Both Thoroughbred racing and quarter horse racing have long been popular in Arizona, and Arizona has a storied racing history.
Although there is only one currently active racetrack in Arizona, it is a great state for off-track betting and people love to get together and play the races. With almost 40 OTB locations across the state in restaurants, bars, and even bowling alleys, bettors have many options for betting on racing in Arizona and all over the world. Plus, with great options for online racebooks for Arizona players, it has never been easier to be a part of the horse racing action!
Recommended Online Racebooks
Even though there are many options for off-track betting, we can't always make it to the OTB in our busy lives. Fortunately, there are great options for online betting. Online racebooks let you play any race you could play at an OTB, and more. Online racebooks also offer options for futures and prop betting on horse races, and many also have integrated sports wagering and casino wagering as well.
Online racebooks also offer incentives that the OTB does not. Those include sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, referral benefits, and even horse racing rebates that pay you cash or betting credit for every wager you make! This means you can build your bankroll even faster by wagering online.
These are your best options for wagering online in Arizona:
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Horse Racing in Arizona
The only currently active racetrack is Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona. Open since 1956, the track traditionally begins its meet in late October or early November and keeps running all the way through early May. The track offers Thoroughbred racing on both dirt and turf, as well as Quarter Horse racing. The track also has an on-site equine pool, allowing for low-impact exercise for horses stabled on the premises.
Rillito Park, considered the cradle of Quarter Horse racing in Arizona, has run races as recently as 2023. However, there are significant renovations that need to happen before the track is allowed to be reopened, meaning Rillito is currently on hiatus.
Arizona Horse Races
On the Thoroughbred side, major stakes races include the Turf Paradise Derby and Arizona Oaks for three-year-olds, the Phoenix Gold Cup for older sprinters, and the Cotton Fitzsimmons and Queen of the Green for older turf horses. Each of these races offers a $50,000 purse. There is another $50,000 Thoroughbred race at the end of the meet: the unique Hasta La Vista Handicap, an exciting 1 7/8-mile turf marathon.
For Quarter Horses, leading events during the meet include the $45,000 AQHA Quarter Horse Futurity for two-year-olds as well as $40,000 races like the Wayne Brasher Memorial for horses three and up, Mike Hastings Memorial for fillies and mares aged three and up, and the Desert Classic Derby for three-year-olds.
OTB Locations in Arizona
Horseplayers who enjoy hanging out at the OTBs are lucky if they live in Arizona, as there are about 40 OTB locations throughout the state that are licensed by the Arizona Department of Gaming. In addition to betting at a horse track or casino, there are many options for bars, restaurants, and other spots like bowling alleys and American Legion halls around the state that offer off-track horse betting.
In addition to live tellers and betting machines, these places also often offer betting seminars and parties, as well as food and drink specials for horseplayers. So, they can be a great place to get together, learn how to play the horses, and even make a few friends who also enjoy the races.