Horse racing betting sites

Back a winner with the best horse racing bookmakers in the UK – top odds, standout offers, and trusted sites for 2025

Looking for the top horse racing betting sites in the UK?

We’ve compared the leading platforms to bring you the best odds, features, and offers all in one place.

Horse Racing Betting Sites Pros & Cons

18+ | begambleaware | Please Gamble Responsibly | Commercial Content | T&Cs Apply

BetUK

  • Slick mobile-friendly UX
  • Racing live streaming available
  • Good sign up offer
  • Not great on desktop
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £30
Claim Go to BetUK

New cust only. Opt-in required. Deposit & place a bet within 7 days and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater to be credited with 3 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 football. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org.

Website: www.betuk.comEstablished: 2018
Owner: LeoVegas Gaming PLCHeadquarters: Malta
Summary
Author: Ryan Ryan

BetUK might just be the best new(ish) betting site on the market. The sign up offer is generous and you can take advantage of great existing customer offers (like the Bet UK Acca Club, for example) once you're in, too.

BetUK sign up offer (how to claim)
BetUK promotions
BetUK football
BetUK horse racing
BetUK app
BetUK payment methods
BetUK support
BetUK casino

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Kwiff

  • Supercharged odds boosts
  • Great dedicated mobile apps
  • Slick, modern UX
  • Limited payment options
  • No live streaming
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get a £30 Surprise Bet
Claim Go to Kwiff

New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying bet of £10 at min. odds 1.50 within 5 days of registration, E/W excluded. Offer awarded within 48 hours of bet being settled. Additional T&Cs apply.

Website: www.kwiff.comEstablished: 2015
Owner: Eaton Gate Gaming LimitedHeadquarters: London
Summary
Author: Ryan Ryan

Despite being a relative newcomer, Kwiff is already quite a recognisable brand in the UK market thanks to several quirky advertising campaigns over recent years. Kwiff offers some of the biggest odds boosts you can find anywhere and it’s comprehensive coverage of sports markets means there’s something for everyone here.

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Tote

  • Huge new player offer
  • Best site for Tote Pool Betting
  • Tote Guarantee on UK and Irish racing
  • Lack of promotions
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £40
Claim Go to Tote

New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. Full T&Cs apply.

Website: tote.co.ukEstablished: 1928
Owner: UK Tote GroupHeadquarters: Wigan, UK
Summary
Author: Nick Albert Nick Albert

The Tote website was launched in 2020 but as a company, The Tote has existed since 1928 and is a highy recognised gambling company within horse racing. The Tote is known for pools betting which works differently to other UK bookmakers in that everyone's bets are pooled together in a common pool with customers paid dividends based on the amount they invested. As the only major pools operator in the UK & Ireland, The Tote has a unique place within UK gambling with a Tote betting account a must for horse racing aficionados.

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Bet365

  • Great value welcome bonus
  • Racing live streaming available
  • Bet boosts
  • Not the best looking product
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £30
Claim Go to Bet365

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

Website: bet365.comEstablished: 2001
Owner: Hillside (New Media) LtdHeadquarters: Stoke-on-Trent
Summary
Author: Lewis Parker Lewis Parker

Bet365 is the most popular betting site in the world, and there are good reasons for it. The selection of odds, combined with a great in-play betting and other promotional features makes Bet365 online sports betting very hard to beat.

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Boylesports

  • Daily specials
  • BOG from day before
  • Live streaming
  • Some promos are shop only
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £20
+ £10 Casino bonus
Claim Go to BoyleSports

New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £30 in FREE Bets (FB) as £20 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. T&Cs Apply

Website: www.boylesports.comEstablished: 1982
Owner: BoyleSportsHeadquarters: Dundalk (Ireland)
Boyle Sports Homepage Mobile
Boyle Sports In Play Mobile
Boyle Sports Casino Mobile
Summary
Author: Ryan Ryan

BoyleSports is a well-recognised brand for British punters, with over 340 betting shops throughout the UK and Ireland and a long history of big-value sponsorships across a range of sports. Live streaming on horse racing, football and more is one feature that marks BoyleSports out as a truly high-quality online operator.

