Horse racing betting sites can bring the world of horse racing betting to
your fingertips. The modernization of betting on this age-old sport allows
people who may have never been involved to turn into horse racing betting
experts. But keep in mind, it’s a process that you must know a little bit about
before you proceed.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering starting into the
world of online horse racing gambling. And this is the best place to start. Here
is a list of the horse racing betting sites that we feel are the absolute best
available online right now:

Betting offers – horse race betting sites need to provide a wide variety of betting offers to cater to a large, diverse user base. Odds – they will mostly depend on your favorite, but it’s safe to say that some horse betting websites offer more favorable odds than others. They are: Alabama Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan New Jersey.

There are few sporting events that have a deeper tradition than the world of
horse racing. No matter what type of racing you might consider, it likely has
roots that go back for centuries in different parts of the world. And that is
history cannot be separated from people’s ability to bet on the races.

While laws have changed and legalized gambling has become more widespread,
betting on horse racing has been legal in most jurisdictions for years upon
years. As a result, many people who grew up watching the sport might have a
background in betting on the races. The addition of betting sites for horse racing
has just added to their love of horse racing wagering.

As for younger generations, they have grown up with the digital revolution.
They understand how important it is to have the entertainment they want at their
fingertips. As a result, many younger fans have an inherent understanding of
online betting on horse racing.

All of this means that the demand for horse racing betting sites continues to
grow. The good news is that there is no shortage of betting sites which can
cater to horse racing fans, whether they’re interested in Thoroughbreds, harness
racing, jump racing, or all of the above. But the bad news is that not all of
these sites should be under consideration when it comes time for you to get
started with horse racing wagering online.

It is crucially important that you take great caution and care when choosing
your betting sites for horse racing. The best sites will not only give you access to
horse racing betting in the most convenient and easy manner possible, but they
will also allow you to do some wagering on a widespread range of events and
games. But if you rush into choosing a site, you could end up regretting the
decision much worse than you would picking the wrong horse for the big race.

In the following article, we’ll look at the horse racing betting websites that
we recommend, both in terms of listing them and giving you the reasons why we
chose them. We’ll also give you a general overview on the sport, from the types
of racing and the biggest races to the terminology used for wagering. Finally,
we’ll talk about betting on the sport and how to make the right selections for
the biggest races.

Types of Horse Racing Available for Online Betting

Thoroughbred Racing

This is the most common form of horse racing known by casual fans.
Thoroughbred racing features horses with jockeys on their backs running on flat
surfaces. Horses may run on dirt or grass tracks, and distances range generally
from about 5/8 of a mile to 1 1/2 miles, although there can occasionally be races
both longer and shorter.

Jump Racing

This type of racing is sometimes known as steeplechase racing or hunt racing.
It involved horses at some point (or points) during a race leaping over an
obstacle of some kind. Jump racing is generally contested at longer distances of
two miles or more.

Harness Racing

Harness racing features horses pulling carts called “bikes” or “sulkies”
behind them, and these bikes are guided by drivers. In harness racing, most
races are contested on dirt tracks. American harness racing generally takes
place at the distance of a mile, while harness racing in other parts of the
world takes place at longer distances.

Major Events Available on Horse Racing Betting Sites

American Triple Crown Races

Kentucky Derby: Easily the most famous horse race in all of America,
this event is held every May and is the first leg of the Triple Crown. It
takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and is contested at
1 1/4 miles on the dirt. Like the other American Triple Crown races, it is
contested by three-year-old horses.

Preakness Stakes: The second leg is held at Pimlico Race Course in
Baltimore, Maryland. At 1 3/16 miles, it is the shortest of all the American
Triple Crown races.

Belmont Stakes: Because of its length of 1 1/2 miles, the Belmont Stakes
is often known as “The Test.” It is also important for horses who have won
the first two legs of the Triple Crown and want to complete the sweep. The
Belmont Stakes is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

New Jersey’s horse racing lineage goes back almost as far as the history of the state itself. More recently, New Jersey online horse betting became an option for bettors in the state.

The Garden State is home to Freehold Raceway, the oldest racetrack in the US. Freehold Raceway began hosting races in the 1830s and formally opened in 1854.

The state banned all forms of gambling from 1894 to 1939. Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing became legal again in New Jersey in 1939.

New Jersey currently hosts three major racetracks and a handful of off-track betting (OTB) parlors. One legal mobile horse race betting platform, 4NJBets, also operates in New Jersey.

New Jersey Online Horse Betting Sites

4NJBets

New Jersey bettors enjoy access to one legal online horse race betting platform, 4NJBets. Owned and operated by TVG Horse Racing, 4NJBets acts as the only mobile horse race betting site regulated by the New Jersey Racing Commission.

4NJBets launched in 2007. TVG, one of the biggest brands in the US horse racing industry, acquired 4NJBets in 2013.

New bettors that register for an account at 4NJBets can access a risk-free bet offer, up to $200, after their first deposit.

The 4NJBets platform can be downloaded as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The site can also be accessed through a desktop browser.

What Kinds Of Bonuses Are Available At 4NJBets?

