Hi stranger, it looks like you’re searching for some top-notch horse racing betting sites in Canada to play the ponies. Luckily for you, Canada Sports Betting has you covered. Below are the top horse racing betting sites we recommend. We’ll also explain how some of the basic horse racing wagers work and give you the scoop on some online betting strategies that new players can use to attack the track and bring home some winnings.
For more info on odds, check out our guide on horse racing odds here. Otherwise, scroll down for our list of top horse racing sportsbooks Canada has to offer.
Best Online Horse Betting Sites Canada
Let’s get down to business. Here are the best horse racing betting sites in Canada. Each of these online betting sites offer fair horse racing odds and, sometimes, even free bets.
1. William Hill Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at William Hill
William Hill has a strong relationship with the “Sport of Kings.” In the United States and Europe, the operator offers both land-based races and an excellent online sportsbook. In other words, William Hill knows how to give horse race bettors a good experience, which translates well to the Canadian market.
What They Do Well
Out of all the sportsbooks we’ve tested specifically for horse betting, William Hill seems to have one of the best online layouts. Newbies and veterans alike can get to where they want to go quickly. Depending on where exactly you’re located in Canada, you should be able to stream the races you make wagers on directly from William Hill. In addition, getting to the payouts section is a breeze.
Another thing we like about William Hill is that the sportsbook does a good job of creating content to help educate new players on the sport and keep them in touch with all the happenings in the horse racing world. It’s a nice added touch when it seems like most sportsbooks neglect online horse betting altogether.
What They Could Improve
As for drawbacks, some people think that William Hill’s online sportsbook design is too “retro” for players who are used to modern graphics like other sportsbooks we have on our list. That said, with William Hill being “retro,” it’s more straight to the point which is why we love the layout of the horse racing section. You don’t have to dig around for stuff. We also find that William Hill’s sportsbook can feel slow regarding its website speed.
2. Betway Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at Betway
Betway is still a big sportsbook in the United Kingdom. As such, one of its main offerings is horse racing betting. Since they made the jump overseas, Betway has made a good case for being one of the best horse racing betting sites in Canada. Despite the operator’s strengthening grip on horse racing Canada, they aren’t quite all the way there yet.
What They Do Well
Getting to the horse racing betting section is super easy at Betway. Once you’re there, finding tracks to make bets on is straightforward. One thing we like about Betway is that the operator doesn’t cheap out on overseas hurdles races. We find some books won’t offer those races and, if those books do offer hurdles races, the track listing is usually buried deep in the horse racing offerings. For someone not used to “digging,” that could be a turn-off. Luckily, Betway makes things easy there.
The live streaming that Betway offers is pretty good. Yes, the streams can be a bit behind. For example, the race can start, and the betting has closed, but the stream won’t start for 30 to 40 seconds after the race started. But the quality is good and the streams don’t buffer.
What They Could Improve
The only nitpick we have with Betway is that the operator doesn’t offer a ton of high-quality material to help educate new players about how to make horse wagers. (Luckily, you have this handy guide).
3. Sports Interaction (SIA) Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at Sports Interaction
When it comes to betting sites in Canada, Sports Interaction is highly regarded, and for good reason. SIA knocks it out of the park with its hockey offerings, which is why so many people use the sportsbook to begin with. That said, SIA is very versatile in its betting selection. The operator doesn’t joke around regarding its horse racing selection. Basically, if there’s a big race on the telly, you’ll be able to bet on it.
What They Do Well
What we love about SIA’s horse racing betting options is that they’re not overwhelming. There’s a high probability that bettors who are already signed up with SIA aren’t familiar with how to find a horse race. For big stakes races like the Kentucky Derby, SIA will list it as such. You won’t have to find Churchill Downs, select the race number, and jump through hoops. We understand the hardcore horse racing demographic probably won’t appreciate that feature as much as someone who’s just a casual bettor. That said, for a sport like horse racing that’s trying to bring in new bettors, giving casual fans less barrier to entry goes a long way in creating more serious bettors.
What They Could Improve
A bit of a turn-off is that the betting menus on SIA might not be as in-depth as experienced bettors are used to seeing, which can be a bummer if you’re someone who wants to use SIA as a standalone horse racing betting site. We’ve found in our own research that more experienced players want in-depth options from tracks throughout the globe. That said, if you’re a sports bettor who wants to bet on things other than horse racing, SIA gives you that flexibility.
