Horse Racing Betting in India

Horse races have a long history in India, and it is easily one of the most popular sports on the subcontinent. It’s also one of the few sports you can legally place bets on.

A tradition of horse races in India

The first horse racecourse in India was established in 1777. That means there has been informal horse racing long before that. The sport became popular enough to warrant the establishment of official racecourses.

Nowadays we have nine racecourses around the country and six Turf Authorities who regulate the sport, organize events and run the racecourses, which also includes trackside bookmakers and pari-mutuel wagering stations.

In 1996, the Supreme Court in India ruled that betting on horse races is based on skill rather than luck, which means it is not prohibited like many other forms of gambling. Indeed, betting on horse races is very well organized and incredibly popular among the Indian population. That’s also a reason why it’s never really been illegal to bet on horse races, but the Supreme Court ruling removed any ambivalence.

Interestingly, only horses bred in India are allowed to compete on Indian racetracks and their are legal betting sites that allow horse betting.

Betting on the turf or online

Traditionally, betting on horse races takes place on the turf. That is where the bookmakers are, that is where the action takes place directly. It’s exciting and you can cheer on the horses you bet on from the trackside.

But unless you are living close to a racetrack and have the time to go, perhaps making it a day out with friends, it can also be quite inconvenient to have to go to the track in order to place your bets.

Going to the races is fun. Winning at the races when your favorite horse comes in first is even more fun! There’s nothing quite like it.

You may have to travel far, and you may not get the best odds either.

Whilst the Turf Authorities of India are very protective of their right to offer pari-mutuel betting, they do tolerate betting sites. That way they stay on the safe side and those who want to be on horse races online in India can choose their preferred bookmaker and get the best possible odds.

Plus, when you choose the right site, you’ll also be able to live stream most horse races.

Types of bets you can place

There are plenty of betting options when you place horse racing bets in India. You can bet on a horse to place, win or to come in second place. These are straightforward choices.

Other popular betting options are:

Forecast – You bet on two choices to come in 1^st and 2^nd in a single race in the order you selected.

Quinella – Here you also bet on the 1^st and 2^nd place in a single race, but the outcome can be either order.

Tanala – You bet on the first three places in the expected order. A consolation prize is awarded when you correctly predict the winner but second and third places are reversed.

Treble – Pick the winner of three different races. You only get a return, if all three predictions come true.

Jackpot – You select the winners in 5 races. A consolation prize is awarded if you pick four winners, but one fails.

Of course, you can also place accumulator bets in horse races, which means you make multiple bets on multiple races for horses to win or place. All predictions must win for you to get a return.

There are more types of bets you can place, but these are the most popular and common ones.

One site that offers play on almost any type of bet is Bet365, one of the biggest online betting sites in the world. Here you’ll find all the markets you might look for.

Bet365

With Bet365 being the biggest online betting site in the world it’s really hard to find a market missing here when it comes to horse racing. You’ll find almost all markets available at Bet365 on any big race. The most-known races are available for live stream as well at bet365.

At the biggest online betting site in the world, you can be sure to find a great on-going promotion on all the big events, and you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a good welcome bonus when signing up from India at Bet365.

Bet365 Betting Bonus

100% up to ₹4,000 in Bet credits

Claim Bonus

Wagering: 12xD New Customers Only. 18+. T&C Apply.

We already did a full bet365 review that you can read if you want some more information about the site before signing up.

Tips and tricks when betting on horse races

If you want to get into horse race betting as well, there are a few things you can do to have a bit of an advantage. There are a lot of racecourses and events you can follow and when you get started, you might want to pick one racecourse and research it thoroughly.

• Find out how long the racecourse is and what condition it is in
• Research the events taking place at the racecourse and which horses will participate
• Look into the jockeys riding the horses and the coaches
• Before a race, check the weather predictions as they can influence a race
• Compare odds at different bookmakers and the selections they offer for you to bet on

Whether you go to a racecourse or bet online, these tips are useful either way. Whilst you can pick any racecourse when you bet online, you are likely more limited when you want to go to an actual racecourse.

Doing your homework before placing bets on horse races, no matter the racecourse or the event is essential to give you a good start when making your selections. Sometimes you like the name of a horse or bet on a particular event because it coincides with your birthday.

Those bets are unlikely to succeed, of course, but simply for some fun, there’s nothing wrong with placing such bets. If you want to have a chance at winning something, it’s better to follow our advice.

Katie Walsh is a successful former jump jockey who achieved the best ever Grand National finishing position by a female jockey, and she is now giving away horse racing tips at Betway.

Betway

With tips from the former jockey Katie Walsh and a comprehensive odds market for horse racing, you can be sure that you are well-taken-care-of at Betway while betting on horse racing.

Betway has exclusive promotions and bonuses for Indian customers only and got a competitive odds market for all the favorite Indian horse races.

Betway Betting Bonus

100% Welcome Bonus up to ₹2,500

Claim Bonus

Wagering: 6xB New Customers Only. 18+. T&C Apply.

We already did a full Betway review that you can read if you are not yet familiar with this great betting site.

Conclusion

Which is the best site for betting on horse racing in India?

Most betting sites in India offer bets on horse races. Since horse racing is so popular in India, bookmakers want to cover as many events as possible.

The betting sites we review, usually offer horse racing betting, however, in one or two cases we found only a few markets or had trouble finding any markets at all.

Our top choices for horse racing betting in India are:

• Bet365 – Excellent selection of Indian events, a good welcome bonus, great odds, and live streaming!
• Betway – Great for newbies. If you are new to any kind of sports betting, including horse racing betting, Betway is a great option. The page is user-friendly, offers tons of odds and horse races are a specialty at the bookmaker.
• 10CRIC – Another great option because of their focus on the Indian market. Not just good for cricket betting. Horse races are well covered here, and you may find a lot of bonuses and promotions as well.

There are plenty of other good sites you can check out and we have reviewed our top betting sites for you. Most of them are good for horse racing betting in India, but the above are probably our favorites.

Of course, many factors go into choosing the right betting site for you, which depends mostly on the kinds of bets you want to place.

Horse Racing FAQ