States With Legal Horse Betting

In 2019, both Georgia and South Carolina Legislatures passed legislation that would legalize betting on horse racing. No other states that ban horse racing are currently facing any significant push to legalize it. However, as a general rule, states frequently try to pass horse betting legislation, as the laws around horse racing wagering often dictate the other gambling laws in the area. This is especially true now that sports wagering has been federally decriminalized with the repealing of PASPA. Many state legislators, in trying to present strategies to legalize sports betting, often attach their new bills to modified horse betting laws. Just as many states seem to be assigning sports wagering to state lottery oversight, other states appear to want their horse racing commissions to control this new amusement. As such, horse betting laws are in a constant state of flux (or potential flux).

Additionally, as the popularity of online and mobile horse betting itself increases independently of sports wagering, we expect more states to start introducing Internet-based legislation. There is also the situation in Kansas to consider. In the case of Kansas specifically, while horse racing has been shuttered in the state for years, there are current attempts to reopen the venues for sports wagering, despite no plans to actually bring the ponies back.

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

Yes, you can bet on horses and races happening in any state. Most of the states with legal horse betting also offer simulcast wagering with different tracks around the nation. When you bet on horses at offshore racebooks, however, you have even more betting options, as you’ll get action from racetracks in the US, Ireland, the UK, and various other countries. No matter where you are physically, you have access to more than 100 Thoroughbred and harness racetracks whenever you use an offshore racebook.

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

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

While most of the states that have legal horse betting do not offer state-regulated mobile apps, you still have plenty of mobile racebook options. There are not any states that have specifically banned mobile horse betting, after all. In addition to being able to access your racebook from your smartphone, mobile racebooks are also compatible with tablets. Use your iPhone, iPad, or Android device to make deposits, place horse bets, claim bonuses, and more. All of the top offshore racebook platforms are compatible with iOS, Android, and BlackBerry devices, just to name a few. All you really need is a modern mobile browser and an Internet connection, and you can wager on all the horse racing action you please from anywhere in the US.

If you reside in a state that has banned online horse betting (or, more aptly, has not yet legalized it), the chances are slim to none that you would get into any trouble for wagering on the ponies over the Internet. There has never been an instance where any bettor was arrested or even fined for betting horses online, but we still suggest that you follow the laws in your state.

When most people think of horse racing, they think of the Triple Crown races, which are obviously available to wager on as early as six months in advance. However, the online racebooks also offer odds on various smaller races, from all across the world, weekly championships, and trophies like the Bahrain International among others. Sometimes, they will even offer wagers on a given racetrack’s horse racing action for the day. Basically, every race you’ve ever heard of and more can be wagered on at the online racebooks.

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