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Horse Racing Betting Sites
Take a look at the betting sites in Ireland that offer horse racing betting, specifically Galway races betting.
💡Each site has been vetted and checked according to our rating guidelines.
- Tonybet Sportsbook Review
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- Boyle Sports Review
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- NetBet Review
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- William Hill Sportsbook Review
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- bet365 Review
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- VivatBet Review
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Bonus Information
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- LiveScore Bet Review
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Bonus Information
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- Puntit Sportsbook Review
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- Interwetten Sportbook Review
Bonus Information
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- Novibet Review
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- Betway Sportsbook Review
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Bonus Information
- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- BetVictor Sportsbook Review
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- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- Unibet Sportsbook Review
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- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- 888 Sport Review
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- 10bet Sportsbook Review
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- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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- Midnite Sportsbook Review
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- Minimum deposit amount: €5
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- LVBet Sportsbook Review
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- Spreadex Review
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- SportingBet Sportsbook Review
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- Quinnbet Sportsbook Review
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- Minimum deposit amount: €10
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Place BetVerified in August#ad | 18+ | GamblingCare | T&Cs Apply | Play Responsibly | Bet €10 on any sport of your choice at min odds evens (2.00) or greater and get €50 in Free Bets (to use on any Sports of your choice), plus €20 QuinnCasino bonus, plus 10 Free online casino spins. The €50 Free Bets, €20 Casino Bonus and 10 Free Spins will be credited the day after your qualifying bet settles.| New IRE Customers Only |
- DragonBet Sportsbook Review
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Place BetVerified in August#ad | 18+ | GamblingCare | T&Cs Apply | Play Responsibly | New customers only. Use promo code Moneyback25. If your account has net losses at the end of your first day's sportsbook betting, you will receive 50% back as a free bet, up to €25/£25. A minimum deposit of €5 is required. The maximum bonus win is €25, and there are no bonus wagering requirements applied to this offer. Full T&Cs apply.
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Not only is Ballybrit the home to seven days of top-quality jump racing action, but it is also the site of a huge party. In the heady days of Ireland's Celtic Tiger, the Galway Races was a mixing zone for many of the country's top politicians and business figures. But while politicians have been a little shy about returning to the tents, punters have never lost their love for a day at the races and a night out in the neighbouring city.
One of the biggest fixtures on the calendar sees horse racing, fashion, community, craic and reunions with friends all combine for an intoxicating spectacle, with over 150,000 people set to attend throughout the week. It is always a great mix of sport and fun.
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When And Where Is it On?
The seven-day-long meeting will run from Monday, 27th July, to Sunday, 2nd August. Every year, the festival takes place at the Ballybrit Racecourse, also known as the Galway Racecourse. The townland of Ballybrit in County Galway is only around six kilometres northeast of Galway City.
Galway Races Summer Festival 2026 Timetable
Let's take a look at the timetable for this year's Galway Races:
| Race | Date |
|---|---|
| The Opening Day | Monday 27th July. The first race is at 4:50 PM |
| Colm Quinn BMW Tuesday | Tuesday 28th July. The first race starts at 4:50 PM |
| Tote Galway Plate Day | Wednesday 29th July. The first race starts at 4:50 PM |
| Guinness Galway Hurdle Day | Thursday 30th July. The first race starts at 2:10 PM |
| Friday's Most Stylish | Friday 31st July. The first race starts at 5:00 PM |
| The Weekender | Saturday 1st August. The first race starts at 1:55 PM |
| Mad Hatter's Family Fun Day | Sunday 2nd August. The first race starts at 1:50 PM |
Betting Advice For Galway Races
For many, many years, the sole advice you needed for the Galway Races was to follow the horses of legendary trainer Dermot Weld. Weld is known for targeting some of his best-handicapped horses and most promising juveniles at the race meeting, both on the flat and over obstacles.
Trainers to follow
In 2015, Weld remarkably scooped the Galway Festival's top trainer gong for the 29th time in the previous 30 years. Since then, national hunt king Willie Mullins has become a dominant force at the track.
Other trainers for fans to watch at the meeting include Tony Martin. Despite not being one of the biggest trainers in the country, Martin often targets his horses at Galway's big handicaps. Between 2014 and 2019, he had a hat-trick of winners of the Galway Hurdle Handicap with Thomas Edison (2014), Quick Jack (2015) and Tudor City (2019).
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Summer ground horses
Aside from trainers, it often pays to look out for horses who enjoy some summer ground. Pay attention to those horses who tend to struggle during the heavy ground of the winter months but come alive on a sounder surface.
For instance, in the handicap races, a horse's recent form may look below average going into the race, but the horse could have been running on unsuitable ground. If a horse runs out of the frame, the handicapper will often try to give them a better chance on their next run by reducing their handicap mark, meaning they will have to carry less weight relative to their rivals' next time out.
