Every app on this list pays its welcome offer once. Every race takes its cut every time.

That cut is takeout: the track’s share of each pool, removed before winners get paid. It runs roughly 12% to 20.75% on win, place, and show bets, and about 20% to 31% on trifecta and superfecta pools.

So the smart question about horse racing betting apps isn’t “who has the biggest bonus?” It’s “what does this app give back on every bet?”

TwinSpires’ points work out to about 0.1% back at most tracks. AmWager pays roughly 2% to 5% cashback every morning.

Most lists review 3 or 4 apps, and some mix in sportsbook features irrelevant to pari-mutuel racing. And two apps that look like rivals share an owner: Churchill Downs Incorporated owns TwinSpires and co-owns DK Horse.

We checked offers, states, age rules, streaming, and rewards on operators’ own pages in September 2026, and we flag anything we couldn’t confirm.

Here is how we picked:

• Licensed US ADWs only. Advance-deposit wagering (ADW) apps operating under the Interstate Horseracing Act, amended in 2000 to cover electronic bets.
• Offers dated and decoded. If we only found an offer in a third-party report, we don’t quote it.
• Rewards and fees, not just bonuses. Rebates, deposit fees, withdrawal speed.
• State and age rules. Legal in more than 40 states; the age is 18 in many and 21 in others.
• Left out on purpose: offshore books (see the FAQ), DerbyWars (fantasy contests, not an ADW), Elite Turf Club (built for high-volume computer-assisted betting) and BetAmerica (folded under TwinSpires).

Before you download anything, check the app’s state list. Several legal horse betting apps here cover far fewer states than the law allows.

If betting stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, free and open 24/7.

8 Best Horse Racing Betting Apps in the US

1. FanDuel Racing: Best for First-Time Bettors

Searching for TVG? You already found it.

TVG’s wagering platform now runs as FanDuel Racing. The TV side became FanDuel TV in September 2022.

• Owner: FanDuel Group (Flutter Entertainment)
• Welcome offer (as FanDuel’s promo page words it): Bet $5, get up to $500 back in Racing Credit if your first wager loses (72-hour window). $10 minimum deposit, no promo code. Checked September 2026.
• Key term: Racing Credit can’t be withdrawn and expires 7 days after it’s issued.
• States: Not confirmed in our check; see the app’s state list.
• Minimum age: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• iOS / Android: iOS app on the App Store; Android not confirmed in our check.
• Streaming: 300+ tracks with a FanDuel account. We couldn’t confirm on FanDuel’s own site whether you need a funded account to watch.
• Rewards/rebates: Reviewers rate it weaker than TwinSpires’ TSC Elite program.

This offer works differently from TwinSpires’ deal. TwinSpires (#2) pays its bonus in steps as you bet, $100 for every $400. FanDuel’s offer hinges on a single bet instead.

The catch: the refund only exists if that first bet loses. And it arrives as Racing Credit, not cash, on a 7-day clock.

So plan your next race card before you place the first bet. That way the credit is far less likely to expire unused.

Funding is simple, with one limit. FanDuel Racing no longer takes credit cards. It accepts debit cards, online banking, Venmo, and Apple Pay, depending on your state.

Reviewers widely call it the most beginner-friendly of the major horse racing betting apps. That matters most while you’re still learning what each bet type means.

The weakness shows up at the worst moment. App Store reviews of FanDuel’s apps cite logouts and bugs during peak traffic, meaning big race days, which is exactly when beginners arrive.

Seasoned bettors advise depositing at least a week before a big race to avoid the crush.

Best for: someone placing their first bets around a big race who wants a simple, no-code offer.

Skip if: you plan to bet most weekends. The rewards side is thin, so look at TwinSpires (#2) or AmWager (#5).

2. TwinSpires: Best for Rewards on Churchill Downs Tracks and International Racing

The company behind the Kentucky Derby also runs this app. And it pays you four times the points when you bet on its own tracks.

