Today's Horse Racing
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Horse Racing Racecards
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Horse Racing News
About HorseRacing.net
We are a one-stop shop for all things horse racing, whether you’re a racing novice or an expert punter. We combine a wealth of stats, odds, and tips with a selection of the best horse racing betting sites, aiming to deliver the help and information you need to make your selections.
Looking for all today's racecards or the best odds on horse racing? Our racecards are powered by the Racing Post. They include all the vital information you need to make an informed selection, along with where you’ll find the best prices for your horse.
You will also find plenty of options when it comes to selecting an online bookmaker. Our experts have hand picked the best of the bunch to make your search easy, whether you’re looking for the biggest welcome bonuses or the most competitive horse racing betting odds.
Our horse racing tips come from our in-house longshot specialist, Raceolly, as well as from some of the UK and Ireland's most respected writers and tipsters. Updated daily, you’ll find key statistics and trends here at HorseRacing.net, giving you detailed insight into the day’s runners around the country.
The end result is a comprehensive resource comprising odds, tips, bookmakers, and bonuses, helping you find the best experience and gamble responsibly.
Betting Options at HorseRacing.net
The best horse racing betting sites allow punters to wager on a vast number of races from around the globe. You’ll find markets on daily UK and Irish horse racing, so there’s never a dull moment. And with betting options like straight bets, each-ways, accas, and more, it can be as simple or as complex as you like.
Big Races
For the majority of bettors, it’s likely the cornerstone events that are of most interest. Let’s take a look at some of the most prestigious horse racing to take place annually.
- The Grand National – One of the best-loved UK horse races, the Grand National takes place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. It’s a steeplechase of 4 miles and 2½ furlongs with 30 jumps over two laps. Corach Rambler took the 2023 win, with the 2024 Grand National set to take place next April.
- Royal Ascot – Typically held in mid June, Royal Ascot offers five days of top-quality racing. The event is steeped in tradition and the Royal Family often attend. Over 30 races take place during Royal Ascot, including the Queen Anne Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup.
- Cheltenham Festival – Another highlight of the British racing calendar, Cheltenham Festival takes place at Prestbury Park every March, often coinciding with St Patrick’s Day. The festival plays host to around 30 races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a National Hunt race where Galopin Des Champs took the 2023 win.
- Epsom Derby – The Epsom Derby is a Group 1 flat race held at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey on the first Saturday of June each year. Auguste Rodin placed first in 2023, and the next Epsom Derby will take place on 1 June 2024.
- International Races – The best horse racing betting sites let you bet on horse races around the world too. A few popular events include the Kentucky Derby in the US, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, and the Melbourne Cup in Australia.
Horse Racing Types of Bet
It’s easy for newcomers to get confused by the different types of horse racing bets, but it’s actually pretty simple. Here’s a really quick rundown of a few options to get you started.
Win Betting
The simplest bet you can make, here you’re backing a horse to win the race outright. For the bet to succeed, your selection must be first across the line.
Each-Way Betting
If you fancy a horse to win, but you’re not 100% convinced it can beat the rest of the field, an each-way bet is another option. Combining a win bet and a place bet, your horse needs to finish ‘in the money’ — in a top position — for you to receive a return. How many positions paid depends on the number of runners, the race, and any extra place promotions the bookie may be offering.
Place bets are paid at a fraction of the win odds. Typically, the top two places are paid at 1/4 odds on races with 5–7 runners, while races of 8 or more horses usually pay four places at 1/5 odds. Bookies often pay extra places (sometimes up to ten or more) on high-profile events like the Grand National.
How does it work? Say you place an each-way on a certain horse. If it finishes first, both the win and place portions win, giving the maximum return. But if it comes second, just the place portion wins — you’ll receive that payout but forfeit the stake for the win bet.
Accumulator
An accumulator or ‘acca’ is a type of multiple combining runners across multiple races into one bet. These wagers work the same way as doubles or trebles, but refer to bets of four legs or more.
So you might bet on Horse A to win the 2:15, Horse B to win the 2:50, Horse C to win the 3:15, and Horse D to win the 4:05. Each selection must be successful for the accumulator to win, but if it does so, the resulting payout can be huge despite a relatively small stake.
