Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in Ireland for 2024

Horse Racing Betting Ireland Facts

How we rank horse racing betting sites

Want to know what makes a good horse racing betting site? Here are things we recommend you look out for when it comes to picking the best sportsbook in Ireland in regards to horse racing.

• Security

Only consider betting sites that operate under a licence. This is found in their terms and conditions, about page, or by contacting their customer service team. The licence gives you peace of mind that they are a trusted site working legally and that your money will be handled fairly. This also guarantees that you will be treated fairly as a player.

• Competitive promotions

Bonuses and offers can elevate your betting experience and make it far more worthwhile. The best betting sites will have a range of regular promotions that can be used widely. While some sites offer promotions, some come with heavy terms and conditions that could leave you limited. That’s why we recommend checking the time limit, winning limit, and what markets you can use it on before playing. Good horse racing betting sites will also offer good offers tailored to horse racing in particular.

• Payment methods and withdrawal times

The best betting sites will offer an array of possible payment options. This may range from bank transfers, debit cards, e-wallets, and now even cryptocurrency. Making sure they have your preferred way to pay can avoid disappointment when it comes to withdrawing. The best sites will also not exclude specific payment methods from receiving bonuses. When it comes to withdrawing your earnings, you want to know you will get them sooner rather than later. The best betting sites in Ireland will make withdrawing easy and fast, some even in under 24 hours.

• Usability

No one wants to use a betting site which is a hassle to navigate. You want to find a site which is easy to find horse racing as well as the relevant markets.

• Markets available

Good horse betting sites will have a wide range of markets available. The more markets there is the more exciting it is for you as you will have more to choose from.

• Word of mouth

The reputation of the betting site is a key indicator of how good it is. If everyone is talking about it and there are lots of positive reviews online, this is a good tell-tale sign that it is going to be a good choice.

• Mobile app

More and more people are turning to their mobiles for online betting. While many do this by accessing the site in their online browser, a mobile app is tailored to your smartphone’s format. The app comes with numerous benefits, such as, notifications of latest offers and events, quick access, and the convenience of playing quicker and on the go.

• Live streaming

The nature of horse racing is fast-paced, meaning many bettors want in play betting. Many of the best sites, such as Betfred, Paddy Power, 888Sport, and QuinnBet, offer high-quality live streaming of horseracing. Even if in play betting isn’t for you, many betters enjoy watching their horses in action. This added thrill means that live streaming is often a must to enhance the gambling experience.

Reviews of the best Horse Racing Betting Sites in 2024:

Need help finding the right horse racing site for you? Here are some short reviews of a few betting sites that offer horse racing markets in Ireland, covering UK and Irish events (plus some international races).

Boylesports

Boylesports has lots to offer horse racing bettors, from live streaming to a range of markets. They also feature virtual races, so you can bet on horse racing around the clock. They even have special markets for horse racing if you’re after something different. If you’re new to horse racing, BoyleSports even has a blog on the latest news in the sport to help you stay up to date and view some helpful betting tips. They also have a nice selection of offers for players to help make their money more worthwhile.

Pros	Cons
Virtual racing Live viewing Promotions and free bets Range of payment options	Some payment methods excluded from receiving some bonuses

Coral

One great feature Coral offers for horse racing is what they call faller insurance. This means if your horse somehow is unable to finish the race, you get your money back, This offers much better peace of mind. You can bet on Coral horse racing markets using their mobile app, making betting on the go and from the comfort of your mobile even easier.

Pros	Cons
Easy registration Range of payment options Live streaming	Some critique how easy the betting site is to navigate

Kwiff

Kwiff is a newer betting site and has great usability and live betting features. One standout feature Kwiff offers is supercharged odds, This is where they can boost their odds swiftly, making betting with them more exciting. When it comes to betting on the races, you can watch the race live as well; access information about the runners. The layout is neat by dividing markets by today’s and tomorrow’s races as well as the next 10 races, this makes it easy to find new races as well as prepare for upcoming ones.

Pros	Cons
Live bets available Easy to use site Watch live horse racing	Limited payment options

888sport

888sport has plenty to offer horse racing fans, a popular feature is their bet builder, which allows you to create your own bets. They also have an impressive live streaming service for horse racing betting for those who prefer in play betting. As well as, a good selection of promotions that are also tailored specifically to horse racing instead of general promotions. Not to forget 888Sport reputation in the betting industry as a reliable, secure, and respectful betting site.

Pros	Cons
Good horse racing odds Live streaming Mobile apps	Not as modern as some of the newer sportsbooks

Horse racing betting markets and bet types

There are a few types of horse racing you might come across when betting on the sport.

1. Flat racing

This is a race where the horses compete on a flat ground. This is the simplest of races and allows the race to be about talent, speed and endurance.