• Owner: Churchill Downs Incorporated
• Welcome offer: $200 sign-up bonus, paid $100 for every $400 you wager. Deposit and wager $800 within your first 30 days to get the full $200. Checked September 2026.
• Key term: Show bets don’t count toward the $800. One bonus per household, and households with a previous TwinSpires account don’t qualify.
• States: Not available in AK, GA, HI, MS, NV, NJ, NC, SC, TX, UT, Washington, DC, and no longer available in NH.
• Minimum age: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• iOS / Android: iOS rated about 4.3 to 4.8 by source (about 50,000 reviews cited by one aggregator). Android not confirmed in our check.
• Streaming: TwinSpiresTV is free for verified, logged-in wagering customers, based on monthly wagering activity. It isn’t unconditional.
• Rewards/rebates: TSC Elite, with automatic enrollment and no earning cap. 1 point per $1 wagered (4 points on Churchill Downs-owned tracks); 1,000 points = $1. VIP tiers start at $25,000+ a year in wagers.

Decoded, $200 on $800 of qualifying bets is 25 cents of bonus per dollar.

At 1,000 points per $1, TSC Elite returns about 0.1% at most tracks and about 0.4% at Churchill Downs-owned tracks. Even the 0.4% rate trails AmWager’s 2% to 5% (#5).

TwinSpires wins on reach instead. The international menu runs to 100+ tracks, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Dubai, South Africa and Hong Kong, so this Kentucky Derby betting app doesn’t go quiet after spring.

Money in and out:

• Free ACH online banking deposits, which take about 4 days to post
• A $5 fee on credit card, PayPal, and Apple Pay deposits
• Payout requests that TwinSpires aims to authorize within 24 hours
• PayPal withdrawals that can take up to 5 days, per third-party trackers

The weak spot is the biggest day of the year. On May 2, 2026, a user placed a Kentucky Derby bet, then found the account locked when checking results, per a BBB complaint. A password reset didn’t fix it.

That’s one reported case. But big-race congestion is a recurring complaint across horse racing betting apps.

The verdict: If you’ll bet Churchill Downs-owned tracks or overseas racing regularly, this is the strongest all-round pick on the list. Just open and verify your account well before Derby week.

3. DK Horse and DraftKings Racing: Best for People Who Already Bet With DraftKings

Who’s behind DraftKings’ horse racing app? Partly DraftKings. And partly Churchill Downs Incorporated, the same parent that owns TwinSpires (#2).

Churchill Downs supplies the pari-mutuel wagering infrastructure. So the app you might pick “instead of” TwinSpires runs on its parent company’s technology.

• Owner: Joint venture of DraftKings and Churchill Downs Incorporated
• Welcome offer: Promo codes rotate around major races. Check the current offer in the app.
• Key term: $10 minimum deposit ($1 for credit card deposits); $0.01 minimum withdrawal.
• States: The standalone DK Horse app covers roughly 26 states. Availability differs from the main DraftKings sportsbook because racing runs under a separate regulatory framework.
• Minimum age: 18, except 21 in Arizona, Indiana, Iowa and Washington.
• iOS / Android: Both. Android rating about 3.1 out of 5 (630 ratings); iOS reviews are mixed to positive.
• Streaming: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• Rewards/rebates: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.

The main reason to pick it over other horse racing betting apps is convenience. If you already bet sports with DraftKings, one login may cover racing too.

That depends on your state. The product is mid-move. DraftKings is folding racing into “DraftKings Racing” inside its main Sportsbook app, with one account and one wallet, and phasing out the standalone DK Horse app state by state.

Where DraftKings Racing hasn’t launched, DK Horse is still a separate app with its own account.

That split explains the Derby-day complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Users deposited in the sportsbook, found no horse racing, and learned the racing app needed its own account.

Their sportsbook promos didn’t carry over, and the racing app charged a $5 deposit fee.

