
Welcome to our guide to Ontario horse betting sites. Changes made to the gambling laws in Ontario earlier this year mean that all types of single-wager sports betting are now legal for you in the province.
In celebration, Ontario has permitted some great sportsbooks to operate under license. Naturally, this came as excellent news for all sports fans and especially fans of Ontario horse wagering. Here we’ll run through what you can expect, reveal our favorite sportsbook and run through some tips on selecting the right operator.
This guide will appeal to you if you have an interest in sports betting and like to keep up to spec with any updates to the many (and ever-changing) global laws that surround sports betting and particularly wagering on horse racing.
Our guide is suitable for all levels of experience too. If you are new to the world of horse racing or sports betting in general, you will find it packed full of valuable advice about selecting a safe sportsbook and making good use of it.
More experienced bettors will also gain knowledge by reading this guide, especially if you are looking for a new sportsbook to add to your repertoire, or simply fancy trying out a different one.
Here, our main intention is to provide a unique insight into the world of online horse betting in Ontario and what you, as residents of the province, can expect from the newly-licensed sportsbooks now operating in your region.
That said, we will also be exploring the ways we rate all operators during our reviews, regardless of their location, as well as giving you some tips on finding the best sports betting site and suggesting ways you can enhance your gambling experience, all of which is vital information for any bettor out there.
When comparing operators, we have a strict set of criteria that we use to weigh important areas of their offering. These are factors that will affect your experience for better or for worse, so we take a magnifying glass and report back on it. This allows anyone who reads our comparison to make an informed decision about whether to sign up with a specific operator or not. Here is our list with explanations of exactly what we look for:
Horse racing in Ontario is not regulated under the Criminal Code statute in the same way as other sports betting. It is regulated by the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency and that arrangement is set to continue. However, only Ontario horse betting sites that are licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario are permitted to operate within the province.
The expectation for Ontario betting sites is no different from that of any other sportsbook, regardless of location. Focus here is on two things - correctly formatted, SSL-encrypted web pages, as defined by a URL that starts with https:// and a minimum of 128-bit SSL encryption for the transmission of sensitive personal data and financial transactions.
With the best will (and odds) in the world, Ontario off-track betting is no fun on a dysfunctional website or app. Ease of navigation, intelligent menu options and the ability to place bets quickly and easily are essential ingredients for a quality sportsbook, no matter what your choice of device is.
Having a good level of customer support in place is always a valuable asset for you. Sports events and horse races take place around the clock, seven days per week, so the ideal is to have the reassurance that customer support is also available 24/7. Most Ontario horse betting sites fit the bill in this respect and offer assistance via live chat or email in English and French.
While some sportsbooks seem to add horse racing to their list of sports as a bit of an afterthought, there are others where Ontario horse betting online enjoys far more emphasis. These sites are more likely to have highly competitive odds, more incentives, such as extra places or odds boosts, and offer live streaming of races from around the world.
For Ontario horse racing betting, the legendary Bet365 ticks all of the right boxes for us. Bet365 originates from Stoke On Trent in the UK and has been in operation for 22 years. These days, it operates in many different countries and holds all of the right licenses. It is considered a highly reputable global sportsbook and is renowned for its coverage of horse racing.
Since 4 April 2022, it has been available to bettors in Ontario and is already well on its way to becoming one of the best betting sites in Ontario. In addition to Ontario horse racing betting, Bet365 has an impressive list of other sports to wager on as well. Again, we found an emphasis on Ontarian teams, including extensive coverage of provincial ice hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer matches.
In the same way as its UK site, Bet365 offers Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) and Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) availability for many horse races, which is a rare privilege that will be appreciated greatly by Ontario horse wagering fans, like yourself. Bet365 is also well-known for its highly competitive horse racing odds, extra places and regular odds boosts.
You will also be able to play at the Bet365 online casino, which is an added plus. One thing we found really impressive was that Bet365 does not insist that casino players must use a mobile app to participate, which is highly unusual. Most online casino sites, like DraftKings Ontario online casino, for example, only permit access to players via their app. If you prefer to gamble from a PC or laptop, this is a real added benefit.
