Mumbai
Mahalaxmi Racecourse
Royal Western India Turf Club
Home of the Indian Derby. Main season runs from November to April.
Racing guide
Horse racing betting in India, explained
Horse racing is the one form of sports betting India has allowed for decades, at licensed racecourses in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad. You can bet through the tote, where winners share a pool, or with licensed bookmakers at fixed odds.
This guide covers the racecourses, every bet type from win to jackpot, the big races, tax and where the law stands.
Updated By Malik Mumbai Desk
6
Racing centres covered
10
Bet types explained
1996
Supreme Court skill ruling
30%
Tax on racing winnings
Quick overview
- Legal status: Betting at licensed racecourses is legal. The Supreme Court held in 1996 that horse racing is a game of skill. Online betting for money falls under the 2025 ban.
- Where: Licensed racecourses in cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
- Tote or fixed odds: Tote winners share a pool after the operator's cut, so the dividend is known only after the race. A bookmaker's fixed price is locked in when you bet.
- Tax: Winnings are taxed at a flat 30% under Section 115BB plus surcharge and cess, with tax deducted above ₹10,000.
Is horse racing betting legal in India?
Yes, at licensed racecourses. In 1996 the Supreme Court ruled that betting on horse racing is a game of skill, and turf clubs have run legal betting on course ever since. Online is different: the Online Gaming Act 2025 bans online money games, and that covers betting on races through online sites.
Each state also sets its own racing rules. Our guide to betting law in India has the full picture.
Where to race
Where are India's licensed racecourses?
Racing in India is run by turf clubs, each licensed by its state. The main centres are Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kolkata and Hyderabad, and their seasons are staggered so racing runs somewhere in the country almost all year.
Pune
Pune Racecourse
Royal Western India Turf Club
Takes over from Mumbai with a monsoon season from around July to October.
Bengaluru
Bangalore Racecourse
Bangalore Turf Club
Runs winter and summer seasons, with the Bangalore Derby as its headline race.
Mysuru
Mysore Racecourse
Mysore Race Club
A smaller centre with its own seasons, closely linked to racing in Bengaluru.
Kolkata
Kolkata Racecourse
Royal Calcutta Turf Club
One of the oldest racecourses in India, home of the Calcutta Derby.
Hyderabad
Malakpet Racecourse
Hyderabad Race Club
Hosts the Deccan Derby, with monsoon and winter seasons.
How you get paid
Tote or fixed odds: what's the difference?
The tote pools every bet on a race, takes a cut and shares the rest among winners, so the dividend is only known after the race. A bookmaker gives you a fixed price when you bet. Big outsiders often pay more on the tote; short favourites are often better at fixed odds.
- Tote (pool betting)
Your dividend depends on how much was bet on your horse and the whole pool.
Offers Indian pool bets like Tanala, treble and jackpot.
Approximate dividends show on the tote board and move until the off.
- Fixed odds (bookmakers)
You know the exact return when you place the bet.
Licensed bookmakers work the betting ring at Indian racecourses.
Each-way and forecast bets are common at fixed odds.
Bet types
What are the types of horse racing bets?
Win, place and each-way bets are on a single horse. Forecast, quinella and Tanala ask you to name the finishing order of two or three horses, and treble, accumulator and jackpot bets span several races. The more you have to get right, the bigger the payout and the smaller the chance.
| Bet | You pick | How it works | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1 horse | Your horse must finish first. The simplest bet and the right place to start. | Low |
| Place | 1 horse | Your horse must finish in the paid places, usually the top two or three depending on the field size. Pays less than a win. | Low |
| Each-way | 1 horse | Two equal bets in one: a win bet and a place bet. ₹100 each-way costs ₹200. Mostly offered by fixed-odds bookmakers. | Low |
| Forecast | 2 horses | Name the first and second finishers in the correct order. | Medium |
| Reverse forecast | 2 horses | First and second in either order. It is two forecast bets, so it costs double. | Medium |
| Quinella | 2 horses | The tote version of a reverse forecast: your two horses fill first and second in any order, as one bet. | Medium |
| Tanala | 3 horses | Name the first three finishers in the exact order. Popular on Indian tote boards and known elsewhere as a tricast or trifecta. | High |
| Treble | 3 races | Pick the winners of three named races. All three must win. | High |
| Accumulator | 2+ races | A fixed-odds bet combining winners from several races. Doubles and trebles are the smaller versions. | High |
| Jackpot | Set races | Pick the winner of every race in a set series on the card. The pool can carry over when nobody gets them all, and a super jackpot stretches the series further. | High |
Our horse racing betting guide explains place terms and what happens when a horse is withdrawn.
