Horse racing is one of the most popular sporting disciplines to wager on in the UK. There is no shortage of betting sites adopting horse racing markets for the biggest events both home and abroad.
But where should you play? We have uncovered some of the most formidable UK horse racing betting brands which should give you food for thought.
According to our research, the best online horse betting sites in the UK for 2024 include Betfred, bet365, 10bet and Ladbrokes. These platforms have licenses from UKGC, use the latest live betting technology, offer 100+ horse race markets worldwide and give free bet bonuses to new users.
How We Judged The Top Horse Betting Sites
We have unanimously agreed the following to be the top UK horse racing betting sites, and we hold them in high esteem across the following areas:
- Odds – The sites covered will be competitive and give bettors value for money.
- Licensing and Security – Sites worth their salt will adopt robust security measures and they will be fully licensed by an approved gambling body.
- Betting Options – We have evaluated sites that are well versed in covering a variety of markets, such as win, each-way, and more.
- User Experience – We think you should be drawn to sites that are seamless in terms of navigation, have a strong interface, as well as mobile compatibility.
- Bonuses and Promotions – Whether it is welcome offers or ongoing deals, the UK horse racing betting sites we have discussed will be adept in this area.
The Best UK Horse Racing Betting Bonuses and Sites for 2025
Betting Brand | Sign-Up Offer |
Betfred | Bet £10 Get £50 in Bonuses |
bet365 | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets |
Unibet | 2x£10 Free Bets when you stake £20 |
William Hill | Bet £10 Get £60 in Bonuses |
BetVictor | Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets |
Spreadex | Bet £25 and Get £50 in Free Bets |
Betway | Matched £30 Free Bet if first acca loses + 100 Free Spins |
Ladbrokes | £20 in Free Bets when you stake £5 |
10bet | 100% match deposit bonus up to £50 |
Fitzdares | Bet £50 and Get £25 in Free Bets + 10 Free Spins |
- 10bet Sports: 100% bonus of up to £5018+, GambleAware.org.
New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply.
Read 10bet ReviewSPORT - BetFred Bonus: Bet £10, Get £50 in Bonuses18+, GambleAware.org.
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
Read Betfred ReviewBETFRED50 - bet365: Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets. Code 365GMBLR18+, GambleAware.org.
New Bet365 Customers Only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration Required. The bonus code 365GMBLR can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. Time limits and T&Cs apply
Read Bet365 Review365GMBLR - Betway Sports New Customer Offer: £30 in Free Bet18+, GambleAware.org.
New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on Gold Blitz (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. . Bet the Responsible Way. Full terms apply.
Read Betway Review - SBK Bonus: £40 in Free Bet. Promo Code18+, GambleAware.org.18+. GambleAware.org. New SBK UK customers only. Min £10 first deposit using Debit Card or Bank Transfer. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get a £10 Football Bet Builder token upon settlement. A £10 Multiple token, a £5 Horse Racing Multiple token and a £5 Football Bet Builder token will be credited after 24 hours. A further £10 Free Bet token will be credited 48 hours after the qualifying bet has been settled. Full T&Cs apply. #adRead SBK Review
- BetVictor Free Bet: £40 in Free Bets18+, GambleAware.org.
New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit card / Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
Read BetVictor Review - 18+, GambleAware.org.
New customers only. Min deposit £10. Place a £50 bet on any sport at at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater to qualify for three free bets on settlement: £10 on Football, £10 on Golf and £5 on Virtual Sports, plus 10 Free Spins on Reel King. Free Bet & Spins expire in 7 days. Additional T&Cs apply. Please bet responsibly.
Read Fitzdares Review - MrPlay Sport Bonus: £15 in Free Bets18+, GambleAware.org.
Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
Read Mr Play ReviewBGPLAY - Luckster Sport Bonus: £10 in Free Bets18+, GambleAware.org.
New customers in UK/IE only. Available once per household. Max. FreeBet amount: £10 Minimum Deposit and wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is: £10 Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the free bet. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of £10 or more. T&Cs Apply.
Read Luckster.com Review - Get £20 in Free Bets when you stake £5 on sports!18+, GambleAware.org.
New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
Read Ladbrokes ReviewBET5GET20
It’s now time to give you the lowdown on the 5 most notorious UK horse racing betting sites, and we have shared our thoughts on what makes them excel.
