Online Horse Racing Betting in Canada

Though horse race betting was available across most of Canada, it was only in August 2022 that the final missing province, Ontario, was finally able to join the rest of the country in placing online bets on the horses. With so many licensed and regulated sportsbooks covering the horses, we decided to see which online horse racing sites offer the best betting experience. By registering, making a deposit, collecting any bonuses, and cashing out, we were able to reach a conclusion.
Written by
Steve Madson
Updated
Apr 23, 2024
Checked by
Nina Winston

Best Horse Racing Online Sportsbooks in Canada 2024

#
Rating
Bonus
Features
Play
1
Rating
5 /5
100% up to $150
with the Greatest Odds
  • Horse Racing
  • Top Events
  • Live Streams
Established
2021
Licence
AGCO, Ontario
Total Games
4000+
  • Interac
  • Mastercard
  • Neosurf
  • Payz
  • Muchbetter
  • Flexepin
  • Jeton
  • eZeeWallet
  • MiFinity
  • Bitcoin
  • Binance Pay
  • Dogecoin
  • Ethereum
  • eVoucher
  • Litecoin
  • TRON
  • USD Coin
  • USDT (Teather)
2
Rating
4.9 /5
100% UP TO C$150
Boosted Odds
T&C apply
  • Only to new players 18+ on their first deposit with a maximum bonus of 180 CAD.
  • Depositing 180 CAD results in a starting balance of 360 CAD.
  • Players receive 120 free spins in sets of 30 over 4 days, with the first set credited immediately after bonus activation.
  • Winnings from free spins come with a 40x wagering requirement.
  • Calculation of possible winnings
  • Singles and multi bets
  • Various betting markets on top sporting events
  • Supports many cryptocurrencies
  • Wide range of payment methods
Established
2020
Licence
Curacao
Total Games
2500+
  • Interac
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Google pay
  • Neosurf
  • Payz
  • Paysafe
  • Muchbetter
  • iDebit
  • Flexepin
  • Jeton
  • eZeeWallet
  • MiFinity
  • Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin Cash
  • CashtoCode
  • DAI
  • directDebit+
  • Dogecoin
  • Ethereum
  • Flykk
  • LUXON
  • Perfect Money
  • STICPAY
  • USD Coin
  • USDT (Teather)
3
Rating
4.9 /5
UP TO C$150
IN FREE BETS
T&C apply

The Welcome Bonus Pack is available for your initial four deposits. To qualify for the bonus on each of these deposits, you must deposit a minimum of C$30.

  • All Top Events
  • Best Odds
  • Live Streams
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Tournaments available
  • Slot races
Established
2021
Licence
Curacao
  • Binance Pay
  • Bitcoin
  • eZeeWallet
  • Flexepin
  • Interac
  • Mastercard
  • MiFinity
  • Muchbetter
  • Neteller
  • Paysafe
  • Payz
  • Ripple
  • USDT (Teather)
  • Visa
  • Skrill
4
Rating
4.9 /5
$1000 + 200 FS
on 9 Masks of Fire
T&C apply

New players can access the Welcome Offer upon registration. They have 7 days to deposit, wager, and claim rewards. A minimum deposit of $10 is required. Three deposit cards are available: the 1st offers up to $300 and 50 spins on “9 Masks of Fire”; the 2nd and 3rd offer up to $100 and 25 spins each. Winnings from spins are credited as real money. Players must wager their deposit 20 times to claim rewards. Game contributions vary, with slots contributing 100% and some games excluded. Players can decline the offer or let it expire.

  • Min deposit: $10
  • Mobile App
  • VIP Program featuring 99 levels
  • Sports betting available
  • Live Casino Games
  • LeoSafePlay tools
Established
2012
Licence
AGCO, MGA, Ontario
Total Games
1500+
  • iDebit
  • Interac
  • Mastercard
  • Muchbetter
  • Neosurf
  • Visa
5
Rating
4.9 /5
Up To $500
Risk Free First Bet
  • New Customer Offer
  • Minimum qualifying bet $10
  • Min odds for qualifying bet 1.80 or higher
  • Secure and diverse banking options
  • Regular promotions and bonuses
Established
1934
6
Rating
4.8 /5
Read review
C$240 FREE BETS
T&C apply

The casino’s welcome bonus is exclusively for new registrants. Players must be at least 18 years old. The initial deposit bonus matches 150% up to certain limits across various currencies, with a wagering requirement of 50 times the bonus amount. Only one welcome bonus is permitted per account, and it expires seven days after being awarded. Players must wager with a max bet of €5 or its currency equivalent until wagering requirements are met. If withdrawals are requested before wagering is complete, bonus and winnings are forfeited.

