With six tracks in the state, there’s a wide range of events to bet on horses in Pennsylvania. Three host thoroughbred races and the rest feature harness racing. Of course, you’re not limited to placing bets in person at track betting facilities. Enjoying competitive horse racing betting using offshore sportsbooks has become increasingly popular because they offer a broad variety of options for betting to customers located in the United States.
In this article, you’ll be able to find the best Pennsylvania sportsbooks, and learn how to read online horse race betting odds, so you can be well on your way to winning cash with horse racing wagers.
| SPORTSBOOK | TRUST SCORE | ONLINE SINCE | Expert Review | BONUS | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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2001
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100% Free Play
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1996
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$500 Cash Bonus
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2002
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55% Cash Bonus
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2001
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$250 Free Bet
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1994
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30% Cash Bonus
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1996
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$500 Cash Bonus
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Is horse racing legal in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a long history of horse racing, regulated by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. The state hosts several racetracks where live horse racing takes place, such as Penn National Race Course, The Meadows Racetrack and Parx Casino Racetrack. These tracks offer regular events.
In addition to live races, Pennsylvania allows betting on races held in-state and across the country through off-track betting facilities. Of course, there are also online racebooks available, like the ones we recommend in this guide.
PA Horse Racing FAQs
Does Pennsylvania have horse racing?
Pennsylvania hosts thoroughbred and harness racing at several tracks. Some well-known tracks include Parx Racing, Penn National and The Meadows.
What date is the Pennsylvania Derby?
The Pennsylvania Derby usually takes place in late September at Parx Racing. The exact date can vary slightly each year,. For 2024, it will be on September 21st.
What horse race tracks are in Pennsylvania?
The four tracks in Pennsylvania are Parx Racing, Penn National Race Course, The Meadows Racetrack and Pocono Downs.
How do you bet on horse racing in PA?
Players can find pari-mutuel betting at local horse racing facilities or head online to sites like BookMaker or BetOnline for fixed odds horse betting.
Is TVG legal in Pennsylvania?
Yes, TVG is legal in Pennsylvania for online horse race betting. However, it is limited to thoroughbred or harness meets only. For a wider variety of betting markets and options, you can use an offshore platform, including BetOnline and BookMaker.
Ranking the Top 10 Betting Sites for Horse Racing in Pennsylvania
Here at Bookmakers Review, we have spent years reviewing and rating the best online sports betting sites to provide you with the most detailed information. This is our top 10 list of offshore sportsbooks for the state of Pennsylvania.
- BetOnline – Wide range of tracks available
- Heritage Sports – Good bonus options
- BookMaker – Good welcome offer
- BetAnySports – Good rebate offer
- JustBet – Odds posted earlier than most
- BetUS – Money back offer on selected races
- WagerWeb – Same-day Bitcoin payouts
- Everygame – A wide choice of bonus options
- SportsBetting.ag – 100% cash bonus
The Best Online Sportsbooks in Pennsylvania
We will cover the best sites for Pennsylvania bettors in greater detail in the reviews below:
1. Wide Range of Tracks Available: BetOnline
Key Features
- Racetracks from the U.S. and around the world
- Virtual racing available
- No app required, a well-developed
- Low roll-over requirements on bonuses
BetOnline has long been regarded as one of the premier betting sites on the internet and recently underwent a modernization process that gave it a fresh new look. Fortunately, if you’re an old-school user you can still revert to the old site if you’d prefer.
You can find a sportsbook, casino, live dealer games, a poker room and most importantly, a racebook. There is a wide selection of race tracks from the U.S. and around the world including Australia, Ireland and the UK.
If waiting for a real race to take place is too much for you then they also offer virtual racing with races taking place every few minutes.
You’ll enjoy the easy-to-use website which converts seamlessly to mobile, meaning that you don’t need an individual app to access their betting options and get on easily. The generous promo codes at BetOnline are also sure to appeal to many bettors.
2. Good Bonus Options: Heritage Sports
Key Features
- 60 tracks in total to bet on horse racing
- Thoroughbred and harness racing
Heritage Sports has been one of the most reliable and trustworthy sportsbooks throughout their time in the game after being established in 2001.