Betfred
Sitting atop our carefully curated list is Betfred, and it is a great frontrunner. Well, what’s not to like about Betfred’s opening gambit which consists of a Bet £10 Get £50 in bonuses which we think is exceedingly generous, and you can collect it through the promo code SUMMER50. It’s perhaps no surprise that Betfred is a self-proclaimed “Bonus King”.
Yet one of the cornerstones of the sites is the immersive #PickYourPunt which gives you eye-catching odds across the finest racing markets, and it has become a go-to option for horse racing fans.
Other Promos Available
- Extra Race Places – Betfred will pay extra places for each way, single, and multiple bets. So, for some markets, Betfred will pay out for 5 places instead of 4, or 4 places instead of 3, and so forth.
- Free Bet if 2nd – Selections will be given a £10 free bet or money back for any horse racing market if it finishes second.
bet365
Consistently one of the best UK horse racing betting sites for prices, bet365 is probably most famed for the quality of its live stream. We tested it and compared it to other sites, and we didn’t experience any buffering or lagging issues.
Moreover, bet365 ranks extremely well for withdrawals, making it one of the quickest UK bookmakers. The flagship bonus is a Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets which is virtually in line with what you expect from rival sites, although it surpasses the Bet £10 Get £20 in Bonuses available at BetVictor.
Other Promos Available
- Bet Boost – You can get a bigger price on selected UK & Irish horse racing meets, enabling bettors to yield more profit from longer odds and this facilitates win and each-way bets.
- Price Promise – bet365 promises that it won’t be beaten for price on any UK and Irish horse race shown live on ITV. The offer applies up to 15 minutes before the scheduled “off” time.
Unibet
Like bet365, Unibet is revered when it comes to odds, and it has its finger on the pulse when it comes to domestic and international coverage.
The opening deal is a Bet £20 Get £20 in free bets for horse racing, which by all accounts is one of the smaller promos on this list alongside BetVictor and Ladbrokes. That said, Unibet makes up for it in other areas.
Other Promos Available
- Daily Uniboost – The power is in your hands, as you can bolster your odds three times a day every day. You can source bigger odds on a horse you choose, whether it be nailed on favourite or a big-priced outsider.
- Acca Boost – You can multiply winnings through an acca boost. The bigger the acca, the bigger the boost. So, 7 legs+ will give you a 40% boost.
William Hill
The top in in-play betting, William Hill has a vast array of horse racing lines, and everything is neatly tied together with the William Hill Radio service which provides more incisive and detailed information for bettors.
The Bet £10 Get £60 in bonuses is one of the most delightful offers we found, outstripping the Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets available at Betfred and the Bet £25 Get £50 in bonuses available at Spreadex. Quick and efficient, William Hill has a nose for horse racing.
Other Promos Available
- Pick Your Places – Bears resemblance to Betfred’s #PickYourPunt, although you can pick more places per race (up to 6) with this feature.
- Best Odds Guaranteed – Get more for your money with BOG. Essentially, if you take a price and the Starting Price (SP) returns greater, William Hill will pay out at bigger odds.
BetVictor
BetVictor has an excellent offering when it comes to horse racing, and we were impressed with the odds boosts. This puts it almost on par with bet365, as for some races, odds were typically lengthened from 6/1 to 7/1.
Anyway, BetVictor boasts an excellent mobile app that will serve iOS and Android users well, although the £20 in Free Bets again is dwarfed by the likes of Betfred, who give players £50 in Bonuses merely for wagering £10.
Other Promos Available
- Run for Your Money – You could get a rebate if your horse fails to come out or loses all chance at the stalls, and is available when placing a bet on any UK or Irish race.
- Best Odds Guaranteed – Here, you can take an early price (EP) or Board Price (BP) for any race, and if the Starting Price (SP) is bigger, BetVictor will pay out at the lengthened odds.
Biggest Events to Bet on for Horse Racing
Below, we have listed some of the biggest horse racing events, both jump and flats, available at the leading UK bookmakers:
- Cheltenham Festival
- Grand National
- Epsom Derby
- Royal Ascot
An Overview of the UK Horse Racing Online Betting Scene
To underline the strength of the horse racing betting market, we have outlined some of the key stats for your perusal:
- Horse racing is the second largest sport behind football in terms of attendance and revenues generated annually.
