California Horse Racing Betting

California horse racing betting is an activity that has been going on for hundreds of years. As one of the oldest horse racing states, California hosts some of the most spectacular displays of equine athleticism. The Santa Anita Derby and Handicap are two of horse racing’s finest events. The events that take place in this state are always some of the most highly bet on.

Being able to bet on California’s horse racing is why we’re here. This page can act as a guide to horse racing betting in California. From going over the legality of the activity to explaining how residents can bet on races in other states, and even to covering some of the basics that go into pari-mutuel wagering, this page will help you become an expert in all things California horse racing betting.

California horse racing betting is a completely legal form of sports betting in the state. In California, horse racing betting must be conducted at a licensed pari-mutuel racetrack or a licensed off-track betting facility. Racetracks and off-track betting locations will both be able to offer simulcast wagering as well so that you can legally bet on races that are taking place in other states.

You may also legally use an online betting site, as there are no state or federal laws prohibiting the use of one. Online horse racing betting sites are able to offer you odds on races not just in the US, but also in the UK, Australia, and some parts of Europe, giving you legal access to more horse betting opportunities than a land-based facility could.

Betting on the Triple Crown is different than betting on most other races. Once the first leg of the series is done, you really only have two options – betting on the horse to win or betting against the horse. Depending on when you place your wager, you could potentially be sitting on a gold mine by betting on the Triple Crown.

Which is why we recommend you get your bets in as soon as possible. To do that, you’ll need to go to an online horse racing betting site. Most land-based pari-mutuel wagering facilities won’t allow you to place your bets until much closer to the races. At an online book, you can place your wagers whenever you’d like. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find a section reviewing our favorite Triple Crown betting sites.

Pari-mutuel wagering can be done in a multitude of ways. You have your outright win bet, which is just choosing the winning horse. If you’re stuck between two horses and aren’t sure which one will win outright, you should try a place bet. For this, you’ll pick the two horses you think will finish first and second – it doesn’t matter which order, just that they’ll be the first two across the finish line. A show bet is just like a place bet, only it’s the first three horses rather than the first two.

If you’re looking for something with a little more risk, and a better payout, you’ll want to look into exotic wagers. With these wagers, you have to choose the exact order of every horse you bet on. You can start with an exacta, where you just choose the number 1 and 2 horse. Trifectas require you to pick the win, place, and show horses. For those that are really daring, there are superfectas, where you bet on the first four horses to cross the line, in order.

California has ten racetracks dedicated to bringing horse racing to residents. These locations are equipped to take pari-mutuel wagers. There are also several off-track betting locations in the state of California. Below, we’ve listed all of the tracks that are licensed and available for California residents to bet at.

Lost Alamitos Race Course

Golden Gate Fields

Hollywood Park Race Track

Santa Anita Park

Cal-Expo Race Track

Wine Country Horse Racing

Stockton Horse Racing

Connie Hall Racing Stable

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Surfside Race Place At Del Mar

Southern California off-Track Wagering

Pleasant Off-Track Betting

San Jose Fairdowns OTB

OC Tavern

These locations are spread throughout the state, but even still, this really isn’t that many locations when you think of how large the state of California is. Driving for hours just to place a few wagers puts undue stress on an activity that should be fun and exciting. Why go all the way to a different city in insane California traffic when you could easily access all of the racing events happening in the United State directly from your computer or laptop?

Online horse racing betting sites have been available to US bettors for years. In that time, there have been hundreds of new racebooks popping up all over the internet. There have only been a few, however, that have really stood out from the crowd. Below, we review those sites for legal gambling for residents of California. If you see what we did and want to try these sites out, just click the links. You’ll be taken directly to where you need to go with just the click of a mouse.