Learn how online horse betting works in Connecticut, which racebooks take Connecticut customers, and what the Nutmeg State offers horseplayers who want to wager on the races.
In this article 11 sections
- Connecticut horse betting offers
- Is online horse betting legal in Connecticut?
- Horse betting sites that accept Connecticut players
- Best CT horse betting apps
- Racebook bonuses in Connecticut
- Off-track betting in Connecticut
- Horse racing tracks near Connecticut
- Types of horse racing bets in Connecticut
- Taxes on horse betting winnings in Connecticut
- Responsible gambling for Connecticut horseplayers
- Connecticut horse racing betting in 2027
Connecticut horse betting offers
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Connecticut online horse betting is legal, but the Nutmeg State doesn’t have any tracks that you can visit.
Pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is legal in Connecticut, so it’s a shame there are no active racetracks here. Online betting runs through advance deposit wagering (ADW) sites and apps, and alongside them the state’s off-track betting network, trading as Winners, takes simulcast bets in person. State law sets the pari-mutuel age at 18, though most online racebooks, including AmWager, require customers to be 21. You also have taxes to pay on any profits made on your wagers.
| Connecticut horse racing betting: key facts | |
|---|---|
| Online horse betting (ADW) | Yes |
| Live racetracks in Connecticut | None |
| Off-track betting | Yes, Winners OTB venues |
| Legal pari-mutuel age | 18+ (many ADWs require 21+) |
| Regulator | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division |
| Racebooks taking CT customers | AmWager, TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG, DRF Bets and others |
Is online horse betting legal in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut legalized off-track betting in 1976 and has regulated pari-mutuel wagering ever since, with the Department of Consumer Protection now overseeing it. In 2012 the DCP granted the state’s OTB operator, then Sportech, an exclusive online wagering right through MyWinners.com.
That exclusivity has always been contested. National ADWs such as TwinSpires and Xpressbet have taken Connecticut customers for years and challenged the arrangement, and the department has not forced them out. Today Connecticut residents can open accounts with a long list of national racebooks.
Horse betting sites that accept Connecticut players
As of the latest state-by-state listings, these racebooks take Connecticut customers:
- AmWager: a lean, fast betting platform with simulcast coverage of major North American tracks. AmWager accepts Connecticut residents and requires customers to be 21 or older.
- TwinSpires: Churchill Downs’ racebook, one of the national ADWs that has operated in Connecticut despite the state’s exclusivity arrangement. See our TwinSpires review.
- FanDuel Racing and TVG: FanDuel’s racing products, with TVG’s television and streaming coverage.
- DRF Bets: Daily Racing Form’s betting app, pairing wagering with DRF past performances.
- NYRA Bets: the New York Racing Association’s ADW, a natural fit given that the nearest major tracks are in New York.
DraftKings’ horse racing product is not available in Connecticut.
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Best CT horse betting apps
For Connecticut online horse betting, the main racebooks all run mobile apps:
- DRF Bets makes placing wagers easy with just a few taps, and you can bet and watch through your phone too.
- TVG has a simple, fast betting app with access to its markets and network.
- TwinSpires offers easy deposit and withdrawal options plus handicapping tools on its mobile platforms.
All of them use your location to confirm you are betting from a state where they are licensed to accept wagers.
Racebook bonuses in Connecticut
Racebook promotions generally take a few familiar shapes:
- Welcome bonuses that match part of your first deposit or reward early wagering.
- Money-back deals that refund a losing bet as a bonus if the wager meets the conditions.
- Rebates and loyalty points that return a percentage of your handle over time.
Read the terms: wagering requirements, eligible tracks and expiry dates matter more than the headline figure. AmWager’s new-customer offer is a 100% first deposit match up to $50.
Off-track betting in Connecticut
There are no tracks for horse betting in Connecticut where you can bet on-course. Instead, the state’s Winners OTB network takes simulcast bets at venues in Hartford, Windsor Locks, New Britain, Manchester, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, Waterbury and Sports Haven in New Haven. Several of those venues, including Sports Haven and the Bobby V’s sites in Stamford and Windsor Locks, also host Fanatics-run sports betting for the Connecticut Lottery.
