Horse racing has a storied history in Ireland and is one of the most popular spectator sports to this day. Needless to say, the betting scene in Irish horse racing is thriving and exciting! If you’re hoping to get involved with horse racing betting, our experts have lined up their top picks for the best horse racing betting sites in Ireland! We’ll also take you through some of the features that make these the best betting sites for Irish punters.
After extensive research, our experts selected bet365 as the top horse racing betting site for players in Ireland. It was chosen as our number one horse racing betting site due to its range of great features and generous bonuses.
- bet365 – Best Racing Betting Site Overall
- Betway – Best Horse Racing Site for Competitive Odds
- Spreadex – Best Betting Site for Horse Racing Live
- BetVictor – Best Horse Racing Site for Promotions
- Boylesports – Best Racing Site for Customer Support
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Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in Ireland Reviewed
1. bet365 – Best Racing Betting Site Overall
Expert Rating: 4.9/5
bet365 was chosen by our team of experts to be the best horse racing betting site out of all the betting sites Ireland for many reasons. For a start players can find a variety of competitive odds for all of their favourite sports, of course including horse racing. These odds are considered to be among the best by avid bettors. Another great feature of this site is the range of casino games on offer, allowing players to enjoy a range of betting options.
What We Liked / What Could Be Improved
When it came down to it, there were many features that our experts and players alike enjoyed about this top horse racing betting site. The site is vast, with dedicated sections for betting, casino, bingo, fantasy, poker, and more; this means that when signing up for this great site, you will find everything you could possibly want to fill your betting experience with excitement. However, due to the site’s sheer size, it can be overwhelming to new bettors, so keep this in mind.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ✅ Great competitive odds | ❌ Large site can be hard to navigate |
| ✅ Variety of sports betting options | |
| ✅ Casino games offered | |
| ✅ Range of promos |
2. Betway – Best Horse Racing Site for Competitive Odds
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Up next on our list is Betway. This great site is so loved for many reasons but most significantly for its unique competitive odds for horse racing and a variety of other sports markets. In fact, the odds leave other sites with something to be desired. On top of this, users can also find a variety of promotions for both new and existing customers, which entices new players and keeps existing customers interested.
What We Liked / What Could Be Improved
As we mentioned above, there are many great things about this site that both our experts and customers rave about, including how easy the site is to use and navigate, meaning it is a hotspot for new players. The only thing about Betway that left our experts slightly disappointed was the few payment methods offered; although the ones that are there are easy to use and secure, many players, including our team, would’ve enjoyed some more.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ✅ Range of top horse racing offers | ❌ Long terms and conditions |
| ✅ Generous welcome promo | |
| ✅ Easy to use betting site | |
| ✅ Regularly updated odds |
3. Spreadex – Best Betting Site for Horse Racing Live
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
If you are an avid bettor who prefers to bet on their favourite sports live, then Spreadex is the site for you. Of all the racing betting sites Ireland on our list, Spreadex is by far the best for live-streaming betting services. Spreadex also has a range of other great features; among these is its great horse racing betting offer, which can be claimed by new customers at the time of writing this.
What We Liked / What Could Be Improved
Another key feature we enjoyed about Spreadex was its focus on balancing traditional betting and spread betting. Spread betting is when you wager on the outcome of an event where the payout is based solely on the bet’s accuracy; this allows users to place a larger variety of bets.
There are two issues we found with the site during our research. For starters, the home page is rather cluttered, which is fine for experienced bettors but becomes more difficult if you are new to the gambling scene. The second is that there is no loyalty scheme, but users shouldn’t worry as there are often various bonuses and promos to make up for this lack.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ✅ Live streaming options | ❌ Overwhelming website |
| ✅ Casino section | |
| ✅ Results page | |
| ✅ Good customer support options |
4. BetVictor – Best Horse Racing Site for Promotions
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
Promotions, bonuses, offers, whatever you want to call them BetVictor provides a range of them to players. These offers can be for new or existing players and are available for sports and casinos alike. BetVictors also has other great features, including in-play betting options which let players place wagers on their favourite sports as they happen.
