Online Horse Betting in Canada: Best Sites and Races 2025

Betting on horse racing in Alberta is quite a popular activity among locals and gamblers across the country. As a result, this sector contributes billions of dollars to the Canadian economy every year. This guide covers the key aspects of online horse betting, how to bet on the outcome of a horse race, what types of odds and bets exist, and where wagers are accepted. We cover all this and much more in our guide for those who watch the races with thrill and are ready to join the community of bettors. But horse betting is just one option in the world of online gambling. If you’re also interested in games that rely more on strategy, like online poker, you may want to weigh your options. Understanding the differences between these two popular forms of gambling can help you make an informed choice. To see which offers better odds for gamblers, explore our detailed comparison of horse betting vs. online poker. Ready to make the leap into horse race betting? The next step is finding a secure and user-friendly platform. Scroll down for our top picks of the best horse racing betting sites in 2025 to get started. As of 27 November, this section has been updated following 6 hours of comprehensive study.
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Best Online Horse Betting Sites in Canada

Let’s get acquainted with the top horse racing betting sites in Canada, offering competitive odds, live race streaming, and a seamless betting experience for seasoned bettors and newcomers alike.

Cyber Bet

Cyber Bet is a modern sportsbook and online casino that stands out for its focus on esports and competitive gaming. Alongside its growing esports portfolio, Cyber Bet offers a wide range of traditional sports betting options, including soccer, basketball, and tennis, making it a versatile platform for Canadian bettors.

What They Do Well

Cyber Bet excels in delivering a user-friendly and intuitive betting experience. The platform’s design makes it easy for beginners and experienced bettors to navigate. One of its key strengths is its emphasis on esports, with extensive coverage of games like CS:GO, Dota 2, and League of Legends. It provides detailed match stats, live betting options, and engaging promotions tailored to esports enthusiasts. For traditional sports bettors, Cyber Bet offers competitive odds across various markets, ensuring players get value for their wagers. The platform also supports multiple payment methods, including cryptocurrency, which adds flexibility and convenience for Canadian users. Additionally, their mobile-friendly website ensures seamless betting on the go.

What They Could Improve

While Cyber Bet shines in esports and traditional betting, its casino section could use some expansion to compete with more established operators. Players looking for a broader variety of casino games may find its offerings somewhat limited. Pros
  • Extensive focus on esports, with detailed match stats and live betting options.
  • Competitive odds across traditional sports markets like soccer, basketball, and tennis.
  • Supports multiple payment methods, including cryptocurrency, for added convenience.
  • Secure and encrypted transactions, prioritizing user data protection.
  • Compatibility with smart devices, allowing effortless betting via tablets or wearables.

SilverPlay

SilverPlay, established in 2021, offers a comprehensive online betting platform that caters to a diverse audience. Licensed by the Government of Curaçao, it provides a range of betting options, including sports, esports, virtual sports, and casino games.

What They Do Well

  • User-Friendly Interface: SilverPlay’s website features a sleek and modern design, ensuring easy navigation for both newcomers and seasoned bettors. The platform is optimized for mobile use, allowing users to place bets on the go without the need for a dedicated app.
  • Diverse Betting Markets: With over 66 different sports available, including football, basketball, tennis, and a strong emphasis on esports and virtual sports, SilverPlay offers a broad spectrum of betting opportunities. This extensive selection caters to a wide range of interests and preferences.
  • Competitive Odds and Features: The platform provides competitive odds across various sports and includes features like in-play betting, cash-out options, and occasional price boosts for major events, enhancing the overall betting experience.
  • Licensed and Secure: Operates under a Curaçao license, ensuring a safe and regulated betting environment.
  • Responsible Gambling Tools: Includes deposit limits, self-exclusion options, and reminders to promote healthy gambling habits.

What They Could Improve

While SilverPlay offers some responsible gambling resources, such as deposit and wager limits, the availability of tools like self-exclusion options and time-out features is limited. Enhancing these tools would demonstrate a stronger commitment to player well-being.

