Best UK horse racing betting sites for Royal Ascot 2023

ROYAL ASCOT is just around the corner as British horse racing’s pinnacle of the Flat racing summer draws ever nearer.

As with top sport in this country, the bookmakers are all over this one as they hope to bag your custom for the five days of scintillating action.

And with plenty of markets to get your teeth stuck into, we’ve done the hard work to select the best bookmakers in the industry to hopefully help you get more for your money.

How we ranked the best horse racing betting sites for Royal Ascot.

We’ve taken our time to select this list to make sure we have everything taken into consideration.

Here are just some of the factors that influenced our selection of horse racing online bookies.

Range of horse racing betting markets

The best betting platforms offer a wide range of markets to cater to different preferences. It’s a little bit different for horse racing as there are several meetings held every day – weather dependent of course.

Because of this, horse racing betting is available for much of the day. Even then, there’s an array of markets whether it’s a low-level race at a smaller course or a huge event like Royal Ascot.

But Royal Ascot brings far more attention and you’ll notice some bookies have a huge selection of markets for each race.

Competitive odds

Competitive odds play a significant role in maximizing your potential winnings from horse racing betting. Look for bookmakers that consistently offer competitive odds compared to their counterparts.

Even slight differences in odds can significantly impact your profits in the long run. That’s even more the case when you’re betting on multiple selections in an exotic bet or accumulator, where you can see a significant difference in returns.

Take the time to compare odds from different bookmakers to ensure you’re getting the best value for your bets.

User experience

A user-friendly interface and smooth betting experience are essential when choosing a horse racing betting platform. The website or mobile app should be intuitive, allowing you to navigate through different markets and place bets with ease.

Look for platforms that provide clear and concise information about upcoming fights, odds, and betting options. Additionally, features like in-play betting, horse statistics, and live streaming can enhance your overall user experience.

Bonuses and promotions

Bonuses and promotions add extra value to your horse betting experience. Look for bookmakers that offer attractive sign-up bonuses, free bets, or enhanced odds specifically tailored to the big events.

These bonuses can boost your bankroll and provide additional opportunities to place bets without risking your own funds. Additionally, check for loyalty programs or ongoing promotions that reward regular horse racing punters with exclusive perks or special offers.

Why are they the best horse racing betting sites for Royal Ascot?

You might wonder just how we’ve come to that conclusion above.

We’ll we’ve carefully selected and worked through the leading players to analyse their strengths and weaknesses for punters.

Here’s what we’ve found:

Tote

Pros

• The first name in horse racing
• The mobile app is available for Android and Apple devices
• Customer service is available 24/7 via chat
• The welcome offer is lucrative

Cons

• Not too many payment methods are offered

William Hill

Pros

• Bet builder is available
• One of the top sites for racing and football betting
• A wide range of markets are covered

Cons

• Not too many payment methods offered

BetUK

Pros

• Big betting market
• The mobile app is reliable and easy to use
• Impressive features, including live streaming, are available

Cons

• The specials could have been better

BetVictor

Pros

• Wide range of horse races available to bet
• The odds offered are competitive
• The welcome bonus is attractive
• Live streaming is available

Cons

• The site is very busy on mobile

Betway Sports

Pros

• Vast sports betting markets are available
• Various payment methods are available
• The odds are competitive

Cons

• Customer support is not that great when issues arise

bet365

Pros

• Top rated bookmaker
• Daily customer promotions and bonus codes are available
• The interface is easy to use
• Wide range of betting markets

Cons

• Accumulators limited to fourteen legs

Rhino.Bet

Pros

• The registration process is simple
• One of the top-rated horse racing bookies in the industry
• Various betting options

Cons

• Bonuses are not available for all locations

Unibet

Pros

• The web page and app are easy to use
• The rewards program is impressive
• Competitive offers available for new players

Cons

• The app is basic and lacks a few features

Parimatch

Pros

• A vast array of sports available to bet
• Live streams are also available
• Withdrawals are processed quickly
• App is efficient
• Competitive odds offered

Cons

• Account verification takes time
• Does not support too many major languages

kwiff

Pros

• The sign-up offer is generous
• Promos offered are competitive
• Live streaming for horse racing is available

Cons

• Banking methods are limited

Most Popular Horse Racing UK Bet Types

You might think the hard bit is over once you’ve carefully selected which bookmaker you’ll place your hard earned cash with.