- The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) estimated that in 2019 5.6 million attended over 1,500 races across the UK.
- £4.1 billion is contributed annually to the UK economy through horse racing.
- £70.5 million has been allocated in prize money for 2024 races in the UK.
Find the best websites to bet on horse races in the UK. All selected horse betting online sites for 2024 will offer top odds, good customer support service, promotions and free bets. The bet365, 10bet, Grosvenor and BoyleSports are among the best in UK horse race bet operators offering the most generous sign up bonuses.
The most popular offer to attract new horse racing betting sites customers is free bets – the so called ‘bet and get’ – where you open your account and place your first bet before the gambling firm gives you a number of free bets up to a certain cash value. These free bets normally range from £20 up to £50 but can be higher, and always remember restrictions usually apply to the free bets, such as a time limit on when you must place them, and the stake typically not being included in winning returns.
- SBK Bonus: £40 in Free Bet. Promo Code18+, GambleAware.org.18+. GambleAware.org. New SBK UK customers only. Min £10 first deposit using Debit Card or Bank Transfer. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get a £10 Football Bet Builder token upon settlement. A £10 Multiple token, a £5 Horse Racing Multiple token and a £5 Football Bet Builder token will be credited after 24 hours. A further £10 Free Bet token will be credited 48 hours after the qualifying bet has been settled. Full T&Cs apply. #adRead SBK Review
Online Horse Betting at bet365
Bet365 offers new customers £30 in free bets after betting an initial £10 – once you’ve deposited £10 and placed bets up to that value, the free bets are released. The site also offers horse racing punters the chance of free bets if they get a winner on races televised by ITV: place a winning bet on a horse at odds of 4/1 or more on a televised race, and if your next bet on a televised race loses (same stake, up to £30), bet365 will refund your stake. If you keep winning, they’ll keep giving free bets!
For punters who like an each-way bet, this horse betting site also offers each way extra, giving you the chance to increase the number of places the site pays out on. The odds are reduced as the number of paid places increases, but you can place an each-way bet for your horse to finish in the top six or seven, or even further down the field for the big handicap races; you can also reduce the number of places to increase the odds on your each-way selection. Like many other sites, bet365 has live streaming and in-play odds, so if you spot a horse that’s still in first gear while the others are flat out, you can place a bet during the race.
Bet Horses at 10bet
Another site offering great bonuses for new customers is 10bet – you can get 100 per cent of your first deposit (up to £50) when you sign up with them. During particular festival weeks such as Royal Ascot, Cheltenham or the Grand National, 10bet typically offers bonuses like a free bet if your horse finished second on selected races, and free bets when you wager a certain amount each day of the festival. The site also offers promotions such as a free bet if your horse loses by a neck or less and a free bet once a week for customers, up to a value of £20, if you pick a winner at odds of 3/1 or more – bet £10 or more on a single horse to win and get a free bet to the same value, up to £20, if it comes in.
Horse Betting Offers Types
All UK online bookmakers with horse racing odds and markets offer some sort of promotion for new customers interested in placing bets on the big races like Cheltenham, Royal Ascot and more. You might start off with a welcome bonus and free bets before moving on to regular acca boosts and much more. Many horse racing promotions, such as Best Odds Guaranteed, are commonplace across most online bookies.
Welcome Bonuses
All of our top-rated UK sites offer a special welcome bonus when you open your betting account. Just fill in the registration form and make a first deposit in order to receive free bets to use on races of your choice. You can even use your wagers on greyhound races, where available.
Some online bookmakers also provide a deposit match bonus. Sign up and make your first deposit, and the bookie will match it 100% with bonus funds. You can then use your funds to bet on qualifying horse races of your choice. Any winnings you manage to accrue can then be wagered once or twice before being withdrawn.
Free Bet Offers
This promo deal is normally offered as part of a racing welcome bonus or as a retention promotion to reward loyal customers. You’ll also be able to claim free bet offers during big festivals such as Cheltenham or the Derby. You can use your free bets on any race as long as the minimum odds meet the terms and conditions. You may also be able to use free bets on accumulators including multiple horse race picks. The best UK sites for horse racing free bet bonuses are: SBK a £40 free bet, bet365 (get £30) and Betfred (deposit 10 get 40).