What We Liked / What Could Be Improved
Promotions and in-play betting aren’t the only great features found at BetVictor. Users can also enjoy a great mobile betting app allowing bets to be placed on the go. Although the BetVictor app has been reported as slow by some users, we did not encounter an issue while betting on its dedicated mobile app.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ✅ Well-designed site | ❌ Extensive T&Cs that can be confusing |
| ✅ Live chat options | |
| ✅ All sports markets you could want | |
| ✅ Good range of promos |
5. Boylesports – Best Racing Site for Customer Support
Expert Rating: 4.6/5
Last but certainly not least is Boylesports. As we mentioned above, Boylesports is the best betting site on our list for customer support, also making it the top horse racing betting site for new players. Not only are the customer support options some of the best in the business, but the site is also easy to use with a quick and straightforward signup process. As well as this users at Boylesports can also make use of the various betting markets on offer.
What We Liked / What Could Be Improved
Regarding improvements, we think that Boylesports could do with some more payment methods, although the ones on offer are some of the top methods available, some of our favourites were still missing.
However, what they lack in payment methods, they make up for with top-notch competitive odds, sports market variety, and casino game options make up for. Boylesports is definitely a top horse racing site worth giving a go.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| ✅ Various support options | ❌ Fewer payment methods than other sites |
| ✅ Casino games on offer | |
| ✅ Simple and easy-to-use site | |
| ✅ Great bet calculator |
How Our Experts Rank the Best Horse Racing Betting Sites
These are our top picks for the best horse racing betting sites, but how do our experts decide which are the best? The answer is that they have a strict list of criteria the sites must meet to be considered for the list. Below is what you can expect from our top picks!
Range of Horse Racing Betting Markets
It should probably go without saying, but the best horse racing betting sites need to have good markets for horse racing. This means betting on many events and different outcomes, whether it’s just the winner, the number of wins for a jockey in a day, the leader after a certain distance, or whatever else. We want options and flexibility in the way we make our wagers.
Payment Options
Standard across all sorts of gambling sites is the need for a variety of payment options. We don’t all manage our money in the same way, so the best horse racing betting sites will host multiple deposit and withdrawal options to cater to more punters. We like to see big names like Visa, MasterCard and PayPal so we know the site will be accessible to anyone with the popular payment methods. However, seeing a diverse range of options, including debit cards, e-wallets, direct bank transfers, pre-paid cards, and pay-by-phone options, is more important.
Competitive Betting Odds
It’s an industry standard for sportsbooks nowadays that they keep competitive odds. Some Sportsbooks even go out of their way to match all their leading competitors. So, while it’s recommended that any enthusiastic punter registers with a handful of horse racing betting sites to look between the odds, we won’t even consider a site that doesn’t use modern technology and predictive experts to keep up with the rest of the competition.
Live Streaming Betting & Event Coverage
One of the best features of online horse racing betting is the option of live streaming. Nowadays, we can watch our bets get settled in real-time from the same place we made the wager! All the best betting sites Ireland must have live-streaming features, especially for the season’s most anticipated events. In fact, sometimes there will be races you can’t watch from home without a good betting site!
Customer Service Options
Even the best horse racing betting sites aren’t going to be perfect 100% of the time. As such, a solid customer service system with multiple contact options must be in place. At the very least, we want two contact options, such as live chat, email and telephone, and the help should be prompt, friendly and reliable.
Compatibility with Mobile
Sports betting is increasingly becoming an activity we like to take on the go, whether it’s to a friend’s place to watch together or down the pub to spectate with the community. We’ve come to expect some form of mobile compatibility from our top horse racing betting sites. This means we want the site to work well through mobile, with the same level of performance regardless of device. Even better would be for the sportsbook to feature a dedicated mobile app, offering a smoother, more streamlined experience on the smaller screen.
If you are more interested in betting on horse racing via a mobile app, check out our dedicated review page; read more here.
Promotions and Offers
These wouldn’t be the best horse racing betting sites without a good selection of promotions. Of course, this includes the welcome bonus, but we also want to see regular deals for returning customers. This could include odds boosts, best odds guaranteed offers and faller insurance. We’ve detailed some of the best offers at sportsbooks later in this article. Promotions should be easy to claim and have fair and easy-to-understand terms and conditions. T&Cs to look out for include wagering requirements, deposit requirements, expiry dates, max winnings, odds restrictions, and more.
