Our Top 5 Best Betting Apps in the UK
There are many horse racing betting apps for you to choose from. With such a variety to take your pick from, it can be difficult to know which horse racing app is the right one for you. Below, we've listed our top five betting apps for horse racing, along with the pros and cons of each.
#1 Betting App – Betfred
One of the most popular bookmakers in the UK and beyond, it should be no surprise to see Betfred top our list of best horse racing betting apps. Their horse racing odds and promotions have been a key reason why so many choose to bet here. This bookie has an illustrious history with horse racing, and is a top choice for many bettors. You can download their horse racing app for free on both the Google Play Store and the App Store. Either head to the Store or download directly from the Betfred site.
The app is incredibly easy to use, super functional and you have access to all offers and promotions available on the general betting site. In fact, as one of the best UK horse betting apps, the app is much easier to use and to navigate than their general website. Horse racing odds are average, compared to other bookmaker offerings, though you can still find value odds with this bookie. There are a range of promotions you can take advantage of, too, such as Super Extra Race Places and Free bet stakes opportunities.
Pros:
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Easy to use mobile betting app
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Plenty of promotions and Free bets for mobile betting
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24/7 app customer service
Cons:
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Lack of live odds
#2 Betting App – William Hill
The app for horse racing is available from both the Google Play Store and the App Store.
Pros:
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Fantastic live streaming service
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Lots of mobile promotions
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Wide range of odds and markets
Cons:
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Occasional reliability problems
#3 Betting App - Unibet
The app is available for both Apple and Android devices. Head to the Play Store of your choice, or download directly from the operator site.
Pros:
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Unique functionality
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Fantastic live streaming options
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Racing guides available
Cons:
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Lack of payment options
#4 Betting App - BoyleSports
This is another bookmaker that doesn't often make top five lists, but in our opinion should. BoyleSports offer a fantastic horse racing betting service full of offers and promotions every day. As with Betfred, the Boylesports app for horse racing is much more functional and easy to use than their website. Download for either Android or Apple devices, and you will have access to horse racing odds on events taking place across the globe.
Their promotions page is full of offers and Free bet stakes opportunities for horse racing. Expect to see Money Back Free bet specials and Extra Places races every day.
Pros:
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In-Running betting options
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Reward Program
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User friendly
Cons:
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Lack of payment options for bonuses
#5 Betting App - Matchbook
If exchange betting isn't for you, then we'd probably recommend a different bookmaker. However, if you're looking for a betting exchange that offers great commission rates along with a brilliant, fully functional betting app, there's very few who can compete with Matchbook.
Matchbook have also just released Matchbook Zero. Zero is available on horse racing and football. With Zero, you can place one bet per event with zero commission and zero margins for the best possible value.
The app is available on both Android and Apple devices.
Pros:
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Incredible functionality
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Zero percent commission available
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Great range of horse betting odds
Cons:
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Should only be considered by fans of exchange betting
Best Betting Apps Reviewed
As you've seen above, there are a number of reasons why we've chosen these bookmakers for our best horse racing betting apps review. For ease and clarity, take a look at the table below. Here, we've shown you the main reason for our choice, along with a link to a full betting review of each operator so you can see what else our best horse racing apps have to offer.
|
Horse racing betting app |
Best for… |
Welcome Bonus |
Best Odds Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Free bets |
Yes |
Yes | |
|
Live streaming |
Yes
|
Yes | |
|
Racing guides |
Yes
|
Yes | |
|
In-play odds |
Yes
|
Yes | |
|
Ease-of-use |
Yes
|
No |
How We Rate the Best Betting Apps for Horse Racing
There's many aspects we look for when we rate the best horse racing betting apps. There's lots to consider, and many factors that make a great horse racing betting app. Let's take a look at the most important features that we look for when we analyse the pros and cons of each app.
User Experience
This is certainly one of the most important factors we look for. We consider how user-friendly the app is, how easy it is to navigate through the app, place bets and make deposits and withdrawals. We also consider any live streaming functionality and how well this works via a mobile device.
