If you want to get the maximum enjoyment from betting on horse racing then you will want to watch the races themselves live. Whilst there is no substitute for actually being at the track itself and enjoying the race day experience in person, most of us do not have this opportunity, especially if the race meeting is being held hundreds of kilometres away, or in a different country altogether.

Depending in which country you live, then you may be able to watch horse racing on television, either on terrestrial TV or through dedicated satellite channels. In the UK, for example, some of the biggest meeting are shown live on ITV and ITV4 every Saturday, whilst the major festivals like Cheltenham and Aintree are also shown midweek. Meanwhile, Sky’s channel “At the Races” cover 26 tracks in Britain and Ireland, whilst its competitor, Racing UK covers 34 tracks in Britain.

Another option for watching horse racing live is to visit your local bookmakers, which is likely to have a number of screens showing races from a number of meetings simultaneously. For those who enjoy the social aspect of betting, then this can be an attractive option because you get to meet fellow gamblers who likely have similar passions and interests to you.

However, for many punters, the best way to watch horse racing online is through online streaming to their computer, smart phone or tablet. And before you worry that you will have to find some dodgy streaming service with poor quality visuals and sound, there are actually lots of legal and legitimate websites which allow you to watch them from.

To get started, all you need to do is to create an account with the website of your choice. Whilst each site will have slightly different procedures the underlying principles are the same in each case, meaning that your account can be set-up in just a few minutes. Here are some examples.

Betfair

In order to watch a race with Betfair, all you need is to have an account with them, and to have placed a matched bet of £2 or more – or local currency equivalent – on a race. The streaming service offered by Betfair is usually of a high standard, with unbroken pictures and sound, although there is usually a delay of anywhere between 10 and 20 seconds. To get started watching races, you simply need to click the “Live video” icon in your account.

Depending on the day, with Betfair you can expect to see live video and odds on British and Irish races, as well those from the US, Australia, South Africa, France and Germany. It is this broad coverage that gives Betfair an edge, even those it does not offer as good odds as some of its competitors.

Bet 365

Similarly with Bet365, all you need to do with Bet 365 is to open an account, except that you just need to place a bet of £0.50 or local currency equivalent) on the race that you want to watch. Once a bet has been place, click on the Race-RES link, and, above that you will find a live stream link. If you need any further assistance, you can find useful FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) in the sidebar.

Bet 365 do not have the same wide choice of races as Betfair – they mainly cover UK and Irish racing- but they are more generous with their odds than some of their competitors.

William Hill

Another reputable streaming service is provided by William Hill – open an account with them, place a bet of £1 on any UK, Irish, Australia, or South African race, and you will be able to stream it online, In addition, you can download their mobile app, available for Android and IOS devices, and bet live on any of the sports markets available on their site.

There is one point that should be borne in mind, however, about any streaming service. The quality of any streaming service, particularly if you are using a mobile device, is only as good as the strength of your internet connection. So, if you are trying to stream races on a smartphone or tablet and are having problems, considering moving to an area with better network service.