The Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in Arab Countries for 2024

Despite the restrictions against online gambling in the Middle East, gambling enthusiasts in Arab countries place bets on horse races and win real money.
The bookmakers we will choose in our top list are the best horse racing betting sites that are available to Arab players. Other sections of our guide will explore the best horse racing betting strategies, notable types of horse racing, and the biggest horse racing events in the world.

The top 10 sites above are all accommodating to Arab players regardless of anti-gambling restrictions in some Arab countries.

Top 3 Horse Racing Betting Sites 

The top 3 Arabic horse racing betting sites are:

#1 888 Sport: 100% up to €/$1,000

888 Sport is an ideal betting site that was founded in 2008 and has a license from the Curacao Gaming Control Board. New players at 888 Sport enjoy a 100% deposit bonus, up to €/$1000.

The sports betting section at 888 Sport is diverse, containing many sports and thousands of sports events. The 888 Sport site features virtual sports and live betting. Casino fans can access the platform’s casino section, which contains thousands of fun games.

#2 Betway: $30 Free Bet

Betway stands out as a reputable betting platform with a well-protected website and licenses from the UK and Malta. After signing up with Betway, new players get a $30 free bet.

Betway provides Arab players with lucrative odds on numerous sports betting markets, a convenient mobile app for Android and iOS, and a live betting feature.

Payments at Betway mostly consist of debit/credit cards and e-wallets, and the site has a casino section that hosts thousands of casino games.

#3 Bet365: Bet $10 and get $50

Bet365 is an ideal destination for Arab players looking to bet on basketball games. The site’s licenses come from Malta, Curacao, and Gibraltar, and its security measures are sufficient to protect players.

Bet365 has two bonus options for new players:

• Bet $10 on your first bet and get $50 in bonus funds.

• The First Bet Safety Net: If you lose your first bet, the bookmaker will refund the lost bet, up to a maximum of $1,000.

Additional bookmaker features at Bet365 are Auto Cashout, Bet Builder, Bet Share, Live Streaming, and In-Game Betting.

How We Choose The Best Horse Racing Betting Sites

The features of the best horse racing betting sites include high betting odds, horse racing options, bonus offers, and live streaming services. Below are explanations of the most important qualities of betting sites.

Range of Horse Racing Games

The range of horse racing betting markets available at a betting site is a major factor that determines the quality of the site. The best horse racing betting sites need to cover the top horse racing events from around the world.

When a site has numerous horse racing options, players can easily select racing events to bet on and win money.

High Betting Odds

Top horse racing betting sites offer the best odds guaranteed to players. For example, if you place a 5.00 odds bet on a horse and the odds change to 8.00 odds at the start of the race, you will get a payout of 8.00 odds. This feature enables players to win as much money as possible.

Bonuses and Promotional Offers

The best online betting sites for horse racing offer bonuses and promotions to new players. Bonuses are important because they improve your bankroll and your potential winnings. The common bonus types to look out for are free bets, deposit bonuses, and no-deposit bonuses.

Other bonuses are meant for existing players and they include reload bonuses and cashback offers.

Live Streaming Service

The availability of live streaming at top horse racing betting sites provides an extra level of excitement, enabling players to watch horse races in real-time. Bookmakers typically require that you place a bet on a horse before you can watch the live stream of the race.

What Are The 4 Types of Horse Racing?

The 4 most common types of horse racing are:

1. Flat Racing

2. Jump Racing

3. Harness Racing

4. Endurance Racing.

1. Flat Racing

Flat racing is the most popular type of horse racing in the world. In a flat race, horses run at high speeds on level ground. The tracks in flat horse racing usually have oval shapes and dirt or turf surfaces.

The distance of flat horse racing tracks typically ranges from 5 furlongs (1 km or 0.625 miles) to 12 furlongs (2.4 km or 1.5 miles).

Some of the most prominent flat horse races in the world are:

• Melbourne Cup

• Kentucky Derby

• Japan Cup

• Epsom Derby

• Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

• Dubai World Cup

2. Jump Racing

Unlike flat racing, jump racing involves horses jumping over obstacles like fences, hurdles, and ditches. The usual distance of jump racing tracks ranges from 2 miles (3.2 km) to 4.5 miles (7.2 km).

The height of the fences in notable races ranges from 4 feet 6 inches (137.2 cm) to 5 feet 2 inches (157.5 cm). Hurdles are typically shorter than fences, with a minimum height of 3 feet 6 inches (106.7 cm).

Examples of the most popular jump horse races are:

• Grand National

• Cheltenham Gold Cup

• Punchestown Festival

3. Harness Racing

In harness racing, a driver sits in a two-wheeled cart called a sulky and a horse pulls the sulky at a steady speed. Harness racing horses are grouped into pacers and trotters depending on how they run.

Some well-known harness horse races are:

• Hambletonian

• Kentucky Futurity

• Breeders Crown

• The Little Brown Jug

4. Endurance Racing

Apart from the three types of horse racing mentioned above, endurance racing is another popular type of horse racing where the horses run for long distances. Endurance races can range from 20 miles (32.2 km) to over 150 miles (241.4 km).