Risk-Free Bet

The $200 risk-free bet offer at 4NJBets applies to the first bet made after an initial deposit on the platform.

After registering for a 4NJBets account and making a deposit, new bettors can apply the risk-free bet offer to any “Single Horse Win Bet.” If the bet results in a loss, 4NJBets will refund the full amount of the bet, up to $200.

For example, if a new player makes a $200 bet as their first bet on 4NJBets, and the bet loses, the player receives a $200 rebate. A $100 bet garners a $100 rebate.

Bets of more than $200 can only earn a maximum of $200 as a refund. A $500 bet, for instance, would receive a $200 refund in the event of a loss.

Referral Bonus

Bettors with an active 4NJBets account can earn a $25 referral bonus for bringing new players to the platform.

The referral bonus offer can be found under the “Promotions” tab at the top-left of the main lobby. The link opens a menu allowing 4NJBets account holders to send a referral link to potential new players.

New bettors who sign up with the referral link can enjoy a $25 deposit match bonus, as well as a $100 match bonus on their first bet.

A referral’s first deposit at 4NJBets yields a $25 bonus for the bettor who sent the referral link.

Horse Racetracks In New Jersey

Freehold Raceway

The oldest horse racing venue in the US, Freehold Raceway began hosting races in the 1830s. The official opening of the track took place in 1854, with the Monmouth County Agricultural Society establishing annual harness racing at the venue.

Located in Freehold Borough, Freehold Raceway is owned as a joint venture between Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing.

Freehold Raceway specializes in harness racing, with meets running from January through May, and September through December each year.

From 1998 through 2010, Freehold Raceway hosted the Cane Pace, the first leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.

Meadowlands Racetrack

Meadowlands Racetrack opened in 1976 in East Rutherford. Also known as Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, the multi-purpose facility is colloquially referred to as “The Big M”.

The venue hosts both thoroughbred and harness racing, with events running throughout the year.

Major races at Meadowlands Racetrack include the Hambletonian Stakes, which has emanated from the venue since 1981. The Hambletonian Stakes acts as the first leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters, a major US-based harness racing series. Other major events held at the racetrack include the Cane Pace.

Meadowlands Racetrack also hosts a full-service retail sportsbook, operated by FanDuel Sportsbook.

Monmouth Park

The Monmouth Park name refers to three separate horse racing facilities that have operated in New Jersey in the past 150 years.

The modern-day racetrack known as Monmouth Park opened in 1946 in Oceanport. The venue specializes in thoroughbred events. It annually hosts about a dozen graded stakes events (races officially recognized by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association).

Annual major events at Monmouth Park include the Haskell Invitational Stakes and United Nations Stakes. The Haskell Invitational Stakes is considered one of the most prestigious US horse racing events, taking place between the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup.

Monmouth Park hosted the Breeders Cup in 2007.

Is Horse Race Betting Legal In New Jersey?

New Jersey’s horse race betting tradition goes back to the early 1800s. Along with 19th-century state lotteries, horse race betting is the oldest form of gambling in New Jersey.

Gambling was formally banned in New Jersey from 1894 to 1939, but horse race betting was made legal again in 1939.

Pari-mutuel horse race betting, both retail and online, is legal in New Jersey.

History Of Horse Racing In New Jersey

Freehold Raceway, the oldest horse racetrack in the US, began holding races in the 1830s. The original Monmouth Park Racetrack opened in 1870.

Horse race betting proved a popular pastime for New Jersey residents throughout the 1800s. Gambling of all forms was outlawed in the state from 1894 to 1939, but events at Freehold Raceway still ran throughout that period.

Pari-mutuel horse race betting was legalized again in 1939. In 1976, the state’s third major horse racing venue, Meadowlands Racetrack, opened in East Rutherford.

The modern-era horse racing industry in New Jersey includes Meadowlands Racetrack, a still-operating Freehold Raceway, and the current version of Monmouth Park Racetrack.

Online horse race betting is also legal in New Jersey, with the state-regulated 4NJBets platform available to bettors in the Garden State.

How Safe Is Online Horse Betting In New Jersey?

The 4NJBets platform operates as the only legal, state-regulated mobile horse race betting site in New Jersey.

TVG, one of the biggest and most trusted brands in US horse racing, owns and operates 4NJBets. As a legal betting platform, 4NJBets falls under the regulation of theNew Jersey Racing Commission.

With the oversight of the New Jersey Racing Commission in place, 4NJBets offers a safe betting experience and secure protection of personal and banking information.

Apart from 4NJBets, any platform offering online horse race betting in New Jersey is doing so illegally. While 4NJBets assures the security of betting funds, offshore/illegal betting sites do not offer the same level of safety.

What Races Can I Bet On In New Jersey?

Popular Horse Racing Events In New Jersey

Haskell Invitational Stakes

New Jersey’s biggest annual horse race, the Haskell Invitational Stakes takes place each July at Monmouth Park.

One of the most prestigious thoroughbred events in American horse racing, the Haskell Invitational Stakes runs between the final leg of the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup each year.

