With so many bettors interested in Georgia horse racing betting, it is surprising that you will find limited options within the state. There are not land-based tracks for horseplayers to watch Thoroughbred horse races and bet the ponies. Interestingly enough, decades ago horse racing was a huge part of G.A.’s culture in terms of training and breeding. Over time, the state government opted to repeal their previous horse betting laws and effectively stop regulating the lucrative horse racing industry. When we look at the current state of horse betting in Georgia, it is clear that lawmakers have had a change of heart and want to once again offer its horse enthusiasts the betting action that they were once accustomed to.
While it may not be possible to spend a day at the races, you can still get in on horse racing betting action in GA. Thousands of bettors use horse racing betting sites to bet on the Triple Crown, Breeders’ Cup, and other major races. To learn more about the legal aspects of GA horse betting and why residents are using online racebooks, continue reading. By the end of the guide, you will know how to bet on horses and the best online horse racing betting sites to use!
Georgia is one of the unique states that has legal horse racing but does not offer horse racing betting. Residents can always use legal offshore online racebooks, but there are no legal brick-and-mortar facilities. Lawmakers have not yet legalized pari-mutuel wagering though there are steps being taken in that direction. The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition (GRHC) was formed to help further the horse racing industry in the state of Georgia. The group has proposed bills that would allow GA voters to decide if the pari-mutuel wagering system should be permitted. While waiting for legislation to be passed, there are numerous legitimate online horse betting sites for residents to choose from.
Read More: Is It Legal To Gamble Online In Georgia?
There may be numerous racetracks around the United States, but there are common horse wagers accepted at every track. The different types of horse bets include straight wagers and exotics. Straight bets are the easiest to understand and only involve betting on where your horse will finish. Being that these bets are less difficult than exotics, the payoffs will be comparatively lower. Below are the common straight horse bets:
Win – Predicting the horse that will finish first.
Place – Betting on a horse to finish in the top two spots.
Show – A bet on a horse to place either first, second, or third.
Across the Board – Combining the win, place, and show bets for your horse to win the wagers. If your horse wins, you receive the payoffs from all three bets. If your horse places, you get the place and show earnings. A third place finish would result in only receiving the show winnings.
Exotic wagers are bets on more than one horse and/or multiple races. They are increasingly more difficult than straight bets but also pay much more. In most cases, you will have to bet on the exact order of how horses will finish, which requires an extra level of skill. Here are the exotic wagers that are most often used:
Exacta – Betting on the first and second place winners of a race, in exact order.
Trifecta – You must wager on the exact horses that will finish in first, second, and third place in the race.
Superfecta – This bets predicts the first, second, third, and fourth place winners of a race in specific order.
Box – This is when you take any of the above wagers but remove the exact order element. This means you are choosing which horses will finish but not their exact order. You can pick as many horses as you want, and boxing the bet will allow all possible combinations to be considered. For example, if you were to box a trifecta with horses A, B, and C, the ticket would cover A - B, B - A, A - C, C - A, and so forth.
Pick 3 – A pick 3 is selecting the winners of three consecutive wagers.
The three races of the Triple Crown may take place outside of Georgia, but that does not mean horse enthusiasts cannot wager on the events. The race begins on the third Saturday of May in Louisville, KY at the famed Churchill Downs racetrack. You will find plenty of Kentucky Derby betting odds as the Thoroughbreds prepare for the 1 and ¼ mile race. At this stage in the race to win the Triple Crown, your wagering options are wide open. The horses are just beginning their journey and the betting odds will reflect this. As the races progress and strong favorites are picked, you will notice that the horse betting odds will shift dramatically.
How well a horse performed during Derby Day will be seen in their Preakness Stakes betting odds. The 1 and 3/16th-mile race takes place in Baltimore, MD at Pimlico Race Course and is the second jewel in the Triple Crown. There may already be a big favorite, and there is most likely a huge longshot as well. Avoid betting on either and instead, opt for your favorite horse to place. The win pool will be oversaturated (which equals a lesser payoff) because most bettors will go with the win bet on a favorite, and historically the Preakness has not been a longshot-friendly race.
The Belmont Stakes is the final jewel in the crown and takes place three weeks after the Preakness. Taking place in Elmont, NY at Belmont Park, the 1 and ½ mile long race is the longest of the three races. If a horse has won the prior two races, their odds to win the Triple Crown may seem appealing at first glance. It is important to keep in mind that there was a 37-year gap between Affirmed and American Pharoah, so you will want to consider if the horse seems rested and able bodied enough to win three in a row. If there were two different winners of the races, consider factors such as who was able to rest between the Derby and the Belmont Stakes. The recuperation can help with going the extra distance in the race.
