TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

Texas, the second-largest state in the US and a place where bigger is better. It’s also a state that is steeped in sporting tradition, both on a pro and collegiate level. It’s also massively popular for horse racing and in this article, we’re going to look at horse racing in Texas, as well as the best Texas horse racing betting sites, gambling laws surrounding the sport, and best horse racing bonuses.

BetOnline Sports logo

50% up to $1000 Welcome Bonus

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BetNow Sports logo

150% Match On The First Deposit Up To $150

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Everygame Sports logo

$750 Welcome Bonus (3 x $250 Bonuses)

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MyBookie Sports logo

50% Welcome Deposit Bonus up to $1000

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BUSR Sports logo

150% Deposit Bonus up to $2500

4.5 Stars Claim Now
Bovada Sports logo

Get a Welcome Bonus of up to $750

5 Stars Claim Now
BetUS Sports logo

125% Sign Up Bonus Up To $2,500

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XBet Sports logo

50% Welcome Deposit Bonus Up To $500 + $10 Casino Chip

5 Stars Claim Now
Jazz Sports logo

50% Sports Welcome Bonus Up To $1000

4 Stars Claim Now
Sportsbetting AG Sports logo

50% First Time Deposit Match Up To $1000

4.5 Stars Claim Now
In This Guide

Ranking The Top 10 Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

To kick things off we want to show you what sort of betting site is the best for horse racing in Texas. Our team has taken the time to create a list of what we think are the top 10 Texas horse racing sites and listed them below with a little info on their biggest strength.

  1. BovadaBest Horse Racing Site in Texas
  2. BetOnlineBiggest welcome bonus for Texas residents
  3. EverygameGood alternative to the bigger brands
  4. MyBookie – Low juice charged on betting lines for horse racing
  5. BetNow – Great link with horse racing betting and other sports
  6. BetUS – Best for existing Texas player promos
  7. XBet – Huge range of races hosted from around the world
  8. BUSR – Good range of races and sporadic promos
  9. Jazz –  Strong international racing coverage
  10. Sportsbetting.ag – Best for existing players horse racing offers

Reviewing The Best Texas Horse Racing Betting Sites

As part of our goal to bring you all the information you need to pick the best Texas horse betting site, in this section, we’re looking at a more in-depth look at the top five betting sites.

Each of our reviews is based on tens of hours of testing within each site. The testing process takes weeks to compile, and we work through every inch of a betting site to see how well it links to horse racing and specifically, horse racing in Texas.

1. Bovada – The Best Horse Racing Site in Texas

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

Bovada is one of the most iconic brands in the betting industry. They have a dedicated horse racing section and it’s one of the best that we’ve tested.

An area in that Bovada stands out is its betting lines. They are synonymous with casual punters, which means that lines for the favorites are not great. However, any horses outside of the favorites are incredibly well priced as a result and therefore, a lot of pro bettors use it for these types of bets.

Race coverage is good, but it’s focused on US racing. They cover horse racing internationally well, but there are better options here.

Bovada is excellent for horse racing-specific promotions, such as enhanced odds and money-back guarantees. Again, these are mainly reserved for the big races.

Banking options are strong with cryptocurrency the best method to use. You can deposit from just $10 and withdraw up to $5,000 a time. Processing takes just 24 hours as well, which is incredible.

What we like:

  • Great range of US horse races
  • Early betting lines
  • Odds are about as good as you will find for non-favorites
  • Tied into a massive sportsbook
  • Huge $1,000 welcome bonus for new accounts

What we don’t:

  • Lack of features for horse racing

Welcome Bonus Offer:

A new account with Bovada is going to get you a welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. The bonus is a 100% match and comes with a 10x rollover attached.

To get access to the best Texas horse racing odds and bonuses, sign up for Bovada using the link below.

2. BetOnline – Overall Best Horse Racing Betting Site in Texas

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

If we could only recommend one betting site for horse racing in Texas, it would have to be BetOnline sportsbook. They are almost in a league of their own when it comes to betting on horse racing and have all the features and attributes that you need to become the best in the business.

The betting tools are a huge part of the features section. Here’s a look at just a handful of them.

Classic allows you to track up to five races at one time in a condensed view. Express is a small-pane wager tool that opens the track to start betting immediately. Pro is where you deep-dive into each race, with tons of stats and data allowing you to make incredibly informed picks. TV is the live streaming channel; Mobile is the betting app (superb on iPhone). Conditional wagering allows you to set what price you want to take, and your bet won’t be taken if it doesn’t hit that price. And finally, wager cancellation allows you to cancel any bet before the start of the race.

