Horse Racing Odds
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BettingOdds.com compares the odds for all UK and Irish horse racing. Read More
Using our unique Probability Percentage factor we show you what percentage chance each horse has of winning the race according to the online bookmaker's horse racing odds.
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Popular Horse Racing Meetings
At the best horse horse racing betting sites, you’ll find no shortage of daily UK and Irish horse racing. But if you’re looking for the biggest and the best, take a look at the meetings below for some of the most important events.
The Grand National
Taking place each year at Aintree racecourse as part of the titular Randox Grand National Festival, the Grand National is the most watched horse race in the world — for good reason. With a challenging course consisting of 30 fences over 4 miles and 514 yards, it’s considered by many to be the ultimate test of a racehorse.
With a maximum of 40 horses running, there’s plenty of chance for an upset. Noble Yeats is the most recent example, surprising spectators with a win at 50/1 in 2022.
The 2023 Grand National took place on 15 April. 8/1 favourite Corach Rambler secured first place — marking the second win for jockey Derek Fox at the Aintree spectacular — with Vanillier and Gaillard du Mesnil close behind.
Cheltenham Festival
Springtime doesn’t just mean better weather and longer daylight hours. It also signals the arrival of Cheltenham, which takes place every March. The meeting has been hosted at Prestbury Park for more than a century, and is one of the biggest events in the horse racing calendar.
Split over four days, there’s no shortage of betting options with a total of 28 races taking place — seven each day. Some of the most prestigious contests include Grade I courses like the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, and Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Keep an eye out for betting offers in the lead-up to and during Cheltenham festival. Free bets, extra places, and boosted odds are just some promotions you might see.
Royal Ascot
Each year in June, around 300,000 spectators — often including the Royal Family — make their way to Ascot Racecourse. Comprising five days of top-shelf racing, Royal Ascot is host to a number of distinguished races including the St James’s Palace Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes.
However, it’s the Gold Cup that’s the most esteemed. This Grade I flat race sees the cream of the crop duke it out over 2 miles, 3 furlongs, and 210 yards. Taking place on Ladies’ Day, it’s also an opportunity for the crowd to show off their finest millinery.
Royal Ascot will next take place from 20–24 June 2023.
Epsom Derby
Run annually on the first Saturday of June, the Derby takes place at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey. The Group I flat race is one mile, four furlongs, and six yards in total. The 2022 purse sat at an eye-watering £1.6 million, with favourite Desert Crown claiming over £900,000 of that amount.
2000 Guineas Stakes
A Group 1 flat race open only to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies, the 2000 Guineas Stakes is one of the biggest horse races in the UK and Ireland, and the first British Classic of the year. Taking place annually in early May in Newmarket, the event also serves as the opening race of the Triple Crown — a trio of prestigious races that includes the Epsom Derby and the St Leger Stakes.
In 2023, Italian jockey Frankie Dettori rode Chaldean home to victory at 7-2, pulling away from 125-1 shot Hi Royal in the final furlong of the famous Rowley Mile, and no doubt leaving punters everywhere wishing they’d put an each-way bet on the runner up!
You’ll need to wait until 2024 for the next 2000 Guineas to roll around, and you can count on BettingOdds to help you find the best prices when it does.
International Horse Racing Meetings
Moving further afield, here’s a look at some of the most prestigious international horse races taking place each year.
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup, held in the state of Victoria in Australia, is a horse race that dates back to 1861. It’s a 3,200m race with a prize pot of $8 million, distributed among the top twelve and with $4.4 million going to the winner. The Melbourne Cup takes place on the first Tuesday in November each year, during Australia’s spring. The record time of 3:16.3 has stood since 1990 when Kingston Rule took the crown.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the most-watched and most-attended horse race in the United States. Taking place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the inaugural event took place in 1875 and has run continuously since the first edition. The horse that completes the two kilometre course first is draped in a blanket of roses, giving the Derby the name ‘The Run for the Roses’. The record hasn’t been broken since 1973, when Secretariat romped home in 1:59.40. Look out for the Derby on the first Saturday each May, where the winner will take the lion’s share of the $3 million prize pot.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Taking place at the iconic Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of the world’s most prestigious all-aged horse races. It dates back to 1920 and covers a distance of 2,400 metres, which is around one and a half miles. Eight horses have won the race on two occasions, most recently Enable in 2017 and ‘18. The prize pot for the Arc is €5 million, with around €2.8 million going to the winner in October each year.
Dubai World Cup
A much newer race, the inaugural Dubai World Cup took place in 1996 at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Held annually on the last Saturday in March, the Dubai World Cup is the world’s richest horse race, with a prize purse of $12 million up for grabs. It’s a 2,000-metre race, which equates to about ten furlongs. The winner of the first edition was Cigar, who went on to enter the United States Hall of Fame.
Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup rotates between four different race tracks — Santa Anita and Del Mar in California, and Keeneland and Churchill Downs in Kentucky, where the Derby takes place. Founded in 1984, the Breeders’ Cup expanded to a two-day event in 2007. The prize purse varies between $1 million and $6 million for each race, the most prestigious being the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The event takes place in late October or early November each year. Attendees in 2023 will be hoping for a race as exciting as the Classic in 1993 — Arcangues’ win is considered one of the biggest upsets in horse racing history.
Horse Racing Tips
We've teamed up with the folks at HorseRacing.net to provide you with daily horse racing tips from the UK and Ireland. Make sure you bookmark this page as the tips will update each day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Best Odds Guaranteed mean?
Best Odds Guaranteed means that regardless of if you back a horse at a certain price with a bookmaker, if the odds for that horse increase after you have placed your bet and it goes on to win, the bookmaker will pay you out at the highest priced odds. For example - a punter backs a horse to win a race at odds of 4/1, but the price rises to 9/2 when the race begins and the bet wins, the bookmaker would pay the punter out at 9/2 odds if they are offering 'Best Odds Guaranteed'.
Where can I watch horse racing online?
Not all horse races are available for streaming, but a large proportion are and most bookmakers allow their customers to stream live horse racing through their website/apps. In most cases, the punter will need to place a bet on the race with that bookmaker to enable them to watch the race, though some bookies allow their customers to stream horse racing without placing a wager on the race.
Where can I get fast racing results?
Bookmaker websites and apps are probably the quickest when it comes to displaying the results from a horse race as they will be looking to settle bets as quickly as possible. It's best to check those first when looking to find out the winners and losers of a specific horse race. The team at HorseRacing.net are also very efficient when it comes to displaying fast horse racing results.
When is the jump racing season?
The National Hunt racing calendar spans throughout the year, but the bulk of the action occurs during the Autumn and Winter months. The prime time for bigger races is from late October to April, commonly known as the 'jump racing season'.
When is the flat racing season?
The season typically commences in mid to late March, as the weather begins to warm up, and continues until mid to late November when the temperatures start to cool down. During the Flat racing season, racecourses come alive with thrilling races, attracting top-class horses, trainers, jockeys, and enthusiastic spectators. It is during this period that prestigious races like the Derby, Oaks, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, and St. Leger are held, drawing attention from racing fans and the media alike.
Is betting on horse racing safe?
Yes, as long as you do it at a bookmaker licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. These sites are fully regulated and must meet requirements around data security, fair play, and responsible gambling. All our recommended horse racing betting sites are fully licensed and trustworthy.
Keep in mind there’s always an element of risk when it comes to gambling. There are no guaranteed wins and you could lose money, so it’s essential you only bet what you’re comfortable losing.
When is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot will next take place from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th June 2023.
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