Ontario Bettors are Now Able to Wager on Horse Racing via Ontario Lottery and Gaming

Posted on: August 13, 2025, 09:36h. 

Last updated on: August 13, 2025, 10:06h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
  • Players are now able to bet on horse racing via OLG.ca and OLG app
  • The OLG and Woodbine announcement comes a few days before the 166th King’s Plate

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is bringing horse racing to a mobile phone near you.

Faber preparing for the 166th King’s Plate at Woodbine, to be held this Saturday. Bettors in Ontario can now place wagers using their phones. (Image: Michael Burns Photo)

OLG announced Wednesday that players can now bet live on horse races across the province by accessing Woodbine Entertainment Group’s (WEG) horse racing wagering via OLG.ca and the OLG app.

OLG is the first Canadian provincial lottery and gaming agency to offer access to horse racing wagering product for its digital players.

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 timing for the launch is ideal – bettors can now go online and wager on The King’s Plate, this Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

Parimutuel Wagering

All horse racing bets placed on WEG’s product through OLG.ca and the OLG app are made using parimutuel wagering — the only legal form of betting on horse racing in Canada. Players bet into a shared pool and winners share the pot, in compliance with Canadian laws.

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.”

First Leg of Canadian Triple Crown

The King’s Plate, with a $1 million purse, is Canada’s oldest continuously run horse race – first held in 1860 – attracting the country’s best three-year-old horses, top jockeys, and premier trainers.

The race will feature 13 sophomores, an overall mix of stakes winners, and underdogs. The King’s Plate is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. It’s an elite social and cultural event, a high-profile gathering similar to the Kentucky Derby in the US. The horse race attracts both serious bettors as well as casual spectators.

The $400K Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on September 9, is the second leg. The $400K Breeders’ Stakes, a 1 1/2 miles over the inner turf at Woodbine on September 28, concludes the series.