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Peter Fryres

The purpose of this page is bettors such as yourself, of whatever experience level, to come and learn everything you need to know about betting on horse racing in Ireland. This will include terms and conditions, rules and regulations, the biggest races of the year and, of course, the best bookies to bet with as well as tips and strategies for success. So, if there is anything you didn’t know about horse racing, then you have certainly come to the right place.

Top Horse Racing Betting Sites in Ireland 2023

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#1 IRISH BOOKMAKER FOR HORSE RACING

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Bet €10 on any sport of your choice at min odds evens (2.00) or greater and get €50 in Free Bets (to use on any Sports of your choice), plus €10 QuinnCasino bonus, plus 10 Free online casino spins. The €50 Free Bets, €10 Casino Bonus and 10 Free Spins will be credited the day after your qualifying bet settles. T&Cs apply | 18+ New IRE Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org | Gamble Responsibly

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The bonus amount is 100% of the deposited sum (but not more than €100 or or equivalent in your local currency). To withdraw the awarded amount, a player may need to make a ‘turnover’ required (30 times).

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The minimum qualifying deposit amount for this promotion is €20. To receive - deposit rollover 1x min odds 1.5 - all bets must be settled Bonus 100% Max Bonus €100. Wager deposit + bonus X5 Single bet 2.0. Multibet 1.5. Max bet (with bonus): €50. Excluded: any type of handicap, Over/Under, Both Teams to Score, Odd/Even, Total Goals, Cashed-Out bets which settled as Void.

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New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Football market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is €20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.

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Make a deposit of at least €15 Use code PLAY50 Get a 50% matched bonus up to €50. To receive the max. €50 bonus you must deposit at least €100 to your account. This offer is available until stated otherwise. If we decide to withdraw this promotion, this will not impact any Qualifying Bets you have placed during the promotional period before such withdrawal.

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Key Terms: Valid for new Irish customers who have registered from 16/07/2020. Deposit using code SNCRAIC. Valid once per customer. 6x turnover at 1.7 minimum odds before withdrawal. Max contribution to turnover requirements per bet is €100. Multiple bets on the same market do not qualify.

A Closer Look At The Top 5 Horse Racing Sites

At this point, you might well be wondering, why are these the top ranked sites for betting on horse racing in Ireland. Well, let’s take a closer in depth look at the top five online bookmakers listed above.

1. BoyleSports – Number One Horse Racing Betting Site

For an established platform, BoyleSports is pretty sharp in design. And like all top bookies, the betting site comes complete with a highly functional and easy-to-use mobile platform. A strong WiFi connection is all you need to place bets, watch sports events, and place in-play bets from anywhere. With a diverse number of betting markets combined with an impressive casino, this new online bookmaker is one to watch.

boyleSports

What we like:

  • Plenty of tempting cashback offers and free bet promotions
  • Daily Free Bet offers
  • ACCA Bonuses
  • Superb betbuilder

What we don’t:

  • A limited number streaming offers for racebook

2. QuinnBet – Extensive Coverage of Irish Horse Racing

Irish firm QuinnBet offer some of the best value online when it comes to betting on the horses. Not only do they have an extensive sportsbook with full coverage of Irish and UK horse racing, but they also offer money back on certain, predetermined losing horse racing bets. And that is all alongside one the best welcome offers on the market where you are able to claim €50 in free bets as well as 10 free spins in their online casino.

What we like:

  • Fully regulated and licenced
  • Daily Free Bet offers
  • ACCA Bonuses
  • Nice selection of eSports markets

What we don’t:

  • No Loyalty Program
  • Unlimited amount of deposit options

3. Rabona – All major daily meetings covered

Since launching in 2019, Rabona have been a breath of fresh air for Irish punters. This fully licenced platform offers bettors great bonuses and good customer service. With this betting site you can bet in-play and cash out, which are always welcome options, while it also offers a healthy amount of ways to get involved with and enjoy Irish horse racing.