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Betway

  • Racing live streaming available
  • Racing daily boosts
  • Free bet club
  • Not the biggest sign up offer
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
£30 Matched Free Bet
+ 100 Free Spins
Claim Go to Betway

*New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on Gold Blitz (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Bet the Responsible Way. Full terms apply.

Website: betway.comEstablished: 2006
Owner: BetwayHeadquarters: Malta
Summary

Betway has long been one of the most prominent UK online betting sites, and a great choice for many players worldwide. Among its biggest pros are a great supply of odds, user-friendly interface and a first-class esports offering.

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Betfred

  • Huge sign up bonus
  • Great betfinder tool
  • Live streaming
  • Not the most modern design
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £50
Claim Go to Betfred

New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.

Website: betfred.comEstablished: 1967
Owner: BetfredHeadquarters: Warrington
Summary
Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Pretty much every bettor in the UK has heard of Betfred. The Warrington-based bookie has been around since the 1960s and still has a presence on the high street while also operating an online betting site. The company is heavily involved in sponsoring lots of sporting events in the UK and around the world, and their global presence continues to grow.

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BetVictor

  • Racing live streaming available
  • Bet boosts
  • Daily racing specials
  • A bit difficult to navigate
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £40
Claim Go to BetVictor

18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10  on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds within 10 days of registration. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly.

Website: betvictor.comEstablished: 1946
Owner: BV Gaming LimitedHeadquarters: Gibraltar
Summary
Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

BetVictor has been around since 1946 and has stood the test of time as the industry has shifted towards online gambling. The BetVictor betting site has a unique and classy design and offers the UK punter plenty of valuable features such as bet builders on football and NBA, plus the horse racing Betfinder.

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Betfair

  • Exchange is amazing for racing
  • Odds boosts on the sportsbook
  • Racing live streaming available
  • High commission on big exchange winners
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £50
Claim Go to Betfair

Place a min £10 bet on Sportsbook on odds of min EVS (2.0), get £50 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or multiples to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via cards or Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.

Website: www.betfair.comEstablished: 2000
Owner: Flutter EntertainmentHeadquarters: London, UK/Dublin, Ireland
Summary

Betfair is a proper quality online betting site. It's a go-to for many UK punters largely because of the options available when you've got a sportsbook and an exchange all under one roof (not to mention the plentiful live streaming, great cash out function plus regular promos and offers). Betfair was one of the first accounts I opened as a beginner and it's still the main account I use for my betting now that I'm at a more advanced level.

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Ladbrokes

  • Racing live streaming available
  • Build your own racecard feature
  • Extra places offers
  • No free-to-play racing product
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £5 Get £25
Claim Go to Ladbrokes

18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 5x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.

Website: ladbrokes.comEstablished: 1886
Owner: EntainHeadquarters: London
Summary
Author: Nick Albert Nick Albert

Punters can grab good value prices at Ladbrokes with boosted odds available across a range of markets. There are plenty of promotions for new and existing customers - including a free bets sign up offer that requires an initial deposit of just £5.

Ladbrokes sign up offer (how to claim)
Ladbrokes promotions
Ladbrokes football
Ladbrokes horse racing
Ladbrokes app
Ladbrokes payment methods
Ladbrokes casino

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Coral

  • Racing live streaming available
  • Free-to-play Racing Super Series
  • Build your own racecard feature
  • App can be a little tricky to navigate
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £5 Get £20
Claim Go to Coral

18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.

Website: sports.coral.co.ukEstablished: 1926
Owner: Ladbrokes Coral Group plcHeadquarters: London
Summary
Author: Nick Albert Nick Albert

Coral has been around for almost a century and it has deservedly maintained its place towards the top of the UK betting industry. For British sports fans, the Coral site has everything you could want. The football and horse racing sections are both filled with lots of markets and offers, and the live streaming catalogue is one of the best around.

