Are you wondering which is the best betting app for horse racing in America?
Then you have come to the right place!
The question is, which of these are the best horse racing betting apps? Below is a list of our top 5, which offer customers the best odds, horse, jockey and trainer information and the best offers and promotions.
Our Top Racing Betting App – TVG
In the United States, there is not a wide choice of betting apps due to the legal legislation in each State. However, when it comes to horse racing there is a wide number of states where you can bet with our recommended app – TVG. The app is built out from the TVG horse racing TV network.
If you are a TVG betting customer you can stream horse racing from not only the US but from major racing events around the globe. There’s also an excellent welcome bonus on offer of up to $250 free as a new customer, see below –
State rules – Almost all states are accepted. There are some track betting restrictions depending on where you are based, you will need to see the TVG support section to check these for your location.
To be approved you need to be a resident of the state and located in it when using the app. You will need to be 21 years old or over.
Horse racing betting guide.
How do I bet on horse racing?
The first step is to find an online bookmaker that is offering the bet (or types of bet) you are looking to place – TVG app in most states but others are available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and some other states.
You will then need to register for an account with the chosen bookmaker in order to place bets. This takes a couple of minutes to complete and involves filling out an online form with details such as name, address etc.
Once you are registered you will then be required to deposit money into your betting account.
Most bookmakers will offer you the chance to deposit as part of the registration process. However, if you initially decline, you can always deposit at a later date by logging in and heading to the ‘my account’ section from within the app.
With funds added you are now free to gamble as you wish on all of the services available to that bookmaker. You are not restricted to just horse racing. Most bookmakers offer bets across all popular sports and some obscure ones too.
However, if you are specifically looking to place a bet on the racing action all you need to do is navigate to the horse racing section. Pick a race, make a selection, enter your stake amount and you will then be prompted to place the bet. Tap on the place bet button and the bet will then be placed.
How do I pick which horse to bet on?
This is entirely up to the individual. However, knowledge tends to be key to the success of those who make a living from betting on the horses.
There are lots of factors to consider when it comes to horse racing betting. Examples of which are;
- Age of the horse
- Weight
- Form
- Health
- Track surface
- Race distance
- Handicaps
- Jockey
- Trainer reputation
- Weather conditions
- Track conditions
- Rest periods
- Stable news
- Horse temperament before the race
- Etc. Etc.
With so many factors, many strategies have formed that has become the habit to the hardened horse racing punter. I personally tend to add a lot of weight on racing experience and wins in past performances. This is certainly a good place to start in my opinion.
From there, find your own strategy. This can only really be done by plunging in at the deep end and building up your own horse racing betting experience.
Rely on Tipsters?
You can always leave it up to others to do the research for you. There are plenty of so-called ‘tipsters’ our there offering subscription services for supposed ‘red hot tips’. However, not all these services are trusted.
Therefore I prefer to adopt my own strategy rather than putting my money on other people’s. That said, if time is a precious commodity and there just isn’t enough of it to put in the required research, this is a viable option. Provided you can find a trusted tipster.
There are websites out there that offer tips for free so that you can get a taste of the quality on offer.
Shot in the dark
There is, of course, the dartboard method to always fall back on. Whereby you close your eyes wave a finger and randomly select a horse. It can pay dividends to those who seem to have been born with Lady Luck on their side. However, this strategy isn’t recommended by us as a long term one.
How do I see which horses are running?
Bookmakers will offer race card style views on all horses eligible to start a particular race. You can use these solely to determine race starters, but we would also recommend checking out independent sources.
Some of the most popular sources are listed below.
These sources will provide a lot more information on the races than betting apps. If you have the time, it is worthwhile checking out sites like these. TVG does have an excellent news service on offer as well as past races in their archives that you can check out.
Can I bet on a horse to place?
Yes, you can make a ‘to place selection’ rather than forcing you to bundle this up with the ‘to win’ pick to make up an each-way selection.
Therefore, if you have no confidence of a horse actually winning, but see value in the odds of the horse placing – the ‘to place’ bet would be a better option than each-way bet. However, if the horse does go on to win, you will still only get paid out at the placed odds taken ie. much less than the ‘to win’ price.
How much should I bet on horse racing?
This is down to the individual and how confident you are in the selections you are making. It also depends on how well you are doing. However, most importantly it depends on how much you are willing to lose.
You should only ever bet what you can afford to lose. Losses shouldn’t be chased outside of budgets and gambling should always be an enjoyable experience. If it isn’t, I would suggest gambling isn’t a decent fit in your life right now and to maybe stay away.
Can I bet after the race has started?
Yes, you can, but not much long after. The best advice here is to check the small print in the terms and conditions to determine how much time you actually have after the race starts.
The general rule of thumb is that bets are taken 20 seconds after a flat race has started and any bet taken after 45 seconds of a National Hunt race will be deemed as void.
The strategy of leaving your bet this late can pay dividends and give you a slight edge once the formation of the horses in the race have been forged. However, it can lead to frustration if your betting app has a sudden freeze or if you temporarily lose the data network signal.
If you were to adopt this technique, we would recommend doing so when connected to Wi-Fi. At the very least 4G, to save any potential red faces.
Should I bet on the race favourite?
This depends on the race in question. It certainly isn’t a bad strategy for those who have little time to burn. However, race favourites do not always ring true. If they did, this racing betting lark would be a piece of cake!
More importantly in my opinion, is understanding why a particular horse is favourite. This can then identify possible weaknesses in the favourite. It can also highlight other horses as possibly being in with a chance, offering better value odds.
What is Ante-post betting?
This is the art of betting on horse races in the future. This is particularly prevalent in the big festivals and races of the year, such as Cheltenham or the Grand National. Odds can offer much better value months before the actual race when uncertainty still hovers over the actual runners.
So if you have done your research early doors and are confident in;
a) The horse actually taking part in the race
and
b) The horse having the credentials to be in with a chance of a win
Then a cheeky ante-post will be well worth looking at.
Two features to keep your eye out on when placing ante-post bets are Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) and Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG). These two features provide vital insurances, especially in the ante-post betting.
NRNB – ensures that you receive your stake amount back if your selection doesn’t end up racing.
BOG – means that if the starting price is bigger than the price you took, you will still be paid out at the largest odds, should the selection win.