If that’s not enough, you also get access to over 600 racetracks worldwide. BetOnline also has many deposit options, including Bitcoin and credit/debit cards.

What we like:

  • International race coverage
  • Feature-rich racecard
  • Betting tools that include a handicapping tool
  • Promotions that are linked to horse racing and big races
  • Strong betting lines throughout the site

What we don’t:

  • Fees on credit card deposits
  • Huge site and lots going on, might be too much for inexperienced bettors

Welcome Bonus Offer:

New accounts to BetOnline can claim a welcome offer worth up to $1,000. The bonus is a 100% match and will be credited to your account once your deposit has cleared. You need to rollover the bonus 10x before you can withdraw it as cash.

To sign up for BetOnline and cash in on your welcome bonus offer, click below.

3. MyBookie – Best for International Races and Early Betting Lines

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

MyBookie is another great addition to the lineup of best Texas horse racing sites. They excel in two key areas: odds and race coverage.

In terms of odds, we found that MyBookie was able to offer some of the most consistent odds that you’ll find from any bookmaker. What we mean by that is they are well priced for all horses from each race. It’s not always a case that they are the best price, but they are incredibly consistent.

Race coverage starts in the US and they cover all races in the country. They also have a dedicated harness racing section that’s accessible from within the racebook. International racing includes the likes of the UK, Germany, France, Australia France, and the Middle East.

Players at MyBoookie can take advantage of dedicated horse racing promotions, such as enhanced odds and money-back guarantee offers. These promos are usually targeted to higher-profile races, such a the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Preakness Stakes, for example.

What we like:

  • Good coverage of US and international races
  • Great looking racebook on mobile and betting apps
  • Low margins for a lot of the higher-profile race meetings
  • Dedicated horse racing promotions
  • Min withdrawal of just $50

What we don’t:

  • Strange customer ranking levels for “VIP”
  • High min deposit of $45

Welcome Bonus Offer:

New accounts to MyBookie can claim a welcome offer worth up to $1,000. This bonus comes with a 10x rollover and will expire within 30m days.

Sign up for MyBookie using the link below to claim your free bonus cash.

4. BetUS – Huge Welcome Bonus and Promos for Texas Players

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

BetUS has a dedicated horse racing section on-site and it’s another one that we are happy to promote. It starts by highlighting the upcoming races for the day, which includes local (North America) and International markets.

The racecard is one of the better ones that we’ve tested and we like the inclusion of morning line odds to get an idea of what price the horse might go off at. On top of this, you can choose between win, place, and show markets, along with horse name, number, jockey, and colors.

Mixed bets at BetUS include exacta, trifecta, superfecta, doubles, and a series of “pick” bets. Which of these markets you can bet on will be determined by the profile of the race (higher profile = more markets).

BetUS allows you to get access to lots of money-back betting offers for horse and these run on a daily basis. You can also stream a lot of the races via BetUS TV for free as long as you have an active account.

What we like:

  • Great for horse racing promotions
  • Best looking betting site and mobile betting app
  • Virtual racing is on the increase
  • Great for US-racing coverage
  • Linked well with huge sports betting and online casino sites

What we don’t:

  • High min deposit of $1000 for welcome bonus
  • Lack of horse racing-specific features

Welcome Bonus Offer:

New accounts to BetUS are going to enjoy access to a sports welcome bonus that is worth up to $2,500. The bonus comes with just a 10x rollover and you can clear this on any sport within the main sportsbook as well as the racebook.

To cash in on the best bonuses for online horse betting in Texas, sign up to BetUS using the link below.

5. XBet – Best for Live Streaming Horse Racing in Texas

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

XBet is another great addition to horse racing in Texas and comes packed with a host of races. The site has been open since 2003 and in that time has created a massive horse racing betting section.

The coverage of races expands beyond simply the United States, and what you get with this is a massive international section. Races from the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, across Europe, Asia, and Africa, are all included.

The racecard is easy to use and includes three base markets in win, place, and show. On top of this bet types include exacta, trifecta, and superfecta, with most meetings having access to daily doubles and pick bets. You can create parlay bets as well, which is a nice addition to the sportsbook.

Banking methods are strong with XBet and you can deposit from $45. You get access to Visa, Mastercard, Bitcoin, Litecoin, and bank wire, amongst others. Processing times are short and usually processed within 48 hours.

