Orse racing is an ancient sport with a rich history dating back thousands of years. As long as horses have been domesticated, folks have been racing them. The tradition continues today, with major horse racing events held regularly around the globe.
In the USA specifically, it is possible to find horse racing tracks in most states. And of course, where there is competition, there’ll be people betting on the outcome. Up until recently, all horse racing gambling happened at the track. The internet has changed everything and people can just as easily put real money wagers online.
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One of the pleasant things about online horse racing is that you are able to bet on races which take place across the nation. If you reside on the West Coast and want to bet on a race that is happening on the East Coast, that’s no issue. Internet gaming brings the action for you.
The best aspect of all is the fact that it is all legal. Most states in the USA allow online horse race betting. So provided that you do not live in one of the few restricted states, you can bet to your heart’s content. You may even watch the races live on your computer and see how the stakes pan out in real time.
Of the racebook websites listed on the page, all function in compliance with the legislation in the United States. You do not have to visit offshore gambling sites to wager on horses. Websites we recommend are licensed and regulated to conduct business in the US.
The Legality of Online Horse Racing
Online horse racing gambling is legal in most states in the USA. Horse and greyhound racing both received particular exemptions from anti-gambling prohibition that has been passed at the national level in 2006.
A few states have opted out of online horse betting, but many Americans are free to bet on horses they all desire. You can see the graph below for a listing states that let online horse betting, and those that DO NOT enable online wagering. If you reside in one of these states, you are going to need to visit a track in person, or use a licensed off track centre. Everybody else is welcome to join up and wager at licensed and regulated online racebooks.
Why is online horse racing betting legal in the United States?
Online gambling law is murky and convoluted, but the general arrangement is that almost all forms of gambling, gambling and poker are outlawed. The Wire Act of 1961 was utilized as the basis for anti-gambling enforcement, and the UIGEA of 2006 farther reinforced that line of thought.
Horse racing in particular has got two noteworthy exceptions in national law. First was that the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (IHA). Although the IHA was written well before the arrival of the world wide web, it has played an instrumental role in providing us legal online horse racing betting now.
Simply speaking, the IHA made it lawful to place interstate wagers on horse races as long as such betting is permitted in both countries. This piece of legislation is why off-track betting parlors (OTBs) located in one state may take wagers on races occurring in another state. Back when the IHA was composed, it was with OTBs in your mind.
Legislators upgraded the Interstate Horseracing Act in 2000 using a minor change to the definition of an”interstate off-track wager” to include the words”or other electronic media.” This opened the door for legal online horse racing gambling.
The 2nd major exemption for horse racing came in 2006. That year, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in an effort to crack down on illegal online gambling. The UIGEA essentially made it illegal for banks and other financial entities to do business with offshore gambling sites. This didn’t technically make it illegal to citizens to put bets online, but it rather made it very difficult to transfer money to and from betting sites.
However, horse and greyhound racing obtained specific exemptions from the UIGEA. It was a bit of a controversy at the moment, but several senators were able to ensure carve-outs for racing betting. This set up the framework for your system we have today: valid online horse gambling.
The only catch is that the individual states were given the choice to”opt out” of internet horse racing. Several nations took that path and the citizens of these states aren’t allowed to combine or place wagers at horse gambling websites. The fantastic news is that only a small number of states decided to opt out.
The Way Horse Racing Betting Works
This is the primer guide for actually placing bets on horse races. The stakes outlined below could be put both on site and online. The very best way to begin would be to test out a number of the fundamental bets . As you become comfortable with how it works, you can progress up to more complex wagers.
Before we get into every kind of bet, I’d love to offer you a general summary of how the gambling system works with horses. Horse wagering is classified as a kind of”parimutuel wagering.” This is a bit different than sports gambling, so read closely if you’re new to horse betting.
In parimutuel betting, all bets on a specific race are pooled together. The racetrack subsequently sets aside a percentage of the pool to maintain for its own income and operating expenses. This is known as the”vig.” This system ensures that the racetrack earns its cash regardless of the outcome.
The percentage taken out of the pool varies depending on the path and type of bet placed. Usually, you can expect to see a vig of anywhere from 15% to 30%.
Following the vig is removed, the rest of the cash from the pool is used to pay the winners out. The payouts in a horse race shift constantly up until the beginning of the race. As new wagers are accumulated, the provided payouts vary to account for the new betting action.