What we like:

  • Superb in-play markets
  • Extensive football markets
  • Withdrawals processed quickly

What we don’t:

  • Low withdrawal limits
  • No mobile app

4. Betinia – Ongoing promotions a constant factor

This highly animated sportsbook is new for 2024 offers over 5,000 live events every month as well as cash back boosts, acca boosts and a weekly reload of up to 50%. In addition to these, the site lets players cash out if they feel the need. This is a visually stunning site that is worth visiting for the design alone and, although there is no dedicated app available yet, it still works extremely well through smart phones while managing to perform equally well on desktop too.

Horse Racing betting sites

What we like:

  • 24/7 Live Support
  • VIP scheme
  • Competitive odds across the board
  • Looks amazing

What we don’t:

  • No Edit Bet/Bet Builder
  • No Request a Bet
  • No mobile app

5. Paddy Power – Ireland’s Biggest Horse Racing Bookmaker

As an Irish bettor, it’s inevitable that you’ve thought about Paddy Power at one point or another. And with good reason too, the Irish based giants are one of the biggest bookmakers in Europe. Being based in Ireland, it’s no surprise that they constantly have a huge focus on horse racing. Whether its promotions for the Grand National, or Cheltenham Festival, or simply price boosts on daily meets, Paddy Power has everything for a horse racing bettor.

 

What we like:

  • One of Ireland’s Most Well Known Brands
  • Offers For Every Major Horse Racing Event
  • Live Streaming Of Horse Racing
  • Unique Risk Free Sign Up Offer

What we don’t:

  • Not the greatest for cash out

Horse Racing Betting Online

horse racing Betting OffersFor a country with an official population of less than five million, Ireland sure punches well above its weight when it comes to betting revenue. Chief among the sports we love to bet on is horse racing which, when you think about it, isn’t that surprising. Ireland is a country with a horse racing heritage, from trainers to jockeys, that is literally second to none. I mean, we are horse mad, so it is hardly surprising that around 70% of all wagers placed in the Emerald Isle are on the gee gees.

How We Rank The Best Irish Horse Racing Betting Sites

In order to rank the top betting sites for horse racing for Irish punters we take into account a number of critical number of factors that we, as bettors and horse racing lovers ourselves, know will be important to you. Firstly, we recognise the importance of safety when betting online. We are called Safe Betting Sites after all. This is why any betting site we recommend will be employing the most up to date safety measures, including encryption measures and fully regulated licences. However, safety is far from the only factor we take into consideration. We also take into account the following factors when promoting any online bookmaker.

  • Race Coverage

    There is little point in a betting site that ignores half of a day’s races. We want to bet with a site that has the full day of Irish races on its sportsbook, and we know that you do too. That’s why we are happy to recommend sites like QuinnBet who will have prices listed for all of the meetings, both in Ireland as well as the UK, on any given day. Plus, a site such as this will also offer odds on the major international races too.

  • Bet types

    As well as offering odds on as many horse races as possible, we also like to see a betting site that offers its customers as many alternative ways to bet as possible too. Further down on this page we have listed a number of the different ways punters can bet on the horses and the sites that we are happy to promote, like Paddy Power, will give you all the tolls you need to place these wagers for yourself.

  • Starting prices

    A starting price is a reference to the odds on a horse at the time of the race’s start. Very often, you may already have accepted a price when you placed the bet, but sometimes that isn’t the case and your bet will be settled according to the starting price, known as SP in the industry. In any case, sportsbooks like bet365 offer what they have branded as a Price Promise which is basically a best odds guaranteed promotion which, again, you can read about below if you are unsure about anything.

  • Special features

    Many online bookmakers have added special features to their platforms over the years to increase their customer’s fun and user experience when betting. This could be cash out options, which allow bettors to salvage a tanking bet, or a winning one, ahead of time, or live streaming, where you watch the race live. Another such feature is the bet builder where you can construct for perfect wager for the afternoon. You will find these features and more at QuinnBet.

