Colorado has one live venue where you can watch horse racing directly at the racetrack each summer, as well as several off-track betting (OTB) venues. From Colorado Springs to Denver, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to bet on horse racing year-round.
While there is one live racetrack in Aurora for horses, there is currently no live greyhound racing in the state. The OTB sites do permit both betting on simulcast horse and greyhound races.
“The Sport of Kings”
Starting on Long Island, New York in 1665, hundreds of people from families to single bachelors would gather at the racetracks to bet on horses and see them compete. As the years have passed, this activity has become less and less common.
In the United States today, there are only around 100 racetracks that allow betting on horses — the most being split between New York and California. In Colorado specifically, there are several sites where patrons can bet on horses at an off-track betting) location, as well as one venue where you can bet from the comfort of the racetrack.
Live Summer Horse Racing in Aurora, Colorado
One of the most well-known venues is Bally’s Arapahoe Park Racetrack. Located in Aurora, Colorado, this establishment is a full-service racing and events center. They have two sites where the races and betting on horses take place:
- Arapahoe Park Racetrack
- Havana Park Off-Track Betting
Arapahoe Park is the biggest and most well-known venue because it is the only location where patrons can specifically go and see the horses race live while betting at the park itself. It runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between late May and mid August.
Through the use of simulcast TV, patrons can bet on and watch races that are happening throughout the country. The venue is also stacked with self-service touch totes and multiple windows. There is also an abundance of restaurants and concessions stands at the location in case you’re looking to make a day of it.
Finally, the venue has a well-stocked store called the Arapahoe Park Gift Shop that carries everything from horse-themed jewelry to toys, to clothes, to kitchenware.
Off-Track Betting (OTB) All Year In Colorado
While there may only be one physical horse racing venue in Colorado, there are others that allow gamblers to be placed online or at an off-track betting location. Big D’s OTB at Whiskey River, located in Greeley, welcomes eager horse-racing enthusiasts to bet on their property while also enjoying music from local bands.
Celtic on Market, an Irish pub in downtown Denver, allows off-track betting and even lets patrons watch the races on TV in the pub itself.
The Mirage Sports Bar in Littleton now allows off-track bets in their establishment. They provide state-of-the-art technology and claim to hire the best and most experienced tellers while offering a welcoming and friendly environment for all patrons who enter their doors.
Located in Colorado Springs and open seven days a week, Elevated Stakes OTB at Peak 31 is a full-service restaurant with an East Coast-inspired menu and crat cocktails. On their betting site, they provide videos and information about the horse and dog races, as well as information about their hours of operation and how to get in contact with them.
For those in Southern Colorado, Off to the Races OTB provides off track betting opportunities Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am in Pueblo.
California and New York might have the upper hand when it comes to physical venues for watching the races, however, Colorado has its fair share of nightclubs, pubs, bars, and restaurants that let patrons bet off-track. So whether you head over to Arapahoe Park Racetrack in summer for live horse racing, or visit any one of the other OTB locations around Colorado to wager year round, there are many options available.