A reliable horse racing betting app can take your betting to whole new heights, especially if it comes with a throng of bonuses, keen horse and jockey statistics, and juicy odds. Gone are the days when you need a laptop handy to do a quick runover of the odds, or queue for what seems forever at a betting kiosk to pencil in your bets. Through a streamlined horse race betting app, you can do it all and then some.
The UK has a voracious appetite for betting on horse races, and as such, the market is packed with worthy contenders. So we have set our standards well and high, labouring over every single detail and nuance that can potentially enhance the betting experience. After testing countless big brands and new horse racing apps, we have curated the following shortlist of the best platforms in the UK.
Best Horse Racing Betting Apps
Following the Gambling Act of 2005, the UK sports betting and gambling industries fell under the jurisdiction of the UK Gambling Commission. This non-departmental public agency is the foremost authority on all gambling platforms and is responsible for ensuring all UK punters receive safe and quality betting apps. All the best UK bookies and horse racing betting apps hold licences with the UKGC, or, they can also hold licenses with white-listed territories such as Gibraltar, Alderney, the Isle of Man, or Jersey (among others). These gambling jurisdictions are recognised by the UKGC, and licence holders in those outlying UK territories can access the UK sports and race betting industry.
It goes without saying that the very first condition is that a bookie should either be UKGC-licensed or recognised by the institution. The list of legitimate bookies in the UK is lengthy to say the least, and so to curtail that list a little, we have set our expectations high for horse racing betting apps.
To give you a quality horse racing betting experience, we have scrutinised factors such as app durability, the ease of handling your finances, how well the apps accommodate advanced horse racing betting markets, any and all live streaming offerings, and the extent to which they lavish their users with worthy bonuses and promotions. Below, we have summarised the experience at our top choices, to give you a grasp of what they can offer you.
#1. Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes is one of the most popular horse racing betting apps and for good reason. The mobile app covers horse races from all over the world, with excellent acca building and advanced wagering opportunities. There are great value odds boosts every single day, a handy Build a Racecard function and plenty of betting picks to be had. You can also get all the dirty details on every single horse and jockey in each race, and even a Racing Post Verdict to give you a rough idea of who is racing.
Bonuses are of a very high standard, with loads of BOG, Extra Places, Acca Insurance, and even Tote Guaranteed Prize Pools. Live streams and commentary is provided, which are invaluable tools when combined with the live betting and cash out offers. And to make matters even better, the minimum deposit is set at just £5, and the minimum stakes are just 1p, so anyone on a tight budget can still get in their horse racing bets.
Ladbrokes Pros:
- Loads of Horse Racing Promotions
- Low Minimum Deposit and Minimum Stake
- Plenty of Advanced Horse Racing Bets
- Unique Racebuilder Tool for Building Accas
Ladbrokes Cons:
- Dated Interface and App
- Live Streams Can Lag on Older Devices
#2. bet365 Racing
Despite establishing itself as one of the nation’s foremost sports betting apps, the horse racing betting experience at bet365 is second to none. It covers a great range of horse races all over the world, and you can open the app at virtually any time and find races to bet on, whether it is in Australia, the USA, or anywhere in the UK. It has live streams for the majority of these races, but you will need to wager a little money on a race to be able to watch the stream. For each race, you can open a lengthy race sheet for each contestant to get valuable insights.
In terms of betting, bet365 gives you Win, Each Way, Forecast/Tricast, tote betting, exotic bets and fixed places wagers, all an expert punter needs to form lengthy wagers. To add incentive to your horse race betting, you can also use the promotional offers, such as bet365 Best Odds Guaranteed for the majority of races, payouts on disqualified horses, Each Way Extras, and sometimes you can also get cash out offers.
bet365 Pros:
- Bespoke Racing App
- Extensive Worldwide Coverage
- Live Streams and Cash Out
- Jackpots and Tote Betting
- Advanced Betting Markets
bet365 Cons:
- App May Occasionally Lag
- Regular Updates Can Get Annoying
#3. Betfred
Betfred is a sportsbook, lotto, live casino, bingo, poker room and horse racing platform mixed into one. This app is a little more beginner-friendly than bet365, as it is neatly structured to make it easier for punters to browse the markets and toggle between UK & Ireland / International races, and on individual races, toggle between Racecard / Watch Live. For each meeting, the basic information such as form, racing post rating, top speed and official rating, is displayed clearly. You can pick between Win or Each Way, dabble in Forecast and Tricast, or try your hand at Place Only, Insurance Betting and other alternative markets.
There aren’t as many detailed betting markets and possibilities as bet365, but Betfred makes up for this with some pretty generous promotions. You can gain boosts on single bets, Lucky 15, Yankee, Lucky 31, Canadian, Lucky 63 and Heinz wagers. Full cover horse racing bets are highly encouraged, and there are also insurance offers such as Free Bet if your horse finishes 2nd. Betfred understands the plights of racing punters, and rewards them profoundly with recurring bonus bet offers or odds boosts.