4. TonyBet Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at TonyBet
TonyBet has been making a name for itself as one of the better sportsbooks in Canada. The operator offers a great-looking sportsbook that’s very user-friendly. Judging from the online reviews, the operator has also been well-received by those who matter the most: the players.
What They Do Well
If you’re a horse racing fan, you will like TonyBet. TonyBet used to be a big sportsbook in the United Kingdom, where the blokes there take their horse racing pretty seriously. Those punters go all out for things like the Royal Ascot and the big races at Newmarket. As such, through TonyBet Canada’s online sportsbook, the operator does a darn good job of informing you of your betting options across the pond.
The North American options are great, too. TonyBet offers all the big tracks in the United States but can be a bit bland on the Canadian tracks. You’ll get all your usual wagering options. There aren’t too many special bets you can do as TonyBet doesn’t focus the bulk of bandwidth on horse racing betting. Nevertheless, TonyBet still offers a great horse racing gambling experience.
What They Could Improve
For drawbacks, we’ll admit that the site’s layout can be a bit boring. We also have a hard time reading some of TonyBet’s font for the jockey and trainer details when making our bets. Accessibility is “meh.”
5. BET99 Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at BET99
BET99 Canada is also a nice option for placing horse racing bets. Although it doesn’t full emphasizes the sport, the operator has a great selection of races for players to wager on.
What They Do Well
We like the sportsbook’s easy-to-use layout. BET99 has become known as the home for betting on sports like MMA and NHL. That said, they have horse racing as an add-on, which is a nice feature. They’ll likely never be #1 in horse betting, but for NFL bettors looking to steer into the ponies, they have a few solid lines worth checking out.
Players can also get decent bonuses depending on where they’re located. That bonus money can be used to mess around on the horses.
What They Could Improve
The only thing is, since BET99 focuses more on other sports, the horse racing section leaves a bit to be desired. We would recommend using this sportsbook as a connect-all solution for sports betting, not as a stand-alone horse racing betting site.
6. Parimatch Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at Parimatch
Parimatch gives players a decent selection of bets throughout various sports. Horse racing is no exception.
What They Do Well
The menu is refreshingly easy to navigate. Horse racing bettors can wager on all the normal stuff, like straight bets, exotic bets, and multi-race bets. Parimatch has a separate dashboard dedicated to horses and greyhounds, which players can access through the hamburger menu in the top left corner. From there, Parimatch displays the latest results, last minute bets, and current races by Nation.
What They Could Improve
One drawback is that Parimatch doesn’t offer a ton of special markets for horse racing but it does offer a solid selection of tracks from all around the world. Getting to the payouts section after a race can be a tricky process when you first start using Parimatch. The only thing we wish this sportsbook would offer is the ability for bettors to watch the races they bet on. Horse racing is a niche sport and unless it’s a big race you usually can’t flip on the telly and tune in to the races. You’ll have to go through a horse racing live streaming provider, which can get pricey.
Another nitpick we have with this and most of the sportsbooks on this list is that they don’t offer many standardbred betting options. Standardbred racing is slightly different from thoroughbred racing. In standardbred racing, the jockeys are called “drivers” and ride a buggy that the horse pulls. These divisions of horse racing are even more niche but have an extremely strong cult following. Therein, most horse racing bettors would like the option to bet on standardbred racing.
7. BetVictor Online Horse Betting
Start Horse Betting at BetVictor
BetVictor got its start in the horse racing and greyhound bookmaking business years ago. Sports betting wasn’t really the operator’s to start. All these years later, the relationship between horses, sportsbooks, and bettors is still running strong. Plus, BetVictor has expended its horizons.
What They Do Well
BetVictor keeps things simple. Users can easily find all the popular betting markets within seconds. The layout is visually pleasing and doesn’t deter newbies or annoy the vets.
What They Could Improve
This isn’t really a nitpick, but BetVictor’s online horse betting options are great. That said, for some reason, everything feels just feels “meh.” Of course, that’s a consequence of being easy and simple to use for all players. Players get something to work with but don’t get information overload. Yet, some race previews or silk colour options would go a long way to “brightening things up.”
How to Choose a Horse Racing Betting Site
You’ve made it through all the sportsbook, or should we say, “horsebook” reviews. You learned about the popular horse racing wagers. Now, we’re going to talk about picking the best online horse race betting site for you.
Horse racing is such a niche sport, so not every sportsbook will have the same offerings. Remember, depending on where you’re located in Canada, your options for horse racing betting sites can be limited. So, it’s imperative that if you have a bigger pool to draw from, you take advantage of it.