On course
How do you bet at an Indian racecourse?
Get the race card, compare the bookmakers' prices with the tote board, then bet at a tote window or with a licensed bookmaker. Keep your ticket and collect once the result is official.
What to read on the race card
- Form
- Recent finishing positions, read from left (oldest) to right (latest).
- Going
- Ground condition, from firm to heavy. Some horses run far better on one type, and monsoon racing in Pune often turns soft.
- Draw
- The starting stall. It matters most in sprints and on tight turns.
- Weight
- In handicaps, better horses carry more weight to even out the field.
- Distance
- Whether the horse has won or placed over a similar trip.
- Jockey and trainer
- How both are riding and training this season. Strong yards are worth noting at each centre.
- 01
Check the race card
Buy or download the day's card. It lists every race, runner, jockey, weight and draw.
- 02
Watch the odds and the tote board
Bookmakers in the ring show fixed prices, and the tote board shows approximate dividends that move with the pool.
- 03
Place your bet
Bet at a tote window or with a licensed bookmaker on course. Name the race number, horse number and bet type clearly.
- 04
Keep your ticket
It is your only proof of the bet. Results can wait on a photo finish or a stewards' inquiry.
- 05
Collect after the result is official
Tote dividends are declared once the result is confirmed. Winnings above ₹10,000 have tax deducted at source.
The calendar
What are the biggest horse races to follow?
In India, the Indian Derby at Mahalaxmi in February is the race of the year. Abroad, the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National, the Kentucky Derby, Royal Ascot and the Melbourne Cup draw the most interest from Indian racing fans.
01
Indian Derby
Mahalaxmi, Mumbai
India's most prestigious race, for four-year-olds over 2,400 metres.
02
Indian 1000 and 2000 Guineas
Mumbai and Pune
The classic trials that point towards the Derby. The 1000 Guineas is for fillies.
03
Indian Turf Invitation Cup
Rotates between centres
The best horses from each centre meet in one race.
04
Grand National
Aintree, UK
A marathon jump race with a huge field and the most famous fences in racing.
05
Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham, UK
Four days of top jump racing, finishing with the Gold Cup.
06
Royal Ascot
Ascot, UK
Five days of the best flat racing in Britain.
07
Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs, USA
First leg of the US Triple Crown, run on dirt with up to 20 runners.
Read the Kentucky Derby guide08
Melbourne Cup
Flemington, Australia
A long-distance handicap known as "the race that stops a nation".
How are horse racing winnings taxed?
Winnings are taxed at a flat 30% under Section 115BB of the Income Tax Act, plus surcharge and cess. Tax is deducted at source on winnings above ₹10,000, and losses can't be set off against wins. Keep your tickets and speak to a tax professional before you file.
Questions about horse racing betting
What readers ask most about Indian racing, tote bets, tax and the law.
Is horse racing betting legal in India?
Yes, at licensed racecourses run by India's turf clubs. In 1996 the Supreme Court held that betting on horse racing is a game of skill, which is why it has stayed legal while most other betting has not. Betting for money through online sites falls under the Online Gaming Act 2025, which bans online money games.
What is the difference between tote and fixed odds?
With the tote, all bets go into a pool, the operator takes its cut and the rest is shared among winners, so your dividend isn't known until the race is over. With fixed odds, a bookmaker gives you a price when you bet and that price is locked in.
What is a Tanala bet?
A tote bet where you name the first three finishers in the exact order. It is hard to land, so it often pays big dividends. Outside India the same bet is called a tricast or trifecta.
How are horse racing winnings taxed in India?
At a flat 30% under Section 115BB of the Income Tax Act, plus surcharge and cess. Tax is deducted at source on winnings above ₹10,000, and you can't set losses against winnings.
When is the Indian Derby run?
Usually in early February at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, as the highlight of the Mumbai winter season. It is run over 2,400 metres for four-year-olds.
What does going mean in horse racing?
The condition of the ground, from firm to heavy. It changes which horses run well, so check it on race day, especially during the monsoon season.
What is the easiest horse racing bet for beginners?
A win bet on one horse. Once you are comfortable reading a race card, place and forecast bets are the next steps.
Still unsure? Ask our team
18+ only. Betting involves financial risk.
A race day often has seven or eight races, so set one budget for the whole afternoon before the first race. Our responsible gambling guide lists tools and helplines if betting stops feeling like fun.
More horse racing
Race guides, bet types and the other sports on our betting calendar.