A Complete Guide to Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

Last updated October 4th, 2024

It’s known as the sport of kings, thanks to its noble past. And horse racing takes up a special place in the annals of sports betting: the first ever bets placed with a bookmaker were wagered on horse racing.

Today, all of the key sportsbooks offer horse racing betting bonuses, allowing you to wager on the sport using bonus credits or, in the case of some promotions, with the safety of knowing that losing bets will be refunded.

How to Make the Most of Your Horse Racing Betting Bonus

Your mission when claiming a horse racing betting bonus is to convert any bonus funds into real money to boost your bankroll.

How you go about that is your choice, but there’s sense to wagering on short odds favourites in a bid to maximise your potential success rate.

Alternatively, you may consider your bonus to be fun – in that case, using your bonus to place mammoth multiple bets is one option available to you.

However you use your bonus, remember that there’re usually minimum odds limits and wagering requirements to satisfy – that’s why the lower-risk approach to converting your bonus into real money is advised.

Another quick tip: occasionally, you can use multiple bonuses at once, which helps to maximise the potential of your promotions.

What Are Horse Racing Betting Bonuses?

A horse racing betting bonus enables you to earn some kind of advantage in your wagering. There are many different types of horse racing betting bonuses, such as accumulator, free bet, welcome or even reload bonuses.

Or, for example, a 100% deposit match bonus – if you claimed a 100% deposit match bonus and added $20 to your account, the sportsbook would also hand you $20 in bonus credits to use on your next horse racing wagers. Here, the bookie matches a percentage of your first-time deposit, a great incentive to sign up!

We’ll discuss the most common of these in more detail later on.

One of the great things about being a bettor today is that because there are so many different online bookmakers, they each have to do something unique or value-adding to attract new customers.

Horse racing betting bonuses are a good way for lovers of the sport to get started if you don’t already have an account with a particular operator. There are also often horse racing betting promotions available to existing customers, reward schemes or limited-edition offers.

How to Claim Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

The process for getting a horse racing betting bonus is quick and easy.

It should be said that the steps you need to take will differ slightly from one bonus to the next, but as a general guide, if you follow the process outlined below, you will be on the right track.

First of all, head to your chosen betting site and hit the ‘Register’, ‘Join’ or ‘Sign up’ button. After this, you’ll be asked to enter your personal details, which you should do as requested. If you are anxious about a sportsbook’s security measures, you can typically find licensing details at the bottom of the page.

If prompted – if you’re claiming a deposit bonus – enter your bonus code. Alternatively, you can opt in to collect your horse racing bonus. Once you have completed the sign-up process, you can make your first deposit via the banking/cashier section of the site/app.

After verifying your account, and waiting for your deposit to be approved, your bonus will be credited to your account. If you’re looking to claim a horse racing betting bonus as an existing customer, head to the sportsbook’s promotions page to see what’s available. If there’s an offer that you like the look of, follow the on-screen instructions to claim it.

Types of Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

There are different types of horse racing betting bonus, with the ones that are most relevant to you dependent on the stage you are at in your wagering.

If you are a newcomer to a particular sportsbook, the welcome bonus will be your first port of call.

Welcome Bonus (No Deposit or Deposit Match)

Although quite rare these days, some online bookmakers do still offer no deposit bonuses to their new customers.

These are pretty simple to understand: simply complete the registration process and you will be rewarded with bonus credits to bet on. There’s no need to make a deposit.

More common is the deposit bonus. Typically paid at a rate of 100%, a sportsbook will essentially match your first deposit with the same amount in bonus funds.

Bet & Get

Similar to a welcome bonus, some betting sites will word the promotion differently – instead, calling it ‘bet and get’.

These offers can often be more generous than the standard deposit bonus – for example, if you bet $10 on horse racing (or any other sport), you might be given $30 in bonus credits as a result.

Risk-Free Bet

To coincide with a big race or popular meeting, a sportsbook may offer a unique promotion to new customers.

After signing up and making a deposit, you will be able to bet on a particular race safely knowing that if your wager loses, you will be refunded the same amount as free bet credits.

Reload Bonus

Aimed at existing customers, a reload bonus acts as a type of deposit bonus.

You may be offered 50% or more on your next deposit as bonus credits, so this is a great opportunity to ‘reload’ your bankroll.

Key Terms and Conditions to Look Out For

Whenever you claim a horse racing betting bonus, you should be aware of some terms and conditions that are attached to the offer.

These typically relate to limits. There may be a limit on how long you have to use the bonus, and how much you can win from it. There may also be minimum and maximum deposit limits, while ‘bet and get’-style promos will often require you to place your qualifying wagers at minimum odds.

Another set of T&Cs to be mindful of relates to wagering requirements. These are the terms you will need to satisfy before you can cash out any winnings you make from your bonus.

These requirements ask you to ‘play through’ the value of your bonus at least once. So, if the wagering requirements are 1x and your bonus is worth $20, you will need to wager $20 (real-money bets) before you can withdraw any winnings earned via your bonus.

Pros and Cons of Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

There are no real disadvantages to claiming a horse racing betting bonus. They provide free bonus credits for something that you like to do anyway: wager on horse racing!

The pros of horse racing betting bonuses speak for themselves: free bets, bet credits, deposit bonuses, risk-free wagers – these are all positives that add genuine value to your wagering.

As for the cons, it would be fair to say that wagering requirements are a frustration for many bettors.

However, if you can play through them, you will have access to any winnings you made from the bonus – so, there’s the possibility of winning something from nothing!

Conclusion

Now that you understand the benefits of horse racing betting bonuses and how to claim them, you can explore the variety of bets and bonus combinations and sink your teeth into the sport.

The takeaway points are that these bonuses are readily available, easy to claim, and can boost your bankroll if you use them in succession – with no or minimal risk to your bankroll.

To find out about the best horse racing betting bonuses available right now, be sure to bookmark CasinoBonus.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you win real money from a betting bonus?

Yes, you can! As long as you satisfy any wagering requirements, you can cash out any winnings you generate via your bonus.

What's the catch with betting bonuses?

There isn’t a catch! Yes, there are terms and conditions, such as the fact that you can’t withdraw the bonus itself – you can only cash out winnings made from bet credits, etc. Otherwise, there is no catch.

What are the wagering requirements?

Each horse racing betting bonus is likely to be subject to wagering requirements. These determine the terms you need to satisfy in order to cash out any winnings made with your bonus. Typically, these will require you to wager your total bonus amount once in real-money stakes.

How long do bonus bets last?

Although each betting bonus is different, as a general rule, you’ll have 30 days to use a welcome bonus and, often, seven days to use bonus bet credits.