Thinking about betting the horses from Missouri? Here’s where the state actually stands — what’s legal, what isn’t and what your options are.
Can You Bet on Horse Racing in Missouri?
Missouri is a tough state for horseplayers. It has no operating racetrack, and since TwinSpires pulled out in January 2024 there is no mainstream advance-deposit app that accepts Missouri customers.
State law restricts pari-mutuel wagering to a licensed track, and with none running, residents have no clearly legal online route to bet the horses. That could change if a track or a regulated ADW framework returns, but nothing is live today.
Horse Racing & Betting in Missouri
No active racetracks — Missouri has had no operating pari-mutuel track for decades.
Online wagering is not available: TwinSpires withdrew from Missouri in January 2024 and no mainstream ADW accepts Missouri customers, while state law restricts pari-mutuel wagering to licensed tracks.
There is no active race meet in Missouri.
More on Racing in Missouri
While talk of reviving Missouri’s horse racing scene resurfaces every few years, plans for new racetracks have never moved beyond speculation. Despite voter approval for legal online sports betting (launched December 1, 2025), horse racing remains in limbo — and the state’s betting landscape continues without any live racing venues or legal horse wagering options.
Legal Reality
Missouri law technically allows pari-mutuel wagering at licensed facilities, but with no operational racetracks or simulcast venues, there’s nowhere to place a legal bet. Online horse race betting platforms such as TwinSpires and FanDuel Racing (TVG) remain off-limits under current state law.
- The state’s 13 riverboat casinos and two tribal casinos do not offer any horse betting — live or virtual.
- Because Missouri has no live racing, no simulcasting, and no advance-deposit wagering, horseplayers in the Show-Me State are, for now, shut out of legal wagering.
Historical Context
Horse racing has deep roots in Missouri. St. Louis hosted races as early as 1769, and more than 20 racetracks operated in the area through the 19th century. Thoroughbred racing even featured at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and the city’s former MLB team, the St. Louis Browns, once built a racetrack into its stadium grounds.
However, organized wagering was outlawed in 1950, and the final racing venue — Delmar Race Track in north St. Louis — closed in 1911. Since then, all attempts to reintroduce live racing or pari-mutuel betting have failed.
Where Missouri Bettors Can Wager
Illinois offers full simulcast wagering, live racing, and access to national events like the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup.
- ❌ No live racetracks in Missouri
- ❌ No legal online horse betting
- 🏇 Nearest legal horse racing options: across the border in Illinois
Horse Racing Betting in Missouri Summary
You can’t bet on horse racing in Missouri in 2026. Even though Missouri law allows pari-mutuel wagering in theory, there are no licensed venues offering it, leaving horseplayers with no in-state options. Missouri does not offer any legal betting on horse racing, so it doesn’t matter how old you are.
What is changing is sports betting. Missouri voters approved online sports betting, with regulated sportsbook apps live since December 1, 2025. That means you can now bet on sports statewide — just not horse racing.
If you want to bet on the ponies, your closest legal option remains across the border in Illinois, where live racing, simulcast betting, and major horse racing events are fully available.
How to Bet on Horse Racing
New to the windows? Start with the straight bets. A win bet needs your horse to finish first; place pays if it runs first or second; show pays for first, second or third. They are the cheapest way to learn the game.
From there come the exotics, where the real payouts live. The exacta asks for the first two home in order, the trifecta the first three, and the superfecta the first four. Multi-race bets — the daily double, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 6 — string winners together across races, and the Pick 6 jackpot can roll into life-changing money. Our guide to exotic bets walks through each one, and the beginner’s guide to betting on racing covers the basics end to end.
Missouri Horse Racing Betting FAQs
Can I bet on horse racing online in Missouri?
There are currently no legal horse betting options in the Show-Me State.
Are there any racetracks in Missouri?
Missouri does not have any horse racing tracks. Off-track betting locations (OTBs) are also not allowed.
What are my options?
There is no active race meet in Missouri.