Louisiana Horse Racing Betting – Comparing the Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in Louisiana

Louisiana is one of the most diverse states in the United States. Famed for its food, jazz music, festivals (Mardi Gras) and melting pot of cultures, the state also happens to be a hot bed for horse racing. In this article we’re going to look at Louisiana horse racing and what you can access in the state.

To do so, we’ve included information on the best Louisiana horse racing betting sites, Louisiana race tracks and a look at gambling laws within the state.

Ranking The Top 10 Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Sites

As part of our research into Louisiana horse racing, we’ve taken the time to review what we think are the best 10 betting sites for horse racing in Louisiana. They are ranked in order of which we think are the best, but to be honest, they all performed incredibly well, and each offers something a little different from the last.

1. Twin Spires – Best overall betting site for horse racing in Louisiana
2. TVG – Best for live streaming horse racing
3. BetOnline – Biggest welcome bonus for Louisiana residents
4. XBet – Huge range of races hosted from around the world
5. Bovada – Best looking mobile app and online betting site for horse racing
6. MyBookie – Low juice charged on betting lines for horse racing
7. BetUS – Best for existing Louisiana player promos
8. BUSR – God range of races and sporadic promos
9. Sportsbetting.ag – Best for existing player horse racing offers
10. BetNow – Great link with horse racing betting and other sports

Reviewing The Best Sites for Horse Racing Betting in Louisiana

We’ve taken the top 5 Louisiana horse racing sites and created in-depth reviews for you below. Use these reviews to see what sort of features you’re going to find, banking options and how they compare between each other.

1 – Twin Spires – Overall Best Horse Racing Betting Site in Louisiana

TwinSpires is one of two dedicated horse racing betting sites on our list and for us, this is the best in Louisiana. The site has been about since 2018 and whilst they do offer sports and casino options, they are very much centered around horse racing.

In terms of features that you can access, they are number one. Extras such as the handicapping tool, live steaming, horse racing news and picks, results show and a range of free prize pools that you can enter are just part of the package.

Twin Spires excels in dedicated horse racing promotions. These include a VIP scheme, free bets, money back offers, Exacta insurance and of course, the $200 signup offer. Promos run weekly and are refreshed depending on what races are running that week.

Betting limits are high at $2,500 and reduced juice can be found on a lot of bets. Coverage is international with races across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Racecards are extensive and allow you to choose between a good range of betting markets.

Welcome Bonus Offer:

If you’re registering a new account with Twin Spires, then you get access to a $200 sign up bonus. For every $400 that you wager you will be given $100 in cash. The bonus lasts for 30 days before it will expire.

 

2 – TVG – Best for Live Streaming Horse Racing in Louisiana

TVG is another betting site that is dedicated to horse racing and have been formed based on the back of a thriving horse racing TV channel. The online platform has been live since 2009 when Paddy Power Betfair took over the reins, but the brand has been running since 1993.

What TVG has done is bring their whole media presence into the online betting segment. The site is solely focused on horse racing (only one on our list to do so) and this means that you get an incredible attention to detail.

Live streaming must be the highlight here and you literally get access to the TVG TV channel for this. The link all of the information on the stream around betting and then to the betting site, using the same tools like handicapping and their picks columns.

Banking options are more than acceptable, with PayPal, Credit and Debit cards all accepted. Deposits start from as little as $20, and withdrawals are usually processed within 48 hours.

Welcome Bonus Offer:

New accounts to TVG will get access to a $250 risk free bet. The amount you can claim will be a 100% match of your opening deposit with the site and you get to keep any winnings from your free bet.

 

3 – BetOnline – Biggest Welcome Bonus for Louisiana Residents

BetOnline is the first of our “non-dedicated” horse racing betting sites and whilst they are more of an all-rounder in this sector, they are still one of the best for horse racing.

A brand that has been about for over 20 years, BetOnline offer a huge range of races that take place all over the world. The site is a simple design in that, once you enter the racebook you see a list of tracks, then within the tracks the list of races for the day.