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Spreadex

  • Racing live streaming available
  • Best spread betting site
  • Good mobile app
  • No PayPal deposits
  • Few offers
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £60
Claim Go to Spreadex

Bet £10, Get £60 in Free Bets: Available to new customers only, aged 18 or over, residing in Great Britain and Republic of Ireland. The promotion will run from 11th March 2025 until discontinued by Spreadex Ltd. using its reasonable discretion, ("Promotion Period"). Offer can only be used once per customer. For full details of the offer, see 'How To Claim Bet £10 Get £60" below. These terms and conditions are to be read with our General Terms And Conditions, listed further below.

Website: spreadex.comEstablished: 1999
Owner: Spreadex LtdHeadquarters: St Albans, UK
Summary
Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

Spreadex is a betting and trading site that allows users to bet on sports as well as buying and selling financial assets. Spreadex differs from other online sportsbooks in that it offers spread betting as well as standard fixed odds. There is also a Spreadex Casino which features a wide range of games.

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William Hill

  • Plenty of enhanced odds offers
  • Naps table is very useful
  • Top price guarantee from 09.00 day before race
  • More payment methods would be nice
Welcome Offer
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £30
Claim Go to William Hill

18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 13.04.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook. Further terms apply.

Website: williamhill.comEstablished: 1934
Owner: William Hill plcHeadquarters: London
Summary
Author: Ben Smith Ben Smith

William Hill is a British bookmaker that is based in London but in recent years has begun to expand worldwide. The company was founded in 1934 and has been at the forefront of sports betting ever since. Around 14,000 people are employed by William Hill, whose main offices are in the UK, Ireland, and Gibraltar.

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Horse Racing Betting Sites: Top 3

BetUK 🥇

Screenshots of Bet UK horse racing race card and ante post markets on android smartphones

If you like placing your racing bets on mobile, you can't do much better than BetUK.

This is a bookie that places on-the-go punters front and centre - the UX is excellent.

Live streaming of UK & Irish racing is free to view for everyone who has an account and, with the generous sign up offer currently available, there's no time like the present to sign up if you haven't already.

Parimatch 🥈

Screenshot of parimatch horse racing card and specials markets on android smartphones

A top new bookie with iOS and Android apps, good daily specials, a racing acca bonus, and other decent promotions plus a free bet welcome offer - what's not to like?

Parimatch is a racing live streaming paradise, with action direct from UK & Ireland as well as international venues like France, South Africa, USA, and Brazil all pumped directly to your device of choice.

Tote 🥉

Untitled design 12

Tote stands on its own by offering two products on one single platform. Their unique pool betting format, coupled with a strong sportsbook, makes them strong players in the horse racing betting scene.

Their standout promotion - Tote Guarantee - ensures win bets always pay SP (Starting Price) or better and they have a slick, mobily-friendly platform that makes using Tote one of the most exciting horse racing betting experiences around!

We Compare the Best Bookies For Horse Racing Betting

The best UK betting sites for horse racing are BetUK, Parimatch, Tote, Kwiff and Bet365.

Most bookies wouldn’t even be around today if it wasn’t for horse racing. It has been the bread-and-butter of UK bookmakers even before betting shops were legalised in 1960.

With so many betting sites having various betting offers, features and perks for racing punters, it can be difficult to determine which to use.

That’s why here at My Betting Sites we have put together this guide which details all of the things you need to look out for, as well as all the best sign up offers plus promotions for existing customers.

New Horse Racing Betting Sites

The UK online betting scene is extremely competitive, and that makes it difficult for new entrants to gain a foothold in the market. Many new online bookies choose to focus on other major draws such as football, but the following recently launched sites have ensured that their horse racing offering also stands up to scrutiny:

BetUK Horse racing betting

Sports Bonus ⚽ Bet £10 Get £30

Not strictly a new site (it launched in 2018), but BetUK has recently given its horse racing offering a complete makeover. The shiny new mobile-optimised BetUK horse racing product features UK, Irish & International racing plus live streaming on selected fixtures.