Withdrawals draw the other big complaint. User reviews report:

• The app defaulting to a mailed paper check, even when other methods showed before depositing
• 3 to 5 business days to verify, plus 3 to 5 more to withdraw
• Expedited checks costing about $23 plus a $5 processing fee

Direct recommendation: If you already have DraftKings, open the Sportsbook app and look for Racing first. If it isn’t there, you need DK Horse, and it’s worth linking your bank account before you win anything.

4. NYRA Bets: Best for Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct Fans

Bet New York racing most weekends? This app belongs to the people who run those races: the New York Racing Association, operator of Saratoga, Belmont, and Aqueduct.

• Owner: New York Racing Association (NYRA Bets is NYRA’s official ADW)
• Welcome offer: Deposit-match and free-credit offers rotate, so check the current offer in the app. The structure on NYRA Bets’ sign-up page: make your first deposit within 30 days of opening the account and wager twice the deposit in that window. The bonus arrives as non-withdrawable wagering credit within 48 hours, one per household or IP address. Checked September 2026.
• States: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• Minimum age: 18, except 21 in AL, ID, NE, ND, NM, IN, KS, MI, OK, and WA.
• iOS / Android: Both. iOS: about 4.3 to 4.7 stars (about 8,800 ratings cited); Google Play: about 3.4.
• Streaming: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• Rewards/rebates: Wagering credit of about 0.4% on NYRA-track bets and 0.2% elsewhere. That rate comes from third-party reports, not NYRA’s own page.

The app covers thoroughbred, quarter horse, and harness racing, so it isn’t only for Saratoga summers.

The rebate follows the same logic as TwinSpires. NYRA Bets reportedly pays double on its own tracks, just as TwinSpires pays 4x points on Churchill Downs tracks.

The lesson for choosing between horse racing betting apps: pick the one that owns the tracks you bet most.

The weak spot is timing. Users say upcoming races often show inaccurate post times, which makes last-minute bets risky, so place yours a few minutes early.

Reviewers also report account locks and long waits for customer support. On the plus side, NYRA Bets partners with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) on responsible gambling.

Quick comparison with TwinSpires: NYRA’s reported 0.4% on its own tracks matches TwinSpires’ 0.4% on Churchill Downs tracks by our math. If your betting centers on Saratoga and Belmont, NYRA Bets wins. If it centers on Churchill Downs or overseas racing, TwinSpires does.

5. AmWager: Best for Cashback on Every Bet

We found no sign-up bonus here. AmWager may still give back more than any other app on this list with a rewards rate we could confirm.

It pays roughly 2% to 5% cashback on most win/lose wagers, every morning, to every eligible customer. TwinSpires’ base rate is about 0.1%.

• Owner: AmWest Entertainment LLC, licensed by the Oregon Racing Commission as a multi-jurisdictional account-wagering provider
• Welcome offer: None found in our check; a referral bonus sits behind an in-account “get a bonus” link. Checked September 2026.
• Key term: Cashback isn’t offered to Idaho customers because of high source-market fees. (The site names Illinois too, but lists Illinois as unavailable.)
• States: Not available in AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, GA, HI, IL, ME, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NC, PA, SC, TX, UT, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. Limited access in FL, ID, IN, KY, MD, MA, MT, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, VA, WA, WV and WY.
• Minimum age: 21 everywhere, even where state law allows 18.
• iOS / Android: No App Store or Google Play app. It’s a mobile website you install with “Add to Home Screen,” with the same features as desktop.
• Streaming: Live video is part of the feature set; access rules not confirmed in our check.
• Rewards/rebates: Automatic, five tiers based on monthly activity, roughly 2% to 5%, paid daily.

Remember the takeout math from the intro? The track takes its cut from every pool, on every bet.

A rebate is the only feature that hands back part of that cut every time, and AmWager’s is the biggest we found. It doesn’t make betting a winning proposition, because takeout still comes out first.

AmWager Plus and Pro add custom wagering modifiers, and reviewers call it the most feature-rich option for serious handicappers.