What we like:

  • Great range of banking options
  • Wide range of betting markets for most horse races
  • International race coverage
  • Low margins charged
  • Mobile betting site accessibility

What we don’t:

  • Fees on credit card deposits

Welcome Bonus Offer:

The welcome bonus at XBet is worth up to $500 and comes as a 100% deposit bonus match. It has a 10x rollover attached and is one of the more user-friendly offers that you can access.

To sign up for XBet and start betting on horse racing in Texas, click below.

More on Gambling in Texas…

Learn about all types of online gambling in Texas in our expert guides below:

Comparing The Best Sites for Horse Racing Texas Has to Offer

We review each sportsbook on merit, but one of the key parts is to compare how they do against others. One of the ways that we do this is to take key features and then test to see how they work. These are features that all or most of the Texas horse racing sites should have, so they should be relatively easy to compare between.

Horse Racing Odds

We start almost all of our reviews by looking at horse racing odds to see if they offer any value. It’s a relatively easy place to start, and all we need to determine is which betting site is offering the best price often. Please note that it’s impossible to have a single site be the best price for all races.

From the reviews, we found that there are two sites that you need to take note of: BetOnline and Bovada.

BetOnline was the best odds for most races that we looked at. Horse racing in the US and especially Texas they, were incredibly consistent and had low margins on their bets.

However, as an alternative, Bovada has to be considered. They were the best price on a lot of long shots, meaning that the favorites were often not that well priced, but the rest of the field had bumps because of this.

Live Horse Racing Betting

You need to be able to bet live on horse racing, as it’s a sport that can tell a lot as the race is unfolding. For this to happen, you need a site that runs quick and smooth and allows you to see changes to the odds without having to refresh the page.

When it comes to living horse racing in Texas, XBet and MyBookie stand out above the competition.

XBet and MyBookie use the same platform and have a basic approach to live betting, but that’s one of the reasons why it works. It’s a quick platform, the odds adjust promptly, and they’re both decent betting sites to use.

Horse Racing Betting Promotions

You need to be able to access a range of promotions and ones that are linked to horse racing. One of the reasons why this is key is because all betting sites now offer them so if you’re not claiming at least a welcome bonus, then you’re missing out on value.

In terms of welcome offers, BetUS has the biggest and best in the business. New accounts get up to $1,875 in bonus cash with a 15x rollover attached. BetOnline is also worth noting with a slightly smaller offer of $1,000 but a lower rollover of 10x the bonus.

Special Features for Horse Racing

Horse racing features are generally what set sites apart from each other. We like anything that includes betting picks, form cards, predictions, promotions, live streaming, and horse racing-specific promotions.

There’s no single standout here as all horse racing sites in Texas have their own set of features. Notable inclusions are of BetUS with a live streaming platform, Bovada with horse racing picks, and BetOnline with an interactive race card and form guide.

User-Friendly Design

Looks and design are high up on the list. Horse racing generally commands more time on the site than most, simply because of the volume of races and data that you can access. The site needs to look good and perform well.

Bovada is hands down the best-looking Texas horse racing site. Their platform has been designed to clear out the noise and keep things looking simple. This copies across to their mobile betting app, which, again, in terms of usability, is the best in class.

Live Streaming

Live streaming is a huge feature that we love to see added. As a minimum, streams need to cover races that are held in the US, but the best take this a step further and have international coverage.

Accounts can access BetUS TV which includes live streaming of races from around the world. You also get access to racing picks and predictions shows, although these tend to only be for the bigger meetings, such as the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

If you use the table below, you can see what each betting site is offering in terms of features.

Comparing Features At The Best Sites For Horse Racing Betting
Live Streaming Racecard Enhanced Lines Welcome Offer Mobile App Handicap Sports Betting Casino
Bovada
BetOnline
Everygame
MyBookie
BetNow
BetUS
XBet
BUSR
Jazzsports
Sportsbetting.ag

How to Choose the Best Texas Horse Racing Betting Sites

Even though we’ve brought a list of what we think are the best horse racing sites in Texas, it’s fair to say that some are better than others. Below we’ve included a range of features that you need to look out for when choosing the horse racing betting site that is best for you.

Brand Recognition

The brand is an important part of making your pick. You want someone that you can trust and rely on. At the end of the day, you’re depositing real money and making real bets.

If you’re totally new to horse racing and know nothing about betting brands, then you can pick from all the betting sites on this page. They are all reputable, have been established for at least a few years, and usually are part of bigger corporations that have decades’ worth of experience in the management of these sites.

