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Horse Racing Betting Sites and Apps in the US

By American.Bet TeamUpdated Nov 3, 2026AmWager live in 30 states21+
US horse racing betting sites: a chestnut horse grazing under tall trees, with an outline map of the United States

Explore the best horse racing betting sites in the USA: which states allow online wagering, how racebooks work, the bet types worth knowing and the races that matter.

In this article 11 sections

Horse betting sign-up offers

  1. AmWager AL · CA · CO · CT · DE · FL · ID · IL · IN · KS · KY · LA · MA · MI · MT · NE · NH · NM · NY · ND · OH · OK · OR · PA · RI · SD · TN · VT · WV · WI

    100% first deposit match up to $50

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    Read our AmWager reviewVisit AmWager →

    New AmWager customers 21+ in eligible states. Deposit $50 and bet $50 within 30 days of opening the account (show betting excluded) to earn a $50 wagering credit, paid within 7 business days. The credit must be wagered, unused credit expires after 30 days and winnings are cash. One account per person, one offer per household.

Horse racing betting has long been a favorite pastime for many Americans, and online platforms now make it easy to place wagers on races across the country. From the Kentucky Derby to a Thursday card at your local track, licensed racebooks such as AmWager, TVG and TwinSpires offer live odds, video and mobile apps for pari-mutuel wagering.

At American.Bet we cover the legal horse racing betting platforms in every state where they operate. Our state horse racing hubs follow AmWager’s published availability, so each hub you see below is a state where AmWager accepts customers. Here are the details to help you find the right platform for your wagers.

Horse racing betting: the key facts
Online horse betting Legal through licensed ADWs in most states
How it works Advance deposit wagering (ADW) into pari-mutuel pools
AmWager states 30
Minimum age 18 or 21 by state; AmWager requires 21+ everywhere
Federal framework Interstate Horseracing Act
Tax forms W-2G on wins of $600+ that are at least 300x the wager

How online horse betting works: ADW explained

Online racebooks are known as advance deposit wagering (ADW) providers. You fund an account first, then bet from that balance. Your wager does not go to a bookmaker: the ADW passes it to the host track’s pari-mutuel pool, where all bets of that type are pooled, the takeout is deducted and the rest is shared among winning tickets. That is why online racing is legal in many states that do not allow sports betting: it is an extension of the pari-mutuel wagering that tracks have offered for a century, authorized under the federal Interstate Horseracing Act and state racing law.

AmWager spells this out in its own policies: it does not book wagers, and if a bet never reaches the racetrack, no wager is placed and no money is debited.

Online horse racing betting is legal in most of the country. AmWager, operated by AmWest Entertainment, LLC of Prospect, Kentucky, lists these 30 states as available:

Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

AmWager does not accept customers in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington or Wyoming. Some of those states license other ADWs (New Jersey, for example, has its own licensed online racebooks), so a state missing from AmWager’s list is not always a state where online horse betting is banned. Check our state guides for the details.

State law sets the minimum age at 18 in many states and 21 in others, including Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, New Hampshire and North Dakota. AmWager’s house rule is 21+ for every account holder, wherever you live.

State-specific track restrictions

Even inside legal states, some tracks cannot be bet through every ADW:

  • Ohio: no AmWager wagering on Mahoning Valley or Thistledown.
  • Oklahoma: no AmWager wagering on Fair Meadows or Remington Park.
  • New Mexico: no AmWager wagering on The Downs at Albuquerque, Ruidoso Downs, Sunland Park, Sunray Park or Zia Park.
  • Idaho: many tracks are restricted because of a 10% source-market fee, and Idaho accounts are excluded from AmWager rewards and promotions.
  • Greyhounds: AmWager does not offer greyhound wagering in California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York or Pennsylvania.

Biggest and best brands in the market

The leading horse racing betting sites offer extensive race coverage, video and user-friendly apps. Here are the top names:

  • AmWager
  • TVG
  • NYRA Bets
  • TwinSpires
  • DRF Bets
  • Xpressbet

AmWager

AmWager is our partner racebook, and its app lets you toggle between straight bets and exotic wagers. It is available on both Apple and Android devices and covers the 30 states listed above, with a 21+ age rule.

Read our AmWager review Visit AmWager →

TVG

TVG is one of the most popular horse racing platforms, owned by FanDuel, with its own racing TV network, live streaming and expert picks for major and minor races. Read our TVG review.

NYRA Bets

Run by the New York Racing Association, NYRA Bets is built around NYRA’s tracks, Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct, with promotions tied to the New York circuit. Read our NYRA Bets review.

TwinSpires

Owned by Churchill Downs Inc., TwinSpires is a trusted name in horse racing betting, with deep Kentucky Derby content and Churchill Downs simulcasts. Read our TwinSpires review.

DRF Bets

DRF Bets combines horse betting with the Daily Racing Form’s handicapping tools and past performances, a draw for serious players. Read our DRF Bets review.

Xpressbet

Xpressbet is the ADW tied to the Stronach Group’s racing business, whose tracks include Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. It offers a loyalty points program and handicapping features.

New-customer promotions at racebooks other than our partner vary by state; check the operator’s site for current terms.