Unique Features
The best horse racing betting apps tend to offer something that makes downloading it worthwhile. For example, we touched upon Unibet's Racing Guides and TV Guide functions above. Additional features that improve your betting experience are a sign of a worthwhile betting app.
Free Bets and Promotions
Free bets and promotions are a welcome addition to any betting app. These bonus opportunities can enhance your betting and give you a good chance of maximising your potential profits or protecting your stake. We tend to rate those horse racing betting apps that offer regular Free bet offers highly, as long as they're easy to claim. Not all Free bets are made equal! While a Free bet offer is appealing, it's more important that they're easy to qualify for and don't require large qualifying bets or deposits.
Our top choices for the best horse racing betting app all offer plenty of Free bets, promotions and bonus opportunities on a regular basis. These are available for both new and existing customers, are easy to qualify for and require little in the way of stake and/or deposit.
Live Streaming and Live Betting
Live betting is difficult, considering the fast paced nature of a horse race. There are exceptions, such as Boylesports' In-Running odds. For our best horse racing betting apps ratings, we focused more on live streams. In particular, we looked at how easy it was to access live streams. For example, some bookmakers require a bet to be placed on the event you wish to stream. Others only require that you have a funded active account.
We chose William Hill as our number one choice for live streams. At William Hill, you can access Betting TV, that features horse races taking place in the UK and beyond. You also have access to live commentary of races taking place all over the world.
Odds
As with all sports betting apps, the quality and value of the odds available is hugely important. The best horse racing betting apps offer good value and competitive odds regularly. These odds can be enhanced with Free bets and promotions, such as Price Boosts which some of our top rated bookmakers offer regularly.
Betting Markets
Another feature we look for when we look to decide on the best horse racing betting app is the range of markets available. Having a range of markets and bet types to choose from can enhance your betting experience. In addition, having the ability to place horse racing bets on events from across the globe, not just those in the UK and Ireland, can offer a great deal of value and enhance your betting experience.
Customer Service
As we've discussed, there are many factors that make up the best betting app for racing. An often overlooked factor is customer service. When we rate a horse racing betting app, we look at customer support options. In particular, we look for a live chat option and if customer service is available 24/7. If an operator does offer these features, it suggests that building trust between themselves and their members is of great importance to them. It also means that if ever you encounter issues with your betting account, such as with Free bets or a payment query, you can have your problems solved in a timely fashion.
What To Look For in a Best Horse Betting App?
We've discussed above what we look for when we try and find the best horse betting app. As you've seen, there are many aspects we consider when we choose the best betting app. So, what should horse racing fans look for when you're looking for an app for mobile betting? We recommend you consider the following points when choosing from the range of mobile apps available for horse racing.
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Best odds
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Range of markets
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Customer support
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Free bets and promotions
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Live betting functions
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Live stream facility
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User experience
New Best Betting App for Horse Racing
You will be familiar with some of the biggest names in the industry that we've discussed so far, such as William Hill. In addition to these well established bookmakers, there are a number of relatively new kids on the block who offer excellent horse racing betting apps and features. We're going to look at some of these now. A number of these so-called new operators have been around for a few years and have established a good reputation as they continue to develop and improve their offerings.
#1 New Betting App – QuinnBet
These promotions include Best Odds Guaranteed, Extra Places, Fallers Insurance and Second Place Specials. These Free bets and offers don't just focus on UK and Irish racing, either. You also have the opportunity to get access to promotions based on US racing, too.
Pros:
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User-friendly app
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Wide range of promotions
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24/7 customer service
Cons:
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Lack of payment options
#2 New Betting App - Kwiff
The downside to Kwiff is that they currently don't offer live streaming of horse racing.
Pros:
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Opportunity for enhancement of odds
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Opportunity for regular Free bets
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Range of betting offers
Cons:
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No live streaming facility
#3 New Betting App - Star Sports
This operator has actually been around since 1999, albeit under a different name, so we're probably pushing the boundaries of 'new' here. However, despite the length of time they've been operating, many casual bettors might be unfamiliar with Star Sports.
