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Australian horse racing betting guide in 2024

You may be wondering what the significance of Australian horse racing betting in Canada is? Well, some of the sport’s most valuable events take place Down Under such as the Melbourne Cup.

Our guide will take you through the best betting sites, how odds work, a brief history of Australian horse racing and more.

Top horse racing betting sites in Canada

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Canada’s top sportsbook
1
4.5 /5
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Excellent
C$200 Bonus
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Pros

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Cons

  • Check icon FAQs section is lacking

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Best betting odds
2
3.9 /5
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Good
None Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
  • Check icon Payout Speed: 5 days

Pros

  • Check icon Lowest margin sports odds
  • Check icon Dedicated esports section
  • Check icon Multi View live betting option

Cons

  • Check icon Lack of bonuses & promos
  • Check icon No horse racing betting

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3
4.3 /5
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Pros

  • Check icon Very modern sportsbook
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Cons

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4
4.1 /5
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Great
N/A Bonus
  • Check icon Games: 1,500+
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  • Check icon Mobile apps for Android and iOS
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Cons

  • Check icon Poor VIP program
  • Check icon Live chat only in English
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5
4.2 /5
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Great
C$300 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
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  • Check icon Large sports betting selection
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  • Check icon No live chat support

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Best racebook
6
4.1 /5
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Great
C$125 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 97.22%
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Cons

  • Check icon Few esports betting options

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7
4.0 /5
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Great
C$300 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
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Cons

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8
3.8 /5
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Good
C$500 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
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9
3.9 /5
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Good
C$1,000 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
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10
3.9 /5
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Good
C$200 Bonus
  • Check icon Win Rate: 100%
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An introduction to horse racing in Australia

Before we get on with our guide, the first port of call is to set the scene. Here are some key facts about horse racing in Australia:

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 1

    The Australian racing season is different to that in the Northern Hemisphere

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 2

    They refer to springtime during the fall in Canada and North America

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 3

    Horse racing is administrated by the Australian Racing Board with each state abiding by the Rules of Racing

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 4

    Besides Thoroughbred Flat racing, there is also harness racing and some steeplechases

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 5

    The first recorded arrival of horses in Australia was back in 1788

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 6

    Horse racing built up in and around Sydney by 1810 with other major cities following suit in subsequent decades

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 7

    Major events in Australia include the Spring Carnival at various racetracks in Victoria

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 8

    In and amongst those is the Melbourne Cup, a very valuable Flat staying handicap, known as ‘the race that stops a nation’

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 9

    The Everest at Randwick near Sydney in New South Wales, meanwhile, is one of the world’s richest sprint races. Racehorses owners have to buy a place in it

  • Horse Racing in Australia - Fact 10

    Record-breaking mare Winx has done wonders for advertising Australian horse racing in recent years

How Australian horse racing odds work

Ever wondered how Australian horse racing odds work? We can help by explaining it all.
Let’s look at an example:

Winx
Winx
1.50
Sunline
Sunline
3.75
Rising Fast
Rising Fast
6.00
Lonhro
Lonhro
9.00
Kingston Town
Kingston Town
15.00
Filante
Filante
21.00
Chatham
Chatham
34.00

Seven multiple winners of W. S. Cox Plate, one of the most famous Australian races run at Moonee Valley, meet in a fantasy race. Winx is the favourite in the betting because she’s the shortest price.

In order to win $ 1, a stake of $ 2 is needed. Such a bet on Winx gives total returns of $ 3. Sunline is next in the betting and so on right up to Chatham.

That horse is the outsider of the field. A $ 2 wager at that price returns $ 68 – of which, $ 66 is profit.

Decimal odds are the most common way of expressing prices for Australian horse racing betting in Canada. Fractions are used on British and Irish based sites.

If you want to know more about how such prices compare, and the American moneyline, see our Odds Calculator below:

Popular bets for Australian horse racing

Now you know all about Australian horse racing odds, the next thing is what betting options are there? These are the most popular types of wager placed by bettors:

  • To win

    To win

    If you want to keep things simple, then back a horse to win.

    Eg:
    Winx
    1.50
    Winx
  • To place

    To place

    You can also back horses to place. The number of places available depends on the type of race and how many runners that go.

    Place betting is only usually given on races with five or more horses competing. The odds won’t be as attractive as win only bets.

    Eg:
    Rising Fast
    2.50
    Rising Fast
  • Each-way

    Each-way

    When you back a horse each-way, you are putting two bets on in one. The first is to win only and the second to place. Again, the number of places available depends on the type of race and the number of runners.

    A fraction of the outright win price is available on the place part of the bet. This is either a fifth or a quarter depending on how many horses are involved.