  • Horse racing promos

    Plenty of online bookmakers offer horse racing promotions like daily price boosts and acca boosts. At Paddy Power there is a version of an acca insurance promotion called Paddy’s Acca Cracker, which gives a full or part refund on losing accas where one selection has let you down. Some betting sites even offer you refunds as free bets if your horse loses the first race of the day or is beaten into second place either by a short distance or by the favourite. Either way, there are a ton of relevant horse racing promotions out there for punters to enjoy.

Key Features Of The Best Online Horse Racing Betting Sites

Sportsbook Live Betting Live Streaming Enhanced Odds Cash Out Bet Builder Each Way Specials
BoyleSports
QuinnBet
Rabona
Betinia
Paddy Power
Betiton
10Bet
LeoVegas
SportNation

Best Horse Racing System Bets

System bets are wagers that contain multiple selections but unlike accumulators only a require a few winning returns to ensure a payout. In some cases, this could even be as few as one. Obviously, accumulators, or accas for short, are a long bet on multiple selections that hinge on all of them winning or, in the case of an each way acca, at least finishing among the designated places in a race.

In contrast, system bets can be broken down into as many different bets as the amount of picks in the wager allow. So, a four horse acca is reliant on each of the four doing well enough to make a collective payout. But the same four horses in, say, a Yankee bet, need a minimum of two to generate a payout because a Yankee is actually 11 bets that are made up as the following, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 fourfold. For full cover bets, singles can be added to this bet stretching the wager to 15 and is known as a Lucky 15. Because of the inclusion of singles, this bet needs only one winning selection to make a paying return which makes it ideal for betting on horse racing.

System Bets Table

Amount Of Selections Description Description “System bet + Singles (Full Cover Bets)”
2 2 picks, 1 bet 3 bets 5 bets
3 3 picks, 1 bet Trixie (4 bets) Patent (7 bets)
4 4 picks, 1 bet Yankee (11 bets) Lucky 15 (15 bets)
5 5 picks, 1 bet Canadian (26 bets) Lucky 31 (31 bets)
6 6 picks, 1 bet Heinz (57 bets) Lucky 63 (63 bets)
7 7 picks, 1 bet Super Heinz (120 bets) 127 bets
8 8 picks, 1 bet Goliath (247 bets) 255 bets

Horse Racing Betting Strategies

As already noted above, horse racing is Ireland’s most popular sport for betting on. As such, it offers one of the biggest sports betting markets in the country. If you are looking to grab your slice of the action, there are a number of betting strategies that can help improve your chances of success against the bookies.

While betting strategies or systems can and often do work, do not make the mistakes of assuming they are a sure fire way to guarantee success. These are simply techniques or methods for sniffing out the value in a particular betting market and picking out the most likely winner.

Understanding Horse Racing Betting Odds

Before you go out and take on the bookies, it is crucial that you understand the betting odds you will be working with. In Ireland, as in the United Kingdom, the majority of bettors will use fractional odds rather than the decimal. Across the world, these are the two most common odds variants. Both are very easy to understand, and the majority of online bookmakers allow punters to customise which odds they prefer through the site’s settings.

Generally speaking, unless stated otherwise, you will be betting using fixed odds. This means your bets will be settled according to the odds that you agreed to when you placed the bet. Of course, there are occasions when you may be offered the choice between accepting your fixed odds or waiting for SP which stands for starting price. Sometimes, when you back a horse at SP, you will see the odds float out and be better than they were when you placed a bet. However, as is often the occasion, they can also cut right in and be much smaller than they were had you accepted them earlier.

Very often, you will come across Best Odds Guaranteed offers for Irish horse racing which means that your bookmaker will pay you out at the higher price whether or not you took the odds at the time, or waited for the SP. This commonly found promotion ensures that you get the best price whether it floats out or inwards and takes away any difficulty in deciding between current price and SP.

