TVG

TVG is the most widely available pari-mutuel betting platform in the United States; unlike its competitors, it is licensed to operate in New Jersey. Its origins can be traced to the legendary Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky, although in 2007, the company ended its affiliation with Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI). One year later, it was purchased by Betfair, a Europe-based sports betting giant.

Nowadays, TVG operates as a subsidiary of the FanDuel Group, which is owned by Paddy Power Betfair. The FanDuel Group operates many other gambling businesses in the United States, including several brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and an immensely popular daily fantasy sports site.

Welcome Bonus

New TVG members can claim a free $20 bet by using promo code WELCOME20 during the registration process. This bonus is available to every player immediately aftersetting up an account.

In addition, if you make a deposit within 15 days from claiming the free bet, TVG will give you a 100% match on your payment, up to $100. This means that if you deposit $50, you will receive a $50 deposit bonus. However, if you deposit $120, you’ll get only $100. Both the cash bonus and the deposit bonus count as wagering credit, which means that you won’t be able to withdraw any of the promotional funds until you’ve used them to place a wager at least once.

In terms of value, the TVG welcome offer can be compared to a 120% cashback deal, although it should be noted that the relative value of the free bet is higher if you make a smaller deposit. Thus TVG is an excellent choice for recreational handicappers who don’t mind making a small financial commitment.

Legality and State Restrictions

TVG is permitted to operate in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The platform is also available in New Jersey as 4NJBets.

Residents of most of the eligible states can create a TVG account as long as they are at least 18 years old. This rule does not apply to Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, North Dakota, and Washington, where you must be 21 years or older to sign up with this platform.

TVG does not accept Canadians or other non-US residents. Residents of the states that have not legalized pari-mutuel betting, such as Alabama or Texas, also are not eligible for an account.

Betting Platform

Whether you’re on a desktop computer or a mobile device, you should be able to access the web version of TVG’s betting app using your browser, assuming your software is up to date. Both versions of the browser-based client (for Mac and Windows)  are almost identical in terms of functionality and both support video streaming features. The only things that’s missing from the mobile package is the lack of chat support. Other than that, the differences between the two boil down to user interface, which is more compact on smartphones and tablets.

TVG does not offer a downloadable client for desktop computers. iOS users can download a dedicated TVG app from the official App Store. Android users don’t have that option because Google does not allow gambling apps in the Play Store.

Technicalities aside, all TVG apps offer the same wagering opportunities. The software supports all of the popular bet types, including single-horse bets (Win, Place, Show), single-race combinations (Exacta, Trifecta, Quinella, Superfecta), and multi-race combinations (Daily Double, Pick 4, Pick 6 etc.). In addition, single-race combinations can be boxed, keyed, and wheeled. Please note that the specific betting options will always depend on the racetrack in question. The main takeaway here is that TVG will never prevent you from placing a bet that could be placed at the track or at a local OTB facility.

Unlike TwinSpires, TVG does not support sharing bets with your friends.

Available Racetracks

TVG covers races conducted at 150+ tracks located in the United States and abroad. On the domestic front, this includes all the top US venues, such as Del Mar, Belmont Park, or Churchill Downs. Abroad, the list covers facilities located in Canada, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Australia. Consequently, TVG members are free to put their money on Triple Crown events (Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby, and Belmont Stakes) and other high-profile contests, such as Breeders’ Cup or Pegasus World Cup.

Horse racing aside, TVG also allows its customers to bet on greyhound races. Because of local regulations, this option is available exclusively to permanent residents of Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Wyoming.

Video Streaming

TVG operates a video streaming service, which consists of two live racing channels and a race replay archive. This service is integrated into the betting platform and is available for free to all paying TVG customers. Non-members can gain access to these resources by subscribing to Watch TVG for $9.99/month. Watch TVG is currently available for iOS devices and Roku.

Much like the TwinSpires database, the TVG race replay archive is an excellent resource for handicappers who enjoy analyzing the races on their own. This archive can be searched by date, horse, and track, and each entry contains basic information on the horses, trainers, jockeys, distance, race type, and surface. TVG customers are free to add races to their personal favorites list, which simplifies tracking the performance of any particular horse.