The race card is easy to use, and most races include straight, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, daily double and series of “pick” bets depending on which race you’re betting for that meeting. You can also see a morning line price which gives you an preview of what the price might be for each horse.

Banking at BetOnline is superb. Crypto payments dominate and they are the best (and cheapest) way to move money about. Other options include Visa and Mastercard, with no fees for either. Bet limits for horse racing are high, set at $5,000.

Welcome Bonus Offer:

If you register a new account with BetOnline today, then you will get access to a welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. The bonus is a 50% match of your first deposit and requires you to rollover the full amount 10x within 30 days.

 

4 – XBet – Huge Range of International Races and Early Betting Lines

XBet are always one of top picks for just about any sports betting and horse racing in Louisiana is no different. The site is a little smaller in terms of overall coverage so will suit the casual punter amongst you who just wants to get stuck in.

The site has a dedicated betting section for horse racing. This is where you get great market coverage for all races, including a mix of prop bets. Major races that take place in the United States will often have extensive prop bets, such as top jockey for meetings, winning margins for horses and winning time.

Betting lines are released around 24 hours before the race and this is early compared to most. You get a look the morning line price before bets are included into the pool. You can see how much has been staked as well, which is great.

Banking options include Visa, Mastercard and Bitcoin. You can also bank wire money for larger sums of cash. XBet includes no fees with any deposits or withdrawals however, min deposits are from $45 which is higher than you get for most horse racing betting sites in Louisiana.

Welcome Bonus Offer:

New accounts to XBet are going to get a $500 welcome bonus. This is a 100% match and comes with a 7x rollover.

 

5 – Bovada – Best Looking Mobile Horse Racing App for Louisiana Players

Bovada is an icon of the gambling industry, and it will come as little surprise to see them included on our list. Not only do they have one of the sports betting sections, but they also include an excellent horse racing betting section for Louisiana residents.

The site is the best looking that you’ll find, and they have a dedicated betting app with gives access to the standalone racebook. It’s US horse racing meetings that get the most coverage and with it you’re able to place bets on the likes of Louisiana Downs and Fair Grounds.

Betting lines offer good value, for the most part. Bovada has a lot of recreational bettors so margins on the favorites tend to be short and the value generally lies within the outsiders.

Deposits start from just $10, which is super low. You can use MatchPay which gives access to PayPal as well as Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Welcome Bonus Offer:

If you deicde to make a new account with Bovada then you’re going to get access to a welcome bonus worth yup to $1,000. This is a 100% deposit match and comes with a 10x rollover to clear the bonus.

 

More on gambling in Louisiana…

Learn about all types of online gambling in Louisiana in our expert guides below:

• Louisiana Sports Betting
• Louisiana Real Money Online Casinos
• Louisiana Online Poker
• Louisiana Online Gambling
• Louisiana Sports Betting Apps
• Louisiana Sportsbook Promos
• Shreveport Online Casinos

 

Comparing The Best Sites for Horse Racing Louisiana Has to Offer

You may notice from our reviews that there are certain things that we look for within every Louisiana horse racing betting site. It’s not an exact science by any means, but most of what we include overlaps at some point.

We want to make you aware of the areas that you need to look out for and what’s going to add value to the site that you eventually choose. Use the headings below to see what makes or breaks each site and who performs best in these sections.

Horse Racing Odds

Our reviews cover a whole host of racing features, but none are more important than the final price that you take for your bet. You should always look to get the best price and to do so, you need access to multiple Louisiana betting sites.

It’s tough to rank betting odds as you may find best price on one race then on the next race another betting site is best. We recommend that you use three sites if you’re looking for an easy way to get around best price possible. These are Twin Spires, TVG and BetOnline.

Twin Spires and TVG have lower margins than other new sportsbooks that we tested. These range depending on the race and market, but on average they worked out around 6%. BetOnline was a shade higher at 7%. The field was 10% plus, so a bigger difference in terms of the betting sites cut.