Betfred Pros:
- User-Friendly App
- Sports, Racing, Bingo, Casino Games & More all in One App
- Live Streams and International Coverage
- Bonus Bets, Odds Boosts and Insurance
Betfred Cons:
- Not Many Advanced Betting Markets
- Doesn’t Send “Win” Notifications
#4. Coral
Coral has an outstanding array of horse racing betting features, specifically focusing on live racing, acca building, and a number of boosts and Extra Place E/W offers. The app allows for rapid racecard building, where you can select up to 10 UK, IRE or international meetings and craft lengthy accumulators. Coral also regularly offers Best Odds Guaranteed or Extra Places on Each Way bets, with icons next to highlighted races where you can get these promotional offers. The action doesn’t stop when the race starts, as you can tune into the live stream and even have a go at live horse racing betting (on specified races).
There are plenty of betting markets to tuck into, with Top Finish, Insurance Place 2 or 3, To Finish and Forecast betting. The bet slip is quite sophisticated and yet easy to use, allowing punters to try any kind of combination with their selections, going as bold as they like. The only thing we felt was lacking was that the majority of bonuses relate to UK or Irish racing meetings, and international meetings don’t have as many BOG or Extra Places offers.
Coral Pros:
- Expert Horse Race Betting Markets
- Loads of BOG and Extra Places Offers
- Quality Streams, Live Betting and Occasional Cash Out Options
- Hassle Free Mobile Payment
Coral Cons:
- Bonuses Mainly for UK/IRE Races
- Can Have Server Connectivity Issues
#5. BoyleSports
BoyleSports is among the top horse racing betting apps in the UK, complete with excellent coverage, loads of bonuses, and innovative betting features. The app interface, which feels clumsy when compared with the competition, doesn’t do BoyleSports justice. In addition to the standard Win, Each Way and Betting Without, you can also put your predictions to the test through Winning Distances, Lengthen the Odds and Pick Your Place markets. We also like the view toggle, which has Quick, Smart and Pro view modes. This detailed horse racing software gives you proper insights into the contestants of each race, with loads of statistics and even ratings for Jockeys, Trainers, Ground, and more. Really, this is a well-thought-out platform.
Live streams, Best Odds Guaranteed and a number of other great perks await punters at BoyleSports. There are money back specials, odds boosts, insurance offers, and Extra Place Races. The only area where BoyleSports could improve is in its interface, and it doesn’t have many Forecast or Tricast wagers, though BoyleSports does have a good array of alternatives that are seldom found elsewhere.
BoyleSports Pros:
- Excellent Variety of Betting Markets
- Plenty of Horse Racing Bonuses and Offers
- Smart Racecard with Quick, Smart and Pro Modes
- Live Streams and International Coverage
BoyleSports Cons:
- Could Improve the Navigability of the App
- Needs More Forecast/Tricast Betting Options
#6. 888Sport
The 888Sport betting app covers sports betting and horse racing, with tonnes of features and perks. The platform has a black and orange custom designed interface, with intuitive navigation tools. From the main horse racing lobby, you can instantly jump into upcoming meetings, popular bets, Ante-post wagers, odds boosts and a Betfinder function. 888Sport delivers all the basics that you will need, including Win, Each/Way, Places, Forecast, Tricast and full cover acca functions. You can also watch the action live through the 888Sport streams.
This racing betting app covers all the biggest UK and Ireland meetings, as well as a handful of international races. Browsing Popular Bets and Betfinder can help you learn where the crowd is betting and find racing bets by their odds. We also like the variety of bonuses, with double down free bet offers, stake £100 and get £10 bonus bets, and plenty of Best Odds Guaranteed. But these are mostly only related to UK and Irish meetings.
888Sport Pros:
- App is Very Easy to Navigate and Use
- Good Range of Advanced Horse Racing Bets
- Recurring Bonus Bet Offers
888Sport Cons:
- Not Much International Horse Racing Coverage
- Bonuses and Perks Mostly for UK/IRE Races
#7. BetMGM UK
BetMGM is a large player in the US betting industry, and has a great pool of resources where sports betting is concerned. It is quite a new betting platform, having entered the UK in 2023, but BetMGM quickly hit the ground running. Its offering comprises sports betting, casino games, and an extensive racing bookie. You can bet on horse races from all over the world, with plenty of live streams, ante-post wagers and specials. The betting markets include Win, Each Way, Forecast/Tricast, Betting Without, Each Way Your Way and Top Finish.