  • Mobile App
  • NHL, NBA, MLB, MLS available
Read review
  • Week bonuses
  • Cashback
  • Huge payment section
Established
2022
Licence
Curacao
Total Games
9000+
  • Interac
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Muchbetter
  • Jeton
  • eZeeWallet
  • MiFinity
  • Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin Cash
  • AstroPay
  • Ethereum
  • Litecoin
  • Ripple
  • TRON
  • USDT (Teather)
7
Rating
4.7 /5
100% UP TO C$150
+ 50 Free Spins
  • Promo code:
  • 125+ Sports
  • eSports Betting
  • VIP program with personal manager
  • Wide variety of payment methods, including e-wallets and crypto
  • 24/7 support
Established
2022
Licence
Curacao
Total Games
3000+
  • AstroPay
  • Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin Cash
  • Ethereum
  • eVoucher
  • eZeeWallet
  • Interac
  • Jeton
  • Litecoin
  • Mastercard
  • MiFinity
  • Muchbetter
  • Neteller
  • Ripple
  • USD Coin
  • USDT (Teather)
  • Visa
8
Rating
4.6 /5
100% UP TO CA$230
  • Boosted Odds
  • Minimum Deposit CA$15
Established
2022
Licence
MGA
  • Interac
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Maestro

How to Bet on Horse Racing

  1. Step 1

    Choose one of our sportsbooks above.

  2. Step 2

    Sign-up and make an account. 

  3. Step 3

    Click on the horse racing tab and then make a deposit.

  4. Step 4

    Spend some time researching the best odds, betting options, and strategies, as this is going to prove to be a more fruitful strategy.

  5. Step 5

    Select the type of bet for the bet slip. If it’s a straight bet on a single horse, select the horse by name. Now, enter your stake.

  6. Step 6

    Carefully review the bet details. If you’re happy with everything, then click “ Confirm Bet”.

Snatch Casino registration

How Horse Racing Odds Work

On the day of the races, but before the horse betting starts, the odds will be posted on the Tote board at the track. These odds are placed on the horses by the track handicapper and fluctuate as the race approaches and more customers are betting. The horse

Place

Bet on a horse to come in either first or second. However, depending on the number of horses in the race, it’s possible to be paid out if the selected horse finishes in the top three.

Show Bet

Wager that your choice of horse will come in the top three positions in a given race.

with the lowest odds is the one that most customers have bet on and is called the “favourite.” Conversely, “longshots” have the least amount of money placed on them.

In the Great White North, odds are normally displayed as either “Fractional” or “Decimal.” With the former, odds of 6/1 mean that the bettor wins CA$6 for every CA$1 wager. Decimal odds are a single number that represents the total amount a winner would receive on a CA$1 bet.

For those new to waging on the horses, with so many types of bets and terms, it can all be slightly overwhelming initially. The first thing to note is that there are essentially two types of bets: “straight” and “exotic”. Beginners should stick with straight bets, as they are the simplest to master. It’s true that exotic bets like the Quinella and Trifecta can offer bettors the possibility of landing bigger payouts than straight bets. However, there are more variables involved, and the chances of winning are much reduced.

20Bet Horse Betting
20Bet Horse Betting

Horse Racing Betting Tips 

There’s much more to betting on the horses than slamming down your hard-earned cash and crossing your fingers. If you want to up your betting game, it’s a good idea to approach horse racing like any other activity you want to improve with. This involves a deeper understanding of the many different factors that go towards what makes an intelligent bet.

  • Research the Jockey – Check their history to see if they’re a winning jockey, including if they are maintaining their weight. Also, check out the type of horses and tracks they excel on and how experienced they are overall.
  • Check the History of the Horse – Look at the condition of the horse. For example, is it healthy? When did it last run? Has it had adequate rest? Research to see the type of running conditions it enjoys. Finally, the horse’s running style – whether they sprint off the line or are steady in pace – can affect the race.
  • Track Conditions – On the day of the race, make sure you check the condition of the racetrack. After all, if it’s muddy, then that’ll have a huge influence on the outcomes. Following on from this, keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
  • Join More Sportsbooks – By having accounts with at least three different bookies, you’re going to find better odds for the same race. This can have a huge impact on possible profits. So, as a rule, before placing a bet, always check each online website for their odds. This also applies to bonuses and promotional offers. 
  • Proper Bankroll Management – Having a bankroll strategy is an essential element of enjoyable betting. To that end, it’s important to pace your betting rather than blow everything on a single bet, no matter how sure you might be of the result. As a rule, we suggest never betting more than 1% – 5% on any single wager.
snatch casino canada welcome bonus
Snatch Casino Welcome Bonus

Major Horse Racing Events to Bet on

Breeders’ Cup Classic

With a huge purse of several million dollars, the Breeder’s Cup is run annually for thoroughbred horses three years of age or older. First run in 1984, the Classic is held in November and is the final race of the Grand Slam, which includes the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. So far, only one horse, American Pharoah, has won all four races.

Cheltenham Gold Cup

This is a steeplechase with a course of 5,294 metres with 22 fences to be jumped. It’s open to all horses over five years and takes part in March as part of the Cheltenham Festival. The race is a non-handicap chase and is the most valuable race in the UK, with a 2023 winning purse of £625,000.