New cust only. Opt-in required. Deposit & place a bet within 7 days and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater to be credited with 3 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 football. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org.


Parimatch Horse racing betting

Sports Bonus ⚽ Bet £10 Get £20

Parimatch is an established name in the CIS region that recently launched in the UK on the BetVictor platform. Regular promotions like boosted odds on jockey and trainer doubles and live streaming are key draws for horse racing punters.

18+, New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

18+ | begambleaware | Please Gamble Responsibly | Commercial Content | T&Cs Apply
List of New Horse Racing Bookies
Company BonusAction
#1
Get your money back as a free bet
if your player misses the cut at The Masters
Valid from 00:01 on 07/04/2025. Offer is open to both new and existing account holders. 18 years of age or older only. Applies to single bets placed on the outright winner market of the selected tournament up until the start of Round 2. Refund applies to win bets and win part of EW bets placed from 00:01 on 7th April 2025. Max. Free Bet £100 per selection
#2
AK Bets bonus
AK Bets bonus
AK Bets
4/5
Up to £100 Winnings Boost on your First Acca
Applies to new UK/IRE customers who sign up with promo code AKACCA100. Place your first bet as a multiple (minimum 3 selections) and AK Bets will boost the profit gained on that initial bet by 25% in the form of a Free Bet up to a value of £100. 18+ | GambleAware.org"
#3
BetMGM bonus
BetMGM bonus
BetMGM
4/5
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £40
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.
#4
Sports Bonus ⚽
Bet £10 Get £30
18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app and bet £10 on any sports market (odds of 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get 3x£10 Free Bets on selected sports markets, which expire in 7 days. Scroll for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
#5
Get up to 200 bonus spins
18+. New players only. Offer is valid over the first 3 deposits. 50 spins on Book of Dead upon first deposit of min £10. 50 spins on Starburst upon second deposit of min £20. 100 spins on Fire Joker upon third deposit of min £20. Spin winnings are separate to cash funds and subject to 35x wagering requirement (bonus + deposit). Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Winnings from Bonus Spins are credited as Bonus funds and capped at £100. Spins must be used within 24 hours, bonus funds within 30 days. Max bonus bet £5. Affordability checks apply. Full terms in footer below. BeGambleAware.org.
#6
No Bonus Available

Horse Racing Bookmakers - Key Features

In general, the same important factors apply to horse racing betting as they do any other sport. The household names among UK betting sites have pretty much got it sussed when it comes to offering all of the best features that punters want.

A handful of top bookmakers have pulled away from the rest of the pack.

There are various important factors to consider, and while one bettor’s preferences will differ slightly from the next, the criteria on this page should be the starting point.

Horse Racing Betting Odds

Undoubtedly the biggest question when it comes to any form of online betting: “Where can I get the best odds?”

When it comes to horse racing, there isn’t really a straight answer. In fact, on the day of the race and especially by the time the race starts, you won’t find much disparity between prices across all the sportsbooks.

Sure, you might often find that a favourite might be 4/5 with one betting site and 10/11 on another, and with outsiders you might find a bigger gap, say 14/1 vs 18/1, but in general, payout percentages are very similar across the board.

The one exception is the Betfair Exchange, where you bet against other punters rather than the bookmaker. As it is users setting the odds, you often get a better price than the bookie is willing to give. The downside is you don’t get Best Odds Guaranteed on the Betfair Exchange.

Betfair exchange app horses in running

You can back and lay against other horse racing punters on the Betfair Exchange, and there's live streaming to support in-running bets.

Live Streaming

To be a complete horse racing betting site, you really need to offer live streaming on UK & Irish races as well as international meetings.

One of the reasons why land-based betting shops still have a place in modern-day wagering is because you can watch the races in there. But with betting sites with live streaming, you have everything you need at your fingertips.