How To Place A Bet
If betting on the Galway Races, you have a wide range of options. For the newcomer, it can often be very confusing. To break down how betting on horse racing works, let's first consider what we mean by the odds.
The Odds
Simply put: the odds are the expected probability of something happening. If a bookmaker prices a horse at 3/1, it means that they think that 1 in 4 times the horse will win the race. If the horse is 5/1, they think it will win 1 in 6 times.
The odds tell punters how much they will make if their horse wins the race. So, for example, let's say we stake a €10 bet on a horse with odds of 5/1. These odds tell the punter that for every €1 they stake on this horse, if it wins the race, they will win €5. So, if they put €10 on this winning horse, they will win €50 (€10 x 5) while they will also get their stake back.
If someone exclaims that they had a 100/1 winner, it means that for every €1 they put on the horse, they won €100! This fractional odds format is the most commonly used in Irish horse racing. There is also the Decimal and American format, which present the odds differently but use the same principles.
Use our handy horse racing calculator to help you calculate your bets!
Bet Calculator
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Total Outlay
-Total Return
-Total Profit
-Betting Types
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The Win Bet:
This is the most simple and common betting type used in horse racing. It is all-or-nothing. You are betting on your horse to finish 1st in the race, but if the horse doesn't win, you lose your stake. Whether the horse finished second or last is irrelevant to your bet as they didn't win the race.
The Each-Way Bet:
Oftentimes people want to hedge their bets and have more chance of winning money or getting their stake back. The each-way bet is used for this reason. It is made up of two parts, the "win" bet and the "place" bet. To best understand this, it might work best to take these two parts in isolation.
The "win" bet is exactly the same as the win bet described above. You win money if the horse wins the race but lose all your money if it doesn't win the race.
The "place" bet is when you think the horse will be placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd, although this does complicate on occasions. If there are lots of runners in the race, bookmakers might pay out on the horse finishing 4th and even 5th or 6th. Whereas if there are less than eight runners, it is common that they will only pay out on the 1st and 2nd places.
Ante-Post Betting Tips
It can be a real puzzle of a race, but a horse that looks near-certain to turn up in the Guinness Galway Hurdle is the Desmond McDonogh-trained Hearts Are Trumps. Despite being only nine years old, the gelding has already competed in three editions of this race.
In 2019, he was only beaten just over five lengths when finishing sixth behind Tudor City. In 2020, off two pounds lower, he was a gallant second behind the Mullins-trained Aramon. Last year, he failed to fire and was never on terms when down the field behind Saldier.
Since then Hearts Are Trumps' handicap mark has been slowly falling. Back over hurdles at Fairyhouse after off a long break, he ran an eye-catching season opener to finish seventh in a highly competitive handicap hurdle. Then at the Punchestown Festival, he was travelling strongly and right in touch when crashing out four flights from home.
If none the worse from that fall and getting a decent surface, Hearts Are Trumps looks like he has a bit in hand with the handicapper and could be ideally suited to the conditions of the Galway Hurdle and his connections will be hoping he can account for all the opposition in this year's renewal. Expect a late run with the gelding closing in the final strides.
Galway Races Betting FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive on the Galway Races.
Can I make money betting on the Galway Races?
As with any race meeting, there are opportunities to make money if spotting value in the markets. This meeting is typically highly competitive, so unlike race meetings like the Cheltenham Festival, there are not usually many odds-on favourites. It means that there are many big-priced winners, which can lead to a big-money success.
Can I get tickets to the races?
Yes, spectators can purchase tickets on the racecourse's website, galwayraces.com, where there is plenty of information and content on each day's action.
How can I get to the racecourse?
Galway Racecourse is easily reached from all parts of the country. If driving, Ballybrit is just off the M6 motorway, making it only a two-hour trip from Dublin Airport. At the same time, those flying from around the world into Shannon Airport and Knock Airport can make the car journey in under one hour.
There are regular trains into Galway from all the major cities in Ireland, while buses run into the city regularly. During the Galway Summer Festival week, a shuttle bus runs from Eyre Square in the city to the racecourse and return service.
Where should I stay in Galway?
Galway has many hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts and private accommodation options. However, race week is local businesses' busiest of the year, so booking in advance is recommended and often needed.
Prices will often be inflated during the festival week, so it can be worth exploring cheaper options outside the city. Towns like Tuam, Athenty, Claregalway, Barna, Clifden, Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Kinvara have plenty of accommodation options and public transport links to Galway City. They allow visitors to experience great views and the county's many things.
How can I watch it on TV?
When is Ladies Day?
This year Ladies Day will be on July 30, with the first race beginning at 2:10pm and the last race at 6.12pm. Laura Fox is the 2026 guest judge.
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Eamon combines his passion for writing, racing, and rugby by providing horse racing betting, and rugby betting insights for punters.
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