User Experience and Reputation
We like to form our own opinions on the sites we review, letting our experience with a site speak for itself. The site should function smoothly, with an intuitive interface and attractive graphics. People who are new to a site shouldn’t have trouble finding their way around. However, we also like to look at existing reviews of horse racing betting sites. You can tell a lot about a website from what existing customers have to say about it, even if you have to be careful who you take at face value.
Safety and Security Measures
Finally, but arguably most important, is the safety of a site. You’re putting your hard-earned money into the sportsbook and potentially sharing sensitive information, so you want to know that the site will protect your data. We like to see strong encryption security across the whole site, not only the payment pages. And, of course, we don’t so much as look at a racing betting site that isn’t properly licensed and legally operating within Ireland.
How To Sign Up To a Horse Racing Betting Site
If one of our top horse racing betting sites has caught your fancy, you’ll be happy to know that creating a new account is easier than ever! Just follow these easy steps to get started today!
- Pick a horse racing betting site and click the link to reach the website.
- Select ‘Create Account’ to start the registration process.
- Enter your personal information — name, email, date of birth, country of birth, password, etc. If you have a promo code, enter it here.
- Make your first deposit — add enough money to your account to meet the qualifying wager for your welcome bonus.
- Place your first wager — make up the qualifying amount in one bet otherwise, you might forfeit your bonus.
- Once the qualifying wager has settled, you can claim your welcome bonus.
- Happy betting!
Best Horse Racing Offers in Ireland
Bonuses and promotions are the true advantages punters receive when betting online — these deals push each euro further than they might otherwise and can even protect against accidents. Here’s a look at some of the offers you can claim from a best horse racing betting site Ireland.
Welcome Promotions
The most important promotion on the site is the welcome offer! It brings new customers to the site and is used to advertise, too; as such, it tends to be the most generous offer on the betting site. Welcome promotions are most commonly an offer of free bets upon a qualifying wager but can involve other deals simultaneously, such as money-back deals or even free spins if the betting site also functions as a casino.
Free Bets
Free bets are the classic bonus you’ll find at the best horse racing betting sites Ireland. They’re exactly what it says on the tin: bets that don’t cost you money to place but win you real money if they payout. You can receive these in multiple ways, like the welcome offer or seasonal promotions. They’re sometimes sport or bet-type-specific, or they might be restricted to major events, such as Cheltenham Festival free bets. You won’t receive the stake back on a bet placed with most free bets, but all profits will be paid out.
Betting Without the Favourite
Sometimes, you’ll encounter a race where one racer is all but guaranteed to win. While this is good news for the owner, it’s less exciting for all the punters after an exciting bet. For these cases, there are betting without the favourite offers — these remove the favourite from the betting and adjust the odds to account for the absence. This evens out the playing field and provides a more entertaining experience for punters.
Faller Insurance
There’s nothing quite so frustrating as when accidents interfere with your bets. Faller Insurance provides a safety net in the event of disaster. If a horse you’re backing in a jump race falls, you’ll receive your stake back in free bets to wager again later. This won’t cover all incidents in a race, such as stumbling or refusing to run, but it does grant you a little more breathing room.
First Past the Post
A first-past-the-post deal guarantees if a horse that came in first is later demoted due to misbehaviour or interference, the sportsbook will still pay out the original winner as well as the new winner. This prevents you from experiencing that letdown after the high of watching the racer you backed cross the finishing line. This deal usually only applies to the first horse in a race that you bet on, not subsequent backings for a single race.
Extra Places
A popular racing bet is an each-way bet, a wager that pays out when a racer places in one of a few consecutive places, such as 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. An extra places offer does what it says: it adds extra places to that winning condition. So, in our earlier example, it might add 1st or 5th place, raising your odds of a payout further.
Money Back As A Free Bet
Not every wager ends up paying out; any seasoned punter is well aware of that. But thanks to this, we sometimes come across these fantastic safety-net deals. A ‘money back as a free bet’ deal means you’ll receive any stakes back as free bets if it’s recorded as a loss once it’s settled. Usually, this free bet has to be wagered as one and can’t be split up.