Zodiac Bet

Zodiac Bet is a relatively new entrant in the online betting scene, having launched in 2020. Despite its youth, it has quickly established itself as a comprehensive platform catering to both sports enthusiasts and casino gamers. Operated by Bellona N.V. and licensed by the Curaçao eGaming authority, Zodiac Bet offers a diverse range of betting options and gaming experiences.

What They Do Well

  • Extensive Sportsbook: Zodiac Bet boasts a vast selection of sports markets, covering over 30 sports including football, basketball, tennis, and horse racing. Bettors can access more than 15,000 live betting events monthly, with competitive odds, especially in major leagues.
  • Diverse Casino Games: The platform features an impressive library of over 2,000 casino games from renowned providers like NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Big Time Gaming. Players can enjoy a variety of slots, table games, and live dealer options, ensuring a rich gaming experience.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Both the sportsbook and casino sections are designed for intuitive navigation. The website’s layout allows users to easily switch between different betting markets and gaming categories, enhancing the overall user experience.
  • Licensed and Secure: Operated under a Curaçao eGaming license, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: Provides round-the-clock assistance to resolve queries efficiently.
  • Fast Withdrawals: Ensures quick and reliable withdrawal processing for user convenience.Comprehensive Esports Coverage: Features betting markets for popular esports like CS:GO, League of Legends, and Dota 2, catering to gaming enthusiasts.

Areas for Improvement

Licensing Jurisdiction: Zodiac Bet operates under a Curaçao license, which is considered less stringent compared to licenses from authorities like the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority. This might raise concerns for some players regarding regulatory oversight.

Best Horse Betting Casinos and Their Best Features

CasinoEssential Feature
Cyber BetUser-friendly interface.
SilverPlayExtensive sportsbook.
Zodiac BetWide range of betting markets.
MegaPariHigh betting limits.

 

How to Bet on Horse Racing: Full Instructions

Horse betting online is possible thanks to a number of bookmakers. They accept bets on horse races and other sporting events. In our guide, you will also find tips for choosing the best betting sites. But we will start with step-by-step instructions on online horse betting.

1. After choosing an online platform, register and log into your account, as a rule, this process does not take much time.

2. Find the relevant section on the bookmaker’s site.

3. Next, you will see a list of events available soon. Select the race you need.

4.Many betting sites list each horse by age, physical shape, number of races and wins, etc.

5. Now you need to choose the horse you like.

6. Specify the size and type of wager. For example, you bet on the victory of a horse with a certain number.

7. Next, confirm the bet and wait for the start and result of the race. Many bookmakers provide the opportunity to watch the races live.

Major Horse Racing Events in Canada

EventDetails
Canadian Triple CrownIncludes King’s Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders’ Stakes. Requires winning all three races for the Triple Crown, achieved only 12 times since 1932.
Kentucky DerbyHeld on the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. Known as the first jewel of the American Triple Crown. Legendary winners include Secretariat.
Preakness StakesSecond jewel of the American Triple Crown, held in May at Pimlico Race Course, Maryland. Famous for Secretariat’s 1973 record-breaking win.
American Triple CrownIncludes Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Winning all three races secures the Triple Crown, a rare achievement.

About Odds in Online Horse Betting

As for live horse racing odds, there are three basic types:

The most common type in Canada is decimal. So let us see how it works with an example. Imagine that you bet $20 at odds of 3.00 on the horse that finished first in the race. So, your total win is $60 (20 x 3.00).

Experienced players and bettors know how everything works. However, newcomers should first learn the essential sports betting rules before risking their budget. They can start by choosing this reliable online casino source that provides detailed information on various online casinos. Safety is paramount, so bets should be made only on licensed sites.

Horse Betting Online: What to Wager on?

Many do not bother and simply bet on the victory of a certain horse or on the number under which it will complete the race. However, we want to tell you about other betting combinations to make your experience even better.

Conventionally, all bets can be divided into direct and exotic ones.