Most of the top betting sites in the UK provide live streams of race.

Some sites require the user to have placed a small stake on each individual race in order to watch.

Betting In Running

Betting in running on horse racing has become more popular as an increasing number of online bookies offer live streams of races.

In running is essentially the horse racing equivalent of betting in-play (for example on football or tennis).
Ryan
Ryan

Betting in running presents some amazing opportunities to grab value, especially if you’ve done your research and know that the horse in the lead tends to fade or a nag at the back of the group always finishes well.

One key thing to remember is that the ‘live’ stream provided by the bookies is actually on a short delay. It’s still almost always closer to live than watching the race on satellite TV, but make sure to keep your eye on the live prices as they often give a quicker indication of events than the live pictures.

Ryan (My Betting Sites reviewer)

Betfinder tools

Some of the top sites like 888sport, BetVictor and Betfred provide online punters with a great Betfinder tool to make it easy to pick out the best racing bets.

Using data from top industry providers like Racing Post and Timeform, these tools allow you to filter and sort between different picks based on various categories including:

  • Trainer/jockey form
  • Horse rating
  • Odds
  • Course
  • Race distance
  • Last race result (for example, ‘beaten fav last race’)
  • Most Napped (tipped)

Deep Dive Into Virtual Horse Racing Betting Sites

What Is Virtual Horse Racing? 📺

The digital age of sports betting has advanced rapidly in recent years, with virtual horse racing becoming one of the most popular innovations in the industry.

While it shares similarities with traditional horse racing — such as pre-race betting and live action — virtual racing is a computer-simulated version that runs 24/7, with races every few minutes.

Each race features a line-up of digital horses with odds based on statistical algorithms rather than real-world form, offering a fast-paced, visually immersive experience without the unpredictability of weather or late withdrawals.

Live Virtual Horse Racing on William Hill

William Hill offers one of the best platforms for virtual horse racing

How Does Virtual Horse Racing Work?

🏇 Computer-Generated Races

All races are digitally created using animation and software, simulating realistic horse racing events.

🎲 Random Number Generator (RNG):

Outcomes are determined by RNG software to ensure fairness and unpredictability.

⏱ Frequent Races:

New races run every few minutes, 24/7 — no waiting for scheduled times.

💡 Fixed Odds:

Each horse has fixed odds, usually based on a probability model rather than real-life form.

📺 Instant Results:

Races are short and fast-paced, with immediate results and payouts.

📱 Available Anywhere:

Accessible on desktop and mobile betting platforms, with seamless user experience.

🎮 No Human Influence:

No jockeys, weather, or track conditions — it's pure statistical simulation.

🏆 Wide Range of Bets:

Includes common markets like win, place, forecast, and tricast.

Top Sites for Virtual Horse Racing

There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing a platform for virtual horse racing, but here are MyBettingSites.com's top three picks 👇.

1
Sky Bet

Sky Bet combines sleek design with fast, regular race options, making it one of the most user-friendly platforms for virtual horse racing. Whether you're a casual bettor or a seasoned punter, the smooth layout and intuitive controls make betting quick and enjoyable.

  • 🎮 Sleek Virtual Interface – Crisp graphics and smooth transitions mimic live racing excitement.
  • ⏱️ Regular Races – New virtual races available every few minutes, keeping the action nonstop.
  • 🧠 Smart Navigation – Easy access to all race markets and clear race previews.
  • 📱 Top-Class Mobile App – Bet on virtual races seamlessly on the go.

Try Sky Bet's Virtual Horse Racing Platform

Skybet Virtual Horse Racing app
2
William Hill

As one of the most trusted names in betting, William Hill delivers a premium virtual racing experience. From multiple virtual tracks to realistic race commentary, it's the go-to choice for bettors looking for depth and variety.

