Pennsylvania Horse Racing Betting
Pari-mutuel wagering is just one of the forms of sports betting Pennsylvania residents have available to them. Horse racing betting has been legalized in the state of Pennsylvania for quite some time now. Residents can place wagers at licensed horse and harness racing facilities. The purview of this law also covers off-track betting locations that host in- and out-of-state races. Horse racing betting can be done by anyone in the state of Pennsylvania, so long as it is done at the correct location. Pennsylvania State Code Title 18 section 5513 is where you can find the law in its entirety if you’d like to read up on it.
In that law, you’ll also see something missing. Pennsylvania’s penal code has absolutely nothing on the books about using an online horse racing betting site for your pari-mutuel wagering needs. Which means, for residents who prefer to bet from home, they can do so legally. For the best online horse racing betting sites, check out the reviews we’ve included at the bottom of this page.
Online Horse Racing Betting Sites
With hundreds of different online horse racing betting sites available to them, Pennsylvania residents have everything they could ever need to begin online pari-mutuel wagering, right at the tips of their fingers. To help narrow down the considerable field, we’ve gone ahead and reviewed a couple of our favorite online racebooks. These sites make it so that once you log on, you’ll never need to go anywhere else for your horse racing betting needs. These sites have it all, so check out our reviews below to see what makes them so unique.
SportsBetting - All U.S.A. Including Pennsylvania
The Racebook at SportsBetting.ag has one of the largest and most comprehensive horse racing calendars of any land-based or online horse racing betting site. Here, you have access to every race run in the United States, as well as those run in the UK, Australia, and even across Europe. This site is a pari-mutuel bettor’s nirvana. Here, you can choose from over a dozen different banking methods, ensuring that you can find one that suits all of your needs. If you come across any problems, contact one of the efficient customer service representatives that work at SportsBetting. You can use live chat, email, or a toll-free phone number. Your problem will be resolved as quickly as possible, and you’ll always be put in touch with a live representative within moments. At this racebook, your online horse racing betting experience will be second to none.
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Betting on the Triple Crown In Pennsylvania
The Triple Crown is the hardest series of horse racing in America. In its nearly 100-year history, there are only 12 horses that have been able to win all three races in a single year. Consisting of the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown challenged three-year-old colts and filly’s to do the near impossible. It’s one of the most thrilling events in sports and is one of the biggest to wager on in horse racing.
Pennsylvania residents who wish to bet on the Triple Crown will be pleased to know that there are several land-based and online locations where they can legally and safely bet on horse racing’s biggest event. Licensed Pennsylvania off-track betting locations will be able to simulcast each leg of the race, and will be able to collect limited wagers on it. If you would prefer an unfettered betting experience, however, we recommend you try an online horse racing betting website. There, you’ll find better odds and more wager types than anywhere else for sports betting in Pennsylvania.
How to Bet on The Horses
In pari-mutuel wagering, there are straight and exotic wagers. Straight bets, known more commonly as win, place, or show bets, are easier to win, but have payouts that are relative to their risk level. Exotic wagers are much more difficult but have much higher payouts for successful wagers.
When you place a win bet, you are stating that the horse you’re wagering on will win the race outright. A place bet allows you to choose two horses, and so long as those two horses finish in first and second place, your wager is considered successful. It doesn’t matter which horse is first and which horse is second. A show bet is when you bet on the first three horses that finish a race, and again, it doesn’t matter which horse is in which position as long as they are one of the three that crosses the finish line first.
Exotic wagers make bettors choose the exact order of every horse they wager on. You can choose an exacta, which means you’re picking the first place and second place horses in order. A Trifecta allows you to wager on three horses, upping the risk and the potential payout. A superfecta requires you to name, in exact order, the first four finishing horses. As you can see, it’s much more difficult. But sometimes you have to risk it to get the (sea)biscuit.
Where Can I Bet On Horse Racing In My State?
In Pennsylvania, there are seven race tracks that allow you to bet on the horses. The majority of these locations are bunched together in the South East portion of the state, with one more – the Downs at Carbondale – in the North East portion of the state. If you are a resident of Pennsylvania but don’t live near these areas, it can get difficult to justify driving several hours just to place one or two wagers. Instead, you should look into online horse racing betting. This allows you to bet not only on races taking place in the state but all over the country. Below, we’ve listed the active horse racing tracks in Pennsylvania.
- Penn National Race Course
- The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
- Philadelphia Park Race Track
- Harrah’s Philadelphi
- The Downs at Carbondale
- Parx Casino
- Penn National Off-track Wagering