So then, what about betting systems?

The Dutching System

First up is Dutching, which is a method otherwise known as arbitrage. Here, you back any number of selections in a series of separate singles but in a way where, no matter the outcome, you will turn a profit. It is a theory based heavily around maths and one where you need to know the odds beforehand as it does involve some pre-calculations. In order to get the best odds value, you will want to look for a race with a healthy amount of runners, usually a field of around 10 or more.

From here, you will need to select the best few top ranked horses with decent enough odds and work out the stakes for each that will generate a return should any one of the horses win. The idea is back enough runners at a decent enough price that should any of them win, then the returns will outweigh the layout and you walk off with a healthy return on investment.

Backing A Losing Favourite

The idea behind this method of betting is to get behind a horse that was favourite in their previous race but was beaten, maybe even well beaten. When this happens to a runner, they are very often unfancied in their next outing and their price will be bigger because people have been stung and opinion of their ability has waned. The thing is though, that these horses generally haven’t lost any ability whatsoever and you are simply hoovering up better quality odds on an excellent quality horse. At the end of the day, while there have been horses with unbeaten careers, even the best horses can lose. When a horse is under-priced, then, over time, you will usually be able to post a profit by seizing such opportunities.

Horse Racing Exchange Betting

Peer to peer betting exchanges allow bettors to bet against each other while at the same time enabling others to bet on a horse to lose. Betting exchange platforms such as Betfair make their money by hosting the platform for punters to do this and taking a small commission each time somebody wins. The odds offered are determined by the amount of money backed and laid on a horse and can change quickly. Exchanges also allow bettors to create their own betting markets.

In a betting exchange you can place a back bet. This means that you are backing a horse to be successful in a race. The bet is set against another bettor’s lay bet, which will be placed on the outcome that the same horse does not win the race. If, as is common, a particular back bet market becomes popular, then betting exchanges have been known to match your back bet against other alternative parties.

Matched betting, also known as hedging your bets, is where numerous wagers are placed in order to cover all of the possible outcomes in an event, in this case a horse race, to prevent against loss or serious loss. As well as using betting exchanges to hedge liabilities, bookmakers can and will also use these exchanges to attempt to manipulate the market.

best horse racing betting sites

Horse Racing Lay Betting

Lay betting can allow punters to act as a kind of bookmaker, offering out odds for others to accept if they so wish. Once again, this is for an outcome not to happen which in horse racing means for a nominated horse to lose. To lay a horse means to bet against it. Let’s say that you have found a race with a minimum of ten runners taking part. Once you have your race, look for the three favourites as well as the horses with prices ranged from 2/1 through 5/1. Next, lay against the horse with the lowest odds. Generally speaking, horses with odds in this range only win around 17% of their races which means you should find yourself winning around 80% of the time.

best horse racing betting sites

Top New Horse Racing Betting Sites In Ireland

While there are many tried and trusted bookmakers in Ireland that have been established for years now, there are also many new ones popping up all of the time. In what is now a thoroughly saturated market place, don’t be put off by some of the new bookies showing up and launching. There are actually many advantages to some of the new comers to the industry. Everyone is jostling for your attention which means great new bonuses and fantastic welcome offers, superb promotions and better odds.

New Horse Racing Betting Sites In Ireland

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The minimum qualifying deposit amount for this promotion is €20. To receive - deposit rollover 1x min odds 1.5 - all bets must be settled Bonus 100% Max Bonus €100. Wager deposit + bonus X5 Single bet 2.0. Multibet 1.5. Max bet (with bonus): €50. Excluded: any type of handicap, Over/Under, Both Teams to Score, Odd/Even, Total Goals, Cashed-Out bets which settled as Void.

