New Jersey horseplayers have it good: online horse race betting is legal and fully regulated, with Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands and every major advance-deposit app a tap away.
The racebooks below are the ones our team rates highest for New Jersey bettors, judged on track coverage, rebates, the quality of the app and the welcome offer.
You must be 18 or older to bet the horses in New Jersey, with racing overseen by the New Jersey Racing Commission. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Best New Jersey Horse Racing Betting Sites
Our top-rated advance-deposit wagering (ADW) apps for New Jersey bettors. Tap to open the operator’s official sign-up page. 18+. Terms apply.
- ★ EDITOR’S PICK
NYRA BetsBest for big meets★ 4.5 / 5$25 Free Bet + $200 Deposit Match · Promo Code CUP25A free bet on sign-up, then 100% of your first deposit matched up to $200
NYRA Bets now manages New Jersey's online pari-mutuel system under a New Jersey Racing Commission vendor license and launched for Garden State customers in July 2026, ending the years when 4NJBets was the only option. It pairs Monmouth Park, home of the NYRA Bets-sponsored Haskell, with NYRA's own Saratoga and Belmont Park cards, free live video and free handicapping picks. Residents 18 and older can sign up.
Key terms: $25 free bet credit on sign-up; unused credit is removed after 14 days; 100% match on your first deposit up to $200, made within 30 days of opening the account; Wager twice your deposit within 30 days to unlock the match; Show bets, futures, phone wagers and cancelled bets don't count. Full terms apply — see our NYRA Bets review. Please play responsibly.
Horse Racing & Betting in New Jersey
Monmouth Park (Oceanport, Thoroughbred May–Sep) and The Meadowlands (East Rutherford, harness).
Since July 2026 NYRA Bets has managed New Jersey’s online wagering system, opening the market to further approved operators alongside 4NJBets.
Online wagering is legal; long run through 4NJBets (FanDuel Racing/TVG), with NYRA Bets managing a multi-operator marketplace since July 2026. Bettors must be 18 and, where required, physically within the state.
The signature races to know are the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Hambletonian (harness) at The Meadowlands.
| Track | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monmouth ParkOceanport · Thoroughbred · Thoroughbreds May 9 – Sep 13, 2026 (50 days) | ||||||||||||
| MeadowlandsEast Rutherford · Harness · Harness racing most of the year, usually January – August and again late fall into December |
Months with live racing. Dates come from the tracks and the state racing regulator; meets can change, so check the track’s own calendar before you go. Simulcast wagering runs year-round.
More on Racing in New Jersey
New Jersey is the state that toppled the federal sports-betting ban: its 2018 Supreme Court victory in Murphy v.
Today the Garden State runs one of the deepest mobile markets in the country — every online sportsbook tethered to an Atlantic City casino or a racetrack — taxed at 19.75% of online gross gaming revenue since July 2025. Pari-mutuel racing runs at Monmouth Park (Thoroughbred; home of the Grade 1 Haskell) and the Meadowlands (harness; home of the Hambletonian).
Sports bettors must be 21+ and horseplayers 18+ — and uniquely, New Jersey lets residents fund and place ADW bets from out of state.
Choosing a Racing Site in New Jersey
All major US Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) apps operate in New Jersey. Each lets you bet every New Jersey track plus US, UK and international racing from one account. Minimum age 18.
New Jersey's three racetracks — addresses & live cards
Monmouth Park · 175 Oceanport Ave, Oceanport, NJ 07757
The Jersey Shore's Thoroughbred track, reopened in its modern form in 1946 and home of the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational each summer.
The Meadowlands · 1 Racetrack Dr, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
The world's premier harness track — host of the Hambletonian and the Meadowlands Pace, and the only New Jersey track to card both standardbred and occasional thoroughbred racing.
Freehold Raceway · 130 Park Ave, Freehold, NJ 07728
For generations the oldest daily-operating harness track in the United States, Freehold ran its final live card in December 2024 and has ceased live racing and retail sports operations. Listed for reference only.
Signature stakes races at New Jersey's tracks
Beyond the everyday cards, each New Jersey track hosts at least one feature stakes race that draws statewide attention — most are bettable through every ADW listed above.
Haskell Invitational (G1)
Monmouth Park's Grade 1 showcase for 3-year-olds each summer and a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Purse $1 million. Past winners include American Pharoah and Rachel Alexandra.
Hambletonian
The most prestigious race in harness racing, run at the Meadowlands each August for 3-year-old trotters. Purse roughly $1 million.
Meadowlands Pace
The Meadowlands' premier event for 3-year-old pacers and a centerpiece of the summer standardbred calendar.
United Nations Stakes (G1)
Monmouth's Grade 1 turf marathon for older horses, run since 1953 and a highlight of the shore summer turf season.
Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3)
A long-running Monmouth stakes for older fillies and mares, often carded on Haskell day.
New Jersey's state-bred incentives
New Jersey Sire Stakes (Standardbred)
New Jersey's long-running harness program for state-bred trotters and pacers, with legs and finals contested at the Meadowlands.
New Jersey Thoroughbred breeding awards
State-bred owner and breeder incentives support New Jersey-bred Thoroughbreds, with restricted races carded during the Monmouth Park meet.
Notable horses bred in New Jersey
Active New Jersey runners are searchable on our racing data section.
Who regulates horse racing & sports betting in New Jersey
New Jersey uses two separate regulators for horse racing and sports wagering — each licenses operators independently.
New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC)
The New Jersey Racing Commission, within the Department of Law & Public Safety, licenses the state's tracks and advance-deposit wagering providers and regulates all pari-mutuel wagering. Online bets are pooled with on-track pools, so customers are paid at true track odds.
New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE)
The Division of Gaming Enforcement regulates New Jersey's casinos and licensed sportsbooks; every online book must run through an Atlantic City casino or racetrack license. Betting on New Jersey college teams — or any college event held in the state — is prohibited.
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.
How to Start Betting on Racing in New Jersey
- Pick a racebook and sign up.
Tap a “Visit” button above to open an ADW account. You must be 18+ and within state lines where required.
- Claim the welcome offer and deposit.
Fund the account by debit card, bank transfer or PayPal and activate any new-customer bonus before your first wager.
- Find a race and place your bet.
Browse the day’s cards, read the form, pick your horse and bet type, and confirm. Watch the live stream and collect if you win.
New Jersey Horse Racing Betting Sites and Apps (October 2026)
New Jersey Horse Racing Betting FAQs
Is online horse racing betting legal in New Jersey?
Yes. Pari-mutuel betting has been legal since 1939, and online advance-deposit wagering is permitted for residents 18 or older. New Jersey also uniquely lets residents fund and bet from out of state.
What's the minimum age to bet in New Jersey?
18 for pari-mutuel horse racing and 21 for sports betting.
Which racetracks are in New Jersey?
Monmouth Park in Oceanport is the Thoroughbred track (live May–September, home of the Haskell and the first US track with fixed-odds wagering). The Meadowlands in East Rutherford runs harness racing year-round and hosts the Hambletonian. Freehold Raceway ran its final live card in December 2024.
Which apps can I use in New Jersey?
Our top-rated picks are AmWager, TwinSpires and the other ADW apps listed above. Online wagering is legal; long run through 4NJBets (FanDuel Racing/TVG), with NYRA Bets managing a multi-operator marketplace since July 2026.
What is the biggest horse race in New Jersey?
The Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Hambletonian (harness) at The Meadowlands.