The landing page is easy to navigate, giving easy access to the sportsbook, live betting, casino, live casino, or racebook.
Heritage Sports is one of the online betting sites that offers an 8% daily rebate promo on your horse racing losses meaning that if you have a bad day it won’t be quite as bad.
The racebook has 60 tracks available with varied limits. There are 16 tracks in the U.S. featuring both thoroughbred and harness races where you can bet up to $1000 per race, a further 16 tracks that are limited at $500, and then European, Australian, Asian and South African tracks with lower limits are available.
3. Good Welcome Offer: BookMaker
Key Features
- High limits
- Fast payouts
- Cash back rewards
BookMaker is loved by sharps all over the country for its high limits and early lines on major sports, but the racebook is one of the best available as well with an up to 8% rebate on losses.
They offer a wide range of tracks including 50 from the United States and some of the larger ones around the world.
As well as the racing rebate, you can join Bookmaker loyalty program as well meaning that you’ll be doubly rewarded when placing bets on the racebook section of their site.
There is a generous welcome bonus of up to 20% if you deposit with crypto and 25% with cash.
4. Reduced Juice on Offer: BetAnySports
Key Features
- Low rollover on first-time deposit bonus
- Extra 10% available on horse racing prices
- Good rebate program
BetAnySports rounds out our look at the best sportsbooks available in Pennsylvania. Like all of the others, it offers a sportsbook, casino and a racebook with good promotions on offer.
The racebook offers a selection of tracks from around the world giving you the ability to bet on the biggest thoroughbred races taking place on any given day.
They also offer some fantastic racebook betting offers, the standard rebate on races, but also a Racebook+ option which gives you the track pricing plus another 10% on top of any winnings, a great way to maximize your sports betting.
BetAnySports offers a 25% cash bonus on your first deposit to get up to $500 in bonus funds with just a 6x rollover requirement meaning you can withdraw any winnings faster than at other sites.
BetAnySports also offers a unique rebate offer that crosses their sportsbook, racebook, casino and lottery. You can request to be upgraded to their Rebate Program and as such, receive up to 25% of your losses back every 30 days. A great way to lessen the impact of losing wagers.
Horse Racing Odds
As with every sport, the key is to find the best odds available, so variety is the key. Above you’ll find our top 10 online horse betting sites.
The odds available on most races will be very similar but there is often a little variance in the prices and every cent counts in betting so make sure you take advantage of the best bonuses from around the internet to make the most of your money.
Horse Racing Betting Markets in Pennsylvania
Entering into horse race betting can be a little confusing if you’re used to regular sports betting on sides and totals in the major sports, so here’s a quick guide to wagering on horse racing.
- Win: Bet on your horse to win the race, if it doesn’t, you lose.
- Place: Bet on your horse to finish 1st or 2nd.
- Show: Bet on your horse to finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at reduced odds
- Exacta: Bet on the first 2 horses in exact order.
- Quinella: Bet on the first 2 horses in either order.
- Trifecta: Pick the first 3 horses in exact order – Big odds on offer here.
- Superfecta: Pick the first 4 horses in exact order – Bigger odds on offer.
- Double Bet: A bet on two races.
- Pick 3: A bet on a single horse to win three consecutive races.
- Pick 5: A bet on the winner of five consecutive races.
As you can see, online horse race betting offers you a variety of options, allowing you to have your own betting strategies. Whether you’re after a solid bet to win a little or a wild bet to try and win a lot, most of the best online racebooks will offer the majority of these betting types.
Live Horse Racing Betting
There are six race tracks across the state of Pennsylvania where you can watch horse racing live, but if you don’t want to travel, some of the online horse racing betting sites also offer live streaming on certain events.
The most popular tracks are the Penn National Race Course, Hollywood Casino and Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack.
Horse Racing Betting Features in Pennsylvania
We’ve covered a lot of the horse racing betting promotions in this article already from 25% all the way up to 125% depending on which offshore sportsbook you choose. Also, most sites offer a daily or weekly rebate on your losses at varying rates.