Horse racing accas can be placed on win, place, and each-way markets — it’s important to weigh up all the odds to find a bet that’s right for you.
Lucky 15
A Lucky 15 is a type of multiple or combination bet covering a range of outcomes. It requires you to pick runners across four races, with the following bets placed:
- Four singles – one on each horse
- Six doubles – each combination of two horses
- Four trebles – each combination of three horses
- One four-fold accumulator – requiring all four selections to win
As long as one of your selections wins, you’ll see a return — although it could be less than your stake. The more you get right, the bigger the payout.
Yankee
A Yankee is much like a Lucky 15, but does away with the singles. It’s made up of 11 bets in total — six doubles, four trebles, and one four-fold acca. You’ll need at least two of your selections to win if you want to see a return.
Popular Horse Racing Meetings
There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to betting on horse racing. While the best horse racing bookmakers offer a plethora of daily racing across the UK and Ireland, it’s events like Cheltenham and the Grand National that attract the most punters. Here’s a quick overview of the most popular horse racing meetings in the calendar.
Cheltenham Festival
Each year in mid-March, Prestbury Park sees the best of the best compete across 28 races spread over four days. Cheltenham Festival is home to many renowned Grade I courses, with highlights including the Champion Hurdle and the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
But it’s the Gold Cup that’s the headline event, the most prestigious National Hunt race in UK racing. Galopin Des Champs was first to cross the line at the 2023 meeting. The next Cheltenham Festival is set for 12–15 March 2024.
The Grand National
The closing chapter of the titular Randox Grand National Festival, the Aintree spectacular is the most watched horse race in the world. Run over 4 miles and 514 yards, the challenging course includes 30 fences and is regarded by many as the ultimate test in horse racing.
With up to 40 runners taking part, there’s plenty of room for an upset — many will remember Noble Yeats’ 2022 win at 50/1. SP favourite Corach Rambler beat out the competition in this year’s 2023 event, scoring a juicy £561,000 in prize money. The next Grand National will be run on Saturday 13 April 2024.
Royal Ascot
Every June, Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire welcomes five days of top-quality racing. Noteworthy courses include the Queen Anne Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, and the esteemed Gold Cup that takes place on the third day of the festival. Also known as Ladies’ Day, it’s a chance for spectators to showcase their finest fashion. You’ll often catch a glimpse of the Royal Family within the 300,000-strong crowd too.
The Royal Ascot 2023 event will take place 20–24 June, and we’ll have each day’s results here at HorseRacing.net as soon as the horses cross the line.
The Derby
Known to some as the Derby Stakes or Epsom Derby, this annual Group I flat race takes place at Epsom Downs in Surrey. Run annually on the first Saturday of June, the course stretches one mile, four furlongs, and six yards in total.
The Derby is one of the richest races in the calendar. The prize pool for the 2022 event was a whopping £1.6 million, with bookies’ favourite Desert Crown being first across the line for a substantial share of the money.
Punters looking to bet on the next Derby will find all the latest odds here at HorseRacing.net, with the off scheduled for 4:30pm on Saturday 3 June 2023.
Horse Racing Racecards
Want to know who’s running in today’s races? Our detailed racecards have all you need to know. The best horse racing betting sites feature a wealth of daily UK and Irish horse racing — we cover every meeting so you can stay on top of the odds.
You can sort races by date, time, and meeting. We provide detailed information about each runner, including age and weight, jockey and trainer, along with any tips or naps for that horse. Alongside, you’ll find odds at leading bookmakers so you can compare prices and get the best deal.
Betting Odds at HorseRacing.net
One of the best ways to get maximum benefit from your horse racing betting, is to always shop around for the best horse racing odds available. Each betting site will offer their own odds for each horse based on their own opinion on the race and the liabilities they face due to the bets they have already taken. This means that the same horse can be 8/1 with one betting site and 12/1 with another. If you consistently bet at the best odds available you have a much better chance of making a profit.
Here at HorseRacing.net you can compare Horse Racing Odds on every race, every day plus the biggest races in the calendar. So whether it's Cheltenham odds, Grand National odds or the odds for the 2:30 at Wolverhampton, you can use our website to find the best prices available.
