California is the most storied horse racing state in America — pari-mutuel wagering has been legal since 1933, and the state’s tracks have hosted more runnings of the Breeders’ Cup than anywhere else. Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and Del Mar near San Diego anchor a year-round thoroughbred calendar, Los Alamitos is the undisputed quarter horse capital of the country, and a NorCal fair circuit led by Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton picked up the dates after Golden Gate Fields ran its final card in June 2024.

Every major US racing app operates here, and you must be 18 or older to bet. One thing California does not have is legal sports betting — voters rejected both Proposition 26 and Proposition 27 in November 2022, and no licensed online or retail sportsbook is permitted to take a wager in the state.

That makes horse racing ADWs the only legal way to bet online in California.

California (CA) Horse Race Betting Facts: Online horse race betting in California is legal for bettors 18+ through licensed ADW racebooks — and the only legal way to bet online, since voters rejected sports betting (Props 26 & 27, Nov 2022). Pari-mutuel legal since 1933; most Breeders’ Cup hostings of any state. Tracks: Santa Anita (Arcadia), Del Mar (San Diego), Los Alamitos + NorCal fair circuit; Golden Gate Fields closed Jun 2024. Top California horse racing betting sites & apps (ADWs): AmWager (best), 1/ST BET, FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, DRF Bets, NYRA Bets — each with welcome offers and promo codes.

Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in California (2026)

All major US Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) apps operate in California. Each lets you bet every California track plus US, UK and international racing from one account. Minimum age 18.

1. 1
   ★ TOP PICK

   AmWager

   ★ 4.8 / 5

   California is American racing’s heaviest hitter — Santa Anita and Del Mar headline a Southern California circuit that regularly draws the Breeders’ Cup — and AmWager carries all of it plus Los Alamitos and 250+ tracks worldwide. For California players the draw is the rebate: 6–8% back on every wager, win or lose, on top of true track odds, with HD streaming and a fast cashier.

   $50 DEPOSIT MATCH 6-8% REBATES LIVE STREAMING 250+ TRACKS
   Sign up at AmWager → Bonus: 100% deposit match up to $50
   18+. New AmWager customers only. Limit one signup bonus per person. Match applies to first deposit only, up to $50. To unlock the full bonus, deposit $50 and place qualifying wagers totaling $50 within 30 days. Cancelled or refunded bets don't count. Bonus credited in single deposit within 7 business days of meeting requirements. Bonus credits are non-withdrawable; winnings are cash and withdrawable. Unused bonus expires after 30 days. · Full AmWager review
2. 2

   1/ST BET

   ★ 4.4 / 5

   Best for: West Coast tracks. 1/ST BET is the home app for California racing — The Stronach Group owns Santa Anita, the Great Race Place, so its coverage of the SoCal circuit is unmatched, with Del Mar and Los Alamitos alongside its other flagships, Gulfstream and Pimlico. It’s the slickest interface in racing, built by the company that runs the track.

   Bonus: Choice of three options up to $500 · Min age 18
3. 3

   FanDuel Racing

   ★ 4.6 / 5

   Best for: Live streaming. FanDuel Racing — the TVG platform owned by Flutter — has deep California roots, since TVG built its name on West Coast simulcasting. It carries Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos plus the national menu, with expert daily picks and a first-bet refund up to $500. California has no legal sports betting, so the racing app stands on its own here.

   Bonus: Up to $500 back on first wager if it loses · Min age 18
4. 4

   TwinSpires

   ★ 4.5 / 5

   Best for: Triple Crown. Churchill Downs Inc.’s TwinSpires pairs California’s marquee Santa Anita and Del Mar cards with the Triple Crown trail it owns as the Kentucky Derby’s official wagering partner. Strong stakes coverage and TwinSpires rewards make it a natural fit for the state’s big-meet bettors.