  • 🐎 Multiple Virtual Tracks – Choose from UK-style turf races or international-style dirt tracks.
  • 🎥 Live Commentary & Realism – Professional-style race calls add to the immersive experience.
  • 💥 Fast-Paced Betting Options – Place single or multiple bets with quick result turnarounds.
  • 🔁 Round-the-Clock Action – Virtuals run 24/7 with new markets popping up constantly.

Try William Hill's Virtual Horse Racing Platform

William Hill Virtual Horse Racing app
3
Betfred

Betfred stands out for its generous virtual racing offers and authentic race-day feel. With unique price boosts and an easy-to-use interface, it’s a top pick for punters looking to add more value to their virtual racing bets.

  • 🎁 Virtual Racing Offers – Regular bonuses and price boosts specifically for virtual bettors.
  • 🏇 Detailed Virtual Form Guides – Mimics real racing form to help guide selections.
  • 🔊 Authentic Sound Effects – Crowd noise and commentary simulate race day atmosphere.
  • 📊 Easy Odds View – Quickly toggle between fractional and decimal odds.

Try Betfred's Virtual Horse Racing Platform

Betfred Virtual Horse Racing site

Virtual Horse Racing Betting Strategies

VIRTUAL HORSE RACING BETTING TIPS AND TRICKS

Due to the speed and regularity of virtual horse racing, it's imperative to give yourself all the necessary tools before placing a single bet on a race.

Here are five essential tips when betting on virtual horse racing in the UK.

Start Small and Build 📈

Virtual races are fast and unpredictable. Begin with small bets to get a feel for the game before increasing your stakes. Patience is key to long-term success.

Track Patterns in Odds 📊

Watch for consistent patterns in the odds. While virtual races are random, some horses tend to perform better consistently, giving you an edge on future bets.

Place Multiple Bets ✖️

Diversify your bets across several races to increase your chances of winning. The more opportunities you have, the better your chances of hitting a winner.

Don't Chase Losses ❌

As with all betting, it’s important not to chase your losses. Virtual races can be enticing due to their fast nature, but placing rash bets to recover previous losses is a surefire way to go over budget.

Explore Different Virtual Races 🐎

Most sites offer different types of virtual races (e.g., flat racing, hurdle racing, etc.). Try them all to find which ones you feel most comfortable betting on, as certain types might suit your strategy better.

    Horse Racing Betting Offers

    Horse racing is one of the most bet on sports in the UK and every bookie wants a slice of that pie. There’s lots of choice for punters, which is great in the sense that it forces bookmakers to try and outdo each other by offering attractive offers and promotions on racing bets. A couple of the most popular horse racing betting promotions are explored below:

    Horse Racing Best Odds Guaranteed

    This is where online betting sites really provide value compared with land-based shops. Best Odds Guaranteed is offered by many leading UK bookmakers on the day of the race with all British and Irish racing.

    Best Odds Guaranteed eliminates the risk of placing a bet only to see your horse’s price drift and you end up wishing you took the bigger price.

    Instead, if you back a horse at a certain price and it starts the race with longer odds, you will be paid out at those bigger odds. On the flip side, if the price shortens after you back the horse, you get to keep those original better odds.

    There may be time restrictions on these promotions, such as Best Odds Guaranteed only applying to bets placed after 9am on race day, so it is always worth checking the T&Cs. Here's a nifty table to help you out:

    Best Odds Guaranteed Times

      ⏰ From 08:00 on day of the race:

      • Betfair
      • Bet365
      • BoyleSports
      • Coral
      • Ladbrokes
      • Betfred
      • Bwin
      • Paddy Power
      • Unibet
      • William Hill

      ⏰ From 09:00:

      • Betway
      • BetVictor
      • Parimatch
      • talkSPORT BET

      ⏰ From 10:00 onwards:

      • Virgin Bet
      • LiveScore Bet
      • The Pools
      18+ | begambleaware | Please Gamble Responsibly | Commercial Content | T&Cs Apply
      Top Betting Sites with Best Odds Guaranteed
      Company BonusAction
      #1
      Betfred bonus
      Betfred bonus
      Betfred
      4/5
      Sports Bonus ⚽
      Bet £10 Get £50
      New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
      #2
      Sky Bet bonus
      Sky Bet bonus
      Sky Bet
      4/5
      Sports Bonus ⚽
      Get £30 in Free Bets when you place any bet
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      Extra Places

      A horse is typically said to have ‘placed’ if it finishes 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a race. The number of place positions depends on the race, for example a place bet may only pay out on horses finishing 1st or 2nd if there aren’t that many runners.

