The global betting industry has been boosted by numerous technological advances in recent years. Online betting, high-quality websites, and dedicated apps have all made placing a wager on an event or game significantly easier for consumers.
There are many different betting markets for consumers to enjoy, including traditional casino games and sports betting. The sports betting market has boomed thanks to the coverage top events get, and one of the oldest and most popular betting markets still available is horse racing.
Bettors can enjoy action from hundreds of race courses throughout the year, but there are some races that attract even more attention than usual.
While racetracks will have regular meetings throughout the year, there are some races that are held in higher regard than others. There are many reasons why a particular race will stand out in the racing calendar, including the horses they attract, the purse that can be won, and simple tradition.
We take a look at the 10 biggest horse races in the world today to see what makes them so special in the eyes of millions of bettors every year.
The Canadian International Stakes is Canada’s biggest horse race and takes place at Ontario’s Woodbine Racetrack. This annual race is a Grade 1 stakes race that is open to thoroughbred horses aged 3 years and over.
The race is run over 1 and a quarter miles on a left-handed track and was first inaugurated in 1938. The latest purse for the race was CA$750,000 in the 2023 race, which was won by 4-year-old Nations Pride.
The famous Italian jockey Frankie Dettori has had the most victories in this race, winning worst recently in 2021, as well as 2000, 2004, and 2012.
Sadly, the 2024 race will not be held due to logistical challenges that would limit the horses available to run.
However, Gambling expert Matt Bastock, who has curated a list of the top betting site options for Canadian bettors, considers a variety of factors when deciding the best options for consumers. One of these is the betting markets available, ensuring bettors will still have top meetings to back this year.
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest American horse race and is held every year at Louisville, Kentuck at the Churchill Downs race track. The race dates back to 1875 and, like the Canadian International Stakes, it is a Grade 1 stakes race for thoroughbred horses aged 3 and over.
While many of the races on this list are held on grass tracks, the 1-and-a-quarter miles run by horses in this case is done on dirt with a $5 million purse.
The race held in May this year was won by Mystic Dan and jockeyed by Brian Henrandez Jr. An impressive $3.1 million went to the winner of this year’s event.
The Kentucky Derby is the main event of the Kentucky Derby Festival which runs for two weeks. The race is also the first leg of the Triple Crown series which also features the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a 1-and-a-half-mile flat race held in Paris since 1920. The right-handed turf race is open to 3+-year-old thoroughbreds but excludes geldings.
The race takes place on the first Sunday in October and typically has a purse of around €5,000,000, with the winner scooping just over half of that.
2023 saw the Hean-Claud Rouget-trained Ace Impact run to victory under Christian Demuro.
The Arc is one of the world’s most prestigious races and is beamed to 50 countries worldwide.
The Preakness Stakes is run at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and is the second instalment in the Triple Crown. It was first run in 1873 and the 2024 race had a $2 million purse. $1.2 million went to the winner, Seize the Grey, which was jockeyed by Jaime A. Torres and trained by D. Wayne Lukas.
The final Triple Crown race is the Belmont Stakes, a 1 and a half mile, dirt race that takes place at Belmont Park, New York. This race dates back to 1867, and like the Preakness Stakes, has a $2 million purse.
The 2024 race was won by the Danny Gargan-trained Dornoch, which was jockeyed by Luis Saez.
The Grand National is arguably the biggest horse race in the world because of its long tradition and global appeal, being watched by an estimated 600 million every year.
The race is run every year in April at the Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside. The epic steeplechase is run over 4 miles and 514 yards, with entry restricted to 7-year-olds and over who are rated at a minimum of 130 as explained by the Jockey Club.
The famous race dates back to 1839 and despite its proud history and popularity, the purse continues to be set at £1 million, with the winner receiving just over half of that.
The 2024 winner was 8-year-old I Am Maximus, owned by the legendary J.P. McManus, trained by Willie Mullins, and Jockeyed by Paul Townend.
Australia’s Melbourne Cup is a Group 1 Thoroughbred race held at the Flemington Racecourse. The first Melbourne Cup took place in 1861, and it has been held every year since (excluding during WW1 and WW2).
The 2023 purse was an impressive $8,410,000, with Without A Fight winning and earning $4.4 million and a solid gold trophy which has a value of $600,000.
The Epsom Derby takes place near the start of June every year and is open to horses that are 3 and over. It is the richest flat race in Britain and first started in 1780.
The winner of the race gets over £850,000 of the £1.5 million purse, with City of Troy winning this years race.
The Dubai World Cup is a relatively new addition to the racing calendar, starting in 1996. It is run at the Meydan Racecourse and its $30.5 million purse makes it one of the world’s most valuable races.
This year the race was by the 6-year-old Laurel River which was jockeyed by Tadhg O’Shea for Juddmonte Farms.
The Everest is another Australian race and takes place at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. With a purse of $20 million, it is the richest turf race and is set for October 19th this year.
The race only started in 2017 and the most recent was won by Proven Thoroughbreds’ Think About It.
These are just some of the world’s top horse races, with many more prestigeous and valuable meetings being held every year. Horse racing fans will typically get prices for the biggest races at land-based betting operators, but online and crypto gambling sites will typically offer consumers a wider variety of betting markets to choose from.
The best thing about being able to access the global horse racing market is that bettors never have long to wait to see high-quality races.
