How We Rate UK Horse Racing Betting Sites: Our Approach
Here at ToffeeWeb, we understand that horse racing isn’t just another sports market — it’s a British institution. It doesn’t matter if you’re backing the favourite at Royal Ascot or trying to win big with longshots at Cheltenham, your bookie needs to come through with the goods.
This is why we rate horse racing betting sites with our specially crafted criteria tailor-made for UK punters. Each and every bookmaker we feature is examined using the same but fair process, ensuring you get all the information to place secure and educated bets with full confidence.
To learn more about our rating criteria, please check out the full guide below.
Racing Market Coverage
We analyze the depth and variety in race coverage of a sports betting site, paying attention particularly to UK and Irish racecards. We will also look into whether a sportsbook offers daily coverage of races or if they stick to just major festivals and derbies.
International meets in the popular horse-racing nations like France, Australia, USA are also considered when evaluating a bookmaker’s horse race coverage. We put a lot of stock into whether you can find big races like the Kentucky Derby, Melbourne Cup and Belmont Stakes.
We give special consideration to ante-post markets for popular UK races like the Cheltenham, Grand National, Epsom and Royal Ascot, giving punters the ability to jump on odds that may be more favourable than when the course’s betting market has opened.
Why it matters: The best racing sites cover every meeting — from Group 1s at Newmarket to the muddiest jumps race in Limerick.
Odds Competitiveness & Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG)
Arguably the most important factor we evaluate when reviewing a bookmaker is how competitive their odds are compared to other online sportsbooks. This is because where you find the best odds, you will also find the best bang for your buck. We compare bookmaker odds to top-rated brands in the racing betting space like William Hill and bet365, to get an idea of how they stack up against industry leaders.
Best Odds Guarantees are another major feature which we look at when judging a bookmaker, checking if an operator is willing to pay out bigger if the starting price odds are higher than the odds you take. When studying Best Odds Guarantees, we always verify what times the warranty is available and which markets it is valid for.
We also report on any enhanced odds or price boosts that a bookmaker may provide on select races, giving the opportunity to receive higher payouts.
Why it matters: Fractional or decimal, value is value. If you’re not getting BOG in the UK, you’re being mugged off.
Live Streaming & Race Replays
We understand that there’s nothing like watching a horse race that you’ve wagered on, thus we make a special effort to report on the live streaming available at sportsbooks. Some key aspects we consider are the number of races available for live streaming, the quality of the live feeds and whether replays are offered post-stream.
UK and Irish races are the most widely watched and wagered on in the region, so bookmakers that prioritize local races are preferred. We look for streams that feature RaceBets, Racing TV or Sky Sports Racing for superior coverage and ability to watch in HD.
Most bookmakers require certain conditions to be met in order to access live streaming features, such as a funded account or placed wager. We make it a point to lay out exactly what you will need to do to enjoy live streams at a sportsbook and how the requirements compare to other top bookmakers.
The mobile compatibility of live streams is observed too, rating a bookmaker’s ability to provide streaming on-the-go.
Why it matters: If you’re betting on horses, watching them gallop is half the fun — and often the key to smarter bets.
Racing Specials & Features
We inspect a bookmaker for any unique racing tools or bet types, noting them down and offering our opinions on how beneficial they are. Each-way bets are one of the most popular bet types we come across regularly, consisting of two separate bets: a win bet and a place bet. We make sure to double-check the terms and conditions of each-way bets to confirm they are clearly displayed, so you don’t have any surprises coming your way.
The number of variety of exotic bets are also compared from bookmaker to bookmaker, keeping a special eye out for Forecasts, Tricasts, Place-Only Markets.
Any information provided by a bookmaker which might give you an edge will be recorded in our reviews, like race-by-race form guides, expert tips, and stats integrations. We also scan for racing specific betting features like Bet Builders, the length winning distance markets and jockey/trainer background info, to guarantee you make the most educated racing bets possible.
Why it matters: Casuals bet on the favourite. Pros use every angle available. Your site should cater to both.
Horse Racing Promotions
We look for promotions available at bookmakers which are specific to horse racing, researching not only what you get from the offer but also how easy it is to claim. Wagering requirements and qualifying bet terms and conditions are examined closely, as we give our opinion on the quality of a horse racing promo.
Some of the more common racing promotions we encounter at top bookmakers are extra place offers, money-back insurances and free bets for accumulator losses.
Extra place offers pay out an extra place above the standard terms on Each Way bets, while money-back insurances refund your bet if your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd in a straight bet. The key aspect we look into when judging these types of offers is what conditions need to be met for the promo to activate. Will you need to make an unfavourable qualifying wager? And if so, is the pay off worth it?
If loyalty programs and racing clubs are available, they will also be reviewed, looking for types of rewards offered and special perks.
Why it matters: Racing promos are where value can stack up over time — if they’re fair and not buried in terms longer than a steeplechase.
Mobile Betting Experience
We test out how the racing section of a bookmaker fairs via mobile, checking for any mobile apps which allow punters to wager on-the-go. The layout and user interface are carefully analyzed, assessing how easy it is to search for and place racing bets via mobile, especially during big festivals. We also compare what betting features are available on mobile compared to the desktop browser-based client, such as live streaming, Cash Out buttons and Bet Builders.
An additional feature we look into when rating a bookmaker’s mobile platform is the ability to turn on push notifications. We test if a bookmaker allows players to get mobile alerts when one of their favourite horses is racing or a racing bet pays out.
