Horse racing is one of the most historic forms of entertainment in the U.S. and one of the earliest forms of American betting. The 2026 Kentucky Derby is on the horizon.
We'll provide a state-by-state guide to online horse racing betting. Many states that do not have legal online sports betting have legal horse race betting as a formidable market. Fans can also explore Derby-related markets on prediction platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, while traditional online wagering is available through sportsbooks such as TwinSpires and FanDuel (via FanDuel Racing).
Is horse racing betting legal in my state?
Below is a chart denoting all legal online horse racing betting states. Some states have different laws regarding horse racing, with some only allowing for in-person betting and others permitting it in all forms.
| Legal States | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes ✅ |
| Alaska | No ❌ |
| Arkansas | Yes ✅ |
| Arizona | Yes ✅ |
| California | Yes ✅ |
| Colorado | Yes ✅ |
| Connecticut | Yes ✅ |
| Delaware | Yes ✅ |
| Florida | Yes ✅ |
| Georgia | No ❌ |
| Hawaii | No ❌ |
| Idaho | Yes ✅ |
| Illinois | Yes ✅ |
| Indiana | Yes ✅ |
| Iowa | Yes ✅ |
| Kansas | Yes ✅ |
| Kentucky | Yes ✅ |
| Louisiana | Yes ✅ |
| Maine | No ❌ |
| Maryland | Yes ✅ |
| Massachusetts | Yes ✅ |
| Michigan | Yes ✅ |
| Minnesota | Yes ✅ |
| Mississippi | No ❌ |
| Missouri | Yes ✅ |
| Montana | Yes ✅ |
| Nebraska | Yes ✅ |
| Nevada | No ❌ |
| New Hampshire | Yes ✅ |
| New Jersey | Yes ✅ |
| New Mexico | Yes ✅ |
| New York | Yes ✅ |
| North Carolina | No ❌ |
| North Dakota | Yes ✅ |
| Ohio | Yes ✅ |
| Oklahoma | Yes ✅ |
| Oregon | Yes ✅ |
| Pennsylvania | Yes ✅ |
| Rhode Island | Yes ✅ |
| South Carolina | No ❌ |
| South Dakota | Yes ✅ |
| Tennessee | Yes ✅ |
| Texas | No ❌ |
| Utah | No ❌ |
| Vermont | Yes ✅ |
| Virginia | Yes ✅ |
| Washington | Yes ✅ |
| West Virginia | Yes ✅ |
| Wisconsin | Yes ✅ |
| Wyoming | Yes ✅ |
Where can I make picks on horse racing?
We recommend placing bets on the Kentucky Derby or any other prominent horse racing event at TwinSpires. You can also explore Kentucky Derby-related prediction market trading on Kalshi and Polymarket. This is one of the industry's leading horse racing betting apps today. You can sign up at this site today and claim a welcome offer. Let's discuss how to register and get started with a bonus.
FanDuel Racing
Register today with the FanDuel Racing promo code and claim a $25 bonus offer. Bet $5 to get a $25 bonus from the FanDuel horse racing promo code.
- $25 Racing bonus: CA, DE, FL, MN, NM, ND, RI
TwinSpires
TwinSpires is available in 34 states, covering most states with legal online horse racing betting. When you register today using the TwinSpires promo code, you can earn up to a $200 sign-up bonus. This offer carries a 4x rollover requirement. For every $400 in bets you place, you'll unlock $100 in bonus funds to use on any race.
- $200 Sign-Up Bonus: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MT, NH, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Kalshi
Use the Kalshi promo code ACTION and make $10 in trades on horse racing to unlock a $10 bonus. It's a great alternative option if you can't bet on the Kentucky Derby in your state.
- $10 Bonus: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, DC
Polymarket
Sign up now using the Polymarket promo code ACTION and skip the waitlist. You only need to make a $20 deposit to unlock a $20 bonus for any horse race, including the Kentucky Derby.
- $20 Bonus: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, DC
What states don't have legal online horse racing betting?
As the chart above indicates, only nine states do not have legal betting online for horse racing: Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.