Straight Horse Racing Bets

Wager Name

Description

Win

Here the winner is the one who bet on the horse that will win the race.

 

Place

In this case, you are betting on whether the horse will finish first or second.

 

Across the board

This bet involves combining all of the above wagers.

 

Show Bet

This option assumes that your horse will finish the race first, second, or third. If the selected horse wins, the bettor wins all three bets. If the horse comes second – two wagers. If third – one wager.

 

Each-way

Here you bet half the amount on your horse winning and the other half on the place in the final ranking previously set by the bookmaker.

Exotic Horse Racing Bets

Wager Name

Description

Exactor

Also known as exacta (in the US) and forecast (in the UK), this bet involves picking two horses to win the race. The bettor also indicates in what order the horses will finish.

 

Triactor

Here the wager is placed on three horses, and it is indicated which of them will finish first, second and third.

 

Quinella

This is similar to the exactor bet, but the order does not matter.

 

Double

A bet on the victory of two horses taking part in two different races.

 

Triple

Similar to the previous wager. Only you bet on three horses in three different races.

 

Multi

A bet on the victory of several horses in different races. You only get your winnings if every horse wins every race.

 

Online Horse Betting: Expert Tips

With these tips, you can significantly increase your chances of winning.

Tips Bg
Tip #1

Tip #1

Pay attention to the bonus offers of online bookmakers.

Tips Bg

Tip #2

When choosing a horse, always consider its characteristics (age, physical shape, trainer, etc.).

Tips Bg
Tip #3

Tip #3

One of the recommended wagers for beginners is the bet on all outcomes.

Tips Bg
Tip #4

Tip #4

Keep in mind that not always the favourites of past races come first next time.

Tips Bg
Tip #5

Tip #5

Never place a bet that you cannot afford to lose. Set a budget limit.

Horse Racing in Canada​

On sites that offer betting on horse racing in Alberta, the player can choose from a range of events held in the province at national and international levels.
  • Breeders’ Cup;
  • Melbourne Cup;
  • Kentucky Derby;
  • Cheltenham Gold Cup;
  • Queen’s plate.

What Bonuses Bookmakers Offer

Due to the growing competition in the market, each online horse betting site offers its own unique bonuses and customer reward system. The main categories of bonus offers include:

0
Welcome bonus (free bets or horse racing tokens).
0
Promotions with increased odds.
0
Loyalty program (participation in the VIP club).

Betting on Horse Racing on your Smartphone

Modern online bookmakers keep track of the latest innovations and trends. For this reason, many sites offer the ability to place bets from any mobile device, including tablets and smartphones. In addition, thanks to the optimization for the most popular operating systems, every Canadian can place stakes through a mobile browser or by downloading a special application.

Choosing the Best Horse Betting Online Platform

Given the popularity of online horse betting in Canada today, the choice of sites where it can be done is huge. However, it is important to find not just an online resource with a beautiful design but a reliable platform. A legal and noteworthy betting site meets the following criteria:

High level of security
    High level of security

    Availability of a license
      Availability of a license

      Bonus program
        Bonus program

        Wide range of banking options
          Wide range of banking options

          Various wagers to choose from
            Various wagers to choose from

            Sports Betting in Canada

            Canadians not only love to watch various competitions live but also often place bets on these events. For this reason, today, sports betting is becoming more and more popular. Bookmakers accept stakes in almost all sports, including hockey, basketball, football and many others.

            Canadian Love for Horse Sports

            Horse riding is quite a popular activity in Canada. In addition to various competitions throughout the country, including Alberta, horse owners, breeders and just fans of this sport gather annually at the Alberta Horse Breeders and Owners Conference, Canada.

            This event features industry-renowned invited speakers and discusses important topics of interest to every horse-riding enthusiast. So, one of the conferences was dedicated to the Fred Pearce memorial lecture. At this event, the question of “Stereotypic behavior in horses – why does my horse do that?” was discussed.

             

            “At the track, every bet is a leap of faith and a dash of adrenaline.”

            FAQs