The Most Experienced Horse Racing Bookmakers

Of course, new comers to betting on horses might prefer to stick to one of the more established bookmakers that have been around for years, which would explain the popularity of the Ladbrokes horse racing betting site. That is normal. It is common to want to use sites that are trusted and have been in operation for a long time. That’s what makes Paddy Power horse racing betting so appealing. So, even if you haven’t placed a bet, we are sure that you will be more than aware of the following three betting sites for Irish punters.

The Most Experienced Horse Racing Bookmakers

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New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Football market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is €20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.

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The Best Horse Racing Betting Markets To Bet On

There are so many ways to bet on horse racing that it can be daunting for new comers to the game. But, actually, it doesn’t have to be hard. Here are a selection of some of the bets you can place on the horses with your chosen online bookmaker.

Horse Racing Markets and Betting

Winner

The original way to bet and by far the most simple and uncomplicated is a winners bet. This is merely a case of looking at race card and deciding upon the horse that you think stands the best chance of winning that race. When you have made your pick, simply click on it and it will be added to your betting slip after which you need to choose how much you want to stake on it. Then, you hit the bet now or place bets button and you will see a confirmation that your bet has been put on. The only condition of this wager is that your selection must win in order for your bet to win. Coral make this whole process easy to achieve.

Each Way

While a winners bet needs to do just that – win, an each way bet is split into two. The first half of an each way bet is actually a winners bet but the second half of the wager will payout if your horse doesn’t win but does manage to finish among the places, the amount of which depends on the race. This way, you have a better chance of getting some money back. The duel stakes in this bet are equal and, for some races, bookies such as Betfred will pay out on an extended number of places as a betting promotion.

Forecasts and Reverse Forecasts

This bet involves correctly predicting which two horses will be the first and second home in a race. With a forecast, which costs a single stake, you must have the winner and runner up in the correct finishing order. However, for twice the stake, a reverse forecast allows you the leeway to have the same two horses come first or second but in either order. Most online bookmakers such as MansionBet offer you the chance to place these bets on the horses.

Placepots

Placepots are a way of betting on the entire day’s racing at a nominated meeting. What you are doing with this single line bet is pick a horse or horses in each of the day’s races that will finish among their race’s places. You will need around six winning selections for this bet which you can place at BoyleSports, after which you will paid out a declared amount according to a €1 stake. Should one selection let you down, the whole bet will be deemed a loser.

Multiples

Multiples betting is a way of squeezing in as many or as few picks into one bet which must be a minimum of two. Two selections, where each winning selection rolls on to the next, is known as a double, while a third pick will make up a treble. You can really rack up big wins in these bets, known as accumulators, but you also have the option of placing system bets such as a Lucky 15 too. Some sites, such as Ladbrokes even promote daily acca boosts.

Ante Post

Ante post betting is simply a matter of betting on the outcome of a race well ahead of time before final declarations have been made. Generally speaking, sites will have the books open on the major Irish and UK horse races all year round and if you place a winners or each way bet on this you will be betting ante post. Ante post odds are often very good but be warned that they can and most likely will alter before the day of the race. Be warned though, that there is a chance that your selection won’t line up on race day and your stake will most likely be lost.

Horse Racing Betting Offers

The best bookies in the land will all run a number of promotions and offers on an ongoing basis. While some of these are not applicable to horse racing, many are. We have taken a look at some the best betting offers available to Irish horse racing punters and, below, we have listed the five best horse racing offers available in Ireland right now.

Daily Extra Place Races – Paddy Power

paddypowerPaddy Power are one of the most popular bookmakers in Ireland and it is little wonder why when they have such a vast array of promotions on offer at any one time. One of the betting offers which the Dublin founded firm offer is Daily Extra Place Races where they take one or more of the day’s featured races and offer extra places on it to increase your chances of winning.

Acca Bonus – QuinnBet

quinnbetIrish bookies QuinnBet have a range of good horse racing promotions on offer at all times. Chief among these is the Acca Bonus promotion. Depending on the size of your accumulator, you will win a percentage bonus on top of your winning acca payout. For doubles, this is 2% and for trebles this is 5%. Four folds net an additional 10%, while the firm promise to pay 20% for five or more selections. There is a €50 bet maximum.