This is why favored horses provide lower premiums. More people have a tendency to wager on the favorite, therefore when the preferred wins, the portion of the pool assigned to this horse needs to be split up among more individuals. When a longshot horse wins, there are inclined to be fewer individuals backing that horse, so each person accumulates additional winnings.
Types of Bets
There are all types of different bets which may be placed on a single race. The general rule is that the harder the wager will be to win, the greater it pays. For instance, a straight bet on a single horse to acquire pays pretty well, however a bet on the exact finishing order of the top 3 horses pays even better.
Here are the most Frequent Kinds of horse bets:
Straight Bets
There are 3 distinct types of straight bets. These wagers are pretty straightforward and behave as a good starting point for newbies.
Win: This is a wager on a single horse to take 1st place Place: A wager on a single horse to shoot either 1st or 2nd Location Show: A wager on a single location to take 1st, 2nd or 3rd Location Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are somewhat more complex than straight bets. In an exotic bet, you create several selections which include more than 1 horse and perhaps even more than 1 race.
Exacta: A bet on two horses to take 1st and 2nd place. Your horses must finish in that Specific order to win Quinella: A bet on two horses to take 1st and 2nd but the arrangement doesn’t matter
Trifecta: A wager on three horses to take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in that exact order Superfecta: A bet on four horses to take 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in that Specific sequence Daily Double: A bet in which you pick the 1st place finishers of two Distinct races
Pick 3: A bet where you pick the 1st place finishers of three consecutive races
Select 4: A wager where you pick the 1st place finishers of four successive races. Boxing Horses
Boxing comes in handy when you understand that a few horses are solid favorites, but aren’t sure which order they’ll finish. You can”box” these horses to cover every chance.
Quinella Box: You pick three horses and you will win if any two of those horses finish in 1st and 2nd location. A quinella box on horses #3, #4 and #5 would cover all probable results: 3-4, 3-5, 4-3, 4-5, 5-3 and 5-4.
You could also box exactas, trifectas and superfectas in this manner.
Keying Horses
You can key horses whenever you’ve got a strong feeling that one horse will finish first but you are not as sure about the horses which will take 2nd and 3rd location. To put it differently, you have one”key” horse picked to win the race along with some other horses which will come in later that one.
So let’s say you create a $1 trifecta key of #1 on #2, #3 and #4. In this case, you want the #1 horse to win, and then some of those other three horses to finish in 2nd and 3rd set in no specific order.
Getting Started
Now that you have a grip on the fundamentals of horse betting, you are able to apply that knowledge to betting on the internet. In practice, it’s essentially the same idea. The only difference is that rather than talking to a cashier at the racetrack, you choose your wagers onscreen with your mouse and keyboard.
1. Create and Fund Your Betting Account
The first thing you’ll have to do to wager on the internet is register for an account at an authorized horse racing website (see my three picks close to the top of this page). All you have to do is see the race gambling site of your choice, click one of those large”join now” buttons and fill out the new account form. It should be pretty self-explanatory.
The next step is to fund your account. You do this by logging in to your account at your betting site and then hitting the”deposit” link on your account area. If you have never created a deposit before, you’ll probably receive a pop-up asking you to deposit.
Then, you can choose from a number of deposit methods:
Wire transfer
Credit cards and debit cards
Check or money order
E-Check
Green Dot Moneypak
Note: The Green Dot Moneypak is a form of prepaid voucher that you are able to buy at stores like Wal Mart and Walgreens. You pay cash for the Moneypak and then redeem that Moneypak on line by typing from the unique number on the back of the card. Basically, it’s a simple way to fund your account with money.
2. Place Your Bets
As soon as you have an account financed with cash, you should begin placing your wagers. Click on the”bet today” button, which will take you to an area which shows a listing of all of the monitors supported by your betting site. Click on the name of a track and you’ll see a list of upcoming races and the horses competing in every race.
Every betting site does it a little differently but generally speaking, you will find a screen which allows you to select your wager amount, the type of bet and the horses which will be competing. As you make your choices, you should see a bit slip that reveals a summary of your current bet. You’ll also have the option to box and secret your horses in this time.
When you believe you’ve got your bet all set up, you will see a”confirm” or”submit” button close to the wager summary box. Hit that button and then it will ask you one more time if you are convinced that this is the bet you wish to place. If everything looks good, click the validate button and your bet will go live.