      Many bookies offer extra places promotions on selected races throughout the day. This means that they’ll pay out place bets wagered on horses that finish 1 or more positions outside the standard place positions for that race.

      Paddy Power Extra Places

      Paddy Power is one of the top UK online bookies for horse racing. In addition to best price guaranteed on all UK and Irish racing, odds boosts and other fun promos, Paddy Power regularly pays out on extra places. Check the Paddy Power website to see which of the day’s races have been selected.

      Free bets

      Free bet offers are a staple of most horse racing bettings sites’ customer attraction and retention tactics.

      These offers generally require either a deposit or a qualifying bet to be placed in order to access them.

      There are plenty of different opportunities to grab free bets to use on racing, including welcome offers, loyalty clubs, and free bet if 2nd:

      We like BetVictor, Betfred and Betway for free horse racing bets.

      Enhanced odds

      Enhanced odds offers for horse racing are available at all the top online bookies.

      Sometimes, they’re called something different (for example, Paddy Power refers to them as ‘Power Prices’) but they are essentially the same across all sites - you’re being offered a special price that’s often excellent value compared to what you can find elsewhere.

      Enhanced odds are offered on a range of different racing markets - such as each way (Bet365) and specials (Paddy Power).

      Keep an eye out for these enhanced odds offers - we think they are some of the most useful horse racing offers for existing customers.

      Double result & First past the post

      Double result and first past the post are essentially two variations of the same horse racing betting offer.

      With double result, the bookie is saying that if you back a horse which isn’t first past the post but is subsequently promoted to first place following a Stewards Enquiry (which happens when there is a suspected breach in the race rules), your bet will get paid out as a winner.

      With first past the post, it’s the other way round - if your horse finishes first but is subsequently demoted following a Stewards enquiry, your bet will still get paid out as a winner.

      Money back

      Money back offers are a great little insurance for your bet if, for example, your horse is a total let down, just misses out to the favourite, or if you back a long shot which loses in a feature race.

      Some bookies will give you money back in the form of a free bet but the best money back offers will refund your stake in cash.

      Examples of money back offers include:

      • BetVictor - Run for your money
      • Bet365 - 4/1 ITV offer
      • Bet365 - Feature Race 4/1 offer
      • Boylesports - Money back if 2nd to fav
      • Kwiff - Money back if 2nd to fav

      Grand National Betting Offers

      The Grand National is perhaps the most well-known UK horse racing fixture of the year.

      From seasoned punters to fresh first-timers, the Grand National seems to attract interest from all corners.

      Given the huge appeal of this race, it is of course an important time for online bookies. This means that they are often falling over each other to offer the best betting offers on the Grand National, some of which will be much more attractive than their typical horse racing promotions.

      Keep your eye out for free bets and other special promotions in the run-up to the race.

      Cheltenham Betting Offers

      Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the jump racing season. The event attracts upwards of 65,000 spectators on each of the four days of competition.

      It also attracts plenty of punters, so UK online bookies are generous in the run up to the Festival and while the event is ongoing in their attempts to attract new customers. That means it can be an excellent time to snap up free bets, deposit bonuses, and many more betting offers and promotions. Check out our dedicated Cheltenham Betting Offers page for more info.

      Tote Betting

      Tote betting is a popular alternative to fixed odds betting.

      Rather than the bookie offering you odds, your stake goes into a prize pool which is shared between all winning bets (or ‘tickets’).

      Up until 2011 a state-owned bookmaker, The Tote, was the only place offering parimutual (tote/pools) betting in the UK. The government sold The Tote in 2011 and numerous competitors now offer pool bets on racing.