Gamble Responsibly
Before placing any bets, you must be aware of the risks of gambling — it can quickly become addictive. At HorseRacing.net, we implore our readers to gamble responsibly at all times. By doing so, the activity can remain a fun and enjoyable hobby.
Tips for Responsible Gambling
Here are some best practices when you gamble, whether it’s on horse racing or something else:
- Never treat gambling as an income — you’re never guaranteed a win.
- Set a budget for your session and stick to it.
- Never gamble when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if you’re feeling emotional.
- Only gamble what you can afford and are comfortable losing.
- Make use of on-site limiters to control how much time and money you spend on gambling.
- Always seek help if you’re concerned or worried about your gambling.
Warning Signs of Problem Gambling and Addiction
Knowing what to watch out for is essential to nipping problem gambling in the bud before it escalates further. Here are some warning signs:
- Needing to gamble larger amounts to receive the same enjoyment or thrill.
- Gambling more than you can afford to lose.
- Borrowing money in order to gamble.
- Hiding your gambling from others or feeling ashamed.
- Neglecting personal responsibilities in order to gamble.
- Prioritising gambling over other hobbies such as socialising.
Where to Find Help
Thankfully, there’s plenty of help available if you or someone you know thinks your gambling has become a problem:
- GamCare provides advice and support to problem gamblers and runs the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133).
- Gamblers Anonymous runs free support groups for those affected by problem gambling.
- The Gordon Moody Association offers advice and therapy as well as residential courses for problem gamblers.
- BeGambleAware.org is a fantastic resource for information and support on problem gambling.
- The NHS also offers support for problem gamblers — just make an appointment with your GP.
Frequently Asked Questions About Horse Racing
What are the different types of horse racing?
Horse racing takes place on the flat and over jumps. Traditionally flat racing took place in the summer months but with the advent of All Weather racing, it now runs throughout the year. Jumps racing (or National Hunt racing) is at its best in the winter and spring months with the biggest races taking place at the Cheltenham Festival in March and Grand National Festival in April.
Where can I watch horse racing?
In addition to travelling to the racecourse itself, you can watch racing on TV and online. Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing show racing every day on their subscription channels whilst the biggest races are shown terrestrially on ITV1 and ITV4. Most betting sites offer a free live horse racing stream to customers who place a bet on a race.
When is the 2024 Cheltenham Festival?
For many people the highlight on the horse racing calendar is the Cheltenham Festival which this year takes place from Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th March 2024. Our dedicated Cheltenham Festival section of the site provides odds, racecards, tips and results for the showpiece event at the Gloucestershire venue including the feature race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
When is the 2023 Grand National?
The biggest betting race of the season is the Grand National which takes place at Aintree on Saturday 15th April 2023. The race often attracts a field of 40 horses who jump 30 fences and run over four miles, and in our Grand National 2023 Runners section of the site, we have the latest racecard, odds and results for the Merseyside marathon..
How do I place a bet on horse racing?
First, browse our selection of top horse racing betting sites and click through when you’ve found one you like the look of. Sign up and make a deposit — don’t forget to opt in to the welcome offer once you’ve read the T&Cs. Then, head to the horse racing markets, make your selection, and enter your stake. Once you’ve placed your bet, just cross your fingers and wait for the off.
Which bookmakers offer free bets on horse racing
Many bookmakers offer free bets on horse racing. Some of our top picks include bet365, BoyleSports, and Unibet. You’ll get access to the best offers if you’re signing up for the first time, but many bookies offer free bets to existing customers that can be used on horse racing as well. Keep your eyes out in the lead-up to big events like the Grand National or Cheltenham.
Where can I find horse racing tips?
We have a selection of horse racing tips right here at HorseRacing.net, courtesy of our resident tipster Raceolly, our in-house team, and our Naps table that aggregates a number of racing writers’ picks.
Which bookmakers offer Best Odds Guaranteed on horse racing?
Nearly all major bookmakers offer Best Odds Guaranteed on daily UK and Irish horse racing. bet365, William Hill and Betfred are three great examples, and all offer BOG from 8am race day. Be sure to check the T&Cs before betting so you know what’s covered and what isn’t.
When is the Cheltenham Festival?
Cheltenham Festival takes place every year in March. The 2023 event was held from 14–17 March. The next Cheltenham Festival is in the diary for 12–15 March 2024.