Horse Racing Betting Markets

Market coverage is next on the list, and this is going to matter more to some people than others. As a basic coverage you want access to win, show and place bets. Ideally you want exacta, trifecta, superfecta and daily double bets included. The best includes prop bets that allow you to include multiple bets across multiple races.

Standout here is Twin Spires. They cover all the above and whilst they aren’t the only one to do so (TVG, BetOnline and XBet does the same), they do it more races than any of betting site.

Live Horse Racing Betting

Betting live on horse racing is not as common with United States betting sites as you may think. We determine “live” as being able to bet once the race has stated and we mention this because a lot of review sites state live as simply up until the start of the race, which is strange.

TVG have the biggest live betting service and they include most of the US races that are on the site. One of the highlights for betting live with TVG is that they move odds quickly and they keep the market open for longer giving you more time to bet (some sites “suspend” betting early in the race.

It’s worth noting that betting live can be one of the most profitable betting formats for Louisiana horse racing residents and we talk more about this later in the article.

Horse Racing Betting Promotions

Horse racing promotions should play a factor in which betting site you decide to choose. Welcome offers are a given, but look for things like enhanced odds, enhanced betting lines, reload bonuses and horse racing-specific betting offers.

The two best here are split between BetOnline and TVG. At BetOnline you get a massive deposit bonus worth up to $1,000, but at TVG you get a smaller $250 bonus, but much easier to clear, likely making it better value. If you bet a lot in terms of stakes and volume, then take the BetOnline offer as it’s bigger.

Special Features for Horse Racing

Special features for horse racing need to be a factor. Things like interactive racecard, betting news, tips, previews, guides, social media presence and live streaming are all things to look out for.

Twin Spires and TVG are by far and away the best here, and it’s not even close. The pair go above and beyond, and even though they are essentially dedicated horse racing betting sites, if you’re looking for anything outside of simply placing your bet, then these two have to be considered.

User-Friendly Design

You need a site that looks good and functions well. Speed is key, no downtimes is a necessity and it has to be somewhere that you want to spend a bit of time. There are more horse races on most offshore betting sites than any other sport, so you’re going to be on there for decent periods of time.

Bovada get the nod here and they’ve been making great looking betting options for over a decade now. It’s clean, easy to use and a site that everyone agrees is the best looking. It lacks on features a little, but that makes it very usable for what they do offer.

Live Streaming

One of the best things about betting on horse racing is that live steaming is readily available on a lot of Louisiana horse racing betting sites. Streams are usually free if you’ve a funded account or have placed a bet on that race.

TVG is the best of the bunch, and it may come as little surprise to hear that given that they have their own horse racing TV channel. This is exactly what you get access to when you’ve a free account and the best way to describe what you get is that it’s the equivalent to the NFL Total Access show.

How to Choose the Best LA Horse Racing Betting Sites

Some online sportsbooks are better than others and there are key traits that separate the men from the boys. Below we’ve mentioned a few key areas that you need to consider before you choose your Louisiana horse racing betting site.

Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is one of the most important factors. You want to be using a brand that you can trust and there are several ways that you can define this.

For us, we want somewhere that is reputable and safe. We need to get money in and out quickly and we want to get the best possible offers as often as we can. The biggest brands excel at this and all the sites that we’ve recommend on this page are serious brands in the horse racing sector.

Payment Methods

Moving money, as mentioned above, is highly important as well. The main thing to consider here are fees and you want to avoid them all cost.

Most online gambling sites will have most payments without fees, but there are some that include them. They can be as high as 5% or a fixed fee. If there are no payment methods that you want to use that are not free, then avoid the betting site and find one where there is.

Safety & Security

There are ways that you can make your account very safe and the easiest way to do that is to create a totally unique password. By unique we mean one that is at least 10 digits long, contains numbers, letters, and symbols, and is only used for that betting site.