Kentucky Derby

Since 1875, on the first Saturday of May, the Kentucky Derby has been held in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s the first race in the Triple Crown Series, which also includes the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes. Generally regarded as one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, the race draws more than 150,000 spectators to the Churchill Downs racetrack and thousands of Kentucky derby online betting fans each year.

Melbourne Horse Racing Cup

Queen’s Plate

With the death of the Queen of England in 2022, the name of the race has reverted to the King’s Plate in honour of the succession of Charles III. It’s Canada’s oldest horse race, being first run in 1860. Today, it’s something of a Canadian cultural icon, with thousands of spectators attending the event at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

Horse Racing Schedule 2024

The horse racing calendar offers a rich and varied platform throughout the year. Below, we’ve listed some of the most famous races in the world.

DateEventLocation
Mar 15Cheltenham Gold Cup Cheltenham racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham
Mar 30Dubai World Cup Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Apr 13Grand NationalAintree Racecourse in Liverpool
May 4Kentucky DerbyLouisville, Kentucky, US
May 18Preakness StakesPimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
June 8Belmont StakesBelmont Park‎, ‎Elmont, New York‎, USA
June 22Ascot Gold CupAscot Racecourse, Berkshire, England
Nov 1Breeders CupUSA
Nov 5Melbourne CupVictoria, Australia
Horse Racing Schedule 2024

How do we Check Horse Racing Betting Sites?

A Google search for sportsbooks that cover horse racing comes up with literally hundreds of results. To determine the best, we examine the most important factors that can make or break your betting sessions. Below are the main points you should know before joining any online bookie.

Bonus Availability 

20Bet22BetSnatch Casino
100% up to CA$150 in Free Bets
(Min Deposit CA$2)
100% up to CA$300 
+ 22 Bet Points
(Min Deposit CA$2)
Free bets worth CA$100
(Min Deposit CA$10)
Bonusses in Horse Racing Betting Sites
Snatch Casino Canada VIP
Snatch Casino VIP

Best Odds

Deposit and Withdrawals 

In the interest of offering the best customer service, all top online sportsbooks will offer their users a large selection of banking options to make both deposits and withdrawals from their online accounts.

Banking Method20Bet22BetSnatch Casino20Bet22BetSnatch Casino
DepositDepositDepositWithdrawWithdrawWithdraw
Bank Transfer✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Credit/Debit Cards✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Cryptocurrencies✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
EcoPayz✔️✔️✔️✔️
Interac✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
MyFinity✔️✔️
Klarna✔️✔️
Jeton✔️✔️✔️✔️
CashtoCode✔️
Revolut✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Neosurf✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Neteller✔️✔️✔️✔️
Perfect Money✔️✔️✔️✔️
Skrill✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
EZeeWallet✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Banking Methods for Online Betting

Mobile Betting

With so many sports bettors utilising their mobile phones to bet online, it’s no surprise that Canadian sportsbooks all offer betting apps as a means of ensuring a smooth betting experience. Whether using an iPhone or Android device, you can relax, as today’s betting websites are all optimised for easy navigation on smaller screen size.

20Bet Mobile
20Bet Mobile

Licence and Security

Before signing up and opening a sportsbook account for horse betting, always check that the platform is fully licensed and regulated by a relevant gaming commission. Canadian bettors looking to use home-grown sportsbooks still need to check if they’re licensed by their respective provincial authorities. A licence ensures the betting company enforces high standards when it comes to looking after your personal details and your funds.

20 Bet Licensing
20Bet Licensing

FAQ

Is online horse betting Canada even legal?

Yes, it is! All horse race betting in Canada is 100% legal. However, ensure you meet the legal age requirements for gambling in your province.

Is there a bonus for betting on horse racing?

Virtually all CA sportsbooks reward users with generous welcome bonuses when they sign up to the betting platform for the first time. These can come in the form of 100% matched bonuses up to CA$1,000 or free bets. Also, when an important horse race is taking place, bookies give out boosted odds and bonus bets in a bid to generate new business.

How to choose the best horse racing betting site?

The sites recommended above have been examined to determine that they offer the best value and betting experience across the board. They are all fully licensed and offer users both great odds as well as a secure betting environment.

What types of bets are there on horse racing?

Horse racing bets can be divided into two categories: straight bets and exotic bets. With the former, betting couldn’t be easier, with bets on which horse will win or come in the top three places. Exotic bets are built up from straight bets in that they often comprise multiple bets.

How do horse racing odds work?

If using Decimal odds, a bettor wagering CA$1 at 3.25 expects to see CA$3.25 on the winner (a profit of CA$2.25). For those using fractional odds, the first number of the equation is what you stand to win, with the second number being the amount needed to be staked.

What are the main horse racing events to bet on?

Throughout the year, horse racing has a busy schedule, with significant races taking place globally. Have a look at our list of the best events of 2023 above.

Where can I watch horse racing live online?

Many Canadian sportsbooks feature online streaming of horse racing. For an even more convenient experience, it’s also possible to watch on mobile devices.