Horse racing
TVG Horse Racing Welcome Bonus
In comparison to the sign up bonuses on offer from other horse betting sites, the TVG horse racing welcome bonus is arguably the best of all. This is a risk-free bet type bonus. TVG will match your first loosing bet up to a maximum bonus of $200.
What makes this welcome offer stand out from the crowd is the lack of wagering requirements and odds restrictions. The only condition that applies to the bonus is that it must be used within 30 days and it cannot be withdrawn.
|
|
We don’t think you’ll find another bonus that is so easy to claim and with so few conditions attached. It is a brilliant offer and it is definitely worth taking full advantage of.
TVG Bonus T&Cs
As we have briefly mentioned already, this is a welcome bonus with minimal terms and conditions. It is very rare to find a sign up offer with so few restrictions and the few that do apply are pretty easy to fulfill.
So, what are the exact TVG sign up offer terms and conditions? Below we lay out the key rules and you’ll soon see just how easy it is to get this welcome bonus.
To activate this welcome offer you must place a win, win/place, win/show or win/place/show wager on any race at any track. Exotic bets aren’t eligible for this offer.
As is the case with a lot of welcome offers, odds restrictions apply to qualifying bets. To claim this bonus your qualifying bet must be placed on a wager with odds of at least -150 (1.67). If the wager is placed at -151, it won’t activate the bonus.
How to claim TVG Sign-up Bonus
All you need to do to claim the TVG Sign-Up bonus is sign up, enter the required TVG promo code (200TVG) and then make a qualifying deposit.
Navigate to TVG via one of the links on this page.
Click on the light blue ’Sign Up’ button in the top right hand corner.
Enter your details and the TVG promo code ‘200TVG’.
Make a minimum deposit of $10 and place a win-type bet within 15 days.
TVG Horse Racing Betting
For bettors that wager exclusively on horse racing, TVG is an ideal choice. There is no casino and no sports betting, this is a site dedicated solely to betting on horse racing. Domestically, TVG has betting available for over 100 US tracks, as well as a huge amount of international racing from the four corners of the globe.
Some of the countries that are covered by TVG include races from Ireland, the UK, France, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, Dubai, Hong Kong and India. All the biggest and best races from around the world are on the menu at TVG and they have live streaming from a large number of tracks too.
Types of Horse Racing Available to Bet On
The three primary types of thoroughbred horse races are flat, jumps and harness and betting is available on all three disciplines at TVG. In the US the most popular version is flat racing and the majority of handicapping features are geared towards the flat.
With TVG you can filter races by ‘Start Time’ or by ‘Track’. The start time option lists races by the time they are due to post (MTP – Minutes to Post). After signing up bettors can add tracks to their ‘favorites’ list and these will be displayed at the top of the horse racing betting page for convenience and ease of access.
In the US and some other countries, endurance horse racing is a popular pastime. However, it does not make for a good betting event. These races can last hours and even days in some instances and endurance racing isn’t really suited to wagering. There are no TVG racing markets or TVG betting for endurance events.
Flat Racing
The simplest form of horse race. No obstacles, no jumps, it’s just a straight race from A to B and the horse that passes the finishing line first, wins. In the US flat racing is always held on an oval track and either on synthetic dirt or grass.
The most valuable race meeting in the US is the Breeders’ Cup, though the Triple Crown races are the ones every trainer wants to win.
|
Steeplechasing
This is another race where the objective is to get from the start to the finish line as fast as possible. However, the horses need to jump a number of obstacles throughout the race. Falls are common and steeplechasing is arguably the most exciting version of the sport due to its unpredictability. The biggest steeplechase races are in Europe but the US Grand National is a valuable domestic steeplechase race.
|
Harness Racing
The only other type of horse race that US bettors like to wager on is harness racing. In this type of race the horse pulls a cart that is manned by a driver. The starts are often staggered and it is always an interesting spectacle to watch. Trotting and Pacing are the two main disciplines and there are TVG betting markets for all the key harness races from both America and around the world.
|
TVG News Blog and Betting Picks
This is an area where TVG has a bit of room for improvement. The TVG Horse Racing blog is more of a news site, though there are race previews and ‘Best Bets’ articles where the TVG team of experts give their best bets for a chosen meeting or meetings.
However, bets aren’t posted daily and only certain racetracks are covered. The main tipsters at TVG are Kurt Hoover, Joaquin Jaime, Matt Carothers, Scott Hazleton and Christina Blacker. The tips are given in short video format but to be honest, the reasoning wasn’t exactly that impressive and the tips from the weekend we checked all lost.
The news service, on the other hand, is excellent and you’ll find facts as well as opinion on all the major issues and breaking stories in the horse racing world.