No download? The site runs as a Progressive Web App (PWA): tap “Add to Home Screen” and it behaves like any other app.

The limit is geography: it serves far fewer states than TwinSpires.

The verdict: For a regular bettor in a state it serves, this is the value pick. For a once-a-year Derby bettor, the rebate barely matters, and FanDuel Racing (#1) is simpler.

6. 1/ST BET: Best Clean Interface for Former Xpressbet Players

Had an Xpressbet or BETMIX account? Your old login works on 1/ST BET.

Xpressbet didn’t disappear. Its owner, 1/ST (formerly The Stronach Group), rebranded it, and Xpressbet’s own site confirms the switch.

• Owner: 1/ST (formerly The Stronach Group)
• Welcome offer: Check the current offer in the app. The bonus terms we found came from a third-party tracker, not 1/ST BET’s own terms page, so we’re not quoting them. Checked September 2026.
• States: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• Minimum age: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• iOS / Android: Native iOS app. Android and desktop run through 1stbet.com in the browser, with no download needed.
• Streaming: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• Rewards/rebates: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.

The iOS app rates about 4.6 to 4.7 on the App Store, among the highest of the horse racing betting apps we checked. Reviewers describe a clean layout that makes it easy to toggle between races and horses.

There’s one known bug. Some iOS users hit a white screen that only a phone restart fixes, and it can leave them on a login screen with no visible login button.

If it happens to you, restart the phone first.

Serious handicappers may find it thin. Users have asked for basics like horse records on the info pages, so its tool set looks less mature than TwinSpires’ or AmWager’s.

Best for: returning Xpressbet players and beginners who want a tidy app.

Skip if: you want deep handicapping tools inside the app. AmWager (#5) is built for that.

7. Caesars Racebook: Best for Betting Racing and Sports From One Wallet

If you already bet football on Caesars, you may not need another app. Its racebook sits inside the Caesars Sportsbook app, on the same wallet.

We couldn’t confirm these details on Caesars’ own terms page in September 2026, so check them in the app before you deposit. Every fact below comes from third-party reviewers.

• Owner: Caesars (racebook built into the Caesars Sportsbook app)
• Welcome offer: Check the current offer in the app.
• States: At least 22: CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, VA, WA, WV and WY.
• Minimum age: 21.
• iOS / Android: Inside the Caesars Sportsbook app; platform details not confirmed in our check.
• Streaming: Free livestreams from 300+ tracks (reported).
• Rewards/rebates: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.

The draw is one wallet across sports and racing. You skip the second account and second deposit, and the app adds real-time data and handicapping tools.

Know what you’re getting, though. Racing bets here are pari-mutuel, so they go into pools like every other bet on this list. Same-game parlays and cash-out belong to the sportsbook side, not the racebook.

Judge any of these horse racing betting apps on pools, tracks, fees and rebates, not on sportsbook extras.

The flat 21 rule is also stricter than DK Horse or NYRA Bets, which start at 18 in many states.

Direct recommendation: If you’re 21+, already hold a Caesars Sportsbook account, and live in one of those states, open the racebook tab before downloading anything new.

8. BetMGM Racebook: Best for Exotic Bets in Florida, Louisiana and Ohio

BetMGM takes real horse racing bets, and most lists skip it. The catch: you can only use it in three states.

As with Caesars, these details come from third-party reviews, not BetMGM’s own terms page, so confirm them in the app.

• Owner: BetMGM
• Welcome offer: Not confirmed in our check. Check the current offer in the app.
• States: Florida, Louisiana and Ohio only.
• Minimum age: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.
• iOS / Android: Not confirmed in our check; see BetMGM’s site.
• Streaming: Free live streaming in the app and on the website (reported).
• Rewards/rebates: Not confirmed in our check; see the app.