Payment Methods

Moving money safely is another feature that you want to prioritize. You need to check the range of payment options available and if they suit how you want to bank. You also need to look at any fees charged and if there are, how much. We recommend that you avoid any payment methods where you get charged fees, especially for deposits.

Safety & Security

Keeping your account safe is a given. Use a unique username and password for every betting account that you make.

Also, make sure that your horse racing site is up to date with the latest security features. Things like SSL certificates, legitimate licensing, and a ring-fenced player pool are things you need to look out for.

Speed & Design

We find that efficient sites make for a better betting experience, especially for horse racing. We’re looking for sites that don’t lag, are nice to look at, have a great menu system that allows you to move about quickly, and just generally somewhere that you’re willing to spend a reasonable amount of time at.

Customer Service

Customer service is often overlooked when choosing the best horse racing betting site. We test every single support team in our reviews to make sure that they are up to standards. Basically, this means we test the time it takes to respond and how well they can both deal with the query and solve our problem.

Overall Value

All these points contribute to the overall package that’s on offer. There are so many sites to choose from these days and the majority are now very good, so any weak points in these areas mean you can relatively easily dismiss that horse racing betting site.

What we’ve done on this page is outline the best horse racing betting sites in Texas, with all the points above being applicable to all online gambling sites in our list. The box below gives an overview of what we’re looking for with each point and what you can use as part of your checklist.

We’ve mentioned this several times already and we will likely mention it again, but we’re giving you the tools to make the decisions of the best sites for you. This is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, so use the information that we’ve gathered to find the Texas horse racing site that best fits.

What To Look for In the Best Sites for Horse Racing Betting in Texas
Brand Recognition ✅ Trustworthy

✅ Reliable

Payment Process ✅ Safe Payment Options

✅ Fast, Secure Payouts

Safety & Security ✅ Safety & Security

✅ Protecting Privacy & Personal Information

Speed & Design ✅ Fast Software

✅ User-Friendly Design

Customer Service ✅ 24/7 Live Chat

✅ Friendly Customer Service

Overall Value ✅ Best Odds

✅ Live Streaming

✅ Promotions Offers

✅ Special Features

Is Horse Racing Betting Legal in Texas?

Horse racing betting in Texas is legal. There are several racetracks in the state that you’re able to bet at. Within these tracks, there is a mix of live racing at the track and simulcast racing from races around the United States.

However, online betting for horse racing in Texas is prohibited. This falls under TX Penal Code 47.01-47.11 and will be cited as a misdemeanor for anyone caught betting online.

There is a legal workaround to this and like almost all the states in the US, there are ways you can legally bet online. This comes in the form of offshore betting sites.

The law states that you’re not allowed to bet online on sites that are in the US. It does not say that you will be prosecuted for betting on sites that are not located in the US (offshore) and that accept US players.

For players in Texas, you will need to access these offshore horse racing sites. All the betting sites on this page are offshore and legally accessible for residents of Texas to sign up, deposit and wager.

Horse Betting Guides State by State

Texas Horse Racing Betting Guide – How to Bet on Horse Races in Texas

Horse racing betting in Texas is going to allow you access to a wide range of betting options. You’ve obviously got betting at the track (more on where later in this article) which will give you access to races at those meetings and via simulcast, racing from across the US.

The biggest range of races come from online gambling sites in Texas. This is where you get access to all races in the United States as well as a ton of races that are located internationally as well.

As a Texan, you’re going to be able to register with some massive brands. These include the likes of BetOnline and Bovada, who we rank as two of the biggest in the world.

Within betting sites like this you will be able to claim welcome offers, dedicated horse racing promotions, interactive racecards, a wide range of betting markets, live streaming, and more.

All these sites allow you to sign up for real money, place real money horse racing bets and withdraw any winnings that you make.

Check Out Our Popular Horse Racing Guides

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How Does Horse Racing Betting Work in Texas?

Horse racing betting works by picking a meeting and then a race that you want to bet on. If you’re new, try to pick a race that is relatively popular. Something like the Lone Star Derby, the biggest race in Texas, would be a good place to start.

You then need to do your research to make your pick. Most horse racing sites allow you to access betting tools that will help you with this. Some have betting picks and news articles which are great features, but if they don’t a quick google for picks on that race will bring up lots of articles related to this. If it all feels a little overwhelming, see who most people are backing and go with that.

Once you have your pick, use the racecard to place your bet. You can jump between a range of markets including win, place, and show. You also get mixed bets like exacta, trifecta, and superfecta.

