Betting on Horse Racing in New York in 2024

New York residents have numerous options nowadays when it comes to online betting sites for horse racing, many of which offer generous bonuses, different betting markets and a safe betting experience.

This is because online gambling, including wagering on horse racing, is perfectly legal in New York. In addition to state-regulated sportsbooks, New York bettors also have access to offshore sites that offer a wide variety of online gambling options. Online horse race betting is more convenient than in-person betting, which is why it was a favorite with bettors even before the state legalized online wagering.

Our guide below will help you decide which of the recommended New York sportsbooks and racebooks is the right choice for you, while also ensuring that you are aware of all of the regulations and information as to why offshore sportsbooks offer the best option for residents of New York.

Guide Contents show list

Ranking the Top 10 Betting Sites for Horse Racing in New York

We have researched several sites and come up with a list of the best sportsbooks for horse racing bettors in New York right now: 

  1. BookMaker – Great loyalty program for bettors
  2. Heritage Sports – 50+ U.S. tracks available 
  3. Bovada –  Virtual horse betting available
  4. BetOnline – Offers an excellent racebook rebate 
  5. BetAnySports – Reduced juice sportsbook with easy-to-use racebook
  6. BetUS – Interesting previews of Triple Crown races 
  7. WagerWeb – Same-day Bitcoin payouts for racebook players 
  8. JustBet – Competitive fixed odds on big races 
  9. Everygame – Very simple user experience 
  10. SportsBetting – Large betting limits on fixed-odds markets 

We have carefully analyzed all of these sites to guarantee they are entirely safe and trustworthy, while they will also allow you to enjoy an exciting and enjoyable online horse racing betting experience.  

Is horse racing betting legal in New York?

Yes, horse racing betting is legal in New York under the state’s gambling laws. Bettors are free to bet, wager and win money on horse racing events in the city. You can enjoy horse race betting at an in-person racebook or online with a state-regulated sportsbook or an offshore sportsbook. We recommend using an offshore sportsbook as it can provide many benefits that you simply can’t find at a state-regulated site, such as more varied gambling markets and more generous bonuses.

Reviewing the Best New York Horse Racing Betting Sites

All of the New York horse racing betting sites on our list share certain features, while each also has its own attractive perks that set it apart. Check out our detailed reviews of each site to find the one that appeals to you the most. We will cover what types of gambling markets they have available, what bonuses and perks they provide and any standout features of each site that are relevant to New York bettors.

1. BookMaker: Racebook with Cashback Promo

Bookmaker.eu Racebook

Bookmaker.eu is the first site on our list, and for good reason. They allow New York customers to enjoy an easy and straightforward, yet thrilling online betting experience with more than 50 U.S. horse tracks available.

This racebook offers a variety of promos, including a rebate of 8% on exotic bets and 3% on wagers that are win, place or show. BookMaker is also known to have one of the best loyalty programs in the industry.

One drawback is the lack of pari-mutuel wagering pools, so you can only bet on horse races with fixed odds. Another situation to take note of is the lack of wagering over the phone for horse races, however, the racebook is fully optimized for mobile betting.

Pros:

  • Rebates of up to 8% on exotics
  • Sharp bettors welcomed
  • Higher betting limits
  • Excellent customer service

Cons:

  • No pari-mutuel pools available
  • Rebate not available for all tracks

2. Heritage Sports: Full Track Odds Payouts

Heritage Sports Racebook

Heritage Sports is another highly popular offshore sportsbook that offers an extremely attractive racebook with more than 60 tracks available with betting markets that range from the standard (Win, Place, Show) to Daily Doubles.

The racebook also offers a bit more information than other competitors so you’ll get access to details like the trainer’s name or even the weight of the jockey. Heritage Sports is known for quick and secure payouts, focuses greatly on customer service and its mobile racebook is also easily accessible.

Heritage Sports is known to offer some of the best bonuses in the industry. However, the racebook section lacks promos like a rebate on losses.