Requirements to download mobile apps and their available operating systems are taken note of as well as any bugs reported by past users.
For more info and ratings of the top mobile operators, check out our list of the Best Mobile Apps in the UK.
Why it matters: If your site crashes during Cheltenham, you’re dead to us. Mobile matters — big time.
Deposits, Withdrawals & Bet Stakes
The ability to get money in and out of your betting account can play a big role in how we rate a bookmaker, with preference given to operators who provide quick and convenient payment options. Some of the main payment methods we keep an eye out for are VISA Debit, PayPal, Trustly, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Bank Transfers.
We make certain to jot down the processing times for all of the available payment options and any fees which may be incurred when making a payment. If there are any fast withdrawal methods available which process payments within 24 hours, we will make sure to highlight them.
The minimum and maximum deposit/withdrawal limits are also recorded, so you know exactly how much can be sent and received. We always confirm the minimum deposit limits required to unlock bonuses, ensuring you don’t miss out on promos due to disqualified payments.
The limits on horse racing bet stakes for single, each-way and multiple wagers is noted down as well, to monitor how big or small you can bet at a bookmaker.
Why it matters: You should spend time studying form — not chasing down your own money.
Licencing, Safety & Trust
At ToffeeWeb, we only review horse racing bookmakers who are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. This is because only brands who hold a UKGC licence can provide legal online sports betting in the UK, protecting their customers from illegal gambling activities. We always check bookmakers for valid licenses as our first priority when writing a review.
Another key aspect we look into in respect to bookmaker safety are the available responsible gambling tools. We search for features like deposit limits, loss limits, activity statements and self exclusion and how easily accessible they are. Also considered are the third party resources on hand like GAMSTOP, giving punters the ability to opt-out of betting when they want to.
Customer reviews are taken note of when writing our evaluations, looking for real information and ratings from actual consumers. We use sites like Trustpilot, Reddit and other Racing Forums when searching for customer testimonies for lack of bias.
Transparency of horse racing bonus offers is also an important detail we examine, keeping readers informed about any terms and conditions which could affect their ability to unlock a promotion or withdraw bonus funds.
Why it matters: A secure, licensed operator is the only type of site that should be holding your stake money.
Customer Support & Racing Knowledge
When we rate a bookmaker’s customer support, we don’t just check what support channels are available, we test each and every one of them. This is to ensure that the brand actually takes care of their customers in a timely and effective manner.
The methods of contacting customer support are integral in our analysis, with live chat generally considered the go-to means of talking to support agents. We make sure to identify if the live chat service is available and if it is performed by AI or real in-person agents. We also look into whether live chat support is available round the clock or if there are specific hours in which you can get in touch with agents.
Email and phone support are two other popular methods of support which we find consistently at UK bookmakers, for which we examine response times and service hours.
While having support agents available is very important, it doesn’t mean much if they don’t have the required understanding about horse race betting. That’s why we verify how knowledgeable the agents are with respect to horse racing by asking them a series of test questions, built to decipher their proficiency on the subject.
Why it matters: If your bet didn’t settle right on the Grand National, you don’t want a bot named Steve telling you to reboot your phone.
Racing Interface & Site Performance
We evaluate the user interface of a bookmaker with special attention paid to the horse racing section of the site. What this means is we check how easy it is to navigate through race cards and place racing bets. We also look into the ability to find horse races on the interface via the search function and what filters can be used to distinguish between them, like country, race type and time.
Another integral part of the racing interface we always look into is the live betting section. First we check to see if a bookmaker offers live betting on horse races and if so, then we rate the interface based on their ability to provide in-race odds updates. We also take into account how well the live racing section coincides with any live streams, allowing users to bet and watch at the same time.
An overall appraisal of the interface will also be conducted when reviewing, analyzing the layout of the horse racing section and how well the site performs during high-traffic events.
Why it matters: A clunky interface ruins the thrill. You’re betting on horses, not doing a CAPTCHA challenge.
Constant Updates
With bookmakers constantly changing their horse racing sections, we make it our priority to revisit them and update our content, ensuring our readers have the latest info. Promotions in particular change a great deal, with new horse racing offers popping up on a weekly basis. We make sure to comb through every bookmaker’s ‘Promotions’ section to keep readers from missing out.
Streaming rights for horse races are also constantly in flux, changing based on if a bookmaker can obtain media rights. We regularly check bookmaker’s for any new media rights obtained or changes in schedules for live streaming of races.
If a bookmaker adds a new exotic bet type or a special horse racing feature, once again we make it our duty to keep readers informed.
Another key aspect of revisiting bookmakers is to confirm that they stick to the quality that we originally described in our reviews. If there are any changes to the horse race betting experience, we will be sure to keep you in the loop.
Why it matters: Horse racing moves fast — and so should your info.
About Us
ToffeeWeb is made up of a UK-based team of ex-industry insiders, analysts, punters who are avid racing enthusiasts. With first-hand experience of virtually every top bookmaker in the UK, we have the knowledge and understanding to offer expert advice on where and how to bet on horse racing. If you’d like to learn more about our team and vision, check out our About Us page.
Final Thoughts
When we rate horse racing sites, we like to be straight-forward. If an operator nails the odds, offers live streams, gives you extra places and pays out without drama, they’ll score well. If not — we’ll tell you.
Make sure the next racing bet you place gives you the best payouts and chance of winning
by checking out our individual sportsbook reviews. If you don’t know what bookmaker is the best fit for you, don’t worry, we’ll help you find it.