Imagine you receive £20 in free bets after making a qualifying deposit of £10. You can use your bets on win odds of 1/2 or greater. Alternatively, place free bets on each-way odds of 1/1 or higher. If your free bet wins, you can unlock your winnings as long as you wager them further on other horse racing events. The typical wagering requirement is 1x to 2x.
Extra Places Paid
In each-way horse racing bets, you win a percentage payout if your horse finishes 2nd, 3rd or 4th. In many selected meets, the bookmaker will pay down to 5th, 6th or more, depending on the race. For instance, an each-way market paying 1/4 odds for 1-2-3 may be enhanced to 1/5 odds 1-2-3-4. Bet MGM stands out with its Golden Arrows and Daily Horse Racing Boosts.
Special Early Prices
Early prices can often be better in the run-up to the big race. Some bookies offer specially enhanced odds if you take the price early in the morning.
Best Odds Guaranteed
This promotion offered across the board at UK online horse betting sites. You can opt to take an early price, and if the SP (Starting Price) is bigger, the bookie will honour the larger odds on a particular race. The bet365 also offers Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) coverage for all races, paying out on the Starting Price if it’s bigger, along with regular Bet Boosts on selected horses every day.
Money Back
Free bets aren’t just offered during major events. You can also claim free bets if something goes wrong in your race. The best online bookmakers will award refunds in the form of free bets if you back the favourite and it’s beaten by a head or length.
Acca Boosts
These are special offers for horse racing betting fans where you are rewarded for your winning combo bets. The more winners you back in your acca, the bigger your bonus. You might get a 4% boost on 4-leg winning accas, or as much as 70-80% for accas containing 14+ legs. Acca boosts can also apply to win or each-way accas. Betfred offers up to a 50% cash bonus on winning Accas, with the Acca Flex feature providing cash back if one leg fails. Unibet offers frequent Acca boosts, allowing up to 40% enhancement for 7+ selections.
Live Racing Specials
Many of the best online bookies sites stream races live on their sites. To tie in with the live racing, you can often claim free bets if you back a winner at 3/1 or 4/1 in one of the televised races.
Price Boosts
As well as special early prices, most bookies also offer enhanced odds on select races. Just open the racing tab to see which favourites or long shots have been given odds boosts. Mr Play offers playBoost! and a Free £10 Bet Token, along with an Acca enhancer that boosts winnings by 4-77% depending on the number of selections.
Price Promise From bet365
Imagine this: You’re excited about a thrilling week of UK horse racing events broadcast live on ITV Racing. As a punter, you know that with bet365’s incredible offers, they guarantee unbeatable prices. This offer applies to all bets placed from 10am on the day of the race until 15 minutes before each ITV race’s scheduled start time. It only pertains to races broadcast live on ITV Racing, unless bet365 states otherwise. US racing is not included. bet365 guarantees to match or better the prices offered by bookmakers such as Ladbrokes, William Hill, Paddy Power, Coral, Sky Bet, and Boylesports.
This offer is valid for bets placed on Win and Each-Way Fixed Odds markets only. All other markets, including Enhanced Price Win Only, Enhanced or adjusted place terms (Each Way Extra) markets priced separately from the Fixed Odds market, and Tote/Pari-Mutuel/Colossus (bets and dividends) are excluded from this offer. Races covered by Price Promise are also eligible for Best Odds Guaranteed for new and eligible customers.
Online Horse Betting in the UK
Horse betting is popular among online users in the United Kingdom. According to the recent statistics (2024) the total gross gambling yield (GGY) for remote betting totalled £2.3 billion, led by football (£1.1 billion) and horse betting (£733.5 million).
Many horse betting brands in the UK believe they are the best. Industry leaders such as Betfair, SBK, Bet365 and Betfred are considered top dogs.
Their sister site, Betfair, also operates both a Sportsbook and Exchange betting service, so you can take fixed odds horse racing prices and lay the ones you don’t fancy when taking on fellow punters at the same time.