There’s also the money back on selected races offers available at BetUS which could be very useful.
Special Features for Horse Racing in Pennsylvania
The amount of bets you can place on horse racing is specific to the sport and they’re listed and explained above.
Some sportsbooks have bonus boosts on certain horse races which will pop up as and when the events are on. The Triple Crown, for example, will have promotions around it.
Welcome Bonus for Horse Racing
Using crypto or cash you can take advantage of the many welcome bonuses on offer when opening an account and get ahead of the game with the free cash available. This article has mentioned many of the bonuses available with BetUS offering the most variation and highest amounts.
User-Friendly Design
The key to any good online horse racing betting app is its ease of use. If you can find your way around and place the Win, Place, or another exotic bet you want on the horse race, you want then to have an advantage over those having to queue to place their bets, and we think that BetOnline has a very user-friendly design.
Live Streaming
There are some live streaming sites that you can find on Bookmakers Review, and with online gambling being legalized in Pennsylvania, it’s something we would expect to increase as the months go on.
Best Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Sites
Depending on what you are looking for, this answer varies from person to person but the guide above and the bookmakers’ comparison area of our site give you a useful way of finding the best horse racing betting site for you.
Brand Recognition
Offshore books have been in business in some cases for decades and have proven themselves reliable and trustworthy with BookMaker and BetOnline gaining recognition from pros and casual bettors alike.
Payment Methods
The large majority of offshore sportsbooks now offer both cash and crypto deposits as well as other payment methods, our review page shows all options at each bookmaker
Safety & Security
It is fairly safe to assume that if a site has been running for decades it can be trusted as safe and secure. All on this list have been given A or A+ ratings and as such can be relied upon.
Speed & Design
The quicker you can get your wagers on, the better they are. You don’t want to see a price on a horse race and have to wait while the odds move and limit your earnings. Perhaps you want a site optimized for mobile horse racing betting, as well.
Customer Service
Being able to quickly solve any issues you have with your betting account can be important as well and most sites on this list offer 24/7 customer service.
Overall Value
This guide, as well as the reviews on our site, will show you where the best value is available in terms of bonus offers, odds and rebate offerings from each sportsbook.
Many of these sites also offer value in other ways. Many of them offer a casino gambling experience as well, with slots and table games. You also want to make sure that the site you choose has a good variety of options. Many offshore betting sites offer the option to bet on esports, politics and more.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Guide – How to Bet on Horse Races in Pennsylvania
As well as being able to bet in person at horse racing tracks, Pennsylvania also allows betting using online sports betting sites. This has become the best method for most bettors as you can take advantage of the best odds, regardless of where you are in the state.
It’s common for people even at the track to be using online sports betting apps instead of going to the window, just for ease of placing bets.
There are six major tracks in Pennsylvania that offer horse racing, three of which cater for thoroughbred racing and three for harness racing.
Thoroughbred tracks:
- The Penn National Race Course
- Parx Racing at Parx Casino
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino
Harness tracks:
- The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Hollywood Casino at the Meadows
- Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack
How does horse racing betting work in Pennsylvania?
Horse racing betting in Pennsylvania can be done at an online platform or in person at a brick-and-mortar establishment and should be quite easy.
Go to the racebook section at your favorite online betting site. You will find various race tracks available and on most a “next X races” option which will let you see easily races that take place shortly.
Clicking on a race takes you to that event allowing you to easily bet “win,” “show” or “place” on each race or look a little deeper and choose an “exotic” bet. All these terms are explained above.
On some sites, you will notice that the odds are in fractional denominations. These can be confusing, but as an example 5/1 is +500, 20/1 is +2000, and so on.
Horse Racing Betting Odds
Once you start betting on horse racing in Pennsylvania you will notice that the odds can be slightly different depending on which site you choose, so it may be worth opening accounts at multiple online horse racing betting sites to ensure that you’re making the most of your money by picking the best odds available.