1. Know Your Needs
The first thing you should do is to consider your betting needs. Consider things like:
- Are you going to be betting strictly on the horses?
- If so, will you be betting every day or just for big horse racing events?
If you know you want to bet on other sports too, it’s a good idea to look for sportsbooks that cater to all the leagues you like. Once you’ve figured out exactly what you’re looking for, seek out books that check the boxes. Obviously, our list above will help you out immensely.
2. Check Bonuses
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few sportsbooks, see what type of bonuses they’re offering. Throughout the year, sportsbooks will change their bonuses which can work out in a player’s favour.
- Start with the sportsbook that’s offering the best bonus promotion.
- Make sure that the wagering requirement isn’t too massive.
- If it isn’t, open an account there, but keep an eye out for better promotions with the other books on your list.
You can easily withdraw money from one book to another book and receive the full benefit of the bonus promotion. That’s, of course, as long as you’ve met the wagering requirements for book one so you can withdraw your money. We admit that some operators may not love our strategy, but hey, it’s a free world. Go get what’s yours!
3. Assess Live Streaming Quality
Another thing to ask is if you want to be able to watch the races you bet on.
- If so, does your sportsbook give you the option to watch the race live?
Throughout most of Canada, if you are still a cable or satellite subscriber, you can add HPITV to your package. Most providers charge $5 a month for the basic channel. If that option isn’t available to you, you’ll probably have to go through a streaming provider, which, as we mentioned before, can get pricey. In other words, if you want to watch the races, you might have to settle on what books you use.
4. Seek Race Information
One last thing we think you should consider is how much race detail you want. Are you looking to get in-depth details that books offer, or would you prefer something more laid-back like what Sports Interaction offers? There are no right or wrong answers, but knowing what you’re looking for will make your selection process easier.
Horse Racing Betting Markets Explained
Right on! You’ve made it this far, so that means you’re interested in this whole horse racing thing. We’ve talked about the best places you can bet on horse racing online in Canada plus what to consider when choosing a sportsbook. Now, let’s talk about the specific bets you can make and sprinkle in some strategy along the way.
1. Straight Bets
The first bet type we’ll explore is “straight bets.” Horse racing straight bets are wagers for a specific outcome that usually involve only betting one horse. The three main bet types are win, place, and show.
Win Bets
When you make a win bet, you’re wagering on a horse to win the race. That means the horse must finish in first place. If the horse doesn’t finish in the winner’s circle, you lose.
Our Advice:
Typically, experienced bettors recommend that newbies focus solely on making $2 win bets. By focusing on win bets, new bettors can quite quickly learn what works when looking for winners and what doesn’t, which can help them avoid falling for traps when they start to bet larger sums of money.
Newbies tend to “bet the chalk” which is another way of saying they bet on the post-time favourite to win the race. This isn’t a great long-term strategy, especially when you’re betting on maiden races where horses are running for the first time.
Oddsmakers at the track are making lines based solely on the horses’ pedigrees. They have no clue how the horse will race. They’re just trying to give the public an idea of who’s who. It’s up to the bettor to figure it out from there.
Place Bets
A place bet is essentially picking a horse to finish in second place or better. If the horse finishes in third place or lower, the bet loses.
When horseplayers want to take a shot on a horse with long odds, they’ll usually do something that’s called a win/place bet. The player is betting that the horse will finish in the top two. The hope is that the horse wins the race outright so they can cash both bets. If the horse gets nipped on the wire and finishes in second, and if the odds are long enough, the player can get place bet money and recoup their overall investment.
With some luck, they could earn some profit along the way.
Show Bets
A show bet cashes if the horse finishes third or better. In horse racing jargon, someone might say you’re betting that the horse “finishes on the board.”
2. Multi-Race Bets
Multi-race wagers in horse racing are basically parlays.
Unlike sports betting, where you CAN’T pick multiple outcomes in a single event on a parlay, with multi-race bets, you can. That said, the more horses you add for each race, the more your ticket will cost.
Certain tracks will offer things like $1 pick 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s that start at a certain time on the card. Horse race bettors will make their selections. If you’re betting on bigger pick-6 cards like Gulfstream Park’s renowned “Rainbow Pick 6” pool, just adding a few horses in each race can bring the cost of your multi-race bet into the thousands of dollars range. That said, many will take a stab at the big pick 6 pools because a horse odds bettor could potentially win tens of thousands of dollars, and even hundreds of thousands of dollars, if the ticket ends up cashing.
3. Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are single race wagers where you’re picking horses to finish in a certain order. Many players will throw money at exotic bets because they have higher payouts than simply picking a horse to win, place, or show. That said, the higher the reward, the harder the wager is to win. Let’s explain.
Quinella Bet
The quinella bet is fairly simple. You’ll select two horses to finish in the top two spots of a race. Unlike other exotic bets, the two horses can finish however they finish; it doesn’t have to be a specific order, as long as they finish in first and second place.
Exacta Bet
An exacta bet requires you to pick the top two horses in a race in the correct order. Unlike the last wager we discussed, the horses have to finish how you selected them to finish. If you selected the #7 horse to win and the #8 horse to place, the horses have to finish that way. Any other order and that bet becomes a loser.
There’s a caveat to that, though. You can box horses, meaning that if you think the #1 horse is the most likely winner, but the #8 could give that #1 horse some stiff competition, you can bet the #1 and the #8 to finish in first and the #1 and the #8 to finish second. As long as they finish in the top two, your exacta wins. If they don’t finish in the top two, your bet loses. Also, keep in mind when you start to “box horses,” your wagers will cost more to make. The same rules apply to the other exotic bets we’ll discuss.
Trifecta Bet
A trifecta is a bet where you wager on the top three horses in the race. If you’re picking it “straight” with no horses boxed, you’ll need the horses to finish in the exact order that you picked.
Superfecta Bet
A superfecta bet requires you to pick the top four horses in the race in the correct order. We should mention again that the more horses you have to pick correctly, the better the payouts will be.
Major Horse Racing Events
Alright, let’s talk about some of horse racing’s best events to bet on. The lovely thing about horse racing is there are so many great races to choose from. We’re just trying to get you on your feet, so these are the biggest races on our calendars.
Triple Crowns
The Canadian Triple Crown includes the King’s Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and the Breeder’s Stakes. Meanwhile, the American Triple Crown includes the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. In order to win the Triple Crown, the horse must come in first place in all three races. Needless to say, this does not happen every year.
In fact, it almost never happens. Since 1932, the Canadian Triple Crown has been awarded 12 times.
The full list of Canadian Triple Crown winners:
- Queensway in 1932
- Archworth in 1939
- Uttermost in 1945
- Ace Marine in 1955
- Canadian Champ in 1956
- New Providence in 1959
- Canebora in 1963
- With Approval in 1989
- Izvestia in 1990
- Dance Smartly in 1991
- Peteski in 1993
- Wando in 2003
These are the horses who have swept the Canadian Triple Crown. There was one jockey who was able to sweep the Canadian Triple Crown with three different horses. This feat was accomplished by Luis Contreras in 2011.
Kentucky Derby
The first Saturday of May has always been marked on every horse racing fan’s calendar. That’s when the best three-year-old fillies in all of the land head on down to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in arguably the biggest race the sport has to offer, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. It also serves as the first jewel in America’s coveted Triple Crown.
Some of horse racing’s most celebrated equine legends have captured the roses. Not to mention the hearts and minds of racing fans worldwide. The most talked about being the enigma, horse racing’s last big superstar, Secretariat, also known as “Big Red.”
Preakness
The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of America’s Triple Crown. It’s held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Armed Forces Day, which is usually the third Saturday of May. The Preakness is run at a distance of 1 3/16 miles. The famed “Big Red” is probably the most talked about Preakness winner. Not only did he romp the field in 1973, but he set a track record at 1:53.0 flat.
Belmont
The Belmont Stakes is the final jewel in horse racing’s illustrious Triple Crown. The race takes place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, at some point in June. As “The Belmont” is the final step to capture racing immortality for Triple Crown hopefuls, it has been labelled as the true “test of champions.” Many wannabes have come and failed. So few have succeeded. None more strikingly so than the beloved “Big Red,” whose Belmont record we can confidently say will never be broken.
King’s Plate
The King’s Plate takes place at Woodbine Racetrack in the heart of Toronto, Ontario, during the month of August. Billed as the most prestigious race in Canada and the start of the legendary Canadian Triple Crown, the best Canadian-bred three-year-olds of the crop compete to edge their names in the history books. Not to mention winning the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown whilst also capturing their share of the $1 million purse.
The King’s Plate, formerly known as The Queen’s Plate (R.I.P. Lizzie), is Canada’s oldest stakes race. Meant to honour the reigning monarch, the majestic stakes race has taken on a legacy of its own. The most famous winner of “The Plate” is none other than Northern Dancer, who had previously won the Kentucky Derby months prior, becoming the first Canadian-bred horse to accomplish that historic feat.
