Iowa was late in arriving to the horse racing game. The state legalized pari-mutuel racing in 1983. At first, all racing was held at fair tracks but fair racing was discontinued in 1988. Prairie Meadows Racetrack opened its doors in 1989. Originally, the track offered three separate meets – thoroughbreds, standardbreds and quarter horse racing. However, standardbred racing was discontinued at the track in the mid-2010s. TVG is the official online betting partner of Prairie Meadows, Iowa.
1/ST BET, TwinSpires, 123bet, and DRF Bets are horse race betting online sites and mobile apps available to Iowa horse bettors. Use promo codes to claim welcome offers.
Iowa Best Online Horse Betting Sites/Apps
- TVG
- 1/ST BET
- TwinSpires
- 123bet
- DRF Bets
Iowa Best Horse Betting Bonuses
- USB365Online sportsbook is available in IA, CO, OH, NJ, and VA.
- USDOTBETNew players only, 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Welcome offer not available in NY and DC. Full T&C apply.
- Available in AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, LA, MI, IA, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV
- 250DMTCIn Iowa you must use the Prairie Meadows version of TVG’s website at ia.tvg.com. Iowa residents are restricted from wagering on international tracks. You must be 21 or above to wager
- BET200Check TwinSpires.com for updates as state availability and promotions may change.
TVG Iowa
TVG invites first-time players to their site with a 50 percent matching signup bonus on their first deposit. This offer comes with a maximum amount of $200.
Betting Features: TVG Expert Picks for everyday, Free Past Performances Program, Money Back Special on select races.
1/ST Bet Iowa
1/ST BET’s new players can choose from among three signup bonus options. They can get a $20 match for their first $20 wagered, a $100 match for their first $500 wagered, or a $10 match per $100 up to a total match of $500. A bettor would need to wager $5,000 to max out the latter offer. They have 90 days to fulfill the bonus requirements of each offer.
Betting Features: Rewards points every Tuesday and other weekly offers, up-to-date news about upcoming races.
123bet Iowa
At 123bet code, they offer a $123 signup bonus to new members.
Betting Features: no fees Friday , loyalty reward points, handicapping products from Equibase.
DRF Bets Iowa
New players at DRF Bets get a 100 percent matching first deposit bonus worth up to $200.
Betting Features: stakes preview, free DRF picks, betting strategies, unlimited DRF Classic and Formulator Past Performances.
Popular Online Horse Bet Types & Races
Iowa horse racing provides straight bet options that include win, place, and show. When you bet a horse to win, you win if your horse finishes first. If you bet a horse to place, you win when your horse finishes first or second. When you bet a horse to show, you win if your horse finishes first, second or third.
Single-race exotic wagers
There are both single and multiple exotic race wagering options. Common single-race exotic wagers include exacta, quinella, trifecta, superfecta, and Jackpot Super Hi-5 bets. To win an exacta bet, you must choose the two horses finishing first and second in exact order. In a quinella bet, you choose two horses in a race, and you win if your horse selections finish first and second, in any order. You must choose the first three finishers in exact order to win a trifecta bet.
To win a Superfecta bet, you must choose the first four finishers in exact order. A Superfecta wager can be made for as little as 10¢, making it a fun and inexpensive way to delve into exotic wagering. To win the Jackpot Super Hi-5, you must have a unique wager selecting horses that will come in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, in that order, in the last race. Your wagers must be placed prior to the start of the last race. If there is no unique wager, the Super Hi-5 pool will carry over.
Multiple Race Exotic Wagers
Popular multiple race exotic wagers include the Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Jackpot Pool 5 bets.
To win the Daily Double, you must choose the winners of two consecutive races. All you have to do is pick which horse you think will win each race and place your bet prior to the running of the first of these races. In a Pick 3 bet, your wagers must also be placed prior to the start of the first of the three races. To win, you must choose the winners of three consecutive races. Similarly, in a Pick 4 bet your wagers must be placed prior to the start of the first of the four races, and you must pick the winners of four consecutive races to win.
To win the Jackpot Pick 5 pool you must have a unique wager selecting the winners of the last five consecutive races of the daily meet. Your wagers must be placed prior to the start of the last five races. If there is no unique wager selecting the first-place finisher in all five consecutive races, the Jackpot Pick 5 pool will carry over.
Major Horse Betting Events In The USA That You Can Bet On In Iowa
| Date | Event | Location | Recommended Sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-05 | 2023 Kentucky Derby Betting Offers & Best Bets | 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY, 40208 | TVG |
| 20-05 | 2023 Preakness Stakes Betting Promos & Sportsbook Offers | 5201 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215 | AmWager |
| 10-06 | The Best 2023 Belmont Stakes Betting Offers & Promotions | 2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003 | AmWager |
Prairie Meadows offers 32 thoroughbred stakes races worth an estimated $2.92 million in purse money. The highlights of the thoroughbred stakes calendar are the Iowa Festival of Racing and the traditional Iowa Classic stakes races.
There’s a trio of Grade III stakes races. The Iowa Derby for three-year-olds goes at a distance of 1 1/16 miles for a purse of $225,000. The Iowa Oaks for three-year-old fillies also covers a distance of 1 1/16 miles for a purse of $225,000. The Cornhusker Handicap is open to horses aged three years and older. It covers 1⅛ miles and the purse is $300,000.
The track offers 23 quarter horse stakes races worth an estimated $1.6 million. The schedule is highlighted by the Bank of America/Prairie Meadows Regional Challenge Finals, Prairie Meadows Quarter Horse Championships, and Iowa Classic stakes races for quarter horses.
Iowa Horse Racing Betting Legal Overview
Prairie Meadows endured some early struggles and was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1991. The advent of slot machines and casino gambling in the state revitalized the facility.
The slot parlor opened at Prairie Meadows in 1994 and a year later, the track launched its casino. Today, Prairie Meadows is thriving. They are open 24/7, 365 days a year and also feature a hotel and a sportsbook.
Prairie Meadows accepts exotic wagers and the track also conducts exotic racing. Each July the track plays host to a day of exotic racing animals. There is camel racing, as well as ostriches and Zebras.
Iowa Racetracks
Prairie Meadows – 1 Prairie Meadows Dr, Altoona IA 50009. Offering live thoroughbred racing and live quarter horse racing from August-September.
Iowa Online Horse Betting FAQs
Prairie Meadows offers year-round horse, harness, and greyhound simulcast racing from the nation’s premier tracks including Churchill Downs, Del Mar, Belmont, Keeneland, and Oaklawn Park, among many more.
The track also offers the chance to wager from your smartphone or tablet with MyBet Mobile, a secure wagering website for smart devices. With MyBet Mobile you can wager where you want when you want at Prairie Meadows.
TVG, DRF Bets, TwinSpires, 123Bet, and 1/ST BET are the top horse wagering platforms in the Cyclone State.
21 for pari-mutuel horse wagering.
