Horse racing and gambling are inextricably linked together. It just seems that there is no way to separate one from the other. This is not surprising, though – especially if you consider the fact that horse racing is actually a multi-billion business that has never been limited to the action on the race track. There is great money to be had in horse breeding, training, stabling, veterinary practices, promotion, pari-mutuel betting, bookmaking, etc. Breeding, training and racing of horses in many countries is now a significant economic activity and horse gambling is largely responsible for this. Exceptional horses can win millions of dollars worth of purse money. Afterwards, there are still millions to be earned by providing stud services to various horse breeders.

The style of racing, the distance for each course and the type of racing events varies from country to country, and so there are different types of horse races.

In the USA, races can occur on flat surfaces: dirt, grass or Polytrack all-weather track. Harness, Thoroughbred, and Quarter Horse racing are the most popular, especially in New York and Florida. Racing with other breeds such as the Arabian horse racing still exists but on a more limited basis. The high point of US horse racing has traditionally been the Kentucky Derby. This when matched with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes completes the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

In recent years, the Breeders’ Cup World Championship is challenging the Triple Crown’s popularity. The Breeders’ Cup is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races operated by the Breeders’ Cup Limited: a company formed by a consortium of North American racing organizations spearheaded by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association or the NTRA, created in 1982. This annual event is usually sponsored at different race tracks all over the States, the latest of which was held in Monmouth Park. Breeders’ Cup also affects the selection of other annual Chanmpions in various horse races like Standardbred horse racing, Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters.

US wager placement systems, whether actual or online, are usually sanctioned and regulated by state governments; and these days are almost always through legalized pari-mutuel gambling.