Odds are usually displayed as a pool and then you get a dividend on that pool. Some sites will include a morning line price, which is a rough estimate of what the odds for that horse will be before the start of the race.

TX Horse Racing Betting Explained

One of the easiest ways for us to explain how horse racing betting works is to look at an example of a race card.

An example of a horse race card at US betting sites

The image above shows an upcoming race from Delta Downs in Louisiana. To the left of the card are three boxes listed for each horse. Win, place, and show are the bets you can make on this race.

You then have the number of the horse, name, jockey, and the morning line. As you can see, the morning line is represented as fractional odds. If you’ve not used these before, basically the number in the right column is the amount you need to stake to make the number in the left column. So, a 7/2 price would mean that for every $2 you place, you win $7.

To place the bet, you need to enter your stake in either of the win, place, or show columns. Once you’ve done this you simply click add to bet slip and then confirm it once there.

If you enter multiple stakes into multiple boxes, all this will do is add each of those bets individually to your bet slip. It won’t create an accumulator or parlay bet on the back of this.

TX Horse Racing Betting Odds

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

At the end of the day, the odds that you get are make or break. Features add to the experience, but if you’re not getting the best possible price, you’re not maximizing your return.

In terms of the best-proved horse racing betting sites in Texas, we would choose two sites for this in form of BetOnline and Bovada. Both have low margins, BetOnline excels in popular bets which are often a shade higher than most and Bovada is best for longer-priced horses given the vast number of recreational bettors who use their site (most recreational bettors bet on the favorite which brings the odds down).

There are three types of betting odds for horse racing in Texas and we’ve outlined these below.

Fixed odds for Horse Racing Betting in Texas

Fixed odds are where the betting site sets the price, and they have the power to move the price. This is the most common form of odds for almost all sports apart from horse racing.

Odds will be displayed as fractional or sometimes American. Some betting sites will offer a morning line price for pool betting, which should be used as a guide as this might not be the final price that you get.

Pari-Mutuel Betting in Texas

Pari-mutuel betting is where you bet into a pool and a dividend is awarded at the end of the race. All of the money is invested into the pool and then the betting site will distribute this based on how many people are in that winning pool and how much you have staked.

Pool Betting on Texas Horse Races

Pool betting is another form of pari-mutuel betting and for the most part, they are the same. Pool bets can be more common for exotics, such as trifecta, superfecta, and exacta bets.

What Are the Different Types of Horse Racing Bets?

TX Horse Racing– Comparing the Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Texas

Each race will come with a range of bets that you can wager on. Below we’ve listed some of the more popular bets that you’re going to get access to across all the sites from our list of best horse racing sites in Texas.

Win

The win bet is the most popular and this is where you bet on the overall winner of the race. It’s a single bet and your horse must win to get paid.

Place

The place bet is where you select a horse to finish either 1st or 2nd.

Show

The show bet is where your horse can finish anywhere in the top three. The order does not matter for either show or place bets as the payout will be the same regardless.

Exacta

The exacta bet is where you pick two horses to finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order.

Trifecta

The trifecta bet is where you pick three horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the correct order.

Superfecta

The superfecta is where you pick four horses to finish the correct order for the top four spots.

Daily Double

The daily double bet is where you need to pick the winner of the first two races of a meeting.

Pick 3/4/5/6

Pick bets are extensions of the Daily Double and include the number of races per pick number. For example, a Pick 3 bet would need the winners of the first three races at that meeting. Pick 4 would need the winner of the first four races and so on.

The table below gives you a quick overview of each of these bets and how they work.

Comparing the Different Types of Horse Racing Betting Options
Bet Type Description
Win Overall winner of the race
Place To finish inside top 2 places
Show To finish inside top 3 places
Exacta First two horses in correct order
Trifecta First three horses in correct order
Superfecta First four horses in correct order
Daily Double Winner of two consecutive races from the same meeting
Pick 3 Winner of three consecutive races from the same meeting
Pick 4 Winner of four consecutive races from the same meeting
Pick 5 Winner of five consecutive races from the same meeting
Pick 6 Winner of six consecutive races from the same meeting

Texas Horse Racing Betting Terms

Texas horse racing betting is going to come with a lot of terms that you’ve likely not heard of before. Horse racing has a lot of jargon involved and most that you’ll never need to know. However, some of it is important when betting on the sport and we’ve included these below.