Our recommendations for finding the best Ontario online horse betting sites would include a few pertinent suggestions. The following are just a few examples:
In Ontario and in fact, right across Canada, there are three different types of horse racing, Thoroughbred, Harness, and Quarter Horse, which are equally popular. However, you are unlikely to find much in the way of Ontario off-track betting for the latter type, whereas Thoroughbred and Harness races are equally well catered for by those sportsbooks offering horse racing.
Most Ontario horse racing betting is done via a mobile device, but there’s a good reason for that. The majority of sportsbooks that offer OTB Ontario options for horse racing insist that you must use a downloadable mobile app to wager. However, there is a small number that doesn’t, including our Ontario online horse betting recommended operator, Bet365. So, if you prefer using a PC or laptop at home, you are given the choice.
Luckily for you, Ontario horse betting sites provide plenty of different options for depositing to and withdrawing from their accounts in CA$. As well as the usual Visa and Mastercard choices, you can also use Interac, iDebit, and several e-wallets, including Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal. We have also noted that the majority of sites offer instant deposits and timely withdrawals, and do not charge you for financial transactions.
To bet successfully on horse racing, it’s important for you to understand the jargon that surrounds it, the different types of bets that can be placed and how to read a form card. The importance of this cannot be underestimated and is applicable the world over, not just to Ontario horse wagering.
As Ontario online horse betting might well be an entirely new experience for you, we would recommend that you take some time to fully explore your chosen sportsbook. Having a hot tip and then having difficulty working out how to place it quickly is not the ideal experience.
It isn’t just Ontario horse racing betting that benefits from using a strategy. Using tactical wagering enhances the chance of winning for any sports bettor. However, where horse racing is concerned, an ability to spot value bets and knowing how to make the best use of different bet types, such as accumulators, is always advisable, as well as potentially more profitable.
Having a clear understanding of the terms and conditions, as applied to Ontario online horse betting, is essential and can mean the difference between expectations being exceeded, or a big disappointment. For example, some sportsbooks cap winnings on a daily basis, and others apply a maximum amount for the lifetime of the account.
We always recommend keeping detailed records of every bet you place and there are two distinct advantages to doing this. Firstly, it offers you the benefit of seeing at a glance whether your wagering is showing an overall profit or a loss. Secondly, it provides a record that includes the names of winning (or losing) horses, which can prove valuable over time as trends emerge.
Some sportsbooks, like our recommended operator, Bet365 Ontario, are already on the home straight where Ontario horse wagering is concerned. Whereas others, like PointsBet Ontario, have yet to move off the starting line, having opted not to include Ontario horse racing betting in their line-up of sports at present.
Bearing in mind that Ontario online horse betting is still in its infancy, competition in your province is certain to heat up in the future. We hope that those who have read this guide through to the end have found it entertaining and informative. If so, then be sure to visit us again soon for further Ontario off-track betting updates.
Ontario horse racing betting has actually been legal for decades, but recent changes to the sports betting legislation in the province of Ontario have made OTB Ontario far more accessible. Please head over and read our guide to Ontario horse betting sites, where we have explained in detail the current state of play.
Off-track betting is exactly what it sounds like – betting anywhere that is not trackside, including online betting. So where can you find OTB Ontario? The answer, together with another heap of valuable information, is contained in our guide to Ontario horse betting sites. Head over, it’s a ‘must read’ for all you horse racing fans!
Thanks to recent changes to gambling laws, you now have their pick of some fantastic Ontario online horse betting sites. Our unique guide to Ontario horse betting sites will reveal the sportsbook we think is the best one for Ontario horse betting online! Check it out now!
Regardless of the sport, finding a site that consistently offers competitive odds is essential, but there are other factors that are equally important to consider as well. In our guide to Ontario horse betting sites, we’ve covered all of the information necessary for you to find a safe sportsbook. We’ve also revealed our favorite operator for Ontario horse betting online.
19+ and physically located in Ontario. Gambling Problem? Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connexontario.ca.