2024 Philippine Legal Horse Betting

Horse racing in the Philippines dates back to the mid-18th century when it first emerged as a recreational activity. The earliest form of horse racing was introduced while the country was still under Spanish control and included a ¼ mile long straight racetrack. Betting on horse races wasn’t established until about 50 years later in 1903 and was then authorized by the reigning government body.

By then a lot had changed, the tracks were now circular, and the breed of horses had improved drastically. Today, Philippines legal horse betting is widely accepted and is considered tradition as it has roots in Filipino history.

Best Online Sportsbooks For Betting On Horse Races In The Philippines In 2024

Site NameBonus OfferPayout SpeedPHPlay Link
Online Racebooks
Betonline50% Max $1,00024-48 HoursPlay Now
Sports Betting50% Max $1,00048 HoursPlay Now

Is Betting On Horse Races Legal In The Philippines?

Yes, betting on horse races has been legal since 1903. Today the Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM) is responsible for overseeing the industry and protecting the horses. There is a small tax on horse betting, but it goes back into the sport and is crucial for regulators to keep the breed healthy. Follow our link for more information on Philippine gambling laws.

Can Filipino Residents Legally Bet On Horse Races Online?

Yes, as long as the racebooks that they bet at are legally licensed and in compliance with their local gambling regulators, there is no problem placing a wager online. The Filipino government asks online gamblers to do this for their safety since they are not responsible for regulating overseas sportsbooks and have no way of determining if they are legitimate or not.

One of the primary objectives of creating our Philippine legal online gambling guide was to direct Filipino gamblers to legally sanctioned, legitimately regulated and high-quality online betting destinations.

How To Bet On Horse Racing In The Philippines?

There are three ways to bet on horse racing in the Philippines, online sportsbooks, land-based sportsbooks, and at the racetrack.

Legally sanctioned Philippines online sportsbooks are the preferred method by many since they offer international horse racing and convenient online access 24/7. When betting online you can use one of our suggested destinations to complete your bet slip with your horse number, bet type, race number, and wager.  Bets must be placed prior to the start of the race.

Land-based sportsbooks such as MegaSportsWorld (MSW) also facilitate betting on horse racing. Their set-up is similar to going online. A player must sign into his account and fill out a bet slip. The bet must be in before the race begins unless you are engaging in live betting.

Many players prefer online betting options as opposed to land-based sportsbooks due in part to a wider selection of betting lines and wagering options. However, when betting online you will only find the larger, more prominent international horse races and may have trouble betting on local races taking place in the Philippines.

Betting at the racetrack requires you to place your bet at the wagering terminal or cashier’s counter. If the facility offers machine betting terminals you can place bets there as well. The process is as simple as completing a bet slip and paying the cashier or teller.

Horse Race Bet Types And Wagering Options

There are many types of bets and gambling options when it comes to horse or dog racing. In this section we will cover some of the most common bet types and wagering options that you are likely to see when placing bets on horse racing.

Basic Bet Types:
Win – Is when you pick the 1st place winner.
Place – Is when you pick the 1st or 2nd place horse.
Show – Is when you pick the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place horse.

Exotic and Combination Bets:
Across the board – 3 equal wins, place, and show bets.

  • If your horse finishes 1st you win all three bets.
  • If the horse finishes 2nd, you win place and show bets.
  • If your horse finishes 3rd, you win on the show bet.

Exacta – When you pick two horses and what order they will finish in, 1st and 2nd exact order, you win.

Quinella – When you pick two horses and they finish 1st or 2nd in either order, you win.

Trifecta – When you pick the top 3 horses and they finish in the exact order you picked, you win.

Superfecta – When you pick the top 4 horses and their exact finishing order, you win.

Daily Double – 2 races make up the daily double, you pick 1 horse from each race and if either horse wins both races, you win.

Pick 3, Pick 4 & Pick 6 – Similar to the Daily Double, players pick winners for 3-6 consecutive races. Pick 6 is the biggest bet you can make.

Betting Pools & Pari-mutuel bets

Betting pools are similar to lotteries and are a variant of pari-mutuel betting.  These pools are a form of gambling in which bettors pay a fixed price as their buy-in into a pool or a pot and then select an outcome. There are no odds, no “house take” and each winner’s payout is determined by the number of participants and the number of winners for the pool. Betting pools and pari-mutuel betting are most often associated with horse racing and dog racing, however, the pool format has been used in other sports.

History Of Horse Racing In The Philippines

Philippine horseracing has been divided into 3 eras based on time periods: Pony, Arabian, and Thoroughbred. The Pony-era is when horseracing was first introduced, the Philippines were still under Spanish control and this era lasted for about 30 years. This was the infancy of horseracing, before betting on the sport became popular.

The Arabian-era refers to a time when the Philippines were considered the “American-Philippines” after the Spanish-American war ended and America took control of the Philippines as one of its territories. In 1903, betting was introduced to the sport and horseracing popularity exploded across the islands. The Arabian-era lasted for about 30 years until the Filipino racers started breeding their own local breeds.

In 1935, the Thoroughbred era came into play as a result of their local horse breeding. Even though they were still an American territory at the time, the era continued when they gained their independence in 1946 and is still in place today.

PHILRACOM

The Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM) is the government agency that oversees the horseracing industry. Established by Presidential Decree 420, PHILRACOM is under the direct administrative supervision of the Office of the President. The commission was created to supervise, promote and maintain unbiased operation of racing and to raise public confidence in the sport while improving the breed of Filipino horses.

Drug testing on horses

In late 2017, the Philippine Racing Commission announced that they would begin drug testing their racehorses as a result of their new membership with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). Drug testing protocols will be tested for six months, during that time no fines will be imposed. Drug testing is administered to protect the interest of the bettors and to protect the health of the horses.

Horse Racing Tracks In The Philippines

There are currently 3 horse racetracks in the Philippines all of which are in close proximity to Metropolitan Manila: Metro Manila Turf Club, Santa Ana Park, and San Lazaro Leisure Park. Below is there contact info and address.

Metro Manila Turf Club
Address: San Pioquinto, Malvar, Batangas, Philippines
Phone: +63 43 773 6682

Santa Ana Park
Address:  4883 Chino Roces Ave, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: +63 8965697

San Lazaro Leisure Park
Carmona, Cavite, Philippines
+63 2 687 9889