But now it’s time to make your selections! Whether that’s because of form, name, numbers, colours or what your dad’s friend from work’s uncle heard down the pub, it’s time to place those bets!

With racing, there’s a catalogue of different bets you can place which could help accumulate bigger wins.

Win only bet 

There are lots of different ways to place a bet when it comes to betting on horse racing, with the most simple being a ‘win only’ bet.

This means that your whole stake is being placed on a horse to win a particular race and you only get a return if they pass the post in front.

Each-way betting

Another hugely popular way of placing a bet on racing is through ‘each-way’ betting. Once again, you are picking one horse in a particular race, but with an each-way selection you are placing two separate bets. For example, if you place £5 each-way on Red Rum at 10-1, £5 is placed on the horse to win and the other £5 is staked on the horse to place. 

That means that your £5 on the horse to place will bring a return if your selection finishes second or third – and sometimes fourth, fifth and sixth depending on the type of race and the number of runners – with the place part usually paying a fifth of the win odds. 

Exacta

Another race specific bet is an Exacta, which requires you to find the horses who you think will finish first and second in race. Picking them in an exact order is known as a straight Exacta, while with a reverse Exacta the order of the horses doesn’t matter as long as they finish first and second. 

You can also place bets which require more than one horse to win in horse racing, which are known as multiple bets. There are a wide range of multiples available, including…

Double

A double involves placing a single bet on two horses to win two different races. For this bet to land, both horses need to win. For example, you could have a £5 double on Denman to win the 13.00 at Kempton Park at 11-8 and Menorah to win the 13.10 at Sedgefield at 13-8. The double would pay at just over 5-1, with your £5 stake returning winnings of £31.17.

Treble

This carries the same principle as a double, except you are using three selections rather than two. You can have as many horses in a win multiple as you like and after a treble they are generally referred to by the number of horses in the bet; a four-fold, a five-fold, a six-fold and so on.

Lucky 15

This bet is slightly more complicated than those above it, but it is a hugely popular for horse racing bettors. You pick out four horses for a Lucky 15 bet, which is a combination of 15 different bets on those four horses.

If you were to stake 50p on each outcome, the total cost of the bet would be £7.50 and for that you would get four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold selection to boot. You only need one horse to win to guarantee yourself a pay out, though your potential winnings can shoot up quick if multiple horses win. 

Heinz

This is similar to a Lucky 15 bet, though it involves more selections. You may be able to twig why this bet was named the Heinz, as you need to find six horses you fancy for this type of bet, which adds up to a total of 57 wagers.

You can get big rewards for small stakes with this type of bet and if you were to stake just 5p on every single outcome, your total bet would be £2.85. For that you would get yourself 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-fold accumulators, 6 five-fold accumulators and 1 six-fold accumulator.

Unlike the Lucky 15, you would need to get two winners to get a return this time, though things quickly build up if you can find three or more winners. 

Placepot

This type of bet is specific to one meeting and is synonymous with the Tote. A placepot requires you to pick one horse to place in each of the six selected races on the card.

You would only get a return if each of your six horses at that meeting – let’s say Royal Ascot – finish in the places that day and the number of places on offer per race will depend on the number of runners in each contest, so make sure you check before placing it.

Royal Ascot – horse racing betting promotions and bonuses

Huge horse racing events like Royal Ascot can be a great opportunity for new customers to take advantage of bookmakers’ introductory offers. They frequently offer boosted odds on favourites to win the big races.

They can also offer you free bets just for signing up and staking a bet with them. However, keep an eye out, these are sometimes paid out in the form of bet credits.

It also pays to shop around. There are boosted odds available on most races. These are more marginal than the extravagant sign-up boosts but they help significantly when trying to boost your bankroll.

How to sign up and start betting on Royal Ascot on a betting site

Here is how to bet on any horse race at Royal Ascot:

1. Choose an online bookmaker form our list.
2. Visit the site and sign up for an account.
3. Verify your account and make a deposit.
4. Head over to the horse racing section of the site.
5. Select the race you wish to bet on.
6. Look through the available markets and select your bet.

---

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.