Fixed Odds for Horse Racing Betting in Pennsylvania
Most betting online is done using fixed odds, meaning that you lock in the price when you place the bet, this way you know what your payout will be. The odds could move after you’ve placed it but you will get paid at the odds you backed. Some prefer this method while some prefer pari-mutuel betting.
Pari-Mutuel Betting in Pennsylvania
This type of betting has been synonymous with horse racing betting, and to put it simply, it consists in that when you place your bet it goes into a pool and the amount you will get back is set after the race depending on the number of bets placed on that horse.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Terms
- Across the Board: Three bets, one placed on win, one of place and one on the show.
- At the Post: This means the race is about to start, pre-race betting will finish but some sites allow in-play betting on races.
- Blinkers: Headgear placed on a horse to restrict their vision, generally used to help them focus on the track ahead of them.
- Claiming Race: A race in which all the horses are for sale at the end.
- Dead Heat: Occurs when two or more horses are tied at the finish. Rare, but does happen.
- DQ: This horse has been disqualified from the race
- Exotic Bet: The likes of Exacta, Trifecta and Superfecta – A bet which involves multiple outcomes
- Favorite: The horse with the shortest odds and therefore highest implied probability of winning.
- Fixed Odds: The bets you will be used to from sportsbooks, you get the odds as they are the time you place your bet regardless of any movement up or down later.
- Furlong: An 1/8th of a mile, used to show the length of a race.
- Handicap Race: A race where the horses carry weight assigned by the association, designed with the intention of making it an even race. Basically, the better the horse the heavier the weight it has to carry.
- Length: Used to judge the distance between horses, judged on the length of a horse. If it’s less than a length then nose, head or neck may be used.
- Maiden Race: A race involving horses who are yet to win.
- Morning Line: A prediction of what the track handicapper thinks the eventual odds will have. A guide to the pari-mutuel payout (more about that above).
- Purse: The total prize money available for a given race, or a whole race meeting.
- Tote Board: A board showing essential betting information such as odds, results of the race, time of race and payouts.
- Triple Crown: The biggest racing events of the year. The three big races for three-year-olds in America: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Last achieved by Justify in 2018 when he won all three events.
- Wager: Another term for bet.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Calculator
Using fixed odds is the easiest way to know what you’re going to win depending on the result of a race. However, with pool bets, you may be able to roughly work out what your return will be by seeing the percentage of money wagered on your pick and converting it to a probability.
How to Calculate Horse Racing Betting Odds
The following information will help when working out your return on the Pari-Muteul bet type. You need to know the number of people who bet on that selection and the amount wagered.
If a pool comes to $200 and there are 20 bettors involved in that pool then they will each get a dividend of $10. If you happened to have 2 units from the 20 then it will be $20.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Odds Chart
To help you start here, we have provided a list of odds and lines that you can use to easily see how much you would return at certain odds.
| Horse Racing Odds | $2 Wager Payout | Implied Probability of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 1/5 (-500) | $2.40 | 83.33% |
| 1/4 (-400) | $2.50 | 80% |
| 1/3 (-300) | $2.60 | 75% |
| 1/2 (-200) | $3.00 | 66.67% |
| 4/6 (-150) | $3.33 | 60% |
| 1/1 (-100) | $4.00 | 50% |
| 2/1 (+200) | $6.00 | 33.33% |
| 3/1 (+300) | $8.00 | 25% |
| 5/1 (+500) | $12 | 16.67% |
| 10/1 (+1000) | $22 | 9.00% |
| 50/1 (+5000) | $102 | 1.96% |
As you can see in the table above, odds of (-500) have the highest likelihood of winning but the lowest payout, and odds of (+5000) have the lowest odds of winning but the highest payout.
Pennsylvania Horse Race Tracks
Thoroughbred horse race tracks:
- The Penn National Race Course
- Parx Racing at Parx Casino
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino
Harness racing tracks:
- The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Hollywood Casino at the Meadows
- Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack
What is the history of horse racing betting in Pennsylvania?
- 2019: Online mobile sports betting goes live in Pennsylvania.
- 1983: Phone betting is legalized.
- 1979: First Pennsylvania horse racing Derby.