Pros:

  • Full track odds payouts
  • Wide variety of exotic markets
  • Excellent mobile racebook 

Cons:

  • No live streaming at racebook 
  • No rebates available at racebook

3. Bovada: Daily Rebates & Virtual Horse Racing

Bovada Racebook

Bovada is another impressive online betting site for horse racing betting. It gives customers the chance to wager on a vast number of props as well as virtual racing with greyhounds, horses and even camels at your disposition.

The promo codes at Bovada for its racebook customers are excellent, including a daily 5% rebate on exotic wagers. While the betting limits can be a little lower than other online racebooks, users do have access to over 60 tracks.

Pros:

  • 5% rebate for exotic wagers
  • Bigger offer of tracks
  • Great for virtual horse racing 

Cons:

  • Lower betting limits

4. BetOnline: Excellent Horse Racing Rebate

BetOnline racebook

BetOnline has an excellent racebook section available to New York customers. Some major advantages of this site are its early release of competitive odds on futures for the Breeders’ Cup and Triple Crown events, same-day withdrawals and generous rebates of up to 9% on exotics and a 4% on standard wagers,

In addition, new customers can also receive a $25 free bet on any horse race of their choice as well as a100% welcome bonus of up to $1,000, using BetOnline promo codes.

Pros:

  • Large racebook rebates 
  • Free racebook bet for new customers 
  • Futures for major horse races
  • Same-day crypto payouts

Cons:

  • Main welcome bonus not available for racebook
  • Some fees charged on credit card deposits 

5. BetAnySports: Horse Racing Rebates Available

BetAnySports homepage

BetAnySports is another impressive online betting site, giving customers the chance to bet and win large limits on horse racing events from all over the world. Other perks include having a sportsbook with a reduced juice model of -105.

Customers can also enjoy several benefits, including 24/7 customer service and a generous welcome bonus of 25% up to $500 which has a 6x rollover that takes into account the racebook action.

Pros:

  • Up to $100k payouts on major races (Breeders’ Cup and Triple Crown)
  • Cash rebates available 
  • International races available

Cons:

  • Platform is not as polished
  • Lower welcome bonuses than other sites

Comparing the Best Sites for Horse Racing in New York

After viewing our analysis of our top horse racing betting sites for New York residents, you should be somewhat leaning toward certain sites. However, there are still several factors you should consider when picking your favorite site.

Horse Racing Fixed Odds

The fixed odds offered by online horse racing betting sites are the most important factor when it comes to attracting customers. The more attractive the odds, the more likely a customer will bet with a site.

Horse Racing Betting Promotions

Bonuses and promotions can also be hugely important in the attractiveness of a site to customers. Some of these promotions can include welcome bonuses, free bets and rebates among many others.

Special Features for Horse Racing

Some sites will also offer special features such as information from past performances, live betting features or tips from experienced race betting professionals among other features.

Horse Racing Welcome Bonus

Many sports betting sites offer welcome bonuses to their new customers as a reward for joining the site. However, often these bonuses are not available to use on horse race bets.

User Experience

The overall experience of the user should be the most important thing for any horse racing betting site to worry about. Hence, the more effort a site puts into your experience, the more caring it is towards its customers.

Live Streaming

Live streaming is another feature that can set one site apart from another, as this allows customers to bet on races in real-time as they are happening. The best sportsbooks tend to offer this feature.

Best New York Horse Racing Betting Sites

The top New York horse racing betting sites showcase several similar traits, which you can see below:

Brand Notoriety

Some of the sites on our list have up to three decades of experience in the offshore sportsbooks industry, which has allowed them to build up a strong reputation for quality and consistency.

Payment Methods

The best New York horse racing betting sites accept various payment methods nowadays, including bank transfers, credit cards and a wide selection of cryptocurrency options.

Safety & Security

Safety should be a priority for any online horse racing bettor. We have reviewed and rated plenty of sportsbooks to ensure that every site on our list is entirely safe, secure and trustworthy.

Speed & User-Friendliness

Another important aspect of any site is how easily customers can access features from any device. The perfect site is quick, straightforward and can be used efficiently from desktops, laptops and any other mobile device.

Customer Support

All of the sites on our list also offer a high-quality customer support service, while many also feature a 24/7 chat section where customers can find any information they need at any time.