• National hunt racing

This race requires the horse to jump over obstacles during the race. An example of a national hunt racing event is the Grand National. Here, you are likely to find hurdles or fences on the track.

• Quarter horse racing

This is a sprint race and thus focuses solely on speed. Therefore, the race is shorter with a quarter mile distance to run. These races can be over in less than a minute.

• Harness racing

This is a bit more of a different race where horses do not need to finish 1^st place to win. Instead, the aim is to maintain their pace without breaking into a stride. Consequently, these races are testing the horses discipline and strategy. Additionally, you won’t find any obstacles here except the silky which the horse is seen fulling.

• Endurance racing

Compared to quarter horse racing, an endurance race is much longer. These larger tracks mean multiple horses will race, rather than the same horse. These races can go on for multiple hours at a time.

There are a range of markets available of betting on horse racing. Here are the ones you are likely to come across when playing in Ireland.

Bet type/ market	Explanation
Outright win	This is where you place a bet on which horse you think will win the race.
Each way	This has two bets combined in one. The first bet is predicting which horse will win, while the second bet is on which place they could land. This type of market offers more security, as you have two options to help increase your chances of being successful.
Straight forecast	This bet is where you predict the top two horses in the right order.
Reverse forecast	This is the same bet as a straight forecast, except a little easier since the horses do not need to be in the correct order to win the bet.
Tricast forecast	Betting on which horses will finish in the top three places in the correct order.
Trixie	This is similar to a tricast bet, but if you lose, you will get your winnings back. In addition, only two out of the three horses you predict will finish in the top three need to be correct for you to win.
Yankee	These bets contain 11 bets. this may look like, six doubles, four trebles, and four multiple bets. This is best left to those with confidence in horse race gambling, nonetheless, only two selections need to be right for you to get a payout from this.
Lucky 15	As the name suggests, a lucky 15 contains numerous bets. Specifically, four singles, six doubles and four multiple bets. Sounds hard? Well only one needs to right to win.
Lucky 31	Just like a lucky 15, a lucky 31 is made from even more bets. Again, one of these needs to be right to get a payout.
Specials	These are typically specific to certain betting sites and offer something a bit different than your usual bet. For instance, who will win the most races at a certain tournament.
Head to head	Some markets offer you the chance to predict which horse will finish ahead of another horse. Some may call this a match bet or betting on a horse’s precise position.

Accumulator bets

Placing multiple bets on one betting slip is known as an accumulator bet. To win, all must be successful; if one bet loses, the whole slip does, and no winnings are earned. Evidently, this is riskier but comes with a higher payoff if it is successful. These bets are common with horseracing as they work well, as many markets tend to go hand in hand. If you want to try placing a accumulator but lack confidence, find a betting site that offers acca insurance. This will give you peace of mind that if the accumulator bet loses, you will get your earnings back.

How to place a horse racing bet

New to online horse racing betting? Here is a step by step guide to placing an online bet on the races within Ireland.

1. Find a site you feel comfortable using
2. Register and wait to be activated
3. Log in to your account and despoit funds (make sure to check for welcome bonuses)
4. Find the horse racing section and find a race you would like to bet on
5. Place the bet and wait for it to be settled
6. If successful, you may wish to withdraw your winnings

The biggest horse racing events

Bookies love the big events, here are the ones to keep your out for when it comes to horse racing.

• Champion Hurdle

This is a national hunt race, consequently, the horses must jump over hurdles to win. Only horses over four years old may enter, the track is approximately two miles and a half long, and there are 8 hurdles the horses must face.

• Cheltenham Gold Cup

Another National Hunt race, but this time the horses are faced with 22 fences. Furthermore, this is a longer race that takes place over three miles and two and a half furlongs. This is considered one of the top races for British racing and thereby is popular with the bookies. Here you will see top performances from the jockeys and their horses.

• Queen Mother Champion Chase

Horses five years and older compete is another National hunt race with 13 fences to be jumped.

• Grand National

One of the most well known horse races takes place in Liverpool, England. A total of 40 horses race in the national hunt race, which consists of 30 fences and two laps of the course.

• King Georege VI

This is one of the oldest horse racing events and takes place on Boxing day. Yet another National Hunt race where the horses have to jump 18 hurdles on the three mile course.

• 1000 Guinease Stakes

This a flat race and known as the second class British race.

• 2000 Guinease Stakes

Similar the above, this race takes place befoee and is another flat race.

• Espom Oaks

This is a one mile and four furlongs flat race that takes place in Summer. This is again, another classic British force race.

• St Leager

This is a September race that has been around since 1776. It is a flat race that is over one mile and six furlong long.

• Melbourne Cup

This is a huge event in Australia, and referred to as ‘the race that stops the nation’. This is held annually and is one of the most well known race in Australia.

• Kentucky Derby

Another major event in the US and runs during Summer.