VIP Program

The TVG VIP program is called Wager Rewards. Participation in Wager Rewards is voluntary, so you won’t be enrolled automatically as soon as you sign up for a TVG account. All TVG members can enroll in Wager Rewards by visiting the relevant section of the site or by calling customer support and placing a request over the phone.

The program itself is a simple volume-based scheme. Participating handicappers are awarded one Rewards Point for every dollar they wager, and can later exchange those points for TVG betting credit at the rate of 2,500 points for $5. This rate is fixed, so you can’t exchange 500 points for $1, or 3,000 points for $6. This means that the frequency of your payouts will be proportional to the size of your wagers. It’s also worth noting that your points will disappear if you don’t place any bets for six months.

The TVG loyalty program is not tiered, so there are no special perks for high-rollers and VIPs. All you get is a 0.2% cashback deal. Realistically speaking, this won’t turn any break-even handicapper into a consistent winner, but that’s no reason to scoff at a little bit of additional value on every bet.

Other Promotions

TVG promotions generally fall into two categories: track-specific offers, which are more numerous and which tend to take the form of insurance on specific races or bonus payout pools, and site-exclusive Super 8/Super 5 deals. These are arguably more interesting, as they require handicappers to make one selection in 8 or 5 contests from across the United States. The winners can claim a share of a TVG-sponsored prize pool, and the losers who get enough picks right get to split a consolation pool. Other than that, TVG also has a refer-a-friend program, which allows you to get a $25 bonus every time one of your friends joins the platform and makes a deposit.

TVG members may subscribe to an alert service which will notify them about all new offers.

Banking Options

TVG members can make a deposit or place a cash-out request online or over the phone. The site supports a wide range of banking methods.

• Debit or credit card: If you choose to deposit using this method, you’ll need to cover a $5 fee. Please note that some banks will decline transactions with pari-mutuel betting companies. The list of banks that have this policy includes Bank of America, Capital One, Huntington Bank, Union Bank, and Wells Fargo. It’s also worth noting that this option will not be available for most prepaid cards.
• BetCash: This method is free to use and allows you to use your checking account to cash out. If you want to use BetCash to fund your TVG account, you’ll need to fill out a BetCash form and send it to TVG customer support.
• Wire transfer: TVG members can deposit and cash out via a wire transfer. Wire transfers received Monday-Friday before 1:30pm PST will be processed on the same day. Please note that TVG will charge a $15 fee on all transactions of this kind.
• Green Dot: The Green Dot MoneyPak card is guaranteed to work with TVG. The site does not charge any fees, but the card costs $5.95. This method is not available in New Jersey and cannot be used to make a deposit over the phone.
• PayNearMe: You can deposit to TVG by scanning a barcode at a CVS, 7-Eleven, or Family Dollar store. The site does not charge any fees, but the shop will charge you $3.99.
• PayPal: This method is available only for personal PayPal accounts that are attached to a US-based checking account. PayPal can be used to make a deposit and to cash out, but there is a $5 fee on every transaction. This method is not available in New Jersey.
• TVG prepaid: All TVG members who are at least 21 years old can order a TVG prepaid card online. This card can be used to deposit to TVG even if your bank does not do business with pari-mutuel betting sites. There is a $5 deposit fee.
• Money orders and checks: These can be sent to TVG via traditional mail, free of charge.
• Deposit at the track: Some TVG track partners will give you the option of making a deposit in person. For a complete list, please contact TVG customer support.

Customer Support and Additional Resources

TVG customer support is open for business between 7:00am and 8:30pm PST every day (10:00am – 11:30pm EST). You can contact them via the following methods:

• Email: support@tvg.com
• Live chat (desktop computers only)
• Phone: 1-888-PLAY-TVG

In addition, TVG members have access to a well-designed Support Center, which is packed with text tutorials and videos explaining the features of the main betting platform and TVG apps. TVG also operates a handicapping blog and offers betting tips and free playback of past performances for active customers.