What Are The Types of Horse Racing Betting Markets?

The types of bets in horse racing include Win, Place, Show, Trifecta, and Each Way bets. We will explain the most popular types of horse racing bets below.

Win Bet

Win is a straight bet that the horse you select will win the race.

Place Bet

Place is a bet that your selected horse will finish first or second.

Show Bet

A Show bet requires that the horse you choose will finish first, second, or third.

Each Way Bet

An Each Way bet is a combination bet that includes staking the same amount on a Win bet and a Place bet. If your selected horse finishes first, you win both the Win and Place bet. If your selection finishes second or third, you win only the Place bet.

Double Bet

A Double bet is a single bet in which a player selects two horses in two separate races and predicts that each horse will win their race.

Treble Bet

A treble bet is a single bet where a player chooses three horses in three separate races and all three horses need to win their race.

Fourfold Bet

A fourfold bet is an accumulator bet that selects four horses in four separate races. All four horses need to win.

Trixie Bet

A Trixie bet involves betting on three horses in three separate races. A Trixie bet is a combination of four bets - 3 Doubles and 1 Treble. To get a return from a Trixie bet, at least two of your three selections need to win or place.

Exacta Bet

An Exacta bet predicts which horses will come first and second, in the right order.

Trifecta Bet

In a Trifecta bet, you predict which horses will finish in first, second, and third place, in the correct order.

Quadfecta Bet

A Quadfecta bet predicts the horses that will come first, second, third, and fourth, in the right order. Another name for a Quadfecta bet is Superfecta.

Lucky 15 Bet

A Lucky 15 bet involves four horses in separate races. It is a combination bet that contains 15 bets - 4 Singles, 6 Doubles, 4 Trebles, and 1 Fourfold. To get a return from a Lucky 15 bet, at least one of your selected horses needs to win or place.

Yankee Bet

A Yankee bet covers four selections in different races and comprises 11 bet combinations - 6 Doubles, 4 Trebles, and 1 Fourfold. At least two selections need to win for you to get a return.

Canadian Bet

A Canadian bet involves five horse selections in different races and is a combination of 26 bets - 10 Doubles, 10 Trebles, 5 Fourfolds, and 1 Fivefold. At least two of your selections need to win or place to earn a Canadian bet.

Lucky 31 Bet

In a Lucky 31 bet, players bet on five horses in different races. The Lucky 31 bet is a combination of 31 bets, which are: 5 Singles, 10 Doubles, 10 Trebles, 5 Fourfolds, and 1 Fivefold. To get a return from a Lucky 31 bet, at least one horse needs to win or place.

Imperfect Bet

The Imperfect bet predicts the horses that will finish first and second without considering the exact order.

Twin Bet

A twin bet is similar to the Imperfect bet, as it predicts the first and second-placed horses in no exact order. The main difference is that if the race has less than 6 contestants, you will have to predict the order for the two selected horses.

Comparison Bet

The purpose of the Comparison bet is to compare two horses in a race and predict which of the horses will finish ahead of the other. The Comparison bet does not consider the winner of a race, but only the position of each of the two selected horses relative to each other.

How to Place a Horse Racing Bet?

Here are five simple steps showing you how to place a horse racing bet.

1. Find a top horse racing betting site that is secure and reliable. Our recommended sites are among the best horse racing betting sites in the world today.

2. When you decide on a site, join the casino using details like your name, email address, phone number, address, and date of birth. Bookmakers will typically send a verification link to your email.

3. Once your account is active, the next step is to deposit money. Choose a suitable banking method from the available options and follow the steps to fund your betting account.

4. Go to the bookmaker’s horse racing section and check out the available races.

5. Make your betting selection, enter the amount you want to stake, and place your bet.

How to Calculate Horse Racing Odds?

To calculate horse racing odds, you first need to understand the two main types of odds available at bookmaker sites - decimal odds and fractional odds. Online bookmakers typically allow you to switch between decimal and fractional odds depending on your preference.

It is important for you to learn about horse racing betting odd types because they indicate a horse’s chances of winning a race.

Decimal Odds

Decimal odds are the most common type of odds available on online betting platforms. Decimal odds are easy to calculate, making them more suitable for new players who are getting familiar with online betting.

To calculate the potential payout from decimal odds, simply multiply your wager by the decimal odds number. For example, if you place a $20 wager on a horse with 3.00 odds, the payout will be ($20 x 3.00) = $60. This means that your actual winnings (profit) is $40.

Fractional Odds

Fractional odds show your actual winnings (profit) unlike decimal odds which show your total payout. For example:

• 3/1 fractional odds mean that for a $1 stake, your profit will be $3. The total payout will be ($1 wager + $3 profit) = $4.

• 5/2 fractional odds mean that for a $2 stake, your profit will be $5. The total payout will be ($2 wager + $5 profit) = $7.

To convert fractional odds to decimal odds, divide the fraction and add 1. For example:

• Converting 3/1 fractional odds to decimal will be [(3/1) + 1] = 4.00 odds.

• Converting 5/2 fractional odds to decimal will be [(5/2) + 1] = 3.50 odds.

What is the Best Horse Racing Betting Strategy?

