Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, the state’s only Thoroughbred track, which runs a December-to-May meet.
Online wagering is legal; TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG and Xpressbet serve the state, and Oaklawn runs its own Oaklawn Anywhere app. The racebooks below are the ones our team rates highest for Arkansas bettors, judged on track coverage, rebates and the welcome offer.
You must be 18+ to bet the horses in Arkansas, with racing overseen by the Arkansas Racing Commission. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Best Arkansas Horse Racing Betting Sites
Our top-rated advance-deposit wagering (ADW) apps for Arkansas bettors. Tap to open the operator’s official sign-up page. 18+. Terms apply.
- ★ EDITOR’S PICK
TwinSpiresBest for coverage★ 4.7 / 5$200 Sign-Up Bonus · Promo Code BET200$100 in bonus cash for every $400 you wager, up to $200
Churchill Downs Inc.'s TwinSpires covers Oaklawn Park and the Triple Crown trail it runs as the Kentucky Derby's home ADW — fitting in a state whose marquee race, the Arkansas Derby, is a key Derby prep. Deep stakes coverage, free TwinSpires TV streaming and rewards on every bet.
Key terms: Wager $800 within 30 days of opening your account to earn the full $200; Bonus paid in $100 increments for every $400 wagered; Show wagers don't count; bets count once the race is official; Credited within 10 business days; one per household. Full terms apply — see our TwinSpires review. Please play responsibly. -
FanDuel RacingBest app & streaming★ 4.6 / 5Bet $10, Get $50 in Racing Bonus · No Promo Code neededFanDuel Racing rotates its new-customer offer, so the amount can change
FanDuel Racing — the former TVG platform — carries Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby trail alongside the national simulcast menu, and now sits next to the FanDuel sportsbook that launched in Arkansas in March 2026 through Oaklawn. Expect live video from 300+ tracks and daily expert picks.
Key terms: First real-money racing wager of $10 or more; $50 in non-withdrawable Racing Bonus, credited within 72 hours; Racing Bonus expires seven days after it's issued; Not open to anyone who has wagered on FanDuel Sportsbook, Casino or DFS. Full terms apply — see our FanDuel Racing review. Please play responsibly. -
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, run by the New York Racing Association, pairs its Saratoga, Belmont Park and Aqueduct specialty with the national card menu — a natural second account once Oaklawn's meet ends in early May. Up to three live races can stream at once.
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 Arkansas
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, the state’s only Thoroughbred track, which runs a December-to-May meet.
Online wagering is legal; TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG and Xpressbet serve the state, and Oaklawn runs its own Oaklawn Anywhere app.
The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, a major Kentucky Derby prep run each April.
| Track | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oaklawn Racing Casino ResortHot Springs · Thoroughbred · Thoroughbreds Dec 2025 – May 2, 2026 (Arkansas Derby in April); 2026–27 meet usually opens in 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 Arkansas
Arkansas is a dual-market state with a deep racing heritage. Online horse race betting in Arkansas is legal for anyone 18 or older through a licensed advance-deposit (ADW) racebook, in a state with one of the country's great racing traditions. Every major US racing site operates here — TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, NYRA Bets and Xpressbet — each covering Oaklawn Park alongside national and international simulcast from one account.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs has run pari-mutuel racing since the early 1900s and hosts the Arkansas Derby, a key Kentucky Derby prep. Sports betting arrived later — retail at the casinos in 2019, mobile in 2022, all 21 and over — with FanDuel and DraftKings finally launching in March 2026 alongside local apps.
Arkansas (AR) Horse Race Facts: Online horse race betting in Arkansas is legal for bettors 18+ through licensed ADW racebooks, with a deep racing heritage at Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs) — home of the Arkansas Derby, a Kentucky Derby prep. Sports betting 21+ (retail 2019, mobile 2022; FanDuel & DraftKings live). Top Arkansas horse racing betting sites & apps (ADWs): TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, NYRA Bets — each with welcome offers.