Popular Horse Racing Betting Options
There are many types of bets you can place on the best horse racing betting site of your choosing! Here’s a look at some of the most popular types of bets you find at these betting sites:
- Race Winner — The most common type of bet, a wager on which racer will win.
- Each-Way — A bet on a racer finishing in a range of places instead of just one, such as 1st or 2nd. Each place costs extra, but you’ll pay out more the higher your racer places.
- Accumulator — Sometimes referred to as an ‘acca.’ A single bet comprises four or more selections; all selections must win for the bet to pay out.
- Ante-Post — a bet placed before the main betting market opens, which could be days or months before the race day.
- Forecast — a bet on the horses that place first and second in a race, where you guess which wins accurately.
- Reverse Forcast — a bet on the horses that finish in first and second, but in no particular order.
- Trixie — three selections and four bets, i.e. three doubles and a treble. A minimum of two selections must win to guarantee a payout.
- Yankee — four selections and eleven bets: six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold. At least two selections must win for a payout.
- Super Yankee/Canadian — two names for the same thing. Five selections consisting of 26 bets: ten doubles, ten trebles, five fourfolds and a five fold acca.
- Lucky 15, 31, & 63 — There are three types of lucky bets, with the number indicating how many bets are made across the selections. Only one bet needs to be paid out to guarantee a return.
- Heinz — this six-selection bet combines every form of the selections in a single mega-bet, with 57 total bets. The 57 is where the nickname ‘Heinz Bet’ comes from, referring to the company slogan.
- Super Heinz — an enhanced Heinz bet; a huge wager which makes a total of 120 bets across seven selections. At least 2 of your selections must win for a payout.
Top Horse Racing Events for Irish Bettors
Plenty of high-profile racing events are taking place every year for Irish bettors to enjoy! Here’s a look at some of the best upcoming events each year!
Cheltenham Festival
One of the most exciting events in the racing calendar in the UK and Ireland is the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival. The four-day jump racing extravaganza covers some of the most high-profile events in international racing. This includes the coveted Gold Cup, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2024 and promises to be a spectacle to behold.
Speaking of, you can find many offers and free bets in the run-up to the Horse Racing Cheltenham Festival, so don’t miss out; click here to find out more!
Irish Derby Festival
The Irish Derby is easily one of the most anticipated racing events in Irish racing, putting this year’s crop of young racers to the test on the international stage. This festival spans three days in late June or early July. It promises to be a thrilling experience with plenty of opportunities for top horse racing betting, especially on star races like the Apprentice Derby, the Summer Fillies Handicap and, of course, the Irish Derby race itself. The Irish Derby Festival is held at the Curragh Racecourse and usually takes place at the end of June.
The Irish Champions Festival
The Irish Champions Festival is one of the latest events in the racing calendar, hosted each year in mid-September. It takes place over two days and two racecourses, with the first day at Leopardstown Racecourse and the second at The Curragh. This festival features some world-class racing over the weekend, including the Irish Champion Stakes, which is a must-see event whether in person or through live stream.
What to do if you have a gambling problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it’s important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
- GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware: https://www.begambleaware.org/
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What is the best horse racing betting site for the Cheltenham Festival?
bet365 is the top horse racing betting site for the Cheltenham Festival, thanks to its great promotions and sportsbook service. However, any of our other top picks are also safe choices.
Can I bet on horse racing on mobile?
Yes! All of our top picks for the top horse racing betting sites are fully compatible with mobile devices, so you can place any horse racing wager you like from the convenience of your phone screen.
Are horse racing betting sites safe?
Yes, especially in Ireland. Betting sites have to meet strict government regulations to be allowed to advertise within Ireland, regulations which are being updated even now. Look for the following licenses: UKGC, MGA, AGCC, and the GGA.
What is the best horse racing betting offer?
Our favourite horse racing betting offer comes from bet365, where you can claim a great bonus. This deal is available to all Irish citizens over 18 and can only be claimed once with a new account.
Published in partnership with Acroud Media.
Originally published on galwaydaily.com
