Off track betting is nothing new to fans of horse racing. For many years there have been physical off track betting parlors in the United States and abroad. It is even possible today to find off track betting online.
Online horse betting sites have taken the concept of an OTB location to the net level. These sites put everything in the palm of your hand. With a phone or a tablet you can make bets at the most famous tracks as they host the most famous races. You don’t even have to leave home to do it.
What is Off Track Betting?
OTB, or off track betting, is wagering on horse racing at an off track location. OTB parlors first became popular throughout the United States in large racing jurisdictions like New York. There were OTB parlors on many corners in Manhattan for those who could not get to the track to place a bet.
Off track betting consisted of a small building which housed betting machines and tellers. Individuals could go into the physical location and make their wagers or cash winning tickets. A simulcast of the races in progress would be shown. These establishments made horse racing betting very convenient.
The Internet has made it possible for individuals to conduct off track betting online. A horse racing betting site is essentially an online OTB parlor. You can make and cash bets, and you can even watch the races in progress. The only difference is that online off track betting gives you access to many more tracks. With a single account you can play tracks from coast to coast, and you can also make your bets at international horse racing tracks.
The Advantages of Off Track Betting Online
Even though the old off track betting parlors were a good solution, they still had some limitations. One of these is that you still had to leave home and visit the betting parlor in person to wager. Another was that many OTB parlors were limited to betting on tracks of a specific circuit.
Off track betting online removed many of these disadvantages. To begin, you can sign up for any horse betting website you choose right from home. Most states have legalized online horse betting. The sign up process is quick and you can be betting within minutes.
There is no prohibition on online horse betting sites taking bets from multiple circuits. You can open your account in New York and make bets on tracks in California. You can live in Florida and bet the races in Hong Kong. All betting is handled with the same platform.
Another advantage to online off track betting is the bonuses and rebates for players. You can receive money when you sign up for a betting account, and you can also receive bonuses when you bet frequently. Some horse betting sites will even give you rebates on your losses each month depending on how much you wager.
Which Horse Racing Betting Sites Are the Best?
EZ Horse Betting has made efforts to rate and review many top online horse betting sites. We base our reviews and recommendations on what horse bettors have told us they want to see from their off track betting parlor online.
Reputation is always at the top of the list. Bovada is a name in horse racing betting that has been around for many years. They have a premium online betting site with access to over a hundred tracks. When complaints are received by the racebook they are handled in a timely manner.
Fast payouts are also important to those who bet regularly. Players like to see many banking options. These should include debit and credit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency. Betting with Bitcoin is very popular, especially among those who prefer to keep their betting activities private.
You should look for a betting site that has a full betting menu. Players want to make the same horse racing bets online that they make at the actual track. Good betting sites also offer the special betting pools that are featured on the big racing days.
The Evolution from OTB Parlours to Online Platforms
Off-track betting has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades. The traditional OTB parlour — a smoky room full of television screens, paper tickets, and regulars nursing coffee while studying racing forms — has been largely superseded by online and mobile platforms that offer the same wagering access from anywhere with an internet connection. This shift has been almost universally positive for bettors, bringing greater convenience, better odds through deeper commingled pools, and access to a far wider range of tracks than any physical OTB facility could offer.
For the older generation of horseplayers who built their skills in OTB parlours, the transition to online platforms has sometimes been reluctant. The social atmosphere of a physical betting venue — the shared excitement, the real-time discussion of races, the collective groan at a photo finish — is genuinely difficult to replicate online. But the practical advantages of digital wagering are simply too significant to ignore, and most serious bettors have made the transition fully. Online platforms that invest in community features like live chat, leaderboards, and social pick-sharing are beginning to address the social dimension as well, gradually building the sense of shared experience that OTB parlours once provided naturally.
Finding the Best Online OTB Platform for Your Needs
Choosing an online OTB platform is essentially the same decision as choosing a racebook, but the framing is useful because it reminds bettors of what they are really looking for: access to races they cannot attend in person, presented in a convenient and reliable format. The key criteria are race coverage breadth, odds quality, mobile app reliability, and the availability of live streaming. For a detailed comparison of the top platforms currently operating, our guide to top legal horse betting sites covers all the major options. Our article on online horse betting legal states also helps you confirm what is available in your jurisdiction.
An Off Track Betting Online FAQ
Here are some questions that we are commonly asked about off track betting online.
Are US players allowed to bet horses with offshore betting sites?
There are many off track betting online sites based in other countries which accept players from the US. Be sure to check the terms and conditions of the one you choose.
Can I get rebates from off track betting online?
It depends on the website that you choose. Some sites give players a percentage of losing wagers back each month as bonus money. This percentage usually is determined by how much the individuals wager during the previous month.
How do I collect my winnings from online horse betting sites?
You have multiple options for receiving payouts from betting sites. You can receive your winnings in an e-wallet or cryptocurrency, and you can also choose to have the money deposited in a bank account. Each horse betting site has its own policies when it comes to withdrawals.
Is off track betting online legal?
It depends on your location. In most states it is legal to bet horses online. Throughout Europe and other continents it is also allowed. You are advised to check your local laws before you bet horse with an online horse betting site.
Check our Bovada racebook review, or AmWager review & 5Dimes review for folks anywhere! You can also read other reviews such as Twinspires review, Betamerica review.