Best Odds Guaranteed – Ladbrokes

ladbrokesWith Best Odds Guaranteed, Ladbrokes promise to pay you out at the bigger odds if you took a price when placing the bet, but your selection’s SP was actually higher. Let’s say you backed a horse at 5/1 but then that same horse’s SP was 7/1, you get paid by Ladbrokes at 7/1. This takes all the worries about whether or not to accept a price or wait for the SP.

Money Back If 2nd As SP Fav – BoyleSports

boylesportsThe way this promo works is that when you back any horse running in a race on selected meetings and your horse finishes second to the starting price favourite, then you will get your money back as a free bet. It’s a fantastic way of adding in a little insurance on your bet that’s not guaranteed to give you money back but certainly increases your chances.

Horse Racing Betting Terms Explained

Betting Term Description
Accumulator A bet with multiple selections where each winning selection goes on to the next. Every selection needs to win to get a return.
Ante-post A bet on a race before a race’s declarations have been made. Usually well in advance of post time.
Back A bet on a horse to win.
Banker A reckoned sure thing.
Bar The lowest odds of the horses not announced in the betting forecast.
Best Odds Guaranteed Bookies’ offer for ensuring punters get the best price, be it SP or accepted price.
Betting exchange A betting website where punters bet against their peers as opposed to the bookies.
Cash out The option to accept a payout offer from the bookmaker before the bet has finished.
Co-favourite For horses who share the favourite tag in a market.
Dividend The amount returned for every £1 bet on a winning horse.
Drifter When market prices drift out and get bigger before a race gets underway.
Dutch Also known as arbing, meaning to back two or more horses in a race in order to maximise chances of a win.
Each way Two bets in one where half of the stake is put towards a win and the other is specifically for the horse to place in a race.
Edge The punter’s advantage.
Evens Short price that if it were a fraction would be 1/1.
Favourite The shortest priced horse in the race and expected to win.
Fold The number of picks made in an accumulator.
Forecast A bet on the winner and runner-up in a race. Must be in the correct order.
Hedging Betting on the opposing outcome to the punter in order to cover potential losses.
In the frame Term for a horse who finished in the places.
In-running In play bet made while the race is in motion.
Joint favourite Same as co-favourites.
Lay A bet made on a horse to lose.
Longshot Unfancied runner, unlikely to win or a hopeful punt.
Market Mover A selection whose odds shift dramatically. Can go in either direction.
Multiple A bet made up of multiple horses.
Nap A tipster’s best bet of the day.
Odds Same as the price and the money back offered in relation to a stake on a horse to win.
Odds-against A price that is higher than evens.
Odds-on A price that is lower than evens.
On the nose A narrow winning margin or a photo-finish winner.
Overround Bookies’ profit margin.
Permutations A permutation bet involves numerous picks.
Place Backing a horse to finish among the places.
Price The odds on a horse.
Return The payout of a winning bet.
Reverse forecast A forecast bet on the winner and runner-up in a race in either order.
SP The starting price on a horse when the race sets off.
Stake The amount of money you bet on a horse.
Steamer A horse who has rapidly shortened and drastically in the market.
Void bet A bet which is declared invalid, and the stake returned.

Where To Get The Best Horse Racing Betting Odds

Obviously, you will want to find a betting site that posts the best prices in their sportsbook as that will ultimately result on greater profit for you. We searched the web and found that the following three betting sites generally had the best odds around. It is also handy that these three bookmakers all run regular promotions such as acca boosts and boosted odds to make the value their even better.

Top Horse Racing Betting Sites With Live streaming

While there is a lot of great racing on the TV, sometimes, for whatever reason, it is not possible to see all of the races going off in an afternoon. That’s why live streaming has really taken off and is an extremely common feature among online bookmakers. Another thing to remember is that these streaming services are available to watch on both desktop and mobile, so it doesn’t really matter where you are betting and watching from, you can always watch horse racing online anytime. Below we have listed the best betting sites for live streaming in Ireland and the requirements needed in order to access them.