The best horse racing betting strategy is to consider important factors like a horse’s recent race history,  the time since the last race, jockey and trainer facts, the condition and direction of the tracks, and the stall position. The importance of each of these factors is explained below.

Study Recent Races Statistics

The results of a horse’s recent races are vital for your betting strategy, as they can help you predict how a horse is going to perform. Bookmakers often show a horse’s recent form by displaying the positions the horse finished in its last three or more games.

Time Since The Last Race

Horses need to rest adequately between racing events so that they can be fit enough to perform well. At the same time, horses should not rest for too long as this can negatively affect performance.

The best resting time for horses depends on each horse, but the average time range is from 28 to 35 days.

Jockey and Trainer Information

Jockeys and trainers play important roles in deciding how successful horses are in a race. By reviewing the recent results of jockeys and trainers with different horses, you can assess their quality and make accurate betting choices.

Look out for well-known jockeys and trainers as they tend to train and ride successful horses.

Track Direction

Horse racing tracks have varying directions and shapes. Racecourses can have left-handed or right-handed tracks and can be oval or circular in shape. Confirm that your selected horse is familiar with the direction of the track of the racing event.

Track Condition

A horse racing track can be wet or dry, depending on rainfall, and the differences in condition favor some horses more than others. Top bookmakers show you the condition of a race track using classifications like firm, fast, good, dead, soft, slow, and heavy.

Stall Position

The position of a horse’s stall can affect its performance in a race. Outer stalls are more favorable for short-distance races due to a better turning angle while inner stalls are more suitable for long-distance races, as the horses will travel a shorter distance overall.

How to Get Bonuses in Horse Racing Betting?

To get bonuses in horse racing betting, follow the steps below.

1. Choose a suitable horse racing betting site.

2. Examine the site’s bonuses and the accompanying terms and conditions.

3. If you are satisfied with the bonus terms, register an account with the bookmaker.

4. Claim the site’s no-deposit bonus if there is one.

5. Deposit money to activate the bookmaker’s deposit bonus.

If an online bookmaker requires that you use a bonus code to claim a bonus, the code will be available on the terms and conditions page.

The top bonus categories that you can find at an online bookmaker’s site are:

• Welcome Bonus

• Deposit Bonus

• No-Deposit Bonus

• Free Bet

• Cashback Bonus

• Reload Bonus

• VIP Promotions

Top 10 Biggest Horse Races in the World

The top 10 biggest horse races in the world are:

1. Kentucky Derby:
   The Kentucky Derby is an annual flat horse race held in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. The race occurs on the first Saturday in May and features 3-year-old horses running a distance of 1.25 miles (10 furlongs or 2 km).
   The Kentucky Derby’s purse is $5 million and the winner gets $3.1 million.

2. Epsom Derby:
   The Epsom Derby, sometimes called the Derby Stakes, is a yearly flat horse race held on the first Saturday in June in Surrey, England. The length of the Epsom Derby turf is 1.5 miles (12 furlongs or 2.4 km) and the purse is £1.6 million.

3. Breeders’ Cup Classic:
   The Breeders’ Cup Classic is another annual horse race that is held in the US. The feature horses are 3-year-old thoroughbreds and they cover a distance of 1.25 miles (10 furlongs or 2 km). The Breeders’ Cup Classic has a purse worth $6 million.

4. Dubai World Cup:
   The Dubai World Cup is held in Dubai, UAE on the last Saturday in March every year. The horses, four years or older, run for 1.25 miles (10 furlongs or 2 km). The Dubai World Cup has a $12 million purse, making it one of the world’s richest horse races.

5. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe:
   The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is organized in Paris, France, typically on the first Sunday in October. The race has a $5 million purse and involves horses aged three years or older and the length of the track is 1.5 miles (12 furlongs or 2.4 km).

6. Melbourne Cup:
   The Melbourne Cup is a flat Australian horse race with an A$8.4 million purse. The participating horses in the Melbourne Cup are three years or older and they cover a distance of 2 miles (16 furlongs or 3.2 km).

7. The Everest:
   In Sydney, Australia, thoroughbred horses compete every October in the Everest over a distance of 0.75 miles (6 furlongs or 1.2 km). The $20 million purse marks the Everest as one of the richest horse races in the world.

8. Saudi Cup:
   The Saudi Cup is a flat horse race organized in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia every February. The distance of the Saudi Cup race is 1.12 miles (9 furlongs or 1.8 km) and the massive purse is worth $20 million.

9. Grand National:
   The Grand National is a well-known jump race held at the Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside, England. The distance of the Grand National is 4.3 miles (34 furlongs or 6.9 km). The race features horses seven or more years old and a £1 million purse.

10. Royal Ascot:
    The Royal Ascot is a prestigious flat race held in Berkshire, England. The distance covered by the horses is 2.5 miles (20 furlongs or 4 km) and the race’s purse is £8.6 million.

Conclusion

As horse racing continues to thrive in the Arab world, these sites provide the best betting experience, competitive odds, and enticing bonuses. Whether it's the thrill of the Dubai World Cup or the strategic depth of international races, these platforms ensure that Arab players can engage in horse racing betting with confidence and convenience.