Attending a horse racing event is an exciting experience. The energy of expectation in the air is contagious, and a lot of this has to do with the fact that people are betting on which horse will win.

But how and what types of bets are placed on horse races changes depending on the location of the event. While the traditional win and place bets are standard, betting takes on different forms around the world.

Geographic Variations in Horse Racing Betting

From its roots in the UK and exotic bets in the USA to sweepstakes in Australia and no bets in Dubai, the four most popular horse racing countries have their own unique stories to tell.

UK

While the Romans claim to have invented horse racing (by pulling chariots), traditional horse racing, as it’s still done today, was founded in the UK. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Chester Racecourse is the oldest racecourse in the world that is still in operation. The first recorded race there was in 1539.

The British Royal Family has ties to Ascot Racecourse, with the Royal Ascot event held almost every year since 1711. Cheltenham and Newmarket are the other two iconic courses in England. Horse racing remains hugely popular, with over 265,000 people attending the five-day Royal Ascot in 2025.

Betting is a significant part of horse racing culture in the UK, and it’s heavily regulated. Standard bets are win, place (first, second, or third), or each-way (win or place). These traditional bets are found the world over but started in the UK.

Revenue from betting is put back into the industry via institutes like the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

USA

The longest continuously held sporting event in the United States, the Kentucky Derby was first held on May 17, 1875, and featured 15 horses over 1.5 miles. Twenty years later, it was reduced to 1.25 miles (10 furlongs), which is what it remains today. It’s well known as an event that gets some big bets placed on its outcome.

Presently, the Kentucky Derby is the first of the Triple Crown Races, with the second, the Preakness Stakes, held at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland, and the final event, the Belmont Stakes, held at Belmont Park in New York. These three races collectively bring in revenue of over $2.5 billion each year.

Along with the win and place bets, the US horse racing market features a series of what are known as exotic bets. Some of these are:

• Exacta: Pick first and second place in that order
• Trifecta: Pick first, second, and third in that order
• Box Trifecta: Pick the first three horses in any order
• Daily Double: Pick the winners of two races that day

Horse racing in the US is regulated under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020, but each state has its own separate rules.

Australia

For 3 minutes and 20 seconds on the first Tuesday of November at around 3 pm, Australia comes to a standstill as 1.9 million people watch the Melbourne Cup live. Promoted as “the race that stops a nation,” the date is even a public holiday in Victoria, the state where the event is held.

Betting on the Melbourne Cup is similar to how it’s done in the UK, USA, and Dubai, except for one additional activity. Across the country, from classrooms to boardrooms, Cup Sweeps are big business. The sweepstakes are similar to a lucky draw, where a nominal amount, ranging from $0.20 to $2, is paid for a chance to draw one of the 24 horses from a hat. Prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place, with the amount donated returned for the last place or if a horse is scratched.

This concept is designed to be inclusive so that everyone can participate in the excitement of the Melbourne Cup event, without it being considered as betting.

Regulation in Australia is state-based and governed by Racing NSW, Victoria Racing Club, and Racing Queensland.

Dubai

Horseracing in Dubai is relatively new; it began in 1992 at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, which was replaced by the Meydan Racecourse in 2010. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum initiated the construction of this new style of racecourse connected to a luxury hotel, fine dining restaurants, and a museum dedicated to horse racing.

Horse racing in Dubai is big business, with heavy investment in the sport, and some of the world’s best racehorses are bred in the UAE.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival is one of the most lavish events on the international horse racing calendar, and the Meydan Racecourse hosts 60,000 spectators from across the globe.

What may surprise many horse racing fans is that gambling is illegal in the UAE. Therefore, physically betting on the race at Meydan Racecourse isn’t allowed.

That’s one of the many reasons why online betting on horse races is thriving in markets where it’s allowed.

The Rise of Online International Betting Markets

The most obvious advantage of online betting for horse races is that it opens up borders. A gambler doesn’t need to physically be at Ascot, Kentucky, Melbourne, or Dubai to bet on the event.

Wherever gambling on horse racing is permitted, these races, and more, are available. Sports bars across the world screen the races live, and patrons can often bet at those establishments or via an app on their phones.

Horse betting aggregators combine races from many countries on one page, allowing bettors to play in multiple markets at the same time.

Alongside horse wagers, many betting hubs also feature offers such as no deposit casino deals, Formula 1 incentives, and various football, baseball, and basketball offers. This variety appeals to those who want an all-inclusive gambling experience.

The future of online horse betting will be with AI. Its access to past events will assist gamblers to narrow down their selections based on their own criteria. Some platforms already trial AI-driven race predictions, but it’s still early days for this.

Whether in Ascot, Kentucky, Melbourne, or Dubai, the thrill of horse racing lies in the blend of tradition, culture, and chance—and online betting now connects these arenas into one accessible platform.