Bookie Live streaming requirements
William Hill Bettors must place a qualifying bet of at least €0.50
PaddyPower Account balance of €2+ or make a qualifying bet within 24 hours
BetVictor Need to make a qualifying bet of at least €1
Ladbrokes Punters either need a positive account balance or to have placed a bet in previous 24 hours
Unibet Must place a bet for access to Unibet TV
Betfred Need to make a qualifying bet of at least €1

Most Popular Meetings And Races In Ireland To Bet on

Horse Racing Event Venue Time of year Duration Big Race
Dublin Racing Festival Leopardstown Early February 2 Days 8 Grade 1 races over the 2 days
Irish Grand National Festival Fairyhouse Easter Weekend 3 Days Irish Grand National
Punchestown Festival Punchestown End of April 5 Days Punchestown Gold Cup
McHale Raceday Ballinrobe Middle of May 2 Days McHale Mayo National
Derby Festival The Curragh Late June 3 Days Irish Derby
Bellewstown July Festival Bellewstown Early July 3 Days Crockafotha Handicap Hurdle
Killarney July Festival Killarney Middle of July 5 Days Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Cairn Rouge Stakes
Juddmonte Irish Oakes The Curragh Middle of July 1 day Irish Oaks
Galway Races Galway End of July 7 Days Galway Plate
Bellewstown August Festival Bellewstown End of August 2 Days Mullacurry Cup Handicap Hurdle
Irish Champions Weekend Leopardstown & The Curragh Middle of September 2 Days Irish Champion Stakes
Listowel Harvest Festival Listowel Middle of September 7 Days Kerry National
Christmas Festival Leopardstown & Limerick End of December 4 Days Savills Chase

5 Ultimate Horse Racing Betting Tips

Betting on the horses remains a massively popular pastime in Ireland. If you want to get involved, or already are and are looking for a few extra tips to help you improve your winning margins, then we have a few suggestions that can help with that. Here are five betting tips for horse racing to help you with creating your perfect betting strategy for winning.

Tip 1: Follow The Form

Probably the most important aspect of preparation before you bet. You can study the form online with your chosen bookmaker, such as William Hill, who will provide you with everything you need to make an informed wager. Remember to take into account that some horses like certain types of surfaces, or prefer left handed or right handed tracks, while others prefer straight courses. Some horses are happier running in certain conditions, with certain riders and others start well and others come on. At some tracks, draw bias can have an effect on the outcome of a race and at others that is less of a factor. As you can see, there are many factors and a great deal of variables that punters need to consider in order to maximise their chances of success.

Tip 2: Mix Up Your Bets

Because there are so many bet types available for punters to play, it makes little sense to limit yourself to race winner betting. Not only are you unlikely to ever take down a big score, but you will be missing out on a whole world of fun. True, you can find repeated success and, as we discussed earlier, horses priced between 2/1 and 5/1 win only 17% of their races, so we can inform our bets but in a world of placepots, forecasts, exactas and multiples betting, there are healthy profits to be made for relatively small investments. That said, maybe don’t aim to place a Lucky 15 everyday if there aren’t four horses you are sure off that afternoon. If, that day, there are only three that you like the look of, then work those three into a system bet and you can up your stake. Basically, see what’s right on the day.

Tip 3: Be Selective

If you’re betting for fun and with small stakes then there is little harm in having a punt on each of the races in a day. But remember, you can’t win them all and if you are betting with higher stakes, then it is prudent to be selective with the races you bet on. We know that bookies such as Ladbrokes will open books for races all over the world and certainly for all of that day’s Irish action, but you are not going to successfully predict each one of them. It’s just not going to happen. One way around that is to try Placepot betting as outlined above.