    Eg:
    Lonhro
    9.00
    Lonhro
  • Exacta

    Exacta

    You can also pick two horses in the same race and back them to finish first and second. This is called an exacta.

    Eg:
    Winx
    Winx
    First
    Sunline
    Sunline
    Second
  • Quinella

    Quinella

    You don’t have to specify the order if you fancy two horses in the same race. That bet type is called a quinella and is two wagers in one to cover both permutations.

    Eg:
    Winx
    Winx
    Sunline
    Sunline
    quinella
  • Trifecta

    Trifecta

    Why not go one step beyond an exacta and pick three horses to finish first, second and third? This is called a trifecta.

    Eg:
    Winx
    Winx First
    Sunline
    Sunline First
    Rising Fast
    Rising Fast Third
  • Multiples

    Multiples

    If you have fancies in different races, then you can combine those into one bet. These are known as multiples, because odds multiply from one winning leg of the race to the next.

    Eg:

    Winx
    16.00
    Winx
    Vintage
    Crop
    16.00
    Vintage Crop
  • Ante-post or Futures betting

    Ante-post or Futures betting

    Ante-post betting is available weeks and even months in advance of a horse racing event. Called futures betting in North America, chances are you’ll get bigger odds than waiting until the day of the race, but there are also risks attached.

    Not only are you gambling that a horse will win, but even line-up in the race. There is no money back on ante-post and futures betting if your fancy doesn’t make it.

    Eg:
    Winx
    2.75
    Winx

Biggest horse races in Australia

Which prestigious races are there Australian horse racing betting and odds for? Here are some of the most valuable:

  • Caulfield Cup, Caulfield, Melbourne (handicap, 12 furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • Melbourne Cup, Flemington, Melbourne (handicap, 16 furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • W. S. Cox Plate, Moonee Valley, Melbourne (10 furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • The Everest, Randwick, Sydney (six furlongs, any horse whose connections pay the entry fee)
  • Golden Slipper Stakes, Rosehill Gardens, Sydney (six furlongs, two-year-olds only)
  • Black Caviar Lightning, Flemington, Melbourne (five furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • Australian Oaks, Randwick, Sydney (12 furlongs, three-year-old fillies)
  • Australian Guineas, Flemington, Melbourne (8 furlongs, three-year-olds only)
  • Australian Derby, Randwick, Sydney (12 furlongs, three-year-olds only)
  • Kingston Town Classic, Ascot, Perth (nine furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Randwick, Sydney (10 furlongs, three-year-olds and up)
  • Ubet Classic, Morphetteville, Adelaide (three-year-old fillies and mares and up)

Australian horse racing betting on mobile

One major development of the digital age is mobile technology. The betting industry has kept pace with this in a bid to keep gambling at the cutting edge.

Mobile Australian horse racing betting is available to you. What are the benefits of it? Let’s take a look:

  • All the best Australian horse racing betting sites have developed apps for Android and Apple operating systems
  • You can download these for free for your smartphone and tablet to get a streamlined gambling experience
  • With betting made easier and available to you anywhere where there is internet connection, it’s very convenient

FAQs

What are the best betting sites for Australian horse races?

We’ve listed the below as being the best betting sites for Australian horse racing:

  • Betway
  • Pinnacle
  • Casumo
  • Stake
  • 888sport
  • Sports Interaction
  • 22Bet
  • 10bet
  • Mr.play
How does Australian horse racing betting work?

Choose the race you want to bet on and horse you want to back. Add it to your betting slip, then enter your stake. All you have to do then is place the bet.

What are the most popular bets for Australian horse races?

These Australian horse racing odds and bet types are the most popular:

  • To win
  • To place
  • Each-way
  • Exacta
  • Quinella
  • Trifecta
  • Multiples
  • Ante-post or Futures betting
What is the biggest horse race in Australia?

The Melbourne Cup is widely recognized as being the biggest horse race in Australia. In fact, Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in the state of Victoria, with businesses and schools closed for the day.

When is the Melbourne Cup in 2021?

The 2021 Melbourne Cup will take place on Tuesday, November 2. While, the 2022 edition is due to be on Tuesday, November 1.

Where is the Melbourne Cup in 2021?

Since 1861, the Melbourne Cup has taken place at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria. The 2021 edition is no different.

Who won the Melbourne Cup in 2020?

Irish thoroughbred Twilight Payment won the 2020 Melbourne Cup during the COVID-19 pandemic, with no crowd allowed to attend.

Ridden by Australian jockey Jye McNeil, Twilight Payment is trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien and owned by Australian businessman Lloyd Williams, who has won the most Melbourne Cups.

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