When you submit your bet, you can go back and place more wagers, see the race live on the site or go about your day as normal. The website will track your wager and pay your winnings if applicable. If any of your wagers are winners, the betting site will instantly credit your account with all the cash. You can then cash out your winnings or use them to put additional wagers.
Betting Promotions
The best horse betting websites compete heavily with one another for your enterprise. All of them know it will not take much effort at all for a customer to switch to a rival. Thus, they all offer their own rewards programs and promotions in an attempt to increase customer loyalty.
You won’t go wrong with some of those horse betting sites on this webpage, but you might want to check out their promotions to see which ones seem the right for you. Here’s a look at what each gaming website has to offer:
BetAmerica.com Promos
Right off the bat, BetAmerica provides all new customers a 100% match deposit bonus worth up to $300. This means that some amount you deposit will be doubled for up to $300 in additional cash. The bonus cash is released at a rate equivalent to 10 percent of each bet you place at BetAmerica.
BetAmerica also allows players to make their own gaming tournaments. This is a unique idea in which you’ll be able to create your own handicapping championship where you specify the buyin, demanded deposit, wager types, date and payouts. You may then invite your friends or let anyone join. BetAmerica also picks one tournament weekly and guarantees at least $250 in prizes at no cost.
On chosen”bonus tracks,” BetAmerica provides 3% cashback on all wagers, without the maximum cashback figures. You might even refer friends to BetAmerica and receive $50 if your friends register and make a deposit.
BetAmerica.com Review.
TwinSpires.com Promos
TwinSpires requires a slightly different approach using its promos. Instead of focusing on long-term promos that rarely change, TwinSpires always releases new, short-term promotions. All these promos revolve around special betting events in which you can earn more loyalty points and receive payout bonuses for placing bets on big racing events.
Player points are racked up at TwinSpires by placing wagers and participating in the regular promos mentioned previously. You can redeem those points for wagering credits, gifts from Brisnet.com and for free entrance to racetracks.
Additionally, new clients are welcomed to TwinSpires with a $100 signup bonus. This bonus is granted when you sign up, make an electronic banking deposit and wager at least $500 during your first month. Meet those requirements and you’ll get $100 added to your betting account.
Twinspires.com Review.
TVG.com Promos
TVG is somewhat weak on the promotions side, but it will offer a few perks to clients. All new players qualify for a $150 signup bonus that’s released in $50 increments directly to the actual money account. For the first three months, you will receive $50 added to your balance if you wager at least $250 in any specific month.
TVG also has a continuing promotion in which you get 1 point for every dollar wagered. Over time, you will collect these points and can eventually redeem them for cash rewards and Skymall gift certificates. The rate of yield is a bit on the low side, but it does come in handy after a few months of heavy gambling.
TVG.com Review.
Major Horse Racing Events
People bet money on horses but a big portion of betting action revolves around major horse racing events.
The Triple Crown
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Triple Crown for short) is a set of three unique races. This really is the biggest racing event of them all and it’s restricted especially to 3-year-old horses. This makes it a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for every racehorse.
The pinnacle of horse racing glory is to win all three occasions in the Triple Crown. It is exceedingly difficult to win a Triple Crown because every race is of a different period, and horses typically fare better at some lengths than in the others. Add to that the fact which each and every horse only gets one chance ever to win, and you may imagine that it doesn’t happen frequently. In the United States, only 11 horses have earned Triple Crown glory.
And simply to clarify a thing — that the expression”Triple Crown” means different things in different nations. Every horse racing country has its own Triple Crown series of occasions. So if you overhear someone talking about the Triple Crown and they cite that the Epsom Derby, this individual is speaking about the UK’s variant.
The following three events that make up the Triple Crown at the United States are:
Kentucky Derby
Preakness Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Kentucky Derby
When: First Saturday in May
Where: Louisville, Kentucky
Length: 1.25 miles
The first event in the series, the Kentucky Derby, is the one most celebrated event in most of horse racing. It’s held at Churchill Downs annually since 1875 and even non-horse racing enthusiasts dress up in flashy clothes and outlandish hats to celebrate. Even if you can not make it into Churchill Downs, the odds are you can get a Kentucky Derby party in your own city.
Preakness Stakes
When: Third Saturday in May
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Length: 9.5 furlongs (1 and 3/16ths kilometers )
After the Kentucky Derby comes the Preakness. This one doesn’t draw much of a crowd because the Kentucky Derby, but it is still a massive event in its own right. Additionally, this is where you are going to start to see some of the play that comes with the possibility of a Triple Crown. All eyes are on the winner of the Kentucky Derby.