We decided to include Star Sports because of their great betting app. For casual sports betting fans, this operator may not be the best choice, but there's lots available for horse racing bettors. This includes live streams of horse racing events.
Pros:
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Great for horse racing
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Live streams available
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Live tracker feature
Cons:
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Lack of payment options
How to Choose the Best Horse Betting Apps
As you read through our ultimate horse racing app guide, you will understand the functions and facilities we look for. These parameters apply to all sports betting apps and mobile betting. There are other factors, though, that would be beneficial to consider when you're looking for the best betting app for racing. These factors include the following.
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In-play betting
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Available betting options
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Cash-out in the app
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Live streaming
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Free bets
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Promotions
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Bet builder function
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Ease of use
How to Download Horse Betting Apps
The best betting app and mobile betting options are easy to download. They don't require additional software, are free to download and are available on most devices. Every bookmaker we've looked at so far excel in all of these points. Most apps can be downloaded by following the relevant link directly from the mobile site of your bookie of choice. You can also download apps directly from your app provider whether you're using an Android or Apple device.
Let's now take a detailed look at how you can download betting apps, starting with Android devices. For this example, we're going to show you how to download the William Hill app.
How to Download Betting Apps for Android
Firstly, to download a betting app, there are app requirements. For Android devices, it's usual for apps to only work on Android version 8.0 or higher.
There are two options for you to download the app - you can do so either by visiting the bookmaker site through your mobile browser and selecting the relevant link, or via Google Play.
If you choose the former, head to the bookmaker site using your mobile browser. Generally, there is a Mobile tab. Select this and hit the Download button to begin the process.
Once you've downloaded the app, you can then join or log in to your account, just as you would using the website.
Alternatively, you can head straight to Google Play. Type in the name of your bookmaker of choice and select it from the list presented. Make sure you download the official app, this is incredibly important as it protects your safety and security.
Once you've done this, hit the Install icon. Download times tend to be reasonably short, your app should be installed within a matter of minutes. Once installed, hit the Open icon to be taken to the app. If you've not yet joined the bookmaker, the registration process is the same as it would be if your were registering using the operator website. If you already have an account with the bookmaker, you can log in as usual.
How to Download Betting Apps for iOS
If you have an Apple device, the process is extremely similar. Again, for this example, we'll use William Hill.
As do Android users, iOS users can download the app from the bookmaker website itself. Visit the bookie site using the mobile browser of your Apple device. Follow the relevant links to download the app.
Alternatively, head over to the App Store. Type in the bookmaker name (in our case, William Hill) and select the relevant bookmaker. Once you've installed the app, you can create your account or sign in to enjoy your mobile betting experience.
Pros & Cons of Horse Betting Apps
There are many benefits to downloading an app to bet, rather than using your desktop or mobile browser. The best betting apps for horse racing have benefits that include having quicker access to your bookmaker. Instead of having to type in the web address and log in, you can simply click on the bookmaker app icon and you're ready to bet. Secondly, a dedicated app is generally much easier to use, particularly when you compare them to a mobile browser experience.
Thirdly, you can receive Free bets, bonuses and promotions notifications using an app. This means that you're unlikely to miss out on any new offers that might be available.
Functions and features can also work much better on an app that's optimised for excellent mobile performances. Functions like live betting and streaming, for example, tend to be easier to use on an app, rather than from a mobile browser.
There are disadvantages, too. Downloading an app takes up device storage and memory. They can also limit what's available to see on screen, compared to a desktop.
