New York horse racing betting has been prominent in the state for centuries. From Hempstead Plains in 1665 to Union Course in 1821, there have always been New Yorkers watching races and betting the ponies. While these particular tracks are no longer around, one racetrack that was able to withstand the test of time is Belmont Park- the legendary home of the Belmont Stakes, which is the third jewel of the famed Triple Crown. This event alone draws in millions of dollars in bets each year, and overall, horse racing betting is a billion dollar industry in N.Y. With all of the Thoroughbred and harness racetrack options, online racebooks, and newly constructed racetrack-casinos, it is nearly impossible to not want to get in on horse racing betting in New York.
If you want to know where the best horse racing in the state is, look no further. We can direct you to all of the popular racetracks and best online horse racing betting sites for horse racing betting. If you are new to the sport and want to brush up on how to bet on horses, we have a betting types guide as well. To learn everything there is to know about NY horse betting, continue reading.
Of all the types of gambling in NY, the laws are most favorable when it comes to betting on horses. Pari-mutuel wagering was the first legal form of gambling in the state of NY, which shows how valuable the horse racing industry has always been to the state’s economy. The New York Constitution specifically mentions that pari-mutuel wagering on horse races is excluded from general gambling restrictions. In addition to the state laws permitting horse betting in NY, there are also federal laws that support the enterprise. The Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 allows states that offer pari-mutuel wagering to legally transmit bets and racing information from one licensed facility to another. This is why the betting locations in NY are able to offer simulcast wagering. It is completely lawful for residents of the Empire State to bet on horses at racetracks, OTB facilities, and online.
Three weeks after the Preakness wraps up, thousands of spectators head to Belmont Park to watch the 3-year old Thoroughbreds compete in the Belmont Stakes. This is the longest Triple Crown race of all, referred to the “Test of the Champion” because most competitors have little to no experience running the 1 ½ mile distance. Betting on the Belmont Stakes is exciting not only because there is the prospect that a horse may beat Secretariat’s record-setting 2:24 finish, but because this is where Triple Crown winners are born. If the same horse has already been named as the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, you can bet money on the Triple Crown.
Triple Crown betting odds will be available at online horse betting sites before the Belmont Stakes, and we recommend you start betting early for the best odds. You can also bet on the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes during the first and third Saturdays of May. Online racebooks give you more options when it comes to betting on the Triple Crown.
The first step to betting on the Triple Crown or any other race is to have a solid understanding of the various types of horse bets. These bets will range in complexity but are all simple concepts to understand. Horse bets are put into two categories- straight bets and exotics. Straight bets include win, place, and show bets, and are the simplest to make.
Win – Betting on a horse to win.
Place- Your horse will finish first or second.
Show – Your selected Thoroughbred will finish anywhere in the top three.
Across the Board- This is a bet on all three wagers, win, place, and show. While it will be more expensive being that you are essentially making three separate bets, you also have the potential to make more. If your horse wins, you receive win, place, and show winnings. Second place, you will receive the place and show payoffs. Third place, collect the only the show earnings.
Exotic wagers are more difficult than the straightforward win, place, and show bets. Exotics are bets on multiple horses and races, adding an extra level of complexity. You also have to bet on exact order rather than a finishing range. The only exception to this is if you “box” a bet, which is where you bet on all potential combinations of your selected horses finishing. Because of all these factors, exotic bets have a much higher payoff than straight bets.
Exacta – Selecting which horse will win and which horse will come in second.
Trifecta – Betting on the first, second, and third finishers in exact order.
Superfecta – You wager on which horses will finish in the top four positions, in a specified order.
New York is a horse bettor’s paradise when it comes to the variety of horse racing tracks. The state is home to many of the nation’s most popular Thoroughbred racetracks including Aqueduct Racetrack, Saratoga Race Course, and the legendary Belmont Park. Since 1955, all three tracks have been operated by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) to ensure that the state’s largest Thoroughbred tracks are up to standard. Aside from these three locations, you can bet at any of the racetrack-casinos in the state or harness racing tracks. During the racing season you can bet on live races, and during the offseason, there are always simulcast races. In addition to the major tracks mentioned above, you can visit any of the racetracks below for horse racing betting.