-
RelevancyThe content on the TVG horse racing blog is relevant to the meetings covered but we’d like to see more meetings covered, especially in midweek.
-
ReliabilityThe tips we checked lost but that was a small sample size. There is no facility to check the strike rate of any of the TVG tipsters.
-
Update frequencyBest Bets uploaded weekly/fortnightly. The news section is updated more regularly.
-
Coverage of US racesMost of the daily racing content focuses on US horse racing only.
-
Coverage of other racesFocus is mostly on domestic racing, we couldn’t see any insight for international events.
-
Media formatA mix between written previews and short video clips.
Odds Comparison
It should go without saying that finding the best odds is the key to maximising potential profits. It’s not rocket science; the bigger the odds, the more you’ll win if your wager is successful. That’s why it is imperative to compare the odds from as many sites as possible before placing a bet.
To give you a rough idea of which betting site has the most generous odds, we looked at the prices on offer from two other horse racing betting sites for three random races.
| TVG % | TwinSpires % | FanDuel Racing % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | 109.12% | 110.84% | 111.39% |
| Race 2 | 111.07% | 111.67% | 110.34% |
| Race 3 | 110.46% | 110.84% | 110.93% |
The table shows that for the three selected races, the TVG horse racing odds were best for two of them. However, the prices for individual horses can vary in each race so the only solution to ensure you are getting the best odds is to shop around for every bet you place.
TVG Racing Bet Slip
The TVG racing BetSlip is pretty simple to understand. After logging in, find the required race and click on the horse that you want to bet on. Click on the ‘+’ symbol to add a horse to the betslip and then choose a stake from the dropdown menu or else enter your own stake. Then, once you are satisfied with the bet/horse hit the green ‘bet’ button to place the wager.
TVG Betting Markets
TVG have a sufficient number of markets and bet types available to satisfy every level of horse racing bettor, from complete beginner to expert. All the simple markets you’d expect to find are there like win, place and show and they also facilitate punters who prefer exotics like superfectas and box bets. The TVG betting options are listed below.
US Vs International Racing Coverage
TVG cover racing from around the world but their primary focus in terms of analysis and insight is for US racing. Bettors can watch racing from their foreign countries but for high quality betting advice and good tips, they’ll need to visit other sites.
US Races
As far as racing in the US is concerned, TVG has extensive coverage. You won’t miss any of the major triple crown races or the Breeders’ Cup. The biggest and best harness races are covered too.
|
Non-US Races
Fans of European, Australian, South American and South African races won’t miss a beat with TVG. They have betting (and even live streaming in some cases) from a huge range of countries. However, there aren’t as many markets or bet types available for international races.
|
TVG Betting Features
Being able to bet on horse races is the minimum you’d expect from any betting site. What makes a site stand out from the rest is the extra features that enhance the overall experience. Things like live streaming, handicapping tools and race replays all make betting on horse racing a more pleasurable pastime and TVG has a decent range of extras for bettors to avail of.
-
Live streamingMembers get full access to the TVG1 and TVG 2 racing channels and they broadcast a huge range of races from multiple countries.
-
Race replaysWatch race replays for domestic and international races. Filter by track, horse or date.
-
Form guidesHandicapping past performances, Equibase data and other form guides can be accessed at TVG. Minimum $10 bet on a meeting is required to get free handicapping tools and form guides.
Payment Methods at TVG
Never sign up with a betting site without checking what payment methods can be used for making deposits and withdrawals. Unless bettors can deposit real cash, they won’t be able to place any real money wagers.
We like to see as many payment methods as possible and if there are no fees, that makes it even better. In person deposits can be made at selected racetracks and they are free.
Bettors can use a number of different online methods for making deposits and some of these options are fee free. eCheck can be used for deposits and withdrawals and are completely free. Other deposit options with zero fees include Green Dot MoneyPak, PayNearMe and money orders/checks.
 |  |  |  |  | ECheck | TVG Prepaid Card | Green Dot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum/Maximum Deposit | $10/$25,000 per day | $1/$500 per day | $10/$25,000 | $10/$25,000 | $1/$899 | $10/$25,000 | $10/$25,000 | $20/$5000 |
| Minimum/Maximum Withdrawal | $0.01/$10,000 | N/A | $0.01/$10,000 | $0.01/$10,000 | $10,000+ | $0.01/$10,000 | $0.01/$10,000 | N/A |
| Withdrawal Time | 24-30 hours | N/A | 25 hours | 25 hours | 24-48 hours | 2-5 days | 24-30 hours | N/A |
| Fees | $5 dep/Free W/D | $3.99 | $5 for every deposit | $5 for every deposit | $15 | Free | ATM Fees | Fee |
| Withdrawal Method (Yes/No) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
TVG Mobile App
In the past, five to ten years more and more US bettors are using their phones and mobile devices for wagering purposes. That is why we think it is massively important that horse racing betting sites provide top-of-the-range apps for all platforms.