Tip 4: Do Your Homework And Have A Plan

So, you want to establish and maintain a healthy account balance and to do this when betting at a site such as Coral, you will need to have a battle plan and be prepared to execute it. This means doing your homework and making fully informed bets which leave little room for failure. In short, give yourself the best possible chance of success. In order to do this, you should develop a strategy that isn’t too rigid. You have heard of the phrase horses for courses. Well, this is where it applies the most. What might work one day or with one horse, might not work for the next so be prepared to tweak and adapt things.

Understand how your horse runs on a certain type of going. Remember, by going we mean ground which can be soft, hard, firm, good or a mixture of all of them. Do some analysis and research, keep records and understand everything about the magic trio that is horse, jockey and trainer. When betting on the horses, or anything else for that matter, have a staking plan and use a bookmaker’s self-limiting tools if necessary and never ever bet more than you can afford to lose.

Tip 5: Take Advantage Of The Best Betting Offers

Any betting sites that you are currently signed up to will probably be running many ongoing promotions already. Usually, these sites have a dedicated Promotions page, just as Betfred does, where you can see what’s currently on offer. For example, for many of the major races, here and over in the United Kingdom, many betting sites will pay extra places giving your each way wager a better chance of success. Some sites will also give your stake back as a free bet if your horses the first race of the day at a certain meeting or merely loses by a neck. Best odds guaranteed is another useful promotion which helps you get the best value out of a horse race.

But there will also be online bookmakers that you may not yet have an account with, and these guys will definitely be offering some great welcome bonuses for you to take advantage of. These are a great way of building a bettor’s bankroll and if do have a look on this site and see a welcome offer that is perfect for horse racing and catches your eye, we recommend that you jump on it straight away. You can take a look at some of the best betting offers for Irish horse racing here on this page.

Irish Horse Racing Betting Summary

Few countries have as deep a connection with horse racing as Ireland. Even over the UK, the Irish dominate many of the big races and practically own Cheltenham, with many of the most successful horses, jockeys and trainers hailing from this side of the Irish Sea. This is hardly surprising when you think that, according to records, horse racing in this country dates back to 60 AD. In fact, racing was taking place at The Curragh during the reign of the early Irish king Conaire Mór and even the old Celtic tale Togail Bruidne Dá Derga tells of horse drawn chariot races being held at the Kildare course.

With such a strong tradition of horse racing it is hardly surprising how the Emerald Isle has become such a powerhouse of international events. This also helps explain the Irish fascination with betting on horse racing and why there are so many fantastic horse racing options Irish punters. Races can be bet on around the clock, every day of the week and from tracks the world over. Of course, any site registered or recommended by Safe Betting Sites will 100% safe and reliable. This will make your job of choosing your best betting sites much easier with the whole process being simplified for your convenience. All the same, before you go ahead and sign up, make sure you have followed our betting tips for horse racing so that you are fully prepared to place horse racing bets that stand the best chance of winning.  

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FAQ

How Do I Bet On Horse Races Online In Ireland?

The horse racing heritage in Ireland is strong, which means that there are lots of great betting sites for Irish horse racing that bettors can choose from. We have made that process easier for you by reviewing the best betting sites in Ireland on this site.

What Kind Of Horse Racing Bets Can I Place?

There are an overwhelming array of betting types for user to get involved with from singles, doubles trebles, accas, full cover system bets, forecasts, tricasts and more.

How Can I Watch Horse Races Live In Ireland?

For most of the Irish and UK horse races that are not shown on TV, which isn’t many, live streaming is available with many of the major bookmakers.

How Can I Work Out What My Winnings Will Be?

Not only will your betting slip display your potential returns, but many horse racing betting sites will provide a horse racing betting calculator which you can also use.

Peter Fryres

After training as a journalist, former high street bookie Pete moved effortlessly into online gaming where he has spent the past decade writing on all things sports betting, poker and online casino related for some of the biggest names in the business