In the table below, we've described the advantages and disadvantages of using a dedicated app, rather than a mobile browser, to place your bets.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
|
Convenient |
Generally only available on updated iOS and Android versions |
|
Easy log in |
Takes up device memory |
|
Deposit using mobile payment |
Limited screen space |
|
Access to all functions of your betting account |
|
|
Notifications of offers |
|
|
Dedicated to offering a great betting experience |
|
Best Horse Betting Tips App
Synonymous with horse racing betting are horse racing betting tipsters. In almost every racing magazine, newspaper or website, you'll find a variety of tipsters offering their thoughts and opinions on that day's racing.
These tips don't just include on who they think will win a particular race. They can also include who they think will do well, how the weather conditions could affect the day's racing, which horses are in form, which jockeys have been performing well and so on.
There are many sports that receive this kind of coverage, football being the main one. Horse racing tips, though, are always well sought after.
Because of this demand, you can find a range of betting tips available at many of the best betting apps for horse racing. Earlier in our guide, we discussed Unibet's racing guide and how that can benefit you as a bettor. Many other bookmakers offer a similar service, Paddy Power being another prime example of this.
For this section, though, we'll focus on what Unibet offers. Firstly, they have available a number of horse racing guides designed to help you bet wisely. These informative guides include naps and tips about that day's racing. They also include what you should look for before you place your bets.
For example, there are many aspects that could affect how a race plays out. Weather conditions are a huge part of this. Is the ground firm or soft? Which runners and riders are more suited to soft ground than to good ground? This could affect the odds available, but also give you a great opportunity to find odds with value.
Another good idea is to assess the recent form of both jockeys and horses, along with what racecourses they've appeared at in recent weeks. Topics such as this can severely impact the result of a particular race.
We do rate Unibet as having an excellent betting tips section. There are others, like Paddy Power, that offer a similar feature. As with all forms of betting, it's a good idea to read and learn as much as you can before you start placing wagers. The more knowledge about a particular event you have, the better chances you give yourself of being successful with your bets.
Horse Betting Bonuses & Promotions
Most bookmakers offers some form of Free bets, promotions and betting bonuses. If you're looking for the best betting app for racing, look for those that offer bonuses to both new and existing customers. In addition to specific horse racing promotions, there are general sports promotions and casino bonus opportunities at the majority of operators. These can include bonuses such as £20 in free bets or £30 in free bets if you meet certain criteria, such as a qualifying bet or a qualifying deposit.
Criteria can include a number of aspects. Minimum odds restrictions are one and payment restrictions apply to many offers and promotions. Min odds tend to be reasonably short for most offers, whether it's a horse racing, sports or casino bonus you're looking to qualify for.
Many offers and bonuses require a qualifying real money bet to claim. There are also, though, deposit bonuses available where a first bet isn't required, only a specified deposit amount.
We're going to talk you through some of the most common betting bonuses and promotions that are offered by most horse racing betting apps. Ts and cs apply to all bookmaker offers. It's important to note that we'll talk in general terms and use examples of promotions to illustrate our point. To find out what actual bonuses are currently available, head to the Promotions tab of your chosen betting app.
Free Bets
Free bets are one of the most commonly offered bookmaker promotions around. These can come in the form of a welcome bonus or a reward for existing customers. We'll use an example of a welcome bonus first.
You might have encountered a number of welcome bonuses that offer something like £20 in Free bets or £30 in Free bets. Generally, these require a deposit or a first bet with min odds requirements. Let's use an example. A bookmaker offers you £30 in Free bets if you deposit and bet a minimum of £10 at min odds of 2.0 on horse racing. Essentially, this means that if you make a deposit when you open an account and place at least £10 on a bet that has min odds of 2.0, you will receive £30 in Free bets credited to your account.
Sounds good, right? As we've touched upon, a number of ts and cs apply to these types of offer. The terms and conditions tend to be similar with these bonus types, though it's vital you check the terms before you attempt to place a qualifying bet.
Payment restrictions apply to these types of offers. For example, many operators will only accept a debit card deposit to access this offer. In our example, we've used minimum odds of 2.0. This tends to be the norm, with odds requirements generally ranging between Evens (2.0) and 3/1 (4.0).
