Texas has a long history with horse racing and several active racetracks, but the rules for betting on races in Texas are stricter than in most states. On this page we explain where and how Texans can legally bet on horse racing, the state’s major racetracks, the most popular horse racing bets, and a step by step guide to placing a bet at the track.
Is Horse Race Betting Legal in Texas?
Yes, but only in person. Pari-mutuel betting on horse races is legal at Texas’s licensed racetracks, where you can bet on live races as well as simulcast races from tracks across the country. You must be 21 or older to bet.
Online horse race betting is not legal in Texas. A 2011 amendment to the Texas Racing Act banned advance deposit wagering (ADW), the system used by licensed online horse betting sites like TwinSpires and FanDuel Racing. Those sites don’t accept bets from customers located in Texas. In February 2026, TwinSpires briefly began accepting Texas customers, but the Texas Racing Commission ordered it to stop within days.
Texas Racetracks
Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie is the most popular racetrack in Texas. Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it runs live racing a few days a week during its spring and summer season and offers simulcast betting on tracks across the United States seven days a week.
Sam Houston Race Park in Houston runs live thoroughbred racing from January to April each year, followed by American Quarter Horse racing from late April into June.
Retama Park in Selma, near San Antonio, is also licensed for pari-mutuel wagering and offers simulcast betting.
Texas has no standalone off-track betting parlors, so the simulcast areas at these tracks are the only places to bet on races from other states, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Other Options for Texans
- Neighboring states. Online horse race betting through licensed ADW sites is legal in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico. You can open an account and bet while you are physically located in one of those states.
- Offshore sites. Offshore betting sites licensed outside the United States accept bets from Texans, but they aren’t licensed or regulated in Texas or any other US state, so there is no state regulator to turn to if there is a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.
Horse Racing Betting Options
Bets on horse races use the pari-mutuel betting system. This means the odds are not fixed. They change, even after you place your bet, depending on how much money is wagered on each horse (and bet type) in the pool.
Win/Place/Show
Also known as straight wagers, win/place/show bets are the most common wagers on a horse race.
- Win – You’re betting on your horse to win the race.
- Place – You’re betting on your horse to finish 1st or 2nd.
- Show – You’re betting on your horse to finish in the top 3.
Exotic
Exotic bets involve more than one outcome, such as the finishing order of several horses in one race, or the winners of several races in a row:
- Exacta – The horses that will finish 1st and 2nd, in order.
- Trifecta – The horses that will finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd, in order.
- Superfecta – The horses that will finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, in order.
- Pick 3 – The winning horse in three consecutive races.
- Pick 6 – The winning horse in six consecutive races.
See our horse racing betting section for more on each bet type.
How To Bet On Horse Racing at a Texas Track – Step By Step
- Pick your track and race. Check the track’s website for live race days and the simulcast schedule, since the big races from other states are shown on their simulcast screens.
- Study the program. The race program lists each horse’s number, the morning line odds, the jockey and trainer, and recent form.
- Place your bet. At a betting window or self-serve terminal, state the track, race number, bet amount, bet type and horse number (for example, “Lone Star, race 5, $2 to win on number 4”).
- Check your ticket and keep it. Confirm the ticket matches your bet before leaving the window. If your horse wins, cash the ticket at any window or terminal.
- Set limits. Decide on a budget before you go and stick to it. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
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