Arkansas is a perfect state for betting on horses. All four of the biggest horse racing betting sites – TwinSpires.com, TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, and NYRABets.com – accept customers in Arkansas. As do several smaller operators, including bet.oaklawn.com, a service tailored exclusively for state residents.
Horse racing in Arkansas has a long history. That’s why iconic events such as The Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park are held here.
You must be 21 or older to place online horse bets in Arkansas. Horse-race betting at Oaklawn is regulated separately, and the minimum age is 18.
Arkansas Horse Race Betting Sites & Offers
| Racebooks | Welcome Offer for Arkansas | Other Promos |
| AmWager | $300 deposit match | Daily cash rewards |
| TVG | Get up to $200 back | Get a $25 Bonus for every friend you refer |
| TwinSpires | $200 sign-up offer | Free play daily & weekly options |
| Nyra Bets | $200 deposit match | Odds boosters, daily offer |
| Xpressbet | $100 sign-up bonus | XB Rewards loyalty program |
| DRF | Get a $200 bonus on the first deposit | Earn an additional card for every $50 wagered |
| FanDuel Racing | Get a 100% bonus up to $50 | 10% bonus on win bets |
| Oaklawn | $150 sign-up bonus | Redeeming points for wagering credit |
How to claim a horse racing bet promo in Arkansas?
Horse racing betting features for Arkansas
- AmWager Arkansas Features:
- Unlimited Favorites Tracks
- Dutch Wagering Modifiers
- Fair Value Exacta Grid (allows you to quickly see exacta bets that have been over bet or under bet based on the win pool)
- DRF Arkansas Features:
- Unlimited DRF Classic and Formulator Past Performances
- Free Beyer Speed Figures
- Free DRF expert picks
- FanDuel Racing Arkansas Features:
- Cash in with Win Bet Insurance
- Live streaming (+200 tracks around the world)
- Best bets of the day
- Nyra Bets Arkansas Features:
- Free live video streaming (HD live and replay) on Thoroughbred, Harness, and Quarter horse racing and race replays nationwide
- Free handicapping tips
- Swap positions quickly for Exacta, Tri & Supers
- Weekly live money handicapping contests with cash prizes
- TVG Arizona Features:
- TVG Expert Picks for everyday
- Free Past Performances Program
- Live streams from tracks around the US and beyond
- Money Back Special on select races
- Twinspires Arkansas Features:
- Live races and highlights of previous races, both on the website and the app
- First Race Freeplay: get $100 in Free Bets
- 15% boost on a winning Trifecta bet every Tuesday
- Exacta insurance: get a bet back of up to $10
- Xpressbet Arkansas Features:
- Horse racing’s leading loyalty program
- Cash prizes in regular handicapping contests
- Deposit by mail
Horse bet types available online
In Arkansas, you can place different types of horse wagers. The most popular online bets are
- Win (the horse you bet on must come first)
- Place (the horse must finish first or second)
- Show (the horse must come either first, second, or third)
- Exacta (you bet on horses to come first and second in that order)
- Quinella (the same as exacta, but horses can finish in any order for you to win the bet)
- Trifecta (three horses should finish first, second and third in that order)
- Superfecta (the same as trifecta but here you bet on four horses)
- Pick-5 (you have to choose the winner of five races in a row)
- Grand Slam – Pick a horse to finish in the top three in three straight races, capped by the winner of the fourth race in the sequence.
Banking
- Credit and Debit Cards
- Bitcoin: AmWager via BitPay
- ACH Bank Transfer / eCheck
- Wire Transfer
- Green Dot
- PayNearMe
- Check or Money Order
- MoneyGram
- PayPal
- By mail: Xpressbet
Arkansas Horse Betting Overview
Arkansas has a long horse racing history that extends back to the early 1800s, and the state’s lone racetrack, Oaklawn Park, remains a mainstay of winter and spring racing.
A track called Clinton Park in Little Rock was the center of the state’s racing industry at the dawn of the 20th century, but after it was badly damaged by a tornado in 1904, things shifted to Hot Springs, where Oaklawn Park began racing on Feb. 15, 1905.
Since that time Oaklawn has become one of the premier tracks in the United States, thanks in large part to its ability to supplement purses with earnings from an onsite “racino,” with some casino-style games.
Its opening was moved forward to early December 2021 for a meet that will extend to its traditional closing date in early May.
The track’s signature race, the Arkansas Derby, has been used often as a stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby.
Electronic gaming machines were permitted at the track and the state’s lone dog racing facility, Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis the Local Option Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act of 2005.
Apart from the racinos, state gambling laws are relatively strict. The state has a lottery, but other forms of betting, including sports betting, remain illegal.
There is nothing in state law addressing online betting on horses or dogs, which most providers of advance deposit wagering interpret as allowing it since both are allowed in person. All the biggest online wagering providers – TwinSpires.com, TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, and NYRABets.com – operate in Arkansas.
Fun fact about horse racing in Arkansas
Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States and a native of Hope, Arkansas, was introduced to horse racing by his mother, Virginia Kelley, a nurse anesthesiologist and huge fan of the sport who spent many of her days at Oaklawn Park.
Popular horse racing events to bet on in Arkansas
- The Arkansas Derby
- Apple Blossom Handicap
- Oaklawn Handicap
- Southwest Stakes
- Razorback Handicap
- The Kentucky Derby
- Apple Blossom Stakes
- Preakness Stakes
- Belmont Stakes
- Dubai World Cup
- Melbourne Cup
- Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
- Grand National
Horse Race Tracks in Arkansas
- Oaklawn Park
The state of Arkansas has just a single racetrack. Oaklawn Park has been open since 1905 and hosts dirt racing. It is widely considered one of the top betting tracks in the country. Major stakes races held yearly at Oaklawn are the Grade 2 Rebel, Grade 2 Southwest, Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, and Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes.
FAQs
Yes, you can. The minimum gambling age in Arkansas for playing greyhounds is 18 years.
The Arkansas Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred race for three-year-old horses, similar to the Kentucky Derby. It was born in 1936 with a purse of $5,000. The Arkansas Derby is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on dirt and left-handed track. The prize fund is now $1 million.
No, the BetMGM Horse Racing App is not allowed in Arkansas. It’s available In Ohio, Florida, and Louisiana.