You can also check to see what security measures horse racing betting sites include. These can be in the form of SSL certificates, licensing, ring fenced bankrolls, etc.

Speed & Design

Being able to jump about the site or the app is imperative. It needs to be smooth, quick and with little to no lag. To be honest, most sites work well if you’re using 4G or better, which most people will have access to.

Design plays a key role in speed and less is often more to increase speed. Bovada does this better than most in that, they have an incredibly clean site with no clutter and in turn, it performs incredibly well in terms of speed.

Customer Service

There must be someone to contact should things go wrong on the horse racing site, or you need assistance with something. Live chat is almost always the best route to take here, but a phone number is another priority. Betting sites that only have email or contact forms are OK but be prepared to wait for a response.

Overall Value

When we talk about overall value, we mean the package that’s on offer. When we rank sites from 1 through 10, it’s more about what they don’t have as opposed to what they do. The fewer key features that are missing the better the ranking.

Perceived value will fluctuate from player to player. We like to look for competitive betting lines, live streaming, promotions (including horse racing-specific offers), interactive racecard and extensive betting markets. Any Louisiana horse racing betting sites that tick all of these boxes are going to score very well.

Is Horse Racing Betting Legal in Louisiana?

Horse racing betting laws in Louisiana state that horse racing is legal to bet on as long as you are over the age of 18. Current Louisiana laws allow betting both at the track and away from track, including online gambling at reputable horse racing betting sites such as TVG and Twin Spires.

Laws in the state are covered by RS 4:19.5 and pay close attention to wagering on sports in general whilst also highlight horse racing as a separate entity. Betting at the track is legal at the following sites:

• Louisiana Downs
• Delta Downs
• Evangeline Downs
• Fairground Racecourse

Horse Betting Guides State by State

LA Horse Racing Betting Guide – How to Bet Louisiana Horse Races

Betting on horse racing in Louisiana is a simple process but if you’re new to it, then there are some key areas that you need to be aware of. Betting online allows access to a wide range of races that are held all over the world.

The race type is the best place to start and with this you need to know if it will be a flat or a jump race. In the United States the most common form of racing is on the flat, although harness racing is also popular. In Europe you will get a more even mix of jump (often referred to as National Hunt) and flat racing.

You then get to pick your horse racing betting market. What you can bet on will depend on the betting site, but most have win, place, and show bets.

In the next couple of sections, we’re going to show you exactly how to bet on Louisiana horse races using a couple of examples.

Check Out Our Popular Horse Racing Guides

How Does Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Work?

You first need to choose which meeting you want to bet on and then which race from that meeting. If you’re betting on meetings in Louisiana, then races like the Louisiana Derby are great places to start, given they are high profile, and all betting sites will cover this.

The odds may be displayed in several ways. Given that most sites are going to offer pari-mutuel betting instead of fixed odds (more on the differences between the two later in the article) you wont know the exact odds you’re getting until after the race has been run.

Most racecard will offer some sort of morning line which will give you odds based on a professional handicapper at the start of the day. They essentially set predict what the odds for each horse will be so that it gives players a rough guide to the price of each horse.

You can choose between a range of bets. The win, place and show are the three most common and this involves picking the winner outright and then a mix of picking a horse to finish within a certain number of places.

Horse Racing Betting Explained

We’re going to look at an upcoming race at Fair Grounds in Louisiana. Below is a picture of the racecard taken from Twin Spires for this race that we will use as a reference.

You can see on the card there rare five columns which represent the horse number, odds, win, place and show. Most cards will show the number of the horse and not the name, which is common in the United States.

You then have the odds which is represented as a fraction instead of American-style odds (more on this in the next section). Next you have the win, place, and show bets. The sum of money in each next to each horse is how much is in the pot for that horse to win.

So, the odds are just a guide, but not far away in this case. As you can see, the horse that has the most money wagered on it is the lowest price. In this case it’s horse 3, with $174 wagered and odds of 8/5.

