim, but you never know!

Is horse racing betting legal in Canada?

Horse racing is legal on Dark Horse Bets and HPI Bet in Ontario, and horse racing betting remains unregulated in the rest of Canada’s provinces and territories. This does not mean that horse racing is illegal however, simply that there is no governing body regulating the activity. If you’re in one of Canada’s provinces or territories outside of Ontario, you can bet on horses without the worry of doing anything wrong from a legal perspective.