Most states have some form of legalized land-based horse racing betting. Just Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, South Carolina and Utah do not offer on-track wagering or off-track betting facilities (OTBs), either because gambling of any kind is against the law there or because they do not have active horse racing venues.

Online horse betting reaches fewer states, and each ADW decides where it operates. Leading online racebooks support bettors with stats, information and data on horses and upcoming races from all across America, as well as live tote odds. That can help you find the horse racing wager that is right for you. Most of the states that allow online betting also permit mobile apps, including well-known racebooks such as TVG, NYRA Bets, AmWager and Xpressbet.

Horse betting bonus types

Most horse betting promotions are tied to an ADW account. The sign-up offers you can find usually fall into one of these categories:

  • Deposit bonuses that match the amount you initially fund your account with are the most common. Watch for wagering requirements.
  • Bet-and-get deals require qualifying bets as well as a deposit. You have to wait until your wager is settled before the bonus is credited.
  • First-bet insurance gives the first wager you place some protection. If your pick does not win, the stake is refunded, usually as wagering credit.
  • Rebates and rewards return a small percentage of your handle, which matters most to frequent players.

Types of horse race bets

Depending on whether you play fixed-odds or pari-mutuel betting on the horses, there are many bet types. US racebooks are pari-mutuel: you get the basic win, place (first or second) and show (first, second or third) options, plus exotic bets that combine more than one horse in the same race.

  • Exacta: pick the first two finishers in order.
  • Quinella: pick the first two in either order.
  • Trifecta: first three in order.
  • Superfecta: first four in order.
  • Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6: pick the winners of consecutive races.

Here is a worked example: a $1 exacta box on horses 3 and 7 costs $2 (two combinations) and pays if they finish first and second in either order. The payout depends on how much is in the pool and how many winning tickets there are.

Major horse betting events

There are major US horse betting events throughout the year. From the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Florida in January through to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, there is plenty of action to wager on.

Other famous US horse races include the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York. Saratoga stages the big summer meet, and everything builds to the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships, held at a different American track each fall.

Horse racing payment methods

US horse betting sites accept a range of payment methods, from Visa and Mastercard debit cards and online bank transfers to e-wallets such as PayPal and prepaid cards. Some states limit the options: AmWager, for example, cannot accept credit cards, cryptocurrency or PayNearMe from New Hampshire customers.

What does pari-mutuel mean?

Pari-mutuel is another name for pool betting, the standard form of horse betting in the US. Winnings are paid as dividends based on the size of the pool and the number of winning tickets, after the track’s takeout.

What is fixed-odds horse betting?

Fixed-odds horse betting is where bookmakers set the prices based on the implied probability of each horse winning. Your payout is locked in when you bet. It is common in the UK and Australia but different from the pari-mutuel betting used at US racebooks.

Do I have to pay tax on horse betting winnings?

Yes. In the eyes of the IRS, winning bets are taxable income. Racebooks must report pari-mutuel winnings of $600 or more that are at least 300 times the wager, and wins over $5,000 that meet the same test are also subject to federal withholding, currently 24%. AmWager issues Form W-2G in those cases. Most states with an income tax also tax gambling winnings. The IRS covers the rules in Topic 419.

Where can I find horse betting communities for free picks?

There are many places online to get US horse racing picks for free. Equibase provides some handicapping information without charge, while TimeformUS and Daily Racing Form are other respected sources. Not all good tips are free, and no handicapper can guarantee results.

Responsible horse racing betting

Set a budget for each race day, stick to bet sizes you are comfortable losing, and use the deposit limits and self-exclusion tools your ADW provides. AmWager lists 1-800-MY-RESET as its responsible gaming helpline, and the national helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER. You can also visit GambleAware.org or our responsible gambling page.

Horse betting by state

AmWager policies and state listNational Council on Problem Gambling (1-800-MY-RESET)IRS Topic 419: Gambling income and lossesEquibase

Horse racing betting in 2027

Kentucky Derby, May 1, 2027

The 153rd Kentucky Derby falls on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs. Derby day is traditionally the busiest wagering day of the US racing year.

Belmont Park’s rebuild

NYRA is rebuilding Belmont Park on Long Island, and the Belmont Stakes’ return there is the main New York storyline to watch, along with how NYRA reshapes its year-round calendar.

Shifting ADW maps

Source-market fees, such as Idaho’s 10% charge, are already limiting which tracks some ADWs can offer. Watch for more states to adopt fees or licensing changes that alter where each racebook operates.

Is online horse betting legal in my state?

In most states, yes, through licensed ADW racebooks. AmWager accepts customers in 30 states, from California and New York to Florida and Kentucky. Some other states license different ADWs, so check our state guides.

How old do you have to be to bet on horses online?

It depends on the state: 18 in many states and 21 in others. AmWager requires all account holders to be 21 or older.

Can I bet on horses online in Texas?

AmWager does not accept customers in Texas. Check our Texas guide for the latest on racing and wagering options in the state.

Do horse racing sites report winnings to the IRS?

Yes. Racebooks issue Form W-2G for pari-mutuel wins of $600 or more that are at least 300 times the wager, and withhold federal tax on qualifying wins over $5,000.

What is the best bet type for beginners?

Win, place and show bets are the simplest. Once you are comfortable, an exacta box is a popular next step.

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