To make it a little easier to grasp, TwinSpires allows you to flick between the totals and the percentages for the total money staked.

All you need to do now is pick your horse, pick your bet and enter your stake. More on this later.

LA Horse Racing Betting Odds

We’ve spoken about odds a couple of times already, but we need to expand on how they work.

Most sites will have pool betting which is referred to pari-mutuel betting. This is where everyone’s stake goes into the pot and if you win, you get a percentage of the dividend based on how much you’ve initially wagered.

For example, if you bet $1 on a horse that has a pool of $100 and there are 100 other winners with an even stake then you would win $1 of profit.

Fixed odds for Louisiana Horse Racing

Fixed odds are where the price you take is determined as you place your bet. They generally aren’t pool related bets, but instead comes with a guaranteed price.

For example, odds of 5/2 would mean that you get 5 units back (profit) for every 2 units staked. Odds represented as fractions are essentially in two columns. The left number is the amount you win if you stake the right number. So, a 11/8 bet would mean that if you wagered $8 you would get $11 profit, plus your $8 original stake back.

Pari-Mutuel Betting in Louisiana

Pari-mutuel betting is where you bets go into a pot and then are rewarded as dividends should that bet win. You aren’t betting against the bookmaker here and instead all the player funds go into the pot and winnings are divided equally. The betting sites make money by taking a small percentage of all bets from the overall pot.

Pool Betting on Louisiana Horse Races

Pool betting is the same as pari-mutuel betting and this is sometimes used as the wording for these types of bets. The process is the same in that, you place your bets and if you win, you get your percentage of the dividend. These dividends are worked out just after the race has finished.

What Are the Different Types of Horse Racing Bets?

You will notice that there are several bets you can place on horse racing. The range of bets is less than sports like American football or basketball, but they are consistent across the board and most of the best Louisiana horse racing betting sites should have most of the bets we’ve outlined below.

Win

The win bet is where you place a single bet for the horse to win. The only payout you get is it if finished first on its own.

Place

The place bet is where the horse needs to finish inside the top two spots. It doesn’t matter if that is first or second as the payout is the same.

Show

The show bet is where the horse needs to finish inside the top 3 places. Again, this does not matter what order it’s in.

Exacta

The exacta bet is where you pick two horses from the same race to finish in first and second place. You must get the order right for this bet to win.

Trifecta

The trifecta bet is where you need to pick the top three horses to finish the race. Again, they must be in the correct order for the bet to win.

Superfecta

The superfecta is the same rules as the two bets above, but you need to pick the results of the top four horses in the race. This bet is incredibly difficult, but payouts are huge if they come off.

Daily Double

The daily double is where you choose the winner from two consecutive races from the same meeting.

Pick 3/4/5/6

Pick bets are an extension of the daily double, but the pick number represents the number of races you need to choose the winner of. So, a pick three would be from the first three races of the meeting. A Pick 6 would be from all six races of a meeting (assuming the meeting has 6 races, which is the most common number).

Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Terms

If you’re new to horse racing, then there is likely a range of terms and sayings that you’ve heard which have gone straight over your head. Don’t worry, this is common so what we’ve done is created a list of Louisiana horse racing betting terms that you can follow to make sense of it a little more.

• Across the board – A bet on a horse to win, place and show
• At the post – Signifies the start of the race
• Blinkers – Headgear worn by the horse to restrict their field of view (helps them concentrate)
• Claiming Race – A race where all horses running are up for sale and have a fixed price attached
• Classic – Race of particular importance (For example, Florida Classic)
• Dead Heat – Two or more horses finishes at the same time
• DQ – A horse that’s been disqualified
• Exotic bet – A bet that is not a win, place or show
• Favorite – Most likely to win the race
• Furlong – 1/8^th of a mile
• Length – Distance that horses are measured in as the cross the line
• Morning Line – Handicappers estimate of what the odds on each horse will be
• Odds – The price that you get when betting on a horse or market
• Pari-Mutuel – A bet that forms a pool of money and is distributed evenly to those who win the race
• Purse – Amount of money that can be won by the horse owners/trainers
• Tote Board – A board that contains the odds for that race
• Wager – Bet that is placed on a race

Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Calculator

Horse betting odds will be calculated by the sportsbook. You won’t need to calculate the odds for pool bets, and they will highlight the odds for fractional bets. You should be able to use the bet slip to work out your returns based on how much you want to stake.

