Ontario Bettors are Now Able to Wager on Horse Racing via Ontario Lottery and Gaming
- 13 Aug 2025
- Gambling News
You may now watch horse races on your phone according to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
Players can now enjoy Woodbine Entertainment Group's (WEG) horse racing wagering through OLG.ca and the OLG app, according to an announcement made by OLG on Wednesday.
OLG is the first provincial lottery and gaming organization in Canada to provide its online gamers with access to a horse racing betting option.
King’s Plate
“We are excited to offer access to this experience to our online players, providing another way for them to engage in the thrilling sport of horse racing,” said Dave Pridmore, OLG’s chief gaming officer.
"This collaboration represents an important step in our mandate of supporting the sport and a vibrant, competitive, and sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario.”
The King's Plate will be available for wagering online on Saturday at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack, making the debut time perfect.
Parimutuel Gambling
The only authorized method of placing bets on horse racing in Canada is parimutuel wagering, which is used for all wagers on WEG's product made through OLG.ca and the OLG app. In accordance with Canadian legislation, players place bets into a communal pool, and winners split the pot.
"This launch brings the excitement of horse racing to even more people across the province in a convenient and modern way — enhancing the experience for bettors while driving new interest in our sport,” said Woodbine CEO Michael Copeland.
“It’s another step forward for the growth of horse racing in Ontario. We’re grateful to OLG for their continued support and willingness to collaborate and innovate alongside us.”
The Canadian Triple Crown's First Leg
First held in 1860, the King's Plate is Canada's oldest continually held horse race with a $1 million payoff. It draws the best three-year-old horses, top jockeys, and top trainers in the nation.
Thirteen sophomores, a general mix of underdogs and stakes winners, will compete in the race. The first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown is the King's Plate. Like the Kentucky Derby in the US, it's a high-profile event that's both socially and culturally elite. Both serious bettors and casual onlookers are drawn to the horse racing.
The second leg is the Prince of Wales, which takes place on September 9 at Fort Erie and is a 1 3/16-mile dirt race worth $400K. The series comes to an end on September 28 at Woodbine with the $400K Breeders’ Stakes, which is a race that goes 1 1/2 miles over the inner turf.