There are daily horse racing boosts, up to 10%, and when you sign up at BetMGM UK you are automatically enrolled into the Rewards loyalty program. You can earn comp points for your wagers, and either exchange these for bonus bets, or collect them and climb up the status tiers. The bonuses at BetMGM are rife, and the bookie is known for giving back. However, we would point out that it doesn’t have Best Odds Guaranteed offers, and doesn’t have many bonuses that specifically relate to horse race betting.
BetMGM Pros:
- Perfectly Crafted Mobile Interface
- Quality Streams and Extensive Coverage
- Loyalty Program
- Each Way Your Way and Advanced Horse Racing Betting Markets
BetMGM Cons:
- No Best Odds Guaranteed Offers
- Limited Horse Racing Bonuses
#8. BetVictor
BetVictor has quite an intriguing take on horse racing bets, with plenty of extra betting markets and enhanced odds offers for punters to gain an edge. It covers mostly UK and Ireland races, with a modest coverage of French, USA, and Australian meetings. There are live streams, which you can unlock if you spend at least £1 betting on a selected race. There are Outright, Each Way, Place, and a number “versus the field” wagers. Should you want to lengthen the odds, you can add a “handicap of lengths“, specifically your horse to win by 2, 3, 4, and more, lengths.
Best Odds Guaranteed offers are given on UK or Irish races, and through the BetFinder you can pinpoint great betting opportunities. But BetVictor doesn’t really offer Forecast, Tricast, and Tote Betting, which many expert punters will find sorely disappointing. It doesn’t really offer many horse racing specific bonus bets or acca insurances. And if we are also highlighting its shortcomings, we would also point out that straight bank card withdrawals are quite slow.
BetVictor Pros:
- Smooth Running Live Streams
- Horse Racing “Handicap” and “Vs the Field” Bets
- Plenty of Best Odds Guaranteed Races
BetVictor Cons:
- Meagre International Race Coverage
- Not Many “Classic” Advanced Horse Racing Bets
- Difficult to Browse and Find Special Bets
#9. Betway
Betway is primarily a sports betting app, but it has a good array of horse racing betting options too. It comes highly rated for its sturdy app performance, and has crisp live streams, lean vig on its odds, and plenty of acca betting opportunities. Betway is highly reliable and has an exclusive feed where you can share your predictions and see which way the crowd is betting, and there is a free bet club through which you can get additional bonus bets. But unfortunately, that is where the offering really ends.
We didn’t find many advanced wagers, Best Odds Guaranteed or Extra Places offers. It feels more like a sports betting app with auxiliary horse racing betting markets for the casual bettor to test out. And that is precisely who we think it is best suited for – either beginners or just casual punters who will try the occasional horse racing bet.
Betway Pros:
- Excellent UK/IRE Race Coverage
- Durable and High Quality Streams
- Lengthy Betting Odds and Full Cover Accas
- Betway Feed to Share Picks
Betway Cons:
- Needs More Statistical Information
- Doesn’t Offer Tricast/Forcast or Exotic Bets
- Lean on International Coverage
#10. Midnite
A relatively new entry, Midnite has only been live since 2018, and specialises in sports and eSports betting. It also has horse racing bets on both real meetings and virtual races. Live streams, lengthy odds and good acca building options are all part of what punters are signing up for at Midnite.
The app is well built, and easy to browse, and you will also find a number of boosted odd specials. However, the racing features are not fully developed, as you cannot place any kinds of boxed bets, exotic horse racing wagers, or much else besides the race winner and Each Way bets. At this time, Midnite doesn’t offer forecast or tricast betting, nor does it have any Best Odds Guaranteed perks.
Midnite Pros:
- Offers Live Streams
- Has Acca Building Tools
Midnite Cons:
- Should Have More International Races
- No Advanced Horse Racing Bets
- No Best Odds Guaranteed or Other Horse Racing Bonuses
What To Look for in Horse Racing Betting Apps
There are countless ways in which the betting experience can vary with different horse racing betting apps. With mid-range apps, you could be fumbling with laggy performance and missing out on better value odds. Or, you may encounter unnecessary hassles with depositing or withdrawing your money, something no punter should have to go through these days.
That’s why we test these apps, so that you can avoid all those discomforts and find an app that gives you exactly what you need to enjoy the thrills of betting on the races.
Handling Your Finances
First and foremost, banking deposit options. Horse racing betting apps should provide you with a good array of banking methods through which you can top up your account and withdraw your winnings. We advise punters to not just have 1 method but to look for a bookie that does 2 or more payment gateways you are comfortable with using, just as a safety precaution.
The top bookies don’t charge you for making deposits or withdrawing your money, and they set large limits where transferring money is concerned. We like to see nice and low minimum deposits, like at Ladbrokes where deposits are taken from as little as £5 and you can place 1p bets. And on the other end of the scale, the maximum deposit and withdrawal limits should be nice and high too. Should you win a Tote jackpot or hit a Superfecta, you wouldn’t want to cash out your winnings in instalments over the next half a year. No, your bookie should handle everything from the smallest to the highest stakes payout transfers efficiently.