   Bonus: $200 bonus after $500 in wagers · Min age 18
5. 5 DRF Bets
   100% deposit match up to $200
6. 6 NYRA Bets
   $200 in cash rewards after $400 in wagers
7. 7 Xpressbet
   $500 cash-back package on first 30 days
8. 8 BetMGM Horse Racing
   Up to $200 first-deposit match

California Horse Race Betting Apps: Best Coverage, Rebates & Bonuses

The top-rated horse racing betting site in California comes down to West Coast coverage, rebates and streaming. AmWager carries Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos plus 250+ tracks worldwide in HD and rebates 6–8% on every wager, win or lose; 1/ST BET is the home app for the SoCal circuit, built by Santa Anita’s owner; and DRF Bets bundles unlimited past performances and Beyer Speed Figures.

Each California-legal racebook app offers a welcome offer and promo code — AmWager’s 100% deposit match up to $50, DRF Bets’ 100% up to $200 — and all are ADW operators you can fund and bet from anywhere in the state. Bet online!

California’s seven racetracks — addresses & live cards

Signature stakes races at California’s tracks

Beyond the everyday cards, each California track hosts at least one feature stakes race that draws statewide attention — most are bettable through every ADW listed above.

California’s state-bred incentives

Notable horses bred in California

Active California runners are searchable on our racing data section.

1. ★

   California Chrome

   THOROUGHBRED · b. 2011

   Foaled and raised at Harris Farms in Coalinga; bred by Perry Martin and Steve Coburn. Won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, was twice North American Horse of the Year (2014, 2016), and took the 2016 Dubai World Cup. Retired as the richest North American runner of his era. Hall of Fame.

2. ★

   Tiznow

   THOROUGHBRED · b. 1997

   Bred by Cecilia Straub-Rubens and raised at Harris Farms. The only horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic twice (2000 and 2001) and the 2000 Horse of the Year — his 2001 win over Sakhee came weeks after 9/11 in one of racing’s most emotional finishes.

3. ★

   Best Pal

   THOROUGHBRED · b. 1988

   Bred by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm. Won the inaugural Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 1991 and ran second in that year’s Kentucky Derby. Once the all-time leading California-bred earner. Hall of Fame.

4. ★

   Swaps

   THOROUGHBRED · b. 1952

   The Cal-bred “California Comet” who beat Nashua to win the 1955 Kentucky Derby and was named Horse of the Year in 1956 — a foundation name in California racing history.

How California compares to neighboring states

Who regulates horse racing in California

California regulates pari-mutuel horse racing through a single dedicated board. There is no legal sports betting in the state, so no sportsbook regulator exists.

California horse betting — frequently asked questions

Is online horse racing betting legal in California?

Yes. Pari-mutuel horse racing has been legal in California since 1933, and online ADW betting is fully permitted. Every major US racing app operates here. You must be 18 or older.

Can I bet on sports online in California?

No. California voters rejected both sports betting ballot measures in November 2022 — Proposition 26 (tribal retail) and Proposition 27 (commercial online) — and no licensed online or retail sportsbook is legal in the state. Because any change requires a constitutional amendment approved by voters, the earliest realistic re-vote is 2028. Horse racing ADWs remain the only legal way to bet online in California.

What's the best horse racing app in California?

Our editors rate AmWager the top choice for California bettors — it covers Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos plus 250+ tracks worldwide, pays 6–8% rebates on every wager, and runs a 100% deposit match up to $50 for new accounts. Sign up at AmWager. 1/ST Bet (the Santa Anita operator), FanDuel Racing and TwinSpires are also strong choices.

Can I bet the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup from California?

Yes. Every California-legal ADW carries Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup wagering, and the Breeders’ Cup itself is frequently hosted in California at Santa Anita and Del Mar. Ante-post Derby markets typically open in late November.

What happened to Golden Gate Fields?

The Stronach Group closed Golden Gate Fields on June 9, 2024, ending 83 years of racing in the Bay Area and consolidating its operation at Santa Anita. Northern California racing dates moved to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton.

What's the minimum age to bet on horses in California?

18 for pari-mutuel horse racing. Geolocation software in every licensed app verifies you’re inside California before accepting a bet.

Where can I watch California racing live?

All of California’s tracks broadcast their cards. Once you have a funded account at AmWager, 1/ST Bet, FanDuel Racing or another ADW, you can live-stream every race in the app — included free.

New to horse betting in California? Explore our guides for clear answers to the most common questions — explained by veteran horse racing commentator Mike Brunker of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.