      There are numerous different types of racing pools bet, including:

      • Win - select one horse from the field to win
      • Place - select one horse from the field to place
      • Each-way - combine win and place in a single bet
      • Exacta - pick the horses finishing first and second (in the right order)
      • Trifecta - pick the horses finishing first, second and third (in the right order)
      • Quadpot - pick a horse to place in races 3, 4, 5 and 6 in that meeting’s card
      • Placepot - pick a horse to place in the first 6 races of the meeting’s card
      • Jackpot - pick the winning horse from 6 selected races

      In addition to the now privately owned and rebranded Tote, several top bookies offer some or all of the above racing pools products on their online platforms:

      Tote Bookmakers

      • Betfair - Win/place, Exacta, Trifecta
      • Betfred - Placepot, Jackpot, Quadpot, Win/place, Exacta, Trifecta
      • William Hill - Win/place, Exacta, Trifecta, Swinger, Quadpot, Placepot

      Best Horse Racing Betting App

      Ladbrokes horse racing app

      Ladbrokes' mobile app is one of the better options for horse racing betting.

      The majority of UK punters place bets using a mobile device these days, so it's absolutely no good for a top-tier bookie not to cater for this huge - and growing - segment of customers by providing a dedicated mobile app. The My Betting Sites Team considers the following bookies to have the best apps for betting on horse racing:

      • Ladbrokes - price boosts and other promos
      • Betfair - undisputed best exchange app
      • Casumo - high quality app from a new bookie
      • BetVictor - BetFinder is a great tool
      • Bet365 - world’s biggest bookie

      Types of Horse Racing Bet

      Offering win, each way and place markets is one thing, but lots of people want bookmakers that go the extra mile and offer a wide variety of other bets such as match bets between two horses, betting without the favourite, and a horse to win by a certain number of lengths.

      Forecasts and tricasts are a feature on all top betting sites, allowing users to get big odds.

      You should also be able to find specials and request a bet markets that combine a number of races within one meeting or several meetings throughout a racing day.

      Some new bookmakers don’t always offer such an array of markets, whereas the more experienced, classic British bookies tend to have a top-notch selection.

      You can find a quick summary of the most popular horse racing bets below:

      Ante-post Betting

      More experienced horse racing bettors prefer to use betting sites that list odds on future races at least a day in advance.

      Punters generally look out for markets on future races if they think they have an edge and a horse might be priced higher than it will eventually go off at.

      It is expected of betting sites that they have odds for big races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National, but even on a daily basis, bettors might be searching for markets on races set to place over the next few days.

      Taking an ante-post price on a betting site can be beneficial as you may get better value, but it comes with risks, as it may not be eligible for Non-Runner No Bet - a promotion that many bookmakers offer.

      Each Way Betting

      Two equal, separate bets on the same horse: One bet on it to win the race, one bet on it to place. This bet type provides a safety net in the sense that you still win money on the place bet if your selected horse narrowly misses out on the win.

      Forecast Betting

      Forecast bets are often available in horse racing and other types of racing events like Greyhounds. A forecast bet is a single bet in which you pick two selections that you think will finish in first place and second place (in that exact order).

      Betting Without Favourite

      Betting without the favourite is especially popular in races where the favourite is extremely short, thus making it less attractive to bet on as the payout is low. Instead you can bet on which horse will win the race if you exclude the result of the favourite. Betting without the favourite can make uncompetitive races more exciting.

      Horse racing betting sites FAQs

      Which is the best horse racing bookie?

      The top UK sites we recommend for horse racing betting are:

        Which UK bookies have horse racing live streaming?

        All of the best online sports betting sites in the UK for horse racing offer live streaming of UK & Irish racing at a minimum, with some also covering international fixtures. Aside from established bookies like Ladbrokes and Betfair, some newer sites also offer horse racing live streams, including Parimatch and LiveScore Bet.