  • Across the board – A bet on a horse to win, place and show
  • At the post – Signifies the start of the race
  • Blinkers – Headgear worn by the horse to restrict their field of view (helps them concentrate)
  • Claiming Race – A race where all horses running are up for sale and have a fixed price attached
  • Classic – Race of particular importance (For example, Florida Classic)
  • Dead Heat – Two or more horses finishes at the same time
  • DQ – A horse that’s been disqualified
  • Exotic bet – A bet that is not a win, place or show
  • Favorite – Most likely to win the race
  • Furlong – 1/8th of a mile
  • Length – Distance that horses are measured in as the cross the line
  • Morning Line – Handicappers estimate of what the odds on each horse will be
  • Odds – The price that you get when betting on a horse or market
  • PariMutuel – A bet that forms a pool of money and is distributed evenly to those who win the race
  • Purse – Amount of money that can be won by the horse owners/trainers
  • Tote Board – A board that contains the odds for that race
  • Wager – Bet that is placed on a race

TX Horse Racing Betting Calculator

Most online sportsbooks are going to calculate the horse racing odds for you. Given that most betting sites work with pools or pari-mutuel bet types, this means that you don’t get to see the final odds until the race has finished and the pools have been counted.

There are ways that you can roughly work them out. One is simply by working out the percentage of money staked on your horse and then using a betting calculator to then change that into an implied probability and then into odds. Some sites will allow you to switch between bet totals and percentages, so it’s easier if you can take the percentage and put that straight into the calculator.

A lot of sites will include morning line odds. These are predictions made by experts on the day of the race as to the possible price. They aren’t exact but can be used as a guide and usually aren’t too far away.

How To Calculate Horse Racing Betting Odds

Calculating the odds is done when the race is finished. It comes down to the amount of money in the betting pool and then the number of people who have bet into that pool.

For example, let’s assume that there is a pool of $1,000 and 20 people have bet into that pool. This would create a dividend and $50 which then would be paid out based on how many units each person had wagered. So, if one person bet 5 units, they get $250. If one person bet 0.5 units then they get $25.

Texas Horse Racing Odds Chart:

We’ve included a table to showcase some of the more common odds that you see at horse racing sites. Use the table to see the odds, return from a $2 bet, and then the implied winning percentage.

TX Horse Race Betting Odds Chart
Odds Payout on $2 Bet Implied Winning Percentage
-500 $2.40 83.33%
-400 $2.50 80%
-300 $2.60 75%
-200 $3.00 66.67%
-150 $3.33 60%
-100 $4.00 50%
+200 $6.00 33.33%
+300 $8.00 25%
+500 $12 16.67%
+1000 $22 9.0%
+5000 $102 1.96%

Texas Horse Racing Tracks

We’ve spoken a lot about betting online, but Texas comes with 4 fantastic horse racing tracks, including one in Houston, where you can bet live. Some of the most exciting horse racing action is betting live and whilst to make money long term betting on this great sport you need to be betting online, for a change of pace, you must check out these racetracks.

The table highlights the best horse racing tracks in Texas, where to find them, and notable Texas horse races.

List of Texas Horse Racing Tracks
TX Horse Race Track Address Phone Number Notable TX Horse Races
Gillespie County 530 Fair Dr, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 +1 830-997-9334

 

Gillespie County Derby
Lone Star Park 1000 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75050 +1 972-263-7223 Lone Star Derby
Retama Park 1 Retama Pkwy, Selma, TX 78154 +1 210-651-7000 Retama Park Derby
Sam Houston 7575 North Sam Houston Pkwy W, Houston, TX 77064 +1 281-807-8700 Sam Houston Oaks

The History of Horse Racing in Texas

The table below showcases the history of horse racing in Texas. Horse racing dates back to the late eighteen hundreds and has done relatively well ever since.

A Timeline of the History of Texas Horse Racing
Date Description
1929 Arlington Downs opens in Texas and instantly becomes the biggest horse race track in Texas.
1933 Pari-mutuel betting allowed in Texas
1937 State laws changed and pari-mutuel betting was outlawed.
1937 The closure of both Epsom Downs and Arlington Downs followed soon after horse betting was made illegal in Texas.
1987 With Texas horse racing on its knees, the state decide to overturn their decision to ban pari-mutuel betting and the horse racing in Texas begins to thrive once again
2004 Lone Star Park hosts the Breeders’ Cup for the first time.
2004 Sam Houston Race Park awarded MBNA America Challenge Championships for the first time.
2010 Texas racing hall of fame created with awards ceremonies running annually

Texas Horse Racing Schedule 2023

Horse racing in Texas runs throughout the year, but there are certain parts of the year where more of the higher prestige races are held.

In the chart below we look at the best races in Texas and where they are held.

Texas Horse Racing Schedule 2023
Texas Horse Race  Texas Horse Race Track Date
Lone Star Derby Lone Star Park May
Retama Park Derby Retama Park July
Sam Houston Sam Houston Oaks July

Lone Star Derby Past Winners

The Lone Star Derby was one of the most famous Texas horse races

The Lone Star Derby is the biggest race of the year in Texas. This is the one where all the states who’s who come out to play and be seen at the Lone Star Park.

The race has been running since 1997 and is run as part of the Lone Star Million Day and is run for three-year-old’s. The purse for the race is $200,000 and is run on tuft over 8.5 furlongs.

The table below shows the past winners of the Lone Star Derby.

Lone Star Derby Past Winners
Lone Star Derby Year Lone Star Derby Winners
2011 Thirtyfirststreet
2010 Game On Dude
2009 Mythical Power
2008 El Gato Malo
2007 Slew’s Tizzy
2006 Wanna Runner
2005 Southern Africa

Comparing Betting at Texas Race Tracks with Online Horse Racing Betting in Texas

Betting online and then betting at a Texas horse racing track are very different animals. It’s not so much that one is better than the other, but if you’re looking to make the most money possible from betting on the sport, then you really need to be betting online.

At the track, you get access to possibly a handful of betting sites. Some of the simulcast machines allow you access to lots of races, but you’ll get one price or one dividend and then that’s your lot.

Online you can shop about. With most betting sites you can see the pool and see how much is in there. This allows you to move around to get odds that are going to bag you more money.

The table gives you an idea of the pros and cons of betting online and betting at the racetrack.

Comparing Betting at Texas Race Tracks with Online Horse Betting in Texas
Betting at Horse Race Tracks in Texas Online Horse Race Betting in Texas
✅ Better feel for how horses look before the start of the race ✅ Easier to find the best price for your bets
✅ Allows you to see multiple prices from multiple bookmakers without the need to register an account. ✅ Lower juice charged with online bets generally means better value
❌ Rarely get the best price ✅ Can claim welcome and betting bonuses for your bets
❌ Limited to what races you can bet on ✅ Lots of choice of races to choose from
❌ No bonuses or promotions to access ✅ Safer than carrying around large sums of cash at racetracks

General Terms and Conditions at Horse Racing Betting Sites in Texas

In Texas, the betting age differs if you’re betting at the track or betting online. If the former, then you only need to be aged 18, if the latter, you need to 21 or older.

When you create a new account online, you’re going to get access to a welcome offer. With the welcome offer comes a host of terms that you need to be aware of, none more so than the rollover requirements.

Rollover Requirements

Rollover requirements are the money you need to stake to change your bonus cash to real money. This will be a multiplier of your bonus amount.

For example, if you get a $1,000 bonus that comes with a 10x rollover, you need to wager $10,000 before you can withdraw the bonus money. This doesn’t have to be done in a single bet and can take as many bets as needed. However, you will have a limited time to clear the bonus before it expires. This time usually ranges between 14 and 30 days.

The table below highlights our best-betting sites in Texas, their welcome offer, and their rollover requirement.

Comparing Welcoming Bonuses At The Best Online Horse Racing Sites
Brand Welcome Bonus Offer Rollover Requirement
Bovada 50% Deposit Bonus up to $250 5x
BetOnline $25 Risk-Free Bet 6x
Everygame $750 Welcome Bonus (3 X $250 Bonuses) 8x
MyBookie 100% Deposit Bonus Up to $1,000 10x
BetNow 100% Deposit Bonus up to $500 15x
BetUS 10% Cash Bonus Up to $2,500 3x
XBet 100% welcome bonus of up to $500 7x
BUSR $150 Cash Bonus 1x
Jazzsports 50% welcome bonus up to $1,000 27x
Sportsbetting.ag 100% Deposit Bonus up to $1,000 (Crypto) 14x

Texas Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

Texas horse racing sites like BetUS offer big bonuses

Before you register a new account with any of the sites on this page, you need to be aware of betting bonuses and promotions are available to you. We’ve included a list of the best horse racing promotions and free bets below and explained how each of them works.

Welcome Bonus

The welcome is the biggest and most common. This will usually be a deposit match and then a bonus applied from that. For example, 100% match up to $1,000. You then need to wager the bonus before you can withdraw it as cash.