FanDuel is one of the first national sportsbooks in Arkansas, live since March 2026 through a ‘powered by’ deal with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs — home of the Arkansas Derby. Under the state's 51% casino revenue-share rule it arrived later than most markets, but brings the cleanest app and a Bet $5, Get up to $350 in Bonus Bets welcome offer.
Choosing a Racing Site in Arkansas
All major US Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) apps operate in Arkansas. Each lets you bet every Arkansas track plus US, UK and international racing from one account. Minimum age 18.
The best horse racing betting site in Arkansas balances Oaklawn coverage, rebates and streaming. The top online horse race betting apps — TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing and NYRA Bets — carry Oaklawn's full card plus 250+ tracks worldwide with live video, and TwinSpires pays rewards on every wager.
Every Arkansas-legal racebook offers a new-customer welcome offer, from FanDuel Racing's Bet $10, Get $50 in Racing Bonus to TwinSpires' $200 sign-up bonus with Promo Code BET200. All are ADW operators, so you bet from your phone anywhere in the state, Oaklawn meet or not.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
2705 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901 Opened in 1904 and home of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and the Racing Festival of the South. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and undefeated Smarty Jones both launched their Kentucky Derby campaigns here.
Southland Casino Racing · 1550 N Ingram Blvd, West Memphis, AR 72301. Ran its final live greyhound card on December 31, 2022. Now a casino with a DraftKings retail sportsbook; off-track and simulcast wagering remain available.
Signature stakes races at Arkansas's tracks
Beyond the everyday cards, each Arkansas track hosts at least one feature stakes race that draws statewide attention — most are bettable through every ADW listed above.
Arkansas Derby
Oaklawn's marquee race — a $1.5 million Grade 1 for three-year-olds in early April, awarding 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner. Won by champions including American Pharoah and Smarty Jones.
Apple Blossom Handicap
A Grade 1 for older fillies and mares, famously won by Zenyatta in 2010 during her unbeaten campaign.
Rebel Stakes
A key Grade 2 Kentucky Derby prep run in February/March, a traditional stepping stone to the Arkansas Derby.
Who regulates horse racing & sports betting in Arkansas
Arkansas uses two separate regulators for horse racing and sports wagering — each licenses operators independently.
Arkansas Racing Commission
The Arkansas Racing Commission, within the Department of Finance and Administration, licenses and regulates horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering and the state's casinos. Online ADW wagering on horses is legal statewide for bettors 18 and older. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs is the state's only live thoroughbred venue.
Arkansas Racing Commission
Voters approved sports betting in November 2018 (Amendment 100); Oaklawn took the first legal bet in July 2019 and mobile betting launched in March 2022. Betting on in-state college teams, including the Razorbacks, is permitted. Minimum age 21.
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 Arkansas
- 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.
Arkansas Horse Racing Betting Sites and Apps (November 2026)
Arkansas Horse Racing Betting FAQs
Is online horse racing betting legal in Arkansas?
Yes. Licensed ADW apps let you bet on horses from anywhere inside Arkansas, and the minimum age for pari-mutuel wagering is 18.
What's the minimum age to bet in Arkansas?
21 for sports betting and casino gaming; 18 for pari-mutuel horse racing (though most casino racetracks require 21 on the gaming floor).
Which racetracks are in Arkansas?
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs (opened 1904) is the only live track, running thoroughbreds from December to May and hosting the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Southland in West Memphis ran its last greyhound card in 2022 and is now a casino with simulcast wagering.
Which apps can I use in Arkansas?
Our top-rated picks are listed above. Online wagering is legal; TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, TVG and Xpressbet serve the state, and Oaklawn runs its own Oaklawn Anywhere app.
What is the biggest horse race in Arkansas?
The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, a major Kentucky Derby prep run each April.
Can I bet the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby?
Yes. Oaklawn cards the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby — a major Kentucky Derby prep — every April, and every Arkansas-legal ADW carries it along with the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup.