Racebooks

***Updated: May 2nd, 2020***

These days, it’s easy to find gambling websites in the United States that have slot machines, video poker, and the types of table games everyone loves in Las Vegas like blackjack or roulette. However, there are only a few online racebooks who accept players from the USA, and even fewer who actually come recommended, so we have compiled a full list of the very best options out there today.

The reason many places don’t offer horse racing is because it takes a tremendous amount of resources to gather the data from all of the tracks, including the up-to-the-second odds and scratches, and then compile the results afterwards. This is why most operators in the U.S. enlisted “3rd party information providers” who do everything for them: it would simply require too much manpower otherwise. Once they’ve hired a company to provide the data, the casino can then concentrate on bonuses and contests to keep players happy, rather than the nuts and bolts of the horse races themselves.

Offtrack betting has become a lot more popular in recent years thanks to the ability to bet from home, or even mobile phones, allowing wagers to be placed anywhere with an internet connection. The vast majority of sites have a mobile compatible racebook but the quality of the technology differs greatly and there are are obviously some with better products than others.

Best USA Online Racebooks

There are many items to consider when evaluating the best online racebooks, with the most important being the reputation of the website, the number of tracks offered, the size of the bonuses, and of course, their wager rebate system that gives cash back to players. All of these things are always changing so it can be hard to stay on top of current affairs, however, the best in the business never change too much.

A good rule of thumb is not to get too distracted by big bonuses or rebates since sometimes the tall stacks of free cash are hiding the faults of the website. At some places it takes a very long time to pay out winnings because they don’t have many withdrawal options available, or their internal processing times for payout requests is longer than the industry average. Ultimately, neither of these excuses is acceptable.

Also, some operators don’t have customer service representatives staffed 24/7, or even worse, there aren’t dedicated horse racing agents who are familiar with the sport. It’s shocking to see how many companies employ people to answer phones who don’t know what a “Quinella” is.

In short, the entire experience is going to be affected by lots of different factors so it’s necessary to take a long look at everything.

Available Tracks at Online Racebooks

Most websites usually allow bets on every A, B, and C grade track in the United States and the few popular ones in Canada. Although some places might not offer Class D or E tracks because they are very unpredictable and the 3rd party data collection services can have a hard time verifying the results.

However, when it comes to easily placing wagers, the Bovada Racebook has a fantastic user friendly interface that has tons of different ways to search for races and tracks. In fact, they’re really the leaders in the industry thanks to their “Next 5 Races” button that displays the action that’s about to go off the board from tracks all over the world, regardless of location. This enables those not searching for something specific to see exactly what’s going on at any time of the day.

After clicking the button midmorning the next event in North America might be from Monticello Raceway, however, it’s sandwiched between races running in Newcastle and Dubai, allowing those who wouldn’t normally know these locations get action if they’re feeling frisky. It’s actually a great way to learn about some foreign tracks that would otherwise remain a mystery.

There’s a wide variety of events to choose from and every online racebook will always post odds for the premier occasions of the year like the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Classic. In addition, there are tons of wagering options available on the Breeders’ Cup, as well as all of the regal international happenings such as the Melbourne Cup in Australia.

Bet on Horse Racing at USA Online Casinos

It’s pretty standard for online casinos servicing the USA to list around 100 tracks to bet on, for example, the GTbets Racebook has 94 on their site, including a few from Australia. This provides a wide variety from coast to coast for offtrack betting and everyone should be able to find what they’re looking for here.

The only issue with GTbets is that they are relative newcomers on the scene and are still building up a reputation. There haven’t been any major complaints from our readers yet and everyone seems really happy, but there are other U.S. websites with racebooks that opened 10 years before them and the extra experience shows. That said, this is why they present some very enticing bonuses at GTbets and want people to come try their product so they can “wow” them with good service.

The majority of veteran players would agree that the best places to gamble on international tracks is either at Bovada or MyBookie because they offer a lot more options than their competitors. Whether it’s Dubai, Singapore, or beyond, they list all of the most famous horse racing tracks from around the world, which is perfect when you want to spice things up a little or can’t fall asleep.

Lastly, it’s important to make sure that the online casino in question actually accepts offtrack bets and isn’t promoting something else. Like at Intertops where it appears as if they have a racebook, however, they only supply futures wagers on the sport and not an actual list available for betting.

Offtrack Betting Online

Regardless of the operation, all of the same types of wagering options that are normally at the track will be found. Since offtrack betting has become commonplace in the internet era it just doesn’t make sense to get off the couch, fight through traffic, and then line up at a betting window, as it only takes a few seconds to do it on your computer.

The only thing that can be slightly different online is the availability of Pick 4s, Pick 5s, Pick 6s, and the like. Each place has its own rules on the maximum number of races that can be entered into one wager so always be sure to check their rules section first. Also, most will have a maximum payout amount per race, usually around $100,000, meaning that players who like to gamble on a big payday should know what the max is beforehand to avoid disappointment if it hits.

If you do happen to go over the max amount the operator may simply pay out up to their stated limit, or if they’re not upstanding they could void your entire ticket for “fraud”. This is why it’s so vitally important to only play at recommended online racebooks with a good reputation, like the ones listed above. It’s simply not worth taking a chance anywhere else.