Free Bet/Risk-Free Bet

A free bet or a risk-free bet which is more common for horse racing, allows you to place a bet without risk. For this, you use the free bet to place you wager and then you get to keep any winnings, usually as cash (stake will not be included).

Loyalty/VIP

Loyalty schemes are where you earn points as you bet. You can then transfer these points for prizes and bonuses within the betting site’s store.

Money-Back Specials

These are bets where if your selection loses, you get your money back.

Enhanced Odds

Enhanced odds are where the betting site will increase the odds for a horse or bet for a promotional period. These bets are usually capped in terms of how much you can wager on them but offer exceptionally good value most of the time.

Comparing The Best Horse Racing Betting Bonuses
Welcome Bonus Loyalty Racebook Moneyback Enhanced Odds
Bovada
BetOnline
Everygame
MyBookie
BetNow
BetUS
XBet
BUSR
Jazz
Sportsbetting.ag

Virtual Horse Racing Betting in Texas

Virtual horse racing is accessible to most of the betting sites on this page. Bovada has the best virtual horse racing section, and this is the one we recommend for players in Texas.

The game is relatively straightforward and works like real racing in that, you pick the horse to win the race. Races are computer generated so the results are random, although you will get odds for each horse based on programmed “ability”.

Texas Horse Racing Betting Apps

Texas horse racing sites offer great odds and bonuses

It’s not just online horse racing betting that you get access to with most sites, but also that of mobile betting. The mobile betting sector is one of the fastest growing and more people now bet on their phones than online.

The next two sections look at access on iPhone and Android devices.

iPhone Apps for Texas Horse Betting

iPhone apps are limited and the only horse racing site that you can access is a dedicated app that of Bovada. However, you can get access to all betting sites on your iPhone and to do so you will need to enter the site via your mobile browser.

Android Apps for Online Horse Betting in Texas

Android betting apps work in the same way as iPhone in that, you don’ have a huge range of dedicated apps to choose from. The top pick is, once again, Bovada and you can access this horse racing betting app from the Google Play Store.

How To Start Betting on Horse Racing Sites in Texas

Opening a new account and placing your first horse racing bet in Texas is a relatively straightforward operation. In the guide below we walk you through setting up an account and placing your first bet with BetOnline.

Step 1 – Open a New Account

You need an account to place a bet with BetOnline. To do so, click this link to bet taken to the BetOnline betting site.

Next, click on the “Join Now” button. Enter your personal information and follow the instructions to create your account.

The best Texas horse betting sites make it easy to open a new account

Step 2 – Find the Horse Racing Section

Creating your account should take just a few minutes. Once this is complete you need to log in and then use the menu section to find the horse racing section.

Step 3 – Choose Your Race

The best sites for horse racing in Texas make it easy to sign up

Find a race that you want to bet on. With BetOnline, you can search between tracks and meetings and then pick the race from within there.

Step 4 – Choose and Place Your Bet

At the best Texas horse racing sites, placing a bet is quick and easy.

Once you have your race, find the horse, and bet that you want to place. We suggest that stick with either the win, place or show bet to start with as these are the easiest to navigate in terms of outcome and odds.

Other Types of Gambling in Texas

In addition to horse racing, many betting sites also offer odds for sports, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and more. Super Bowl betting remains the biggest attraction at sportsbooks in Texas, especially when the Dallas Cowboys have a chance to make the NFL Playoffs.

One of the best features about these betting sites is that they also offer a range of other products that you can gamble on. Online casino games in Texas are some of the most popular, with the likes of blackjack and roulette being huge favorites in the state. You also get access to online poker and with some sites, online bingo games.

What Is the Best Site for Horse Racing Betting in Texas?

Horse racing in Texas might not be as popular as in some states, but there is a lot of options when it comes to betting online. We’ve used this article to highlight those sites, how they work and how to get the most out of each of them.

The reality is that all the horse racing sites on this page are excellent, but if we had to pick one, it would be BetOnline. They’re able to get that extra 10% when others fail. They have strong betting lines, early line release, low margins, a great welcome offer, and a quality platform to bet on.

Use the link below to sign up for a new account and get a horse racing welcome bonus worth up to $1,000.

Best BetOnline Promo Code in 2023
BetOnline Sports logo

50% up to $1000 Welcome Bonus

5 Stars Get Offer

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Jonathan has been working within the iGaming sector since 2007. After graduating with a BA Hons in Marketing from Northumbria University, he's been able to set up his own online content business, working with some of the biggest brands in the iGaming sector. Outside of work he enjoys any type of sports, especially cricket, golf, football and darts.

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