How To Calculate Horse Racing Betting Odds

If you want to calculate your own odds for pool betting, then the best thing to do is to take percentage of bets placed on a horse and use that as an implied probability.

In the image above Twin Spires allows you to flick between the totals and the percentages that have been staked. If this is not an option, you can take the total amount wagered and then divide it by the number of runners to see the amount staked on that horse. Take this number and use a betting calculator to get the implied probability.

This might not give you the exact odds prior to the final count for the pool of money, but it won’t be too far away and a good guide.

Louisiana Horse Racing Odds Chart:

In the table below we’ve taken a range of common horse racing betting odds and shown you how much you will win from a $2 bet and then implied probability for those odds. The latter is the likelihood of that horse winning the race.

Horse Tracks in Louisiana

Louisiana plays host to four cracking hose tracks. The state has some of the best racing anywhere in the United States and these tracks are the perfect places to host them. Below we’ve outlined where the tracks are and what you’re going to find from them.

Fair Grounds – 1751 Gentilly Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70118

Fair Grounds dates back all the way to 1852. There are two tracks at the property with one being dirt and the other turf. Live racing takes place there from November through to April and then again from august to September. Fair Grounds place host to the biggest horse race in Louisiana, the Louisiana Derby which has a purse of $1million.

Evangeline Downs – 2235 Creswell Lane Extension, Opelousas, LA 70570

Evangeline Downs provides a mix of two types racing: Thoroughbred and Quarter horse racing. The Thoroughbred season starts in April and runs through to August, with the Quarter season starting in September and ending in December. On site is a hotel and casino with over 1,400 gaming machines.

Delta Downs – 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton, LA 70668

Delta Downs is one of the newer horse racing tracks in Louisiana and has been open since the 1970’s. The track hosts two meetings from October to March and then again in April to July. Races are Thoroughbred and Quarter racing, and the biggest race of the year is the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes.

Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Race Track – 8000 East Texas Street Bossier City, LA 71111

Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Race Track has been open since 1974 and in that time has jumped to one of the most popular in the state. Racing takes place in the form of Thoroughbred through the summer and Quarter racing through the winter. The Louisiana Downs live racing schedule features some of the biggest horse races in LA. It’s best known for hosting the Super Derby, which is a Grade 2 race and feeder to the likes of Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

The table below highlights the Louisiana horse tracks, as well as the address phone number and notable races at the track.

The History of Horse Racing in Louisiana

In the table below we’ve taken a brief look at the history of horse racing in Louisiana. We plan to keep this table up to date as changes to laws and race tracks continue to change.

Louisiana Downs Racing Schedule 2023

In the table below we’ve included the major races that take place across the state throughout the year. We’ve also included where you will find these races and the time of year they are run.

Louisiana Derby 2023

The highlight of the racing calendar in Louisiana is that of the Louisiana Derby. The race has been running since 1894 and is one of the oldest races in the country.

It’s a race open to three-year-old’s and is run over 1 3/16 miles across the dirt track at Fair Grounds Race Course. Since 2011 the race has had a purse of $1,000,000 which makes it the richest race in the state.

Comparing Betting at the Racetrack with Online Horse Racing Betting in Louisiana

When it comes to betting on horse racing online and live, there are pros and cons for each. The short of it is that, online you’re getting a better range of races to choose from and odds to take advantage of, but at the track, you get the atmosphere, which simply can’t be replicated.

There are more pros to betting online than there is to bet at the track. Whilst a day out is great, if you’re looking to make money from betting on horse racing, there is no substitute for betting online.