Free bets can also be available to existing customers, too, not just those placing their first bet. They can be offered as a reward for placing a bet on a selected event, or winning a bet on a selected event. Generally, they can also be offered as part of a loyalty program, such as Betway's Free Bet Club.
There are time limits applicable to your Free bet stakes. Free bets expire after a specified amount of time. For instance, if you earn a Free bet, you might only have seven days to use it. On occasion, your Free bet might only be available to use on selected events, matches or races. In terms of when you receive your Free bet stakes, these tend to hit your betting account shortly after qualifying bet settlement.
Welcome Bonus
A good welcome offer is vital to bookmakers to attract new members to their ranks. These offers can come in many forms. A welcome offer such as Bet £10 Get £30 in Free bets is a popular one, such as the example we've used above.
There are, however, a variety of welcome offers that don't include Free bets. For instance, deposit match welcome offers are commonly seen. These offers will match your initial deposit, giving you double the amount to bet with. An example of this could be something like Deposit £10 Get a £10 bonus.
Another example of a welcome offer is enhanced odds. Let's use an example. The favourite to win the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot is priced at Evens. An enhanced odds offer could see these odds pushed up to 10/1. So, you make your qualifying deposit and place your first bet on this horse to win. If it does, you get paid out at the higher odds, as per the promotion.
In general, these enhanced odds offers don't pay out in cash. They tend to pay you out at the original odds, with the enhanced part paid as a Free bet.
As always, ts and cs apply to all welcome offers and promotions. Payment restrictions apply to many new customer offers available on the best horse betting apps. Make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions of whichever offer you're looking to take before you place a qualifying bet or deposit.
Price Boost
Price boosts are incredibly common, particularly in horse racing betting. Price boosts, also known as odds boosts, don't offer a huge increase in odds, as enhanced odds do, but they offer better value than standard odds. For example, a particular horse might have odds of 3/1 to win. A price boost could see these odds lengthened to 4/1 or 5/1.
These promotions can be offered on any race. Bookmakers, though, tend to offer them on particular events or racecourses. For instance, you could see an offer where every race at Chepstow has a price boost on the favourite. Or, every horse ridden by William Buick has a price boost.
Price boosts can also be available on other bet types, such as accumulators or Lucky 15's. As an example, if you place a Lucky 15 and all selections come in, you could receive a price boost on the total odds of that multiple bet.
It's a good idea to look out for price boosts every day you plan to bet. They can offer excellent value and gives you a good opportunity to maximise your potential profits. As with all bookmaker offers, ts and cs apply to these types of promotions, so it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the terms before you start to bet.
Acca Insurance
Accumulator insurance, or Acca Insurance, has become an incredibly common form of bookmaker promotion. You can find Acca Insurance promotions at many betting sites and are available on a range of sports and events.
Let's use an example of how Acca Insurance works with horse racing. Essentially, this promotion can see us receive our stake back if one of our selections fails to win. Our hypothetical bookmaker is offering Acca Insurance on all accumulators that feature at least five legs. So, we place an accumulator featuring five horses in five different races, all to win. If they do, great! We win our bet. But, if one of our selections fails to win, we can receive our stake back.
The number of selections required to qualify for this type of offer varies from bookmaker to bookmaker. Generally, five selections are required to qualify, though some operators offer four leg or even three leg accumulator insurance. Min odds requirements also apply, both to the individual leg and to the total odds of the bet. Minimum stakes are also required. Maximum refund amounts can also vary.
If you qualify for Acca Insurance and one of your selections lets you down, the way you receive your stake back can vary. Some operators return your funds as a free bet. Others return it as cash, which you can withdraw. Another might offer you the return in cash, but you need to use it on a similar type of bet. As always, ts and cs apply and can vary depending on who you're betting with.
Other types of insurance are available, especially with horse racing betting. Fallers insurance, for example, has become a popular offering from bookies. In general, this type of offer will return your stake should your selected horse fall at any point during the race.