Overall Value on Offer

Everything we have mentioned above can be considered when deciding the amount of overall value a site has to offer. Essentially, the more attractive features a site has, the more value it can offer.

Horse Racing Betting Odds

We have explained the different types of horse racing betting odds below:

Fixed Odds Betting on Horse Races in New York

Odds in the American format will appear with a plus or a minus:

Odds beginning with a plus, tell you how much profit you would earn by placing a $100 bet.

  • For example, a $100 bet at +500 would earn you a $500 profit.

Odds beginning with a minus, tell you the amount you must bet to win $100.

  • For example, a $125 bet at -125 would net you a $100 profit.

Fractional odds are presented as a fraction. You simply multiply your bet amount by the fraction to calculate your potential profit:

  • A $10 bet at 7/2 would result in a $35 profit.
  • A $10 bet at 5/1 would lead to a $50 profit.
  • A $10 bet at 4/5 would result in an $8 profit.

What are the different types of horse racing bets?

It’s important to be familiar with the different bet types that are available, and how they are different from each other.

  • Win: A straight wager on a horse to win the race by finishing first.
  • Place: A wager on a horse to finish either second or third.
  • Show: A bet on a horse to finish first, second or third.
  • Exacta: An exotic bet on the horses that will finish first and second, in that exact order. A quinella bet allows you to predict the first two horses to finish, but in any order.
  • Trifecta: A prediction on the top three finishers in the correct order.
  • Superfecta: A bet on the winner, the runner-up, the third-place horse and the fourth-place horse, in order.
  • Daily Double: A prediction on the winners of two consecutive races on the same day.
  • Pick 3/4/5/6: Pick the winner in three, four, five, or six consecutive races.

New York Horse Racing Betting Terms

We recommend that you become familiar with these horse racing betting terms so you can have the best online horse betting experience possible:

  • Across the Board: It’s three bets, with the first one on the win, a second on the place and one last one on the show.
  • At the Post: The horses are lining up to the start of the race.
  • Blinkers: Headgear placed upon a horse to restrict its field of vision.
  • Claiming Race: A horse race where every runner is up for sale.
  • Dead Heat: This occurs when two or more horses finish at exactly the same time.
  • DQ: When a horse has been disqualified.
  • Exotic Bet: A bet that combines multiple outcomes, such as an exacta or trifecta.
  • Favorite: The horse with the highest implied probability of success and the lowest potential payout.
  • Fixed Odds: Fixed odds show the exact profit that you will earn if your horse wins. Fixed odds betting isn’t always available for horse race betting.
  • Furlong: One-eighth of a mile.
  • Length: The full length of a horse.
  • Morning Line: Every track has an official handicapper, and this is his prediction on the eventual odds each horse will essentially have in the pari-mutuel payout.
  • Pari–Mutuel Wagering: The wagered money goes into a pool, which is split between winning bettors after the industry takes a cut.
  • Purse: The total prize money issued to the owners of the horses in a race, with the winning owner taking the largest slice.
  • Tote Board: A digital board that highlights the payout dividends for each market on the most recent race at a track.
  • Triple Crown: A type of championship series for three-year-olds in American thoroughbred racing. This includes the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
  • Wager: Another term for a bet.

How to Calculate Horse Racing Betting Odds

On fixed odds bets, your bet slip will tell you exactly what amount will receive if you win.

Alternatively, with pari-mutuel bets, you will be paid depending on the track dividend. Pari-mutuel betting is the most popular type of bet in horse racing.

New York Horse Racing Odds Chart

The chart we have displayed below will show you the payout that horse bettors would earn from a $2 bet at a variety of fixed odds, in both fractional form and American conversion, as well as the probability of success of the odds:

Horse Racing Odds Payout from a $2 Wager Implied Probability of Winning 
1/5 (-500) $2.40 83.33% 
1/4 (-400) $2.50 80% 
1/3 (-300) $2.60 75% 
1/2 (-200) $3.00 66.67% 
4/6 (-150) $3.33 60% 
1/1 (-100) $4.00 50% 
2/1 (+200) $6.00 33.33% 
3/1 (+300) $8.00 25% 
5/1 (+500) $12 16.67% 
10/1 (+1000) $22 9.00% 
50/1 (+5000) $102 1.96% 

Odds of (-500) have the highest chances of winning, but the smallest payout. On the other end, odds of (+5000) have the largest potential payout, but the smallest chance of actually getting that huge payout.

