Horse racing betting has been a staple within British sporting society for generations and the revenue streams created from UK horse racing are hugely important to bookmakers.
Central to the appeal for punters with horse racing is the unpredictability of each contest and the frequency of the races within the sporting calendar, which all present betting enthusiasts with more opportunities to make money.
From a betting perspective, horse racing provides opportunity and heartbreak in equal measure. Punters can always find value in any horse race and should they pick the winner, more often than not they will be able to reap the rewards.
That said, horse races tend to throw up the most unusual scenarios and odds on favourites don’t always come home – leaving punters in a bit of a quandary.
Best 10 Horse Racing Betting Sites in the UK
1. 888 Sport
Having been a major player on the UK betting scene since 2008, 888 Sport continue to grow in notoriety. Originally one of the first poker and online casinos, their transition to sports betting has been seamless and punters can always find value when betting with 888 Sport.
Horse Racing is integral to their operation, with some of the most competitive odds on the market available to punters, as well as a range of market variety bets – to allow punters to find the best niches for them.
Placing a £1 stake on a particular race enables fans to live stream that contest, whilst there are regular offers and promotions for punters to get their teeth into too.
The USP for 888 Sport is their easy to use interface, which attracts punters with varying degrees of experience and capital. For the complete horse racing betting experience, very few operators are as reliable as 888 Sport.
2. Betway
When it comes to diverse sportsbooks, very few can compete with Betway, who offer a multitude of markets on a plethora of sports.
The horse racing markets offered by Betway are amongst the very best, with hugely competitive odds on every race and a range of specific bets for punters to exploit.
A huge part of the appeal with Betway is their consistently strong promotions they offer to customers, with both new and existing customers being rewarded in equal measure.
The Betway Reward Programme gives punters free bet tokens across a range of horse racing markets, simply for consistently betting with Betway.
Live streaming and in-play horse racing betting offerings are also easy to come by with Betway who offer something for all levels of punter as a very solid sportsbook.
3. Uni Bet
Since their launch in 1999, Uni Bet have established themselves as one of the major players within the UK sports betting scene and their attention to detail helps them stand out from the competition.
Uni Bet offer some of the most comprehensive markets across all sports and this remains the case with horse racing betting.
With markets offered across all of the major UK race meetings as well as lower profile point-to-point events, horse racing punters are spoilt for choice with Uni Bet.
Furthermore, they have one of the easiest landing pages to navigate, making life easy for rookie punters and their consistently strong odds allow punters to get maximum value from every bet they place.
Whilst they don’t expend a huge amount of energy into welcome offers and promotions, Uni Bet continue to give out rewards to loyal customers – making them the perfect sportsbook for those in it for the long haul.
4. Bet 365
Coined as the ‘World’s Biggest Online Bookmaker’ Bet 365 have a reputation for doing everything well and this remains the case with horse racing betting.
Bet 365 have always dominated the market when it comes to live streaming and in-play betting options and punters have access to horse racing coverage from all over the world with Bet 365 – enhancing the betting experience for all levels of bettor.
In addition, Bet 365 continue to offer some of the most competitive horse racing odds on the market, enabling customers to get maximum value from every bet placed and with growing market variety Bet 365 continue to be a major player on the UK horse racing betting scene.
5. Mansion Bet
An emerging set of bookmakers are making a splash in the ever growing sportsbook market in the UK and Mansion Bet are arguably the strongest of the bunch.
Best odds guaranteed is top of the agenda with Mansion Bet, who offer that on every UK horse race – meaning if the odds go longer after you’ve placed your bet, you still receive the maximum amount of winnings.
Rookie punters will also find comfort from the easy to navigate landing page offered by Mansion Bet who also offer plenty for expert punters too.
Expert analysis and tips are also easy to access on the Mansion Bet website and with live streaming offered on plenty of races, punters have plenty to like about Mansion Bet.