• Dubai World Cup

This is a big one for the bookies with the race being one of the riches races worldwide. It is an old event that has been around since 1996.

Race classification

Whether the race is flat or a national hunt, the races are all classified. Why, you may ask? This is to help show the status, prize money, and quality of the race. Being aware of the different classes can help you learn more about the race. Here is a quick overview:

• Class one flat faces are divides into three groups, with one being of international importance.
• Class one national hunt races are also divided into three groups. Grade 1 being the best where the top horses will be racing and grade three being horses rated on their handicap racing.
• Both types of races also include a group called listed races which include any horses below the outlines grades.
• Under class one, both flat and national hunt races also contain classes two to seven.

Popular horse racing bonuses

Wondering what types of bonuses you can expect to find for horse racing? Here are the typical bonuses available for horse racing in Ireland.

Bonus type	Explanation
Welcome bonus	A very common online betting promotion that appeals to people looking to sign up. By registering with the site, you will receive their welcome offer, which may come in the form of free bets. Sometimes betting sites will ask you to place a certain amount as a deposit before being able to access the promotion. These are great offers to take advantage of, as they can be used to test the betting site without risking lots of money.
Best odds guaranteed	This ensures you get the best odds on that market regardless of when you place the wager. This means if you bet early or late, if successful, you will be able to get the best odds, which are guaranteed at the time.
Matches bonus	This is common for new customers to be offered and is where the bookies will match your first bet.
Money back bonus	This is where new players are often given the promotion of receiving there money back if there first bet fails.
Bet through the card	This is often an offer given on the day of the race, where if you place one bet the bookies will give you a free bet.
Cash back	This is where you can earn money back from your bets. This is sometimes available if your bet loses.
Insurance bets	These are a type of promotion with similar qualities to the cash back offer. These offers provide you with the peace of mind that if your bets fail you can receive the money back.
Loyalty promotions	These are rewards betting sites offer to regular players to show appreciation for their loyalty. These are often in the form of earning points which can be later exchanged. Sometimes points can be converted to cash, credit, or physical prizes. Sometimes VIP and loyalty programmes offer players exclusive offers, such as odd boosts.
Enhanced odds	This is sometimes referred to as price boosts but mean the same thing. This proposition increases the odds value so if you are successful, you will earn more. These promotions is commonly granted to new customers.
Futures betting	This is sometimes referred to as an ante post on horse racing betting sites. as the name suggests, you will be betting on horse racing in advance, which is typically months before it takes place. You will usually find these available for big events. The main advantage of these bets is that the odds are higher due to how early you place the bet. Following on from this, the none runner, no bet” strategy comes into place. This is a new promotion that means if the horse you wagered on does not race in that chosen race, you will get your money back.
Deposit bonus	This offer asks you to place a deposit and the bookies will give the same amount on top. For instance, if you deposit €20 they will add another €20.
Fallers insurance	This is not as common but a good promotion to take advantage of if you come across it. This gives you your money back if the horse you bet on falls during the race and does not finish.

As with any promotions, read the terms and conditions beforehand to make sure you know what the promotion is offered as well as making it more worthwhile.

Horse racing betting strategies

Looking to improve your horse racing gambling strategies? Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced better, here are some tips that could help you make more smarter wagers.

• Find the best odds

While this is applicable for any sportsbook or sports bet, make sure you compare and contrast odds across the market. While this may take some time, it will pay off when if you are successful. This is a good way to make the most of your online betting.

• Don’t bet on your favourite

It is easy to pick a favourite when it comes to horse racing, however this is not always the smarter betting choice. Your bet should be backed using research and information rather than emotions. Similarly, it is not always wise to bet on the favourite to win either as horse racing is widely unpredictable.

• Do your homework

While in football you study the players, here you study the horses. Dive into their past races, their form, and how experts viewed their race, consider their trainer and the horse’s form. Age is a key factor to consider, as some horses may peak at a certain age or just be starting out. There are lots of things to consider that could impact the horse’s performance, which can all be useful information to help you make more informed bets.

• Know the track

The surface of the track may impact how the horses run the track. Certain horses will perform better on certain surfaces compared to others, sometimes the track will be dry and sometimes it might be wetter. Also, consider how long the track is, as it may be important to predict how they are likely to perform.

• Trainers

While we recommended doing your research on the horse, it is important to consider who is training them. Every trainer will have a different preparation period and routine for the horse, and doing your research into this could help you predict how the horse may perform. A good thing to check is the trainer’s record. While it is helpful to pay attention to the highly praised trainers, it is often worth considering who the poorer trainers are.

• Read the room

Nervous horses can be unpredictable, being able to spot which horses seem comfortable could help your predict their performance. This is often a useful tip if you are involved in play betting and gambling live.

Irish Horse racing FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions when it comes to horse racing betting in Ireland.