- 1968: Penn National track is built.
- 1967: Thoroughbred Horse Racing is sanctioned.
- 1963: The first harness race wagering takes place.
- 1959: Horse racing betting is legalized in Pennsylvania.
Comparing Betting at the Racetrack with Online Horse Race Betting
There are advantages and disadvantages of both betting in person and betting using an online horse racing betting site. If you are at the track, you get the experience of being there, having to queue to place your bet and get your winnings, but you get to watch the race in person.
Using an offshore sportsbook allows you to place your bet immediately and get winnings added to your funds with no hassle. Plus, you can easily see form and other information which will helps your handicapping.
General Terms and Conditions at Horse Racing Betting Sites in Pennsylvania
To open a betting account in Pennsylvania you’ll have to give a few details, such as email, name and address, but that is all you need at the majority of racebooks.
If you are opening a new account you’ll be able to take advantage of a horse racing welcome bonus, but always be aware that these tend to come with rollover (or play-through) requirements.
Rollover Requirements
Check the terms and conditions on the offer you want to take advantage of. We have mentioned a few in the guide of horse racing betting sites above.
You must meet the rollover requirement on both your cash and bonus funds before withdrawing. Until this is done, you won’t be able to withdraw your money.
They range from 1x to 15x. Usually the higher the bonus the higher the rollover, but check the terms to ensure you know what is needed when opening your account.
You can check out our table or check out Bookmakers Review to see the best bonuses and use our comparison page to quickly check between sportsbooks.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting Bonuses
Horse racing betting account bonuses usually come in the form of either a matched bonus or in some cases free bets when opening your account. You can refer to the table above to see who offers which bonus, below we’ll explain the difference.
Deposit Bonuses
The most common horse racing betting site bonus available is a matched deposit bonus and it is what you’d expect. If you use a 100% deposit offer then you’ll receive an equal amount in bonus cash. Deposit $100 and you’ll get $100 on top of that for free. Make sure you check the rollover requirements as shown above.
Free Bets
If horse racing free bets are on offer then you’ll either get bet credit added to your account for you to use on a race with no risk, if it wins you get to keep the cash, if it loses you lose nothing. – Or some sites offer a no-lose refund which means if your bet loses you’ll get your value back as credit, although there can be rollover requirements on this that you’ll have to be aware of.
Enhanced Odds
You will find that some online betting sites in Pennsylvania offer enhanced odds on certain races meaning that you’ll be getting odds higher than standard giving you the chance to win more on a particular race. You’ll find that the bigger races will usually have offers surrounding them to boost popularity.
Loyalty/VIP
Many horse racing betting sites offer Loyalty or VIP programs which will give you benefits depending on how much you bet at that particular site.
How to Start Betting at Horse Racing Sites in Pennsylvania
It is very simple to open an account at any of the top horse racing betting sites that we’ve included in this guide or any of the offshore sportsbooks that we’ve reviewed.
Step 1: Visit The Home Page, Click “Join Now”
Most betting websites will have a welcome offer clearly displayed on the home page, but you can view their promotions on that tab and pick the bonus option that you want to use. Click on that to begin the signing-up process.
Step 2: Complete the Registration Process
You will be required to enter your email, name, choose a password and enter your address when signing up.
Step 3: Make Your First Deposit
After this process is complete you’ll want to make your first deposit, if you have gone through a promotion the bonus code will probably be entered for you, but if not make sure that you take advantage of one of the bonuses on that site to maximize the money you have to wager. You can choose card, crypto, bank transfer and other methods to deposit money into your account.
Step 4: Choose Your Bet and Place It
You’ve registered and deposited your money. Now you’re ready to bet, so find your bet and get started.
The Best Site for Horse Racing Betting in Pennsylvania
As you can see from this guide, we rate BetOnline as the best site for horse racing betting in Pennsylvania thanks to the huge range of tracks available to bet on from across the country and spanning other continents. You won’t be lacking for horse races to bet on.
They also have one of the better opening account bonus offers on the internet allowing you to get free money when opening an account as well as a sportsbook and casino built into the same site.