Horse Betting Sites In Nj

The race carries a $1,000,000 purse, one of the biggest of any annual New Jersey horse race. The Haskell Invitational Stakes is recognized as a Grade I race by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Hambletonian Stakes

One of harness racing’s biggest US events, the Hambletonian Stakes acts as the first leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters.

The Hambletonian Stakes began in 1926. Meadowlands Racetrack currently hosts the race annually each August and started doing so in 1981.

The race awards a minimum total purse of $1,000,000 annually.

Important American And International Races

American Triple Crown

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes comprise the American Triple Crown. The trio of races runs annually, beginning with the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in May.

The Preakness Stakes generally runs two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Belmont Stakes completes the Triple Crown and runs three weeks after the Preakness Stakes from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

New Jersey bettors can legally bet on all three Triple Crown races on the 4NJBets platform.

Off Track Horse Betting Sites

Breeders Cup

Another prestigious US horse racing series, the Breeders Cup runs every fall and from a different US venue each year.

No matter what the venue, the Breeders Cup is open for betting in New Jersey on the 4NJBets app.

International Races

Major overseas horse racing events like the Dubai World Cup, Melbourne Cup, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Grand National add even more betting options for New Jersey bettors.

4NJBets offers betting on these international races, as well as many others.

Do Racetracks Offer Casino Games?

Some horse racing facilities in the US also offer casino games on the property. These venues, known as racinos, offer the best of both worlds when it comes to horse race betting and casino gambling.

New Jersey doesn’t host any racinos, but horse racetracks are permitted to offer retail sports betting.

William Hill, one of the biggest brands in sports betting, became the first company to open a retail sportsbook in New Jersey. The Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill began taking wagers in June 2018.

Visitors to Meadowlands Racetrack can place sports bets at the on-site FanDuel Sportsbook. FanDuel Sportsbook operates both online and retail sports betting in New Jersey as a license partner of Meadowlands Racetrack. The FanDuel Sportsbook retail operation opened at the Meadowlands in July 2018.

Freehold Raceway will also likely eventually host a retail sportsbook, with the opening date for the operation pending.

Does New Jersey Have Off-Track Betting Facilities?

While retail horse race wagering in New Jersey goes back more than a century, off-track betting (OTB) facilities were formally legalized much more recently.

The Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 legalized off-track betting on a federal level in the US. OTB parlors became legal in New Jersey with the passage of the Off-Track and Account Wagering Act in August 2001.

New Jersey bettors can find off-track betting at each of the state’s three major racetracks. Meadowlands Racetrack, Freehold Raceway, and Monmouth Park all operate as both live racing venues and OTB facilities.

Additional OTB locations include Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, as well as six standalone OTB parlors throughout the state. Five of these standalone parlors operate under the Favorites brand, including Favorites Egg Harbor and Favorites at Toms River.

All legal OTB parlors are regulated by the New Jersey Racing Commission.

New Jersey Online Horse Betting FAQ

Yes. 4NJBets operates as New Jersey’s only legal, state-regulated mobile horse race betting site. Only residents of New Jersey are eligible to register for a 4NJBets account.

Bettors must be located within New Jersey borders at the time of a wager when using 4NJBets. The platform uses geolocation technology to determine a user’s location at the time of a bet.

The site will block a bettor from wagering if its geolocation feature determines that the bettor is outside New Jersey borders.

No. None of New Jersey’s horse racetracks operate as racinos (combination horse racetracks and casinos).

New Jersey racetracks do, however, offer retail sports betting. Monmouth Park hosts a William Hill-branded sportsbook, and Meadowlands Racetrack operates a FanDuel Sportsbook.

Freehold Raceway is expected to open a retail sportsbook at some point in the future as well.

The TVG Horse Racing online betting platform that operates in more than 30 states is not legal in New Jersey.

New Jersey’s lone mobile horse race betting platform, however, is operated by TVG. Officially named 4NJBets Powered By TVG, the platform operates as a standalone, New Jersey-only platform.

New Jersey residents cannot register for a standard TVG Horse Racing account but can access 4NJBets from anywhere within state borders.

No. 4NJBets operates as the only legal, state-regulated mobile horse race betting platform available in New Jersey.

BetAmerica-branded online casino and sportsbook sites both operate legally in New Jersey, but BetAmerica’s horse racing platform isn’t legally available in New Jersey.

Yes. All three Triple Crown races are legally available for betting on the 4NJBets platform. 4NJBets offers betting on the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, as well as many other domestic and international races.

4NJBets allows New Jersey bettors to wager on these races from a mobile device or desktop browser.

New Jersey bettors 18 and over can place bets at retail horse race tracks and OTB facilities in the state.

This minimum age also applies to placing a legal online horse racing bet. New Jersey’s lone legal mobile horse race betting platform, 4NJBets, accepts New Jersey residents 18 and over.

Horse Betting Sites

Offshore Horse Betting Sites

Yes. 4NJBets offers live streaming coverage of many of the races available for betting on the app. Bettors on 4NJBets can also access TVG and TVG 2, a pair of 24-hour networks dedicated to horse racing.