Bet365 Horse Racing Canada Review
In a significant move, Bet365 has partnered with Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto to bring horse race betting to Ontario gamblers. The Bet365 online sportsbook now includes horse race betting (and greyhound racing) as a bettable event. Bet365 players can access horse race wagers by selecting the “Horse Racing” category on the website or app.
The launch of Bet365 and Woodbine’s partnership marked the first legal horse race betting option for Ontarians. Below, we review every facet of the Bet365 horse betting experience.




- No separate app or login is needed (integrated into the sportsbook app).
- Woodbine races are front and center.
- Races from popular global tracks.
- Sort races by region or track.
Bet365 horse racing referral code for December 2023
No code is needed to join Bet365 Sportsbook. Click the links on this page to get started.
Online Horse Betting | Bet365 Racebook Canada |
---|---|
Bet365 Ontario Code | None needed; Click here |
Horse Racing Features | Dedicated page for race betting, races organized by region and track, simple user interface |
Minimum Deposit | $10 |
Payment Options | Debit/Credit, Interac, Paysafecard, bank transfer |
Bet365 Ontario Launch | April 2022 (horse racing added in 2023) |
Last Updated | December 2023 |
Bet365 horse racing Ontario review
Reviewing Bet365’s horse racing will be slightly different from breaking down other online racebooks. Instead of a dedicated horse race betting app, Bet365 simply offers horse race wagering within its existing sportsbook.
To some, this may be an advantage. It’s simple, easy to find, allows you to use your sportsbook wallet for race betting, and doesn’t require a separate download. To others, it may be a disappointment. Because it’s a section within a larger sportsbook app, horse racing doesn’t take centerstage at Bet365. This leaves a little to be desired from a user experience perspective.
Bet365 horse racing interface and experience
Navigating to the horse racing section of Bet365’s sportsbook is easy. It’s listed among the available sports on the platform. Selecting that option brings up a menu of races happening that day.
This is where a slight knock against Bet365 comes into play. The interface feels stale. The name of each racetrack is listed in simple white text with numbered races below that. Each race has a countdown underneath, displaying how much time is left before the race begins. Functional? Absolutely. But it feels like the platform is doing the bare minimum. That could very well be true, and future updates could spice up the page with more captivating visuals and displays.
Clicking on a specific track makes things slightly better. The interface for any given race is more intuitive and dynamic than the homepage for horse race betting. Each horse’s name, jockey, and owner are clearly listed next to the animal’s weight and age. Win, place, and show bets are featured next to each horse.
Note that odds are displayed only for users who are logged in. Perhaps this is disappointing to the fan just curious about the stakes, but it feels necessary to protect against illegal wagering outside of the Bet365 app.
Horse racing bets available at Bet365
Common horse bets at Bet365 Ontario include:
- Win: a bet on a horse to win the race
- Place: a bet on a horse to come in first or second
- Show: a bet on a horse to come in first, second, or third
Exotic bets are also available.
- Exacta: a bet on two horses to finish first and second, in that order
- Trifecta: a bet on three horses to finish first, second, and third, in that order
- Superfecta: a bet on four horses to place first, second, third, and fourth, in that order
- Omni: only available for races with six or more horses; pick two horses to finish within the top 3 with different payouts for each combination
You can also “box” exactas, trifectas, and superfectas, which shifts your bet to allow the horses to finish in any order. You will pay more to make this wager because you are betting on multiple possible outcomes.
Multi-race bets are also offered at Bet365. In these bets, you pick the winners of consecutive races. Bets of this type are available for two, three, four, or five races. Two-race bets are called Daily Doubles while the others are called Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5. These bets have solid payouts, but they are hard to pick accurately, similar to parlays in sports betting.
Live stream races
Clicking the “Watch” button for a given race pulls up a live stream of the track. This is not available for every race at Bet365, but many have the option enabled. You must be logged in to watch live streams.
Use one wallet for everything
Bet365 Sportsbook allows you to use a single wallet for sports betting and horse racing. Because horse racing is built into the Bet365 app, there’s no need to make separate deposits for each type of wager. This is a significant advantage for players who enjoy both options but don’t want to manage separate platforms.
Woodbine is behind the curtain
When you navigate to the horse race betting section in Bet365, you’ll see the following message: “Please note Horse Racing wagers are operated by Woodbine Entertainment Group.”
This means that Bet365 isn’t the core operator of horse race betting. Instead, your wagers are processed and paid out by Woodbine via its partnership with Bet365. The reason for this is Canada’s laws governing parimutuel wagering. Only licensed parimutuel operators can offer horse race betting in Canada, and Woodbine is the only licensed operator in Ontario.
Payment methods for Bet365 horse race bettors
Thanks to its seamless integration into the Bet365 online sportsbook, horse race betting deposit methods are the same as the ones offered to Bet365 sports bettors. Here’s a quick overview of the most popular methods:
- Interac
- Debit card
- Credit card (VISA, Mastercard)
- Instadebit
- Instant bank transfer
- Apple Pay
- Paysafecard
- Wire transfer
The minimum deposit for each method is $10 except wire transfers, which require a $200 minimum.
Withdrawal methods at Bet365
Bet365 withdrawal methods include the following options.
- Debit card
- Online banking
- Instadebit
- Interac
- Wire transfer
Processing times vary by method; Instadebit and Interac are the fastest, usually paying out within 24 hours. The other methods typically take 1 to 5 business days. The minimum withdrawal is $10.
Parimutuel wagering vs. fixed-odds betting: what’s the difference?
In Canada, all horse race betting is parimutuel. That means bets are pooled and split among the winners. It also means the odds on your bet can change even after you place your wager. The odds at the start of the race are the odds that determine your payout.
Horse race betting has long operated under a parimutuel structure because it helps support the expenses of both horse owners and the tracks that offer races. It also helps cover other costs associated with the sport.
Fixed odds, on the other hand, lead to slim profit margins for the betting operators. Fixed odds are common at sportsbooks: you place a bet and the odds at that time are the odds that determine your potential payout.
Parimutuel wagering is only accessible to licensed horse racing operators in Canada. Through its partnership with Woodbine, Bet365 can now offer it within the sportsbook app.
Horse races to bet on at Bet365 in Ontario
Bet365 features racetracks from around the world in its horse race betting section. Woodbine, naturally, is at the top of the list, but many other well-known tracks are featured. This includes Churchill Downs, Penn National, and other North American tracks.
International tracks such as Stratford, Newcastle, and Northam are also on offer.
Bet365 and Woodbine are expected to offer bets on the Triple Crown races in 2024: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
Why choose horse race betting at Bet365 Sportsbook?
Well, the fact that it’s your only online horse race betting option via an Ontario sportsbook is the primary reason.
However, even if there were several competitors, Bet365 horse racing would still be a strong option in Ontario. The convenience provided by Bet365 is hard to beat, including the ability to share a wallet between the sportsbook and horse race betting. In truth, horse racing feels right at home within the larger list of sports at Bet365. It makes the platform an easy choice for placing your horse race bets.