Connecticut once had greyhound racing, at Plainfield Greyhound Park (1976 to 2005) and Shoreline Star Greyhound Park (1995 to 2006), but no dog tracks remain.
Horse racing tracks near Connecticut
Neighboring New York has several top racetracks. These include Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, and Saratoga Race Course upstate in Saratoga Springs, each hosting Grade 1 thoroughbred racing. For harness racing, Yonkers Raceway and Monticello Raceway are the closest options.
Local and major horse racing events for Connecticut bettors
With no local horse racing events for wagering in Connecticut, you have to look outside the Nutmeg State for equine action. Aqueduct, home of the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap, is an easy drive from Fairfield County.
Belmont Park is the traditional home of the Belmont Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Saratoga, a few hours north of Hartford, stages a summer meet packed with Grade 1 races, including the Travers Stakes. Through an ADW you can also bet the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Breeders’ Cup from anywhere in the state.
Types of horse racing bets in Connecticut
With online horse betting in Connecticut, you place pari-mutuel wagers, and these include the following bet types:
- Win wagers, where your horse has to finish first.
- Place bets, where your horse must come first or second.
- Show wagers, where your horse has to be first, second or third.
- Exotic bets like exactas, trifectas and superfectas, where more than one horse is backed in the same race.
- Daily doubles and Pick bets (Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6), which work like parlays across consecutive races.
A worked example: a $1 trifecta box
Box three horses in a $1 trifecta and you cover all six finishing orders of those three, so the ticket costs $6. If they finish first, second and third in any order, you collect the trifecta payout for a $1 ticket. Because pari-mutuel pools are shared among winning tickets, the payout isn’t known until the race is official.
Taxes on horse betting winnings in Connecticut
Pari-mutuel winnings are taxable income for both federal and Connecticut state income tax purposes. Large payouts can trigger a W-2G form and federal withholding at the window or from your ADW account, so keep records of your wagers and losses.
Responsible gambling for Connecticut horseplayers
Set a budget before the first race and stick to it; every licensed racebook offers deposit limits and account closure. The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling helpline is 1-888-789-7777, and the national 1-800-GAMBLER line also answers. General advice is at GambleAware.org and in our responsible gambling guide.
Connecticut horse racing betting in 2027
The ADW exclusivity question
Connecticut’s 2012 grant of exclusive online wagering rights has never stopped national racebooks from serving the state. Any move by the DCP or the legislature to settle that dispute would directly affect which apps Connecticut horseplayers can use.
New York’s calendar sets the menu
With no live racing at home, Connecticut’s busiest betting days follow NYRA’s schedule at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga. Watch NYRA’s 2027 stakes calendar for the dates that will drive handle at Winners venues and in ADW apps.
More betting at OTB venues
The Lottery’s Fanatics sportsbooks share several Winners OTB buildings, and the statute allows up to 15 Lottery sites. Watch whether new sites also add race betting.
What is the best horse racing betting site in Connecticut?
It depends what you bet. Our partner AmWager carries a wide track list at home and abroad, streamed races and an uncluttered bet slip. TwinSpires, owned by Churchill Downs, has deep handicapping content, TVG and FanDuel Racing add television and streaming coverage, NYRA Bets is the home of Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct wagering and DRF Bets builds Daily Racing Form past performances into the bet slip. Many Connecticut players keep two accounts to compare rebates and track coverage.
Can I bet on horses online in Connecticut?
Yes. Advance deposit wagering is legal, and national racebooks including AmWager, TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG and DRF Bets accept Connecticut residents.
What is the legal age for horse betting in Connecticut?
The state’s pari-mutuel age is 18, but most online racebooks, including AmWager, require you to be 21.
Are there racetracks in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut has no live horse racing. The nearest tracks are in New York, including Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Yonkers and Monticello.
Where are the OTBs in Connecticut?
The Winners network runs off-track betting venues in Hartford, Windsor Locks, New Britain, Manchester, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, Waterbury and New Haven (Sports Haven).
Do I have to pay tax on horse betting winnings in Connecticut?
Yes. Winnings are taxable for federal and Connecticut state income tax, and large payouts can trigger a W-2G.