Variety of Betting Markets
Some punters are happy with the standard Race Winner and Each Way bets. These are the essential bets that all horse racing betting apps should offer. These can be placed as single bets, or combined into accas or round robin bets for lengthier odds at a higher risk.
However, we also like to see the classic boxed bets, forecast/tricast and exotic wagering opportunities at horse racing betting apps. These are really the expert bets that can hit big returns, but come at long odds. But they are something of a rarity at lots of betting apps that focus primarily on sports.
Another intriguing thing we have found on the subject of horse race betting markets is that there are plenty of sportsbooks that have customisable Each Way bets, or opportunities to “lengthen the odds” on favourites by adding in a handicap of lengths. Or, race winner bets that exclude the favourite or other top contestants.
Promotions and Bonuses
The two main promotions that all respectable horse racing betting apps offer are Best Odds Guaranteed and Extra Places promos. In Best Odds Guaranteed, if the starting price of a bet is longer than the odds you got when you placed the bet, you will get the starting price odds. It is basically a guarantee that punters will never get shorter odds than the starting price. With Extra Places offers, the bookie extends the places paid out on an Each Way bet, such as giving you 1-4 places instead of 1-5.
But these two bonuses just scratch the surface of what the best horse racing apps can provide. The likes of bet365, Ladbrokes, BoyleSports, 888Sport and several others have quality insurance offers. Insurance offers can range from giving you back your money if your horse doesn’t finish the race, to providing you with a bonus bet if your horse finishes second, or similar scenarios. The promotions can vary greatly, so be sure to read the terms and conditions.
Other good horse race betting bonuses include free bets, acca odds boosts, and even jackpot or tote betting pools. In our testing, we found that the most holistic racing betting app, as far as bonuses are concerned, is bet365.
Horse Race Coverage
There are horse races across the UK on a daily basis, and should you open your betting app, you can bet on horses virtually any time of the day. That is, if your horse race betting app has the necessary coverage. We found that a lot of apps do the basics and cover UK and Ireland horse race meetings, such as the ones at Doncaster, Epsom, York, Cheltenham, Aintree and Newmarket. And they also cover the biggest international horse race meetings too, from the USA Breeders’ Cup to the Melbourne Cup and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
In terms of UK and Ireland coverage, there isn’t much to distinguish a good horse racing betting app from an average one. But if you look at what international races they cover, you will see a lot of the average apps barely do the essentials. Whereas the biggest horse racing apps we have covered here, such as bet365, Coral, Betfred and Ladbrokes have far more betting options on these global meetings. You can narrow down the criteria even further if you check out which apps have live streams, Best Odds Guaranteed, promotional offers and advanced horse racing bets on these international events too.
But if you aren’t planning to bet on a midweek Aussie horse racing meeting or a Japanese grade III stakes race, don’t worry too much. Most betting apps will cover the big meetings, so if you want to bet on any of the following, you are more than covered.
Biggest International Horse Races
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Melbourne Cup
Kentucky Derby
Breeders’ Cup
Japan Cup
Dubai World Cup
The Everest
Biggest UK and Ireland Meetings
Ascot
Grand National
Champion Stakes
Cheltenham Gold Cup
2,000 Guinea Stakes
Epsom Derby
Irish Champion Stakes
Accessibility and Interface Navigability
There is a great gulf of difference between how operators design their apps, and the devil is truly in the details. For instance, we really liked the features at BoyleSports and found that the adaptable Smart View Racecard is a masterclass of ingenuity, but that the main lobby doesn’t neatly present the different races or give you any options to favourite specific horses or races.
For some punters, the little addition of a Favourite function or a BetFinder drastically enhances the experience. Or, just presenting the information more clearly. BetMGM has a toggle where you can browse “Stream Only” racecards, or the likes of Coral and Ladbrokes have neat little icons next to races where BOG and Extra Places are offered. Far from little afterthoughts, it is precisely these little details that can win over punters.
Choosing the App That’s Right for You
With all these insights, you now know exactly what to expect with a horse racing betting app, and what the best apps on the market can do. With the exception of bet365 and BetMGM, which have designated racing apps, the other picks in our list are multi-purpose mobile apps that also have sports betting (and in some cases casino games too).
You can check out our in-depth reviews about any of the aforementioned apps to learn more about their individual features as well as banking options, customer support channels, and more. Ultimately, it all boils down to personal preference, and how you plan to bet on the races. Should you be content with simple Race Winner and Each Way bets, you have a great choice of betting apps to pick from. But for a more refined strategy, or punters who like frequent and varied bonuses, there are definitely options that can take your betting to a completely new level.