Belmont Stakes
When: Three weeks after the Preakness
Where: Elmont, New York
Length: 1.5 miles
And the last leg of the Triple Crown is that the Belmont Stakes. At 1.5 miles long, this is the longest race in the sequence. This one is conducted three months after the Preakness and positions somewhere in the top 5 with regard to attendance and viewership. But this race becomes the biggest of them all whenever there is a horse which has taken 1st in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, providing a horse a shot at the coveted Triple Crown title.
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby annually at the same racetrack in Louisville. The Kentucky Oaks is a very common race which regularly attracts a crowd of 100,000. The winner has a $600,000 purse and the famous garland of lilies called the Lilies for the Fillies.
Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup is a series of 14 races held across one weekend each November. This event is generally held at a different track in the USA annually. It’s one of those most-watched events in horse racing, with over $25,000,000 in prize money up for grabs.
The largest event in the Breeders’ Cup is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be a 1.25 mile race worth $5,000,000. The smallest event in this show is worth $500,000; each other occasion is worth $1 million or more.
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is the oldest thoroughbred racing event in the USA and is currently 1.25 miles in length. The race is open to 3-year-olds just and contains a purse worth $1,000,000. Just 1 horse in background (Whirlaway in 1941) has ever taken the Triple Crown and the Travers Stakes.
Big Players in the Industry
This section will cover a number of the huge players in america horse racing industry. More specifically, we’ll discuss some of the important betting sites and explain how they all fit into the big picture.
TVG and Betfair
TVG is short for the”Television Games Network” and it’s a television network dedicated solely to horse racing. It started broadcasting in 1999 and is now the greatest horse racing network in the USA. TVG also facilitates offtrack betting through the internet, telephone and at times even through boxtop sets in your tv.
The television part of TVG displays live horse races, analyses, gaming tips along with other applications that cover the wide topic of horse racing. TVG also functions a US-based website that you can visit to see live races and place wagers on your PC.
In 2009, TVG was purchased by Betfair, a UK-based gaming site based in 2004. Betfair is best known for its exchange-style betting system in which people can buy and sell”shares” in places online sports bets. In this manner, betting at Betfair is similar to trading choices.
Betfair doesn’t do business with customers in the United States, but it retains TVG residing as a separate thing. You likely won’t find any references to Betfair if you visit TVG, but Betfair does possess the provider.
TwinSpires
TwinSpires is a US-based horse betting website owned and operated by Churchill Downs. TwinSpires is available to clients from the United States and provides betting options on paths around the country. It’s a free-to-use service which offers a vast selection of wagers, live races and signup bonuses for new clients.
TwinSpires is one of the largest horse racing betting websites and has a clean track record. If you choose to bet here, you’re going to be in good hands. The company is licensed to take and manage real cash betting in the united states.
BetAmerica.com
BetAmerica.com is your youngest horse racing wager website but it’s grown rapidly and now acts as a significant player in the online gaming marketplace. BetAmerica is licensed by the North Dakota Racing Commission and accepts wagers from customers in most US states.
Like the other race betting sites on this webpage, BetAmerica offers a variety of racing wagers, live streaming video along with simulcast selections for all members free of charge. Why is BetAmerica unique is that it provides online greyhound betting along with its horse racing options.
Online Horse Racing Betting in a Declining Industry
Major horse racing events draw remarkable crowds to this day, but the sport as a whole has undergone a slow, steady decline over the past couple of decades. Betting handle is down significantly since the 1970s and lots of horse racing tracks are affected financially.
You are able to point to many different reasons for the decrease. Americans have more gaming options, other sports have grown in popularity, so it’s a lot easier to sit and watch TV and so on. Today, you can find the general public to tune into the Kentucky Derby, but other races tend to be the realm of critical horse racing lovers.
Racetracks first looked into adding other gambling games to their assumptions as a way to bulge revenues. We can see this with state legislatures finally opening into the idea of ontrack slot machines. The tracks that have been able to add slots have benefitted significantly from the new income.
Likewise, tracks are depending increasingly more on off-track gambling — specifically online betting. The horse racing sector still retains substantial clout in politics, and that’s probably 1 reason why horse racing received a carve-out from the UIGEA at 2006.
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