Prince of Wales Stakes
The Prince of Wales Stakes takes place at Fort Erie Race Track in beautiful Fort Erie, Ontario (not too far away from Niagara Falls). Often billed as the “second boss” of the Triple Crown, three-year-old horses of both sexes duke it out to be one step closer to immortality. The race is run at 1 3/16 miles on a dirt track. One of the most famous Prince of Wales winners was actually a princess. That’s right, in 1991, Dance Smartly continued her journey to becoming a Canadian Triple Crown winner by capturing the Prince of Wales dominantly. Not only is Dance Smartly immortalized in Canadian horse racing history, but she also put Canada on the map by being the first Canadian-bred horse to win a Breeders’ Cup race (the all-star game of horse racing). Not too shabby for a Canadian-bred!
Breeders’ Stakes
Unlike America’s final leg of the Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Stakes is also run on the turf at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario. Not only is the race run on the turf, it’s a long distance one to boot. 1 1/2 miles on the turf will separate the pretenders from the real deals. We argue that Canada’s Triple Crown is more prestigious because horses have to be able to handle long distances on multiple surfaces. That’s what makes winners like Canadian Triple Crown champion Dance Smartly so impressive. The pedigree a horse has to have is top-level.
Breeders Cup Classic
The Breeder’s Cup Classic is an annual Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses, typically held in November. The race was first run in 1984 and has quickly become one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the world. The Breeder’s Cup Classic features a purse of several million dollars and is open to horses three years of age and older. The Classic comprises the fourth and final leg of horse racing’s Grand Slam (along with the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes) which only one Thoroughbred, American Pharoah in 2015, has achieved.
Online Horse Betting Canada FAQ
We recommend these sites for betting on horse racing: Parimatch, William Hill, Betway, Bet99, and Sports Interaction. Check out our reviews above to learn more.
These three races make up the illustrious Canadian Triple Crown: The King’s Plate at Woodbine Race Track, The Prince of Wales at Fort Erie Race Track, and the Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine Race Track.
Professional horseplayers will suggest that newbies start by making straight bets. Their main suggestion is to try focusing on $2 win bets.
Much like sports betting, you’ll need to open an account with a reputable sportsbook that offers horse racing as a wagering option.
It is indeed! Provided you’re betting on an authorized and regulated betting platform in your chosen province, horse race betting is 100% legal in Canada.
With so many sportsbooks on offer, it can be a daunting task to find the right place for betting on the Sport of Kings, so be sure to shop around! For customers in Ontario, you’ll have access to horse race betting through bet365 or Woodbine Entertainment’s race bet platforms; HPIbet and/or Darkhorse Bets.
The Kentucky Derby was the latest Triple Crown race to be inaugurated, with the Run for the Roses starting in 1875. The Preakness Stakes began in 1873 and the Belmont Stakes started in 1867, making the Belmont the oldest of the Triple Crown races. Sir Barton was the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 1919.
The Kentucky Derby takes place at the Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, while the Preakness Stakes is run at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The final leg of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Horse racing odds change most often because of the number of wagers that bettors place on horses. If a lot of people bet on a favourite, the odds to bet on that horse will become more expensive and the rest of the horses are more likely to have their betting odds become less expensive. Other changes in horse racing odds may occur because of the fitness of a horse, or changes in the weather during the run-up to the contest.
Yes, you can bet on horses online in Canada. Most provinces allow online horse racing betting, although regulations can vary. Ontario has specific rules that may limit options. Popular platforms like Bet365 and HPIbet offer access to various international tracks, making it easy for Ontarians to place bets from home.
Win refers to the winner of the race, place refers to the second-place horse, and show is the horse that finishes third, similar to how the Olympics give gold, silver, and bronze medals for competitors.
Like all forms of gambling, it is possible to make significant amounts of money if you make the right plays. At the same time, it is very difficult, as the operators and books are ultimately trying to win their share, and results are unpredictable.
The best choice is to treat horse race betting as entertainment, with profit being a fortunate windfall. If you’re looking to play it smart as well as fun, keep up to date with the goings on before events, so you’re not just picking names out of a proverbial hat. Research doesn’t guarantee you anything, but it does help you stay in tune with the odds.
The safest bet will almost always be the odds-on favourite, particularly if news leading up to the event remains good for that horse. It’s not a super profitable route, but the safest route rarely is. Remember to be responsible and to consider profit to be the icing on the cake – the main goal here is the extra entertainment!