TVG has not taken any shortcuts when it comes to mobile betting. They have designed bespoke apps for both iPads and iPhones, they have a tailor-made app for Android and they also have a top-quality web app that can be used via any mobile internet browser.
The iPad and iPhone Apps require iOS 12.0 or later and they work wonderfully well. The Android app is also as smooth as silk and both versions have all the same features that are available on desktop, including wagering, form guides, and live streaming.
Geo-location
One of the most frustrating things about betting online on horse racing in the USA is geo-location. Online betting is not yet legal in all US States so betting sites use geo-location blocks to ensure that bets cannot be placed from locations where it is illegal to bet online.
Location settings on mobile devices are used to pinpoint the precise location of bettors and if you don’t have them turned on, you’ll be blocked from signing in and placing bets.
Sometimes geo-location blocking locks bettors out of their accounts even if they are in a legal state. If or when this happens your best bet is to either restart your device or re-install the app.
If you are having Geo-location access issues, follow the steps below (iPad and iPhone users):
Android users should follow these steps:
Is TVG Legit?
Launched in 1999, TVG is one of the most trustworthy, safe, and legit online horse racing betting sites in the US. Licensed in an ever-growing number of states, TVG is part of the FanDuel group, the US branch of stock exchange listed giant, Flutter Entertainment.
Flutter Entertainment is traded on the London Stock Exchange and FTSE as FLTR. Flutter’s HQ is in Dublin Ireland, while the TVG head office is based in Hillsboro, Oregon.
|
|
History of TVG
Since its launch in 1999, TVG has become a staple with US horse racing fans thanks to their television coverage and online betting service. TVG has an interesting history and some of the key milestones are listed in the table below.
TVG is launched
Founded by the United Video Satellite Group as a TV station dedicated to racing.
UVSG Purchased by Gemstar
Gemstar International Group acquires United Video Satellite Group.
New programs added
Morning Line, Fandicapping and Drive Time amongst the new shows.
Cut ties with Churchill Downs Incorporated
Association with CDI ends.
Gemstar acquired by Macrovision
Macrovision, currently known as TiVo corporation, buys Gemstar for $2.8 billion.
Macrovision sell TVG
Betfair purchases TVG from Macrovision for $50 million.
HRTV purchased by Betfair
HRTV services now incorporated into TVG and later in the year TVG2 is launched.
Why You Should Join TVG
So, why should bettors pick the TVG horse racing betting site? Well, for us, the standout features that made us sit up and take notice were the welcome offer and the quality of odds. There is also a great selection of bet types and markets and the availability of live streaming on the top quality TVG mobile apps is another obvious plus.
On the downside, we didn’t like the fact that fees are applied to two of the most convenient deposit methods though on the upside, at least most withdrawal methods were 100% free. Another negative was the low number of TVG promos for existing customers.
However, overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives and TVG is definitely one of the best horse racing sites in the USA.
- $250 welcome bonus with very few strings attached
- Race replays and live streaming
- US and International racing
- Excellent selection of markets/bet types
- High quality mobile apps
- Fees apply to some deposit options
- Limited TVG promos for existing customers
- Blog content could be improved
Alternatives to TVG
Have a look at these sites if TVG doesn’t float your boat:
TwinSpires
FanDuel Racing
Xpressbet
FAQs
Is betting on TVG legal?
Yes, TVG is totally legal in over 30 US states and the list is growing. They full adhere to the regulations outlined in each state and you can bet with TVG with peace of mind.
Is TVG app free?
The TVG mobile apps for iOS and Android devices are 100% free to download. A real money deposit is required to place bets online with TVG but downloading the apps costs nothing at all.
How to fund TVG account?
Fees apply to deposits made to your TVG account via PayPal ($5), debit/credit cards ($5) and the TVG Prepaid Card ($5). Fund your TVG account for free by using eCheck, Green Dot MoneyPak or PayNearMe. Wire transfer deposits incur a $15 fee.
Who owns TVG?
TVG is owned by Irish Gambling giant Flutter Entertainment since 2008 and it is traded publicly on the LSE and FTSE. The TVG head office is in Oregon and it was founded as a company in 1999.
How to withdraw from TVG?
TVG has more withdrawal options than most of their industry rivals. PayPal, Mastercard debit cards, prepaid TVG cards, eCheck and wire transfers can be used to withdraw funds. All withdrawals are free apart from wire transfers where a $15 fee is applied.
What states allow TVG?
Residents of the following states can bet on horse racing with TVG: AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TX, VT, VA WA, WV, WY.