Horse Racing Betting Apps Vs Browser Sites
There may be some of you who prefer betting via your mobile, but don't see the need to download the dedicated betting app. After all, why download an app and take up storage space on our devices when we can easily access our betting account via our mobile browser? Well, downloading a betting app can be beneficial for a number of reasons. We've looked at the key differences earlier in this article, but we'll expand on them now.
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Real time notifications
One advantage you have using dedicated horse racing betting apps is the option to receive notifications. These tend to be about new offers and promotions available. These types of notifications aren't available if you just use your browser for your mobile betting. Using the app gives you quicker access to new bonus opportunities, whereas using your browser means you only see new offers when you log in to your account.
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Bet tracker
It can be much easier to keep track of your bets when you're using mobile apps. Some apps also offer a dedicated bet tracker. You can view all of your bets, both open and settled, from your first bet to the most recent, the stake of each bet and whether that bet won or lost all in one place.
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Bet settlement notifications
Another advantage to using mobile apps is you can receive notifications when your bet settles. The best betting app, or those that challenge for that title, offer you notifications when your bet has settled and if you've won or lost without having to go through to the site and sign back in.
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Ease of use
The best betting apps are optimised for mobile performance. This means that, generally, they are much easier to use than to visit a bookmaker website through your mobile browser. Viewing a desktop version of your betting site via your mobile browser doesn't provide the same user friendly experience a dedicated betting app does. Apps tend to be much easier to navigate around than a version not really designed to use via a mobile device.
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Speed of use
Similar to above, it can be much quicker to access your betting account and to place bets than it is using your mobile browser. Using your browser can be quite fiddly, trying to click on different menus and to place bets. Apps tend to make it much easier, and therefore quicker, to find what you're looking for, to place bets and to make deposits and withdrawals.
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Security
A hugely important topic that should not be underestimated is security. The safety and security of your personal information, as well as your financial details, is vital. Apps tend to offer a much higher security level by using the latest encryption technology and safety measures. Depending on the mobile browser you might be using, this might not offer the same level of security required.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions surrounding horse racing betting apps and how you can get started.
There are a number of mobile apps for horse racing and other sports that are legal for UK players. Always ensure the bookmaker you sign up to is regulated by the Gambling Commission, you can find this information on bookmaker sites.
There are a range of sports betting markets you can bet on. The best horse racing betting apps offer a range of markets and bet types. Look for the apps that offer a range of markets, such as Win, Each Way, Ante Post, Forecast, Tricast and system bets.
First up, you need to download an app for horse racing. The best horse race betting apps are available via the Google Play store or the App Store if you're using an Apple device. You can also sometimes download the app directly. Choose your bookmaker and create an account. Once you've registered an account, you can make a deposit and start betting. As with all forms of gambling, make sure you bet responsibly.
The best sports betting apps offer a range of payment options for you. Debit card, eWallet and bank transfer are amongst the most commonly used deposit and withdrawal options.
Yes, most bookmakers, and certainly those apps we've reviewed in this guide, all offer a cash out function. Head to the open bets section of the betting app to view your cash out value.
Most operators and horse racing betting apps offer a variety of bonuses and promotions frequently. These can include reload bonuses. Check the promotions tab from your betting app to see which bonuses are currently available.
All betting apps in the UK are subject to the guidelines from the Gambling Commission. It's imperative that whichever betting apps you download and sign up to are all regulated by the Gambling Commission. This ensures the safety and security of your personal information and your funds.
Each of the horse race betting apps we've discussed in this guide are free to download and to use.
All legal bookmakers are regulated by the Gambling Commission. This means they have to employ a Know Your Customer scheme. For UK customers, you must be aged 18 or above to legally download a betting app for horse racing. Operators will ask you to verify your documents to ensure you're legally allowed to bet.
Yes, most bookmakers offer a range of promotions that you can access via your betting app. On occasion, an operator may also release a mobile-only bonus. Check the Promotions tab of your betting app to see what's available with your bookie of choice.