Furthermore, William Hill allows you to boost the odds of three horses you choose each day on their sportsbook. Bet365 is another popular service provider, and it is the first online horse betting in the UK to price up races following final declarations. Similarly, Betfred and SportNation have plenty of betting bonuses relating to horse racing, especially if you like placing systems and combination wagers.
For horse racing followers in the UK looking to open a new betting account, there are a host of bonus offers and free bet promotions available, so it is always best to shop around. Along with the usual extra places on particular races and odds’ boosters, the horse racing betting websites regularly come up with new incentives to grab your attention and your custom! In the UK you have a huge number of races to bet on.
For example, remember to claim your welcome offers when registering your betting account with bet365.
- Cheltenham Festival (March)
- Grand National at Aintree (April)
- Newmarket Guineas Festival (April/May)
- The Derby at Epsom (June)
- Royal Ascot (June)
- Glorious Goodwood (July/August)
- York Ebor Festival (August)
- Doncaster St Leger Festival (September)
- British Champions Day at Ascot (October)
- Newbury Winter Carnival (November)
- Kempton Christmas Festival (December)
Common Types of Horse Racing Bets
There are many types of bets available to you on horse racing betting sites in the UK compared to American horse betting platforms. For example, win bets keep it simple, where you bet on which horse will win the race.
WherHoweverere are more complicated bets bets, such as a forecast bet – you back two horses in the same race, one to finish first and the other second in a set order.
These bets operate as two wagers in one to cover either order. Similarly, a double bet is where you wager on two horses again, but in different races. Both must win for the bet to pay, and their odds are multiplied.
Each-way bets are where you back a horse to win and fill a place as two wagers in one, and a place bet allows you to bet on a horse to finish placed. Note that precise terms vary depending on the type of race and numb the er of runners.
Finally, probably the most exciting type of bet available, a without the favourite bet means you wager on which horse would win if the favourite weren’t racing. If your horse wins or comes second to the favourite, this bet pays out to you. Try NetBet horse.
What Are the Best Horse Racing Tracks in the UK?
Among many racecourses for which online horse betting sites in the UK offer you can bet, these are widely considered the best. Each hosts a Group 1 Flat race and/or Grade 1 National Hunt race:
- Aintree, home of the Grand National.
- Ascot, of Royal Ascot fame.
- Cheltenham is home to British National Hunt horse racing.
- Chepstow, where the Finale Juvenile Hurdle and Welsh Grand National are run.
- Doncaster, site of the St Leger.
- Goodwood, where the Glorious meeting takes place.
- Epsom Downs, home of The Oaks and The Derby.
- Haydock Park, site of the Sprint Cup and Betfair Chase.
- Kempton Park, home of the King George VI Chase.
- Newbury, where the Ladbrokes Trophy and Lockinge Stakes take place.
- Newcastle, site of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Northumberland Plate.
- Newmarket, the headquarters of British Flat horse racing.
- Sandown Park, where the Eclipse Stakes and Tingle Creek Chase are run.
- York, home of the Juddmonte International and Nunthorpe Stakes.
Good luck betting horses!
View more betting offers, top bookies and promo codes for sportsbooks.
Online Horse Betting FAQs
Yes! Whether you’re a new customer or a regular punter, you’ll be able to claim free bets at the top bookmakers to use on the big race.
In a big race such as the Grand National, many online bookies will pay each way down to 6th or 7th place instead of the usual 4th/5
The top bookies may offer a free bet if your horse doesn’t finish the Grand National. Always check the free bet terms before you opt-in.
The Grand National is one of Britain’s biggest and most famous horse racing event. It’s been run since the 1800s at its Aintree home near Liverpool. Forty horses are required to jump a series of hurdles and water obstacles across a grueling 4 miles 2½ furlongs.
When choosing a free bets offer, consider the minimum deposit required, the expiry date of the free bets, and the minimum odds for qualifying bets. Most free bets offers come with wagering requirements. This usually means you must bet the bonus amount a certain number of times before you can withdraw any winnings.
To claim these free bets offers, you typically need to sign up as a new customer with the bookmaker, make a qualifying deposit, and place a bet. The specifics vary by bookmaker, so make sure to read the terms and conditions. Can existing customers also avail of these offers? While some offers are for new customers only, bookmakers often have promotions and free bets offers for existing customers as well, particularly around big racing events. Always check the promotion’s terms and conditions.