The tools, race cards, live streaming, betting markets and sheer volume of races you can wager online are just not possible when at a single track. You’re also more limited to the odds you can take for each horse, with track-side bookmakers betting notoriously tight with their betting lines, taking advantage of unsuspecting punters there for a day out, rather than to make money.

In the table below we’ve outlined all the pros and cons for betting at the racetrack and betting online.

General Terms and Conditions at Horse Racing Betting Sites in Louisiana

Louisiana is one of the most accessible states for online horse racing betting. You only need to be 18 years old to bet at the track or online. However, some betting sites may restrict people to be aged 21, so you need to check the T’s and C’s before you register your account.

You need to be a resident of Louisiana to sign up to the betting sites that we’ve listed on this page. At some point the betting site may ask you to verify your account which may involve sending proof of address and/or proof of payment method used.

Rollover Requirements

When you register your new account, you’re likely going to be able to grab a welcome bonus. These are usually in the form of a deposit match and then a bonus assigned to your account based on this.

For example, BetOnline will match your first deposit 100% up to $1,000. When the bonus hits your account, you will need to wager the bonus before you can withdraw it as cash.

In this example BetOnline ask you to wager this 10x, meaning that you need to place $10,000 worth of bets (assuming you took the full $1,000 bonus) before you can withdraw the bonus.

Check the chart out below to see all the welcome bonuses that are linked with each of the best Louisiana horse racing betting sites.

Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

Most horse racing sites are going to have a range of promotions that you can take advantage of. The welcome bonus is the most lucrative, but this can only be claimed once. Below we’ve included a range of bonus types that you’re going to be access from most of the betting sites that we recommend on this page.

Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus is the big one. This is the most lucrative although, you’re going to have to work the hardest to fully claim it.

These offers tend to be a deposit match and this is then translated into a bonus. Most of the horse racing sites on this page have a welcome bonus that is a 100% match of your deposit and is worth up to $1,000 in bonus cash. You then need to wager the bonus a set number of times and then the bonus is moved into your cash balance to use as you please.

Free Bet/ Risk Free Bet

Horse racing free bets are another common promotion. TVG and Twin Spires have a risk free bet as their welcome offer and for this you essentially get up to $250 worth of risk free bets that you keep any winnings from.

You may also find that free bets are randomly applied to your account from the betting site. There might be a multitude of reasons why, but the most common is a reward for continues and consistent betting on their site.

Loyalty/VIP

Another benefit for playing consistently at a single betting site is to take advantage of tehri loyalty program, which is often packaged as a “VIP” section. Here you earn points as you bet and then you can exchange those points for prizes or cash rewards.

Money Back Specials

A money back special is one of the most common forms of promos for horse racing in the industry. As the name would suggest, if you place a bet and the bet loses, then you will get your money back.

Terms for these offers will range. Usually what you find is that the promotion is linked to a finishing place or a specific horse. For example, it could be money back if your horse finishes second or money back if your horse loses to X horse in the race.

Enhanced Odds

Enhanced odds or odds boosts as they are commonly known are bets where the horse racing site has increased the odds for that race on a specific horse. The increase is usually relatively lucrative and worth taking. The only limitation on these bets is the amount you can stake.

Check out the table below to see what offers you can claim from each of the best Louisiana horse race betting sites.

Virtual Horse Racing Betting in Louisiana

The popularity of virtual horse racing is on the rise. This is a 3D race that you can watch and bet on, and they run around the clock. They all come with proper race cards, odds attached to each horse and then as part of the deal, you get to watch the race pan out.

These work a lot like a casino game in that, they are random. Virtual horse racing should be seen as a bit of fun rather than a way to consistently make money.

Louisiana Horse Racing Betting Apps

Mobile betting has extended to horse racing and all of the racing sites on this page support mobile betting in some form. The likes of Twin Spires and TVG both have downloadable apps, but for the most part, you’re going to get access to the mobile betting site which is via your smartphone browser.