With the legalization of horse racing betting still in limbo, there are no horse betting locations in the state of Georgia. There are no live horse racetracks in the state as of yet, though the recently established Georgia Horse Racing Coalition released their blueprint for a modern horse racing community to be developed in the state. There are also hopes a licensed racino race track being opened in the future. While there is even an absence of Georgia OTB facilities to bet on simulcast races, residents can still place wagers on the internet. Online horse racing betting is how thousands of Georgians bet the ponies every day. From the comfort of your own home, you can wager on all the major stakes races happening around the country. There are also mobile horse betting options so that you can bet on horses while on the go. All you need is an online racebook account, an iOS, Android, or Windows device, and a Wi-Fi signal. There are many convenient ways for GA natives to bet on horses online.
There may not be live racetracks in GA, but there is plenty of online horse betting action for residents of the Peach State. The best horse racing betting sites for Georgia residents feature races at major racetracks like Churchill Downs, Del Mar Race Track, Santa Anita Park, and Saratoga Race Course. The sites should also allow bettors to place various straight and exotic wagers on the day’s races. Before you can make a wager, the online racebook must offer convenient and reliable deposit options like Bitcoin, Visa, and MasterCard. Getting money out of your online racebook account is even more important than putting it in. There should be several withdrawal methods that are expedient and have reasonable payout limits. The top online racebooks will also offer their horse players bonuses and rebates to earn extra cash. When it comes to the best online horse racing betting, 5Dimes and Bovada are the two sites we recommend for Georgia gambling that is legal.
5Dimes is the only horse betting site that delivers the best horse racing betting action with two exciting racebooks. With the Rebate Racebook, bettors can earn up to 9% cash back on all horse bets, win or lose. You can make as many wagers as you want, and there are no limits on the amount of cash that you can receive. As long as you are signed up for the Reduced Juice program with the racebook, you are eligible for rebates between 2% - 5% for WPS bets, and 4% - 9% for exotics. All rebates are credited to your account at 8:00 AM EST daily. You can make winning bets go even further when using the Plus 10% Racebook at 5Dimes. Bet at any of the major racetracks and receive an additional 10% on winning “win” or exotic tickets. When betting at tracks not featured on the major tracks list, you can still receive 10% back on winning “win” bets. The racebook provides a master track list that provides both major and minor track options.
You can choose either racebook at 5Dimes and be equally as impressed with the available wagering options. The racebook takes action on the basic win, place, and show bets that every horse bettor is familiar with. You can also place exotic bets like exactas, trifectas, superfectas, pick 3’s, and pick 6’s. 5Dimes has an entire guide on horse racing wagers that gives detailed descriptions of each wager type accepted at the racebook. There will be horse betting odds available on all the major races throughout the year, like the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. As Triple Crown betting odds start to post, you can wager on all three races. When you join 5dimes.eu as a Georgia resident, you are guaranteed to have the best horse racing betting experience!
Bovada.lv is a prominent online racebook that should be at the top of every G.A. horse bettor’s list. With decades of industry experience, the operators of the site know exactly what horse racing bettors are looking for. The site is known for its Triple Crown betting and providing horse betting odds on all major races. The racebook itself is easy to navigate from both the desktop site and the mobile platform. You can easily add wagers to your bet slip, view races at your chosen tracks, and get the latest updates on your favorite horses. The mobile racebook does not require a separate app download, just visit Bovada.lv from your iPhone, Android, or Windows device and your mobile racebook is in the palm of your hands. With mobile horse racing betting, you can make deposits, place wagers, request withdraws, and do so much more.
Bovada has the best deposit bonuses for horse bettors looking to join the racebook. Bitcoin is the revolutionary virtual currency that has taken the online horse racing community by storm. Deposits are credited to your account instantly, and the cashier never charges deposit fees. Bovada now offers a special $500 Welcome Bonus for BTC deposits. Make a minimum $20 BTC deposit, and the racebook will match your payment by 50% for up to $500 in bonus cash. It could not be any easier to get more money to bet the ponies. All you have to do is enter bonus code BVSBITCOIN50 during the deposit process and the bonus Bitcoins will appear in your account immediately. You can use the extra cash on any horse bet in the racebook, with no restrictions on wager type or bet amount. It only takes a moment to create an account at Bovada.lv, and you can be on your way to cashing out on winning tickets!
| Racebook | Bonus | Georgia Welcome? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5Dimes Racebook | 50% To $200 Then 20% To $500 | Yes | Visit |
| Bovada Racebook | 50% Up To $250 First Deposit | Yes | Visit |
| SportsBetting | 50% Match On First Deposit | Yes | Visit |
| BetOnline Racebook | $1,000 On All Deposits - 25% | Yes | Visit |