Batavia Downs Gaming SB (Batavia, NY)
Vernon Downs Casino & Harness Racing SB (Vernon, NY)
Monticello Casino & Raceway SB (Monticello, NY)
Buffalo Raceway SB (Hamburg, NY)
Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack TB (Farmington, NY)
There is no question that the state has excellent live track options, but those are greatly outnumbered by the off-track betting locations in New York. The majority of OTB facilities are governed by various corporations in the state to ensure that they are up to standard. There are so many different facilities that you will most likely be able to find a location nearby. NY OTB involves great dining, food, and of course simulcast wagering. You can watch races happening at Belmont Park or bet on the horses at Pimlico. With over 100 different restaurants, bars, and other venues to bet on horses, we have put together a short list of some of the more popular off-track betting facilities in NY.
Pioneer Sports Bar & Grill (Elmira, NY)
Clubhouse Race Book (Albany, NY)
The Dr’s Inn Grill & Tap Room (Rochester, NY)
Rocky Point Ale House (Rocky Point, NY)
Trinity Restaurant and Bar (Floral Park, NY)
When you want to put money on horses, online horse racing betting sites are the best option. You get more wagering options and opportunities to make money when betting online. Online racebooks accept action on win, place, and show bets, plus exotics like exactas and trifectas. Pick 3’s, pick 4’s, and pick 6’s are also racebook options. With horse betting sites featuring more than 80 horse race tracks in the racebook, you will never run out of betting opportunities. You can bet at Belmont today, and Churchill Downs tomorrow. Horse racing betting sites also offer bonuses and rebates that you will not find at the track. A bonus is free cash to wager with, while rebates give you cash back for making bets.
Online racebooks are also jam-packed with additional features that are beneficial to horse bettors. You can view horse racing results, race replays, and the latest news. Online racebooks will even offer free horse racing picks and horse handicapping tips. Live horse racing streams make you feel like you are actually at the races, and mobile horse betting lets you bet on the go. The best online horse racing betting sites for NY residents are 5Dimes.eu and BetOnline.ag because they offer all these opportunities and more!
BetOnline is the online horse racing betting site that every New Yorker should join. With decades of industry experience, you will not find a more complete and fun online racebook. It has everything you want from Belmont Stakes betting to wagering on Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes. The racebook also offers all of the wagering options that you are already accustomed to, like win, place, and show bets or more exotic wagers. BetOnline is horse betting site fit for horse bettors of all levels, and that is why there are also guides on how to bet on horses, calculating payoffs, and more. You can also get free horse picks, handicapping tips, and the latest horse racing results.
BetOnline also has the greatest selection of banking options at their cashier. Their deposits are fast and easy to make. You can choose to make a Bitcoin deposit of between $20 and $5,000 with no additional deposit fees. Once you transfer the funds from your Bitcoin wallet, they will immediately be available for wagering. Credit cards are another popular same-day deposit option. The racebook accepts Visa and MasterCard with a minimum deposit of $50 and a maximum of $5,000. For high roller horse bettors looking to make larger deposits, a bank wire transfer may be the best option because there are higher limits. The minimum is $1,000 while there is no maximum to the amount you can deposit. New York residents can join BetOnline racebook today and start betting the ponies!
If you reside in NY and want the best online horse betting experience, try out the racebooks at 5Dimes. The horse betting site has been in the industry for more than 15 years and has a reputation for providing top notch horse racing betting action. The site offers two different racebook options that both increase your bankroll. The first is the Rebate Racebook that gives back up to 9% on all daily horse bets, win or lose. Your rebate will vary depending on the track and type of wager, with straight rebates ranging from 2% to 5% and exotics from 4% to 9%.
The next option is the Plus 10% Racebook where you earn more with every winning bet. When betting at major tracks, you will receive an extra 10% on winning “win” bets and exotic bets. Belmont Park and Aqueduct are two of the featured major tracks at the racebook. If you wager at a minor track, you still receive an additional 10% on winning “win” bets. All of your rebates will be applied to your racebook account at 8:00 AM EST the following day. No matter which racebook you choose, you can place as many horse bets as you want. There are also no limits to the amount you can make back in rebates. No other online racebook will provide you the variety of wager types, track options, and horse rebates that 5Dimes does. You can join 5Dimes now and start making money from betting on your favorite horses!