This is genuine pari-mutuel racing, not sportsbook props. The menu covers 200+ tracks and a full set of bet types:

• Win, place and show
• Exacta, quinella and trifecta
• Daily double
• Pick 3 through Pick 6

The standout feature is a carryover-pool tracker for jackpot-style bets like the Pick 5. A carryover is money left in a pool when nobody hits the bet, added to the next one.

Keep the intro’s takeout math in mind here. Trifecta and superfecta pools broadly carry about 20% to 31% takeout, higher than win, place and show.

Best for: BetMGM customers in Florida, Louisiana or Ohio who like multi-race exotics.

Skip if: you live anywhere else. It isn’t available to you.

Horse Racing Betting App FAQs

Is horse racing betting legal in my state, and how old do I have to be?

Online ADW betting on horse racing is legal in more than 40 states as of 2026. It isn’t allowed in Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina or Utah, and Texas allows only in-person betting at licensed tracks. The legal basis is the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, amended in 2000 to cover electronic wagers. The age is 18 in many states and 21 in others, and some operators (AmWager, Caesars) set 21 everywhere. Individual apps often cover fewer states than the law allows, so check each app’s own list.

How does pari-mutuel betting work, and what is takeout?

You bet against other bettors, not the app. Every bet goes into a pool, the track removes its takeout (about 12% to 20.75% on win, place and show, and about 20% to 31% on trifecta and superfecta), and winning tickets split the rest. Odds come from the pool, so “line shopping” between racing apps doesn’t work like it does for NFL spreads. Betting closes when the race starts, with no in-race live betting. What does differ between apps is rebates, fees and offers.

What should a beginner bet, and what are the minimums?

Start with win, place or show, usually a $2 minimum. Win pays if your horse finishes first, place if it finishes first or second, and show if it finishes in the top three. An exacta (the first two in exact order) usually costs $1, and a trifecta (the first three in order) usually $0.50. Superfecta can be as low as $0.10 at many tracks. Daily double, Pick 3 and Pick 6 usually start at $1, and Pick 4 and Pick 5 at $0.50. Minimums vary by track and app, and TwinSpires’ bonus (#2) doesn’t count show bets.

How do I spot an offshore or unlicensed betting app?

Check the operator, or its parent, on a state racing commission’s licensed-ADW list. Licensed apps operate under the Interstate Horseracing Act with state oversight. Oregon’s list covers AmWager (AmWest), TwinSpires (Churchill Downs Technology Initiatives), NYRA Bets, Xpressbet (now 1/ST BET) and others. It isn’t complete, because some licensees run several brands under one license. Offshore sites such as Bovada and BetOnline have received cease-and-desist orders from regulators in states including Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana and Maryland. If your funds get frozen there, no US regulator protects you.

How fast can I withdraw winnings?

It depends on the app and the method. TwinSpires aims to authorize payout requests within 24 hours, though third-party trackers say PayPal withdrawals can take up to 5 days. DK Horse users report 3 to 5 business days to verify an account, 3 to 5 more to withdraw, and paper checks as the default. On any app, verify your account and link a bank before a big race, not after you win.

Can I watch races for free?

Usually only as a customer. TwinSpiresTV is free for verified wagering customers, based on monthly betting activity. FanDuel Racing streams 300+ tracks with a FanDuel account, and Caesars and BetMGM reportedly offer free streaming. Most apps tie free streaming to an active wagering account, so check each app’s rule first.

Where can I get help if betting stops being fun?

Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). It’s free, confidential and open 24/7. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has also launched a newer national helpline, 1-800-MY-RESET. Licensed apps commonly offer deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion. Set a deposit limit before your first bet, and treat what you wager as the cost of entertainment, never as a way to make money.

8 Best Horse Racing Betting Apps in the US: Conclusion

The best horse racing betting app depends on where you live and how you like to bet. Don’t choose an app just for a big welcome bonus. 

Check its fees, rewards, race coverage, and cash-out rules too. Always use a licensed US betting app and check the terms before you add money. Set a clear budget, bet only what you can afford to lose, and keep betting fun.