LA Horse Racing Betting Apps for iPhone

TVG and Twin Spires both offer a dedicated app for iPhone. These apps can be downloaded from the App Store, and they are, of course, free to download. The apps are two of the best that we’ve tested, and they work seamlessly on the iOS platform.

Louisiana Horse Betting Apps for Android

Android phones don’t have access to any dedicated horse betting apps, but you can create an app. All you need to do is open the horse racing site within your mobile browser and add the page to your home screen. Once it’s there, it creates a type of “app” and whilst not dedicated, gives you direct access to the betting site.

How To Start Betting on Horse Racing Sites in Louisiana

To start betting on horse racing in Louisiana you first need to open a betting account. If you’ve not already picked a betting site to choose from, then jump back up to the review section to find one that fits the bill. If you’re still struggling, go with Twin Spires who we rate as the number horse betting site in Louisiana.

Below we’re going to show you how to open an account with Twin Spires and then place your first bet.

Step 1 – Open a New Account

To open your account, you can click this link to be taken through to the Twin Spires welcome page. Don’t forget that new accounts qualify for a $200 risk free bet, so make sure you opt-in for this.

Step 2 – Find the Horse Racing Section

Once the account has been setup you then log in and use the “Bet Now” menu at the top of the page. You’ll be greeted with a long list of races that are coming up. If you know what race you want to bet on, pick that. If not, just take your time to have a look about as there is lots going on here.

Step 3 – Choose Your Race

Now you need to pick your race. Click on the race to open the racecard.

Step 4 – Choose and Place Your Bet

On the racecard you can click to select the horse or the bet that you want to make. When you do this the bet will be added to your bet slip. Here you check the selection, enter the stake, and then confirm your bet. This is all you need to do to place your first bet on horse racing.

Other Types of Gambling in Louisiana

One of the best features about all these Louisiana betting sites aside from Twin Spires (dedicated horse racing only) is that you can bet on a plethora of other sports.

They all do a great job of covering online betting for sports such as basketball, football, soccer, baseball, hockey, golf and many more. At the best online gambling sites, sports fans can place bet on individual games or make long term bets, like betting on the 2022 Super Bowl.

On top of all this, most of the betting sites also have online casinos in Louisiana. Here you will get access to hundreds of casino games and massive welcome bonuses that you can claim instead of the horse racing promotions if you wish.

What Is the Best Site to Bet on Louisiana Horse Racing?

We’ve included a huge range of information on this page regarding Louisiana horse racing and where to bet. All of the sites are very strong betting sites, but if we had to choose one, that would have to be Twin Spires.

Given that TwinSpires is a dedicated horse racing betting site, it would make sense that they go above and beyond other sites. They include live streaming, early betting lines, huge pools, dedicated horse racing promotions and betting tools that will allow you to win more from your horse racing bets.

New accounts to TwinSpires can claim a welcome bonus in the form of a $200 risk free bet. All you need to do is open your account and then you get to keep any winnings from the bet. Use the link below to get started today!

Is betting on horse racing legal in Louisiana?

Yes, horse racing betting is legal in Louisiana. You’re able to bet at the track and you’re able to bet online at a host of online sportsbooks and racebooks.

How many horse racetracks are in Louisiana?

There are four horse racing tracks in the state of Louisiana. They are Louisiana Downs, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs and Fair Grounds Race Course.

What horse race is in Louisiana?

Horse racing takes place throughout the year in Louisiana. The standout races in the state include the Louisiana Derby, New Orleans Classic Stakes and the Fair Grounds Oaks.

Who won the Louisiana Derby?

The latest winner of the Louisiana Derby was Hot Rod Charlie. The horse then went on to finish 3rd in the Kentucky Derby, 2nd in the Belmont Stakes and won the Pennsylvania Derby in the same year.

When is the Louisiana Derby?

The Louisiana Derby is held in March. It takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Course and comes with a purse of $1 million.