6. William Hill
As one of the biggest names on the UK betting scene, William Hill need no introduction and with over 50 years of experience within the UK horse racing sphere, their expertise is unrivalled.
Maximum value is at the heart of the operation with William Hill, who offer ‘best odds guaranteed’ on every UK and Irish meeting – meaning punters can always bet safe in the knowledge any late market changes won’t hurt their bank balance.
In-play betting is also easy to utilise with William Hill, with odds constantly available to punters on the William Hill homepage, making horse racing with ‘Hills’ an absolute doddle.
In comparison to some of their direct competitors, they perhaps don’t offer the widest array of markets on every race but with a tried and tested method for attracting and keeping horse racing betting customers, there are very few sportsbooks that can compete with William Hill’s reputation.
7. Coral
Having forged a successful name as one of the UK’s premiere high-street bookmakers, Coral are firmly established within the online betting sphere too.
Very few bookmakers can compete with Coral when it comes to odds, with some of the most enticing prices available on the market – punters looking for maximum value should always bet with Coral.
The offers and promotions offered by Coral to new and existing customers are also another huge selling point, with punters able to maximize their winning pots with free bet tokens.
In comparison to some of the other offerings on the market, Coral perhaps don’t offer the most comprehensive array of horse racing betting options but for punters chasing the pennies, there are few better operators than Coral.
8. Paddy Power
With eye-catching offers and startling social media campaigns, Paddy Power are adept at attracting new customers to their sportsbook.
They offer some of the most weird and wonderful betting offerings on the market and their horse racing operation stands up favourably against most of their competitors.
With excellent odds offered across a range of UK and Irish horse racing meets and best odds guaranteed on most races, punters can always find value with Paddy Power.
Live streaming is easy to access on the Paddy Power website and whilst it doesn’t feel like a priority sport in terms of Paddy Power’s promotional activity, there is plenty of money to be made when betting on the horses with Paddy Power.
9. BetVictor
When it comes to value, very few bookmakers can compete with BetVictor.
With ‘Price It Up’ boosts offered across a range of horse racing betting markets, BetVictor are constantly looking to provide value for their customers.
Whilst most major UK and Irish horse racing meets are covered with BetVictor, they don’t perhaps offer the same live streaming and in-play betting options that some of their competitors do.
That said, with great value available on every bet placed and an easy to navigate landing page, BetVictor is the perfect bookmaker for those starting out on their horse racing betting journey.
10. STS
Becoming part of the established order within the UK betting scene can be difficult but STS have managed to muscle in rather easily.
Despite a heritage in European bookmaking, STS offer some of the very best horse racing markets available to punters – in the UK and beyond.
Their odds are very competitive and the plethora of horse racing markets available to players, means there is always something to bet on with STS.
Whilst live streaming options are yet to manifest, they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and they continue to grow in notoriety within the UK horse racing betting sphere.
How to Find the Best Horse Racing Bookmaker
With so many bookmakers on the market in the UK, there are plenty of things to consider when picking the ideal horse racing sportsbook:
Best Odds
With so many races taking place in the UK and beyond on a daily basis, getting maximum value on any bets placed is essential.
Be sure to look out for the best odds with each bookmaker, as failing to do so can have a hugely negative effect on any potential profits gained.
Bookmaker Security
All of the major bookmakers in the UK are registered with the British Gambling Commission, which is the standard bearing organization for gambling operations – so be sure to bet with a company that has a license.
As a general rule of thumb, longevity is a good indicator is a bookmaker is trustworthy and that minimum data security standards are met.
Live Streaming
Being able to watch a race as it unfolds has become a minimum requirement with most bookmakers and of course, it adds to the drama. Placing a bet with many major sportsbook entitles punters to watch the race, so ensure that live streaming options are offered with your chosen bookmaker.
Whilst sports such as football have disrupted the established order within sports betting, horse racing is as popular as it ever has been – with rookie and expert punters alike – making it big business for all concerned.