New York Horse Race Tracks

Check out some of the biggest races and racetracks in New York: 

Venue Leading Race 
Belmont Belmont Stakes 
Belmont Park Jockey Club Gold Cup 
Aqueduct Racetrack Wood Memorial Stakes 
Belmont Park Belmont Derby Invitational 
Belmont Park Metropolitan Handicap 
Aqueduct Racetrack Cigar Mile 
Aqueduct dirt track Carter Handicap 

Each of these racetracks features numerous races throughout the horse racing season. You can engage in legal betting on any of the races at these racetracks with retail sportsbooks at casinos (both commercial casinos and tribal casinos), wager online with mobile sportsbooks or use offshore sites.

New York Horse Racing Betting Bonuses & Promo Codes

Many online sportsbooks offer a wide range of betting bonuses and promotions, below you will find some of the most commonly offered promos:

Welcome Bonus

Often, online horse betting sites will offer welcome bonuses or a promo code to new customers as an incentive to persuade them to join the site. This welcome promo code might need to be manually activated, while some sites will apply it automatically.

Deposit Bonuses

A deposit match bonus is where you get additional money to wager with based on how much money you deposit into your account. There is a cap on how much free money you can get with a deposit match bonus, and this cap varies from site to site.

Risk-Free Bet

Risk-free bets allow customers to place horse racing wagers without risking the loss of any of their own money.

Loyalty/VIP Program

Some horse race betting websites will offer loyalty programs, to encourage customers to keep wagering on horse racing through their platform. These can come in the form of reload bonuses, free bets and more.

Racebook Rebates

Racebook rebates refer to when a site returns to a customer a percentage of their losses on a single race as site credit.

Bonus Terms and Conditions

One of the best parts of online horse race betting is all of the different bonuses that are offered by online sportsbooks.

However, bonuses will generally come with terms and conditions, so it is important that you are aware of the meaning behind them.

Online sportsbooks typically also have rollover (or playthrough) requirements. This is the total monetary amount of bets you’ll need to place before you can withdraw your cash bonus.

You don’t have to win your online horse bets in order to meet these requirements.

Conclusion

While all of the sites on our list are extremely beneficial, we feel Bookmaker.eu outperforms the other options for horse racing betting in New York. It offers an exceptional customer experience, as well as generous bonuses and a high level of customer care.

FAQs – Betting on Horse Racing in New York

Can you bet in New York now?

New York bettors are able to bet online and in-person on numerous different betting markets, including sports betting, horse race betting and gambling on casino-style games due to the fact that all popular types of gambling are legal in the state.

Can New York residents gamble online?

Thankfully, New Yorkers can gamble online under The Empire State’s online sports betting law. Online gambling offers more variety and flexibility to in-person betting. New York bettors can also enjoy mobile wagering with one of the many sportsbook apps that are available.

What apps can you bet with in NY?

You can bet on any of the most popular mobile gambling apps under the state’s gambling laws, including apps that offer Daily Fantasy Sports. This includes FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook and Caesars Sportsbooks.

How do I place a bet in New York?

You simply need to register an account with the gambling site or mobile sportsbook of your choice, fund your account (most sites accept a wide range of banking methods) and choose what betting market you want to place bets on.

What is the biggest horse race in New York?

The Belmont Stakes is the biggest horse race in New York and the oldest and longest of the Triple Crown of American horse racing.

How many racetracks are there in New York?

There are numerous racetracks in New York, with two of the most popular ones being Belmont Park and the Aqueduct Racetrack.

There are also find smaller venues like the Empire City race track, known as Yonkers Raceway, and the Saratoga Race Course.

What is the best site to bet on horse racing?

All of our top-rated offshore horse racing sites are of the highest quality, but if our experts had to narrow it down to a single site, then Bookmaker.eu would be their choice for the best horse race betting site due to the numerous benefits and perks that they offer to their customers.

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