Horse Racing Betting in Illinois
There is a rich history of horse racing betting in Illinois as they have enjoyed such activities since the 1920s. Horse racing betting is more commonly known as pari-mutuel wagering and is available in Illinois and all over the country. Betting on the ponies has become one of the most glorified betting hobbies as the culture of big hats and big horses rule the minds of bettors everywhere.
There are a couple of different places to enjoy on-track racing within the state but residents also have the option to choose from one of the many great off-track horse racing betting sites that we will discuss throughout this page. Fans of horse racing betting in Illinois will learn about the legality of betting on horses in the state, as well as the available wager types, why off-track betting in Illinois is the best option, recommendations for the top racebooks, and so much more are provided to you on this page.
Online Horse Racing Betting Sites
Choices are a hugely important part of wagering on horse racing and choosing the outlet in which to make said wagers is just as important. There is an abundance of different off-track horse racing sites that Illinois residents can create accounts with but the top options are Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, and MyBookie. All of these sites have excellent racebooks as well as sportsbooks so fans of all sports can’t go wrong with choosing one of them. They are all based outside of the United States and are completely safe and legal to use for sports betting in Ilinois. You can’t go wrong with any of these sites and actually, racebooks will generally offer more improved odds than the physical tracks since they do not have to worry about much overhead.
BetOnline Review
When looking for an online sportsbook or racebook to bet online, why not choose…BetOnline? It’s only logical, right? It’s been around for years now, and just like a fine wine, BetOnline continues to get better with age. This site has anything and everything you need when placing wagers online in Illinois and for you horse racing fans, the racebook is one of the best on the internet.
The racebook at BetOnline offers betting lines and promotions on countless tracks throughout the United States and abroad, including the Triple Crown Races, the Breeders’ Cup, and even the Dubai World Cup. Come time for your favorite race, you will have detailed betting options from wager types, betting lines to choose from, payment and payout options and more.
The bonus opportunities you get when playing at BetOnline are some of the best you will see on any site. They have a $25 risk-free bet which you receive immediately when signing up and you can use that free bet to wager on any race you want. Not many sites offer up an immediate credit to your account so this is pretty unique. They also have a refer a friend bonus, and a 7% rebate offer on all bets.
All of these reasons plus BetOnline’s minimal rollovers, incredibly attentive and helpful customer service, fun and easy to use site, and more are all reasons why you should sign up for their racebook today. It’s free and takes no time at all so don’t miss out on all the fun.
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Is it Legal To Bet On Horse Racing in Illinois?
Licensed horse racing events have been legalized in Illinois and fans of the sport are absolutely allowed to place bets on such events. The state's support of betting on horse racing has created quite a few horse racing business ventures over the years and at one point there were six horse racing tracks in Illinois. While there are just three in which you can place bets at now, there are also legalized online horse racing betting options as well.
Illinois online horse racing betting is allowed as long as you are using one of the offshore racebooks that we recommend on this page. No state laws prevent players from using these sites and the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 actually took horse racing out of other federal laws that prevent online sports betting. So yes, it is legal to bet on horses in Illinois whether you are doing it in person or online.
Betting On The Triple Crown in Illinois
The Triple Crown is the most recognizable series of horse racing events in the United States and Illinois residents have the ability to bet on all three races at online horse racing sites. The Kentucky Derby starts off the trio of races as the gates open for that race in early May, the Preakness follows a couple of weeks after the derby, and the Belmont closes the Triple Crown out in mid-June.
While none of these races happen in the great state of Illinois, betting on the Triple Crown in Illinois is still a widely popular activity. Online racebooks offer lines on all three races and each site accepts all residents from Illinois. So what are you waiting for? Check out all of the great online horse racing sites now and bet on the always thrilling, Triple Crown. You can even bet on a horse you think will win the Triple Crown from the start. Payouts for this type of betting can be almost as large as the purses for the events.
Horse Racing Wager Types in Illinois
There are a couple of different categories of betting when discussing horse racing wager types. They can be grouped together as straight bets, exotic bets, and combination bets.
Straight bets include Win, Place, and Show wagers which are the most popular bets to place on horse racing. Obviously, when betting on a horse to win, you are betting on them getting first place, if you bet on a horse to Place, you are betting on them to finish first or second, and if you bet on a horse to show, they can get first, second, or third.
Exotic bets are things like an Exacta, which requires bettors to predict the first and second place horses in order. A Quinella is the exact same thing except it doesn’t matter which horse gets first and which gets second. In fact, all exotic bets are just different variations of each other. A trifecta is, exactly what it sounds like, you pick horses that you think will finish first, second, and third. Last but not least, a Superfecta, which is the hardest bet to predict and has the biggest payout, requires a player to predict the top four finishers in order.
Combination bets are things like Daily Doubles, Pick 3’s, Pick 4’s, and Pick 6’s. Each of these bets requires you to win either 2, 3, 4, or 6 consecutive races for you to win your pot. Obviously, the payouts increase significantly the more races you decide to predict. So, a Daily Double would be a fairly modest payout compared to a Pick 6, which could net big money.
Where To Bet On Horse Racing in Illinois
There are a few options to choose from when deciding upon on-track horse racing in Illinois. There are three separate tracks that provide horse races in which you can place bets on. Fairmount Park Racetrack is the biggest of the bunch and it is located in Collinsville, Illinois. DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack and Arlington Park are both named after the cities in which they’re located. All three of these sites have solid betting opportunities for players but what they provide is nothing compared to the off-track betting sites for Illinois residents.
Off-track or online horse racing betting is a huge industry with a huge market and clientele that is growing by the day. Online gambling has become the more popular betting options over the years and when you break it down, the reasoning is clear. Online horse tracks save players money and eliminate wasted time and inconvenience.
When you take into account the travel costs, money spent on food and drinks, and any other expenses you may run into, it’s obvious that these costs are wasting the money you could be using to place wagers on horse races. With online racebooks, players can place bets from the comfort of their own home and can use all of the money they saved on a trip to a live racetrack, on their favorite race of the day. The choice is pretty clear.