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Durban July Handicap Betting Sites & Event Review: Odds, Offers, and More

The race (now officially referred to as the Vodacom Durban July for sponsorship reasons) is the greatest, most highly-anticipated horse racing event on the African continent. With a rich heritage dating back to the end of the 19th century, the race has undergone a number of transformations before finally settling on the 2200m flat spectacle by which it is best known today. It’s a high-octane, Grade 1, handicap race that attracts thousands of eager spectators and boasts a total purse of over 200million Rand (over £12million). Read on to find out where to find the best Durban July Handicap betting sites. Read More

Operator Welcome Offer Information About the Bookmaker Operator Rating Secure Link
£20 Free Bet
  • Streams: Available
  • Specials: Yes
  • Form: Spotlight
5.00 ★ out of 5
paddypower.com Full T&Cs Apply! Risk Free 20: New customers only, limited to one per person. If you’ve previously had a Paddy Power account, you will not qualify for the offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Paypal will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy’s Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+.
£30 In Free Bets
  • Streams: Available
  • Specials: Yes
  • Form: Timeform
4.50 ★ out of 5
betvictor.com Full T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 1/1+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 2x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 1/1+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. 7 day bonus expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
£20 Free Bet
  • Streams: Available
  • Specials: Yes
  • Form: Spotlight
4.50 ★ out of 5
ladbrokes.com Full T&Cs apply. 18+ New UK+IRE customers only. PayPal and certain deposit types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account registration at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply.

On this page you’ll get a complete guide to the premier African Race. Not only do we review some of the betting offers and promotions up for grabs at the bookies, but we also check the odds prices and impart a few historical facts and some general info so that you know exactly where to look before you bet on the big event.

Durban July Handicap Betting Offers and Promotions

With no other horse race in South Africa attracting anywhere near the same kind of excitement, you’re sure to find at least a few worthwhile Durban July Handicap betting offers and or promotions. As always, the much-loved best odds guaranteed promotion will be valid, and you may also be able to redeem some of the free bet tokens that you’ve been saving for a rainy day on some of the selections in the event (check your operator T&C’s just to be sure).

Alongside this, you may also be able to find a few enhanced odds price deals. Exclusive free bet offers, bet insurances and extra win bonuses can be a bit harder to come by for this event. It always pays, however, to have a good look around the different online bookmakers before you start wagering to ensure you’ve copped the best deal.

Durban July Handicap Cup Odds Levels

It is not at all uncommon to find some great-value Durban July Handicap betting odds prices on the market. With so many bettors from all around the world on the hunt for the best Durban July Handicap Cup odds prices, bookies have been known to slash their profit margin in years gone by, meaning that you can find payout prices of up to 88%. As always, though, it helps if you’ve reviewed the market before you commit to wagering. Be sure to have a good browse through all the different horse racing betting sites featured here in our review series before you hit that Bet Now button!

The Durban July is known as a fairly open event, with statistics over the last 20 years showing that the favourite hasn’t always ended up dominating. Perhaps a better indicator of which selection is best to opt for is the age: in the last ten years, a total of six horses aged four have ended up winning the race.

Some Interesting Facts

Annually held on the first Saturday of July of each year, the Durban July Handicap betting is heralded as Africa’s most prestigious horse racing events and one of the highlights on the yearly sporting calendar. In 2002 Vodacom, the largest mobile network in sub-Saharan Africa first became associated with the race; thus, the name was officially changed to the Vodacom Durban July for sponsorship reasons.

Event Information:
First held: 1897
July Durban Handicap logo July Durban Handicap logo  July Durban Handicap racecourse view close upJuly Durban Handicap racecourse view
Top Prize: £2,500,000
Duration of Event: One day
Track: Greyville
Weight: Varied
Qualification: Three-year-olds
Bet £20 Risk Free
  • Live streams shown
  • Form guides and tips
  • Special promotions
Full T&Cs Apply! Risk Free 20: New customers only, limited to one per person. If you’ve previously had a Paddy Power account, you will not qualify for the offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Paypal will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy’s Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+.

Every year some 55,000 spectators descend on the famous Greyville Racecourse, with millions more tuned in around the world watching the event on television. In addition to the many top-draw trainers and thoroughbreds on show throughout the event, the Durban July Handicap is also famed for hosting perhaps the most fashionable crowd on the continent. With every year sporting a different dress code, many among the country’s political and social elite come dressed in their finest ensembles as they compete for best-dressed prizes and soak up the festival atmosphere.

The Story so Far

The race was first run in 1897 over a distance of 1600m and was then known as The Durban Turf Club Handicap. In 1913 the distanced was increased to 1800m, and then again in 1915 to 2000m. In the year 1928 the race was officially named the Durban July Handicap and 13 years later the distance was increased for a final time to 2200m, the same distance at which it is run today.

Since it was first run, only a handful of horses have managed to win back-to-back championships: Campanajo (1897/98), Corriecrian (1907/1908), Milesia Pride (1949/50) And El Picha (1999/2000). The record for the most of wins at the July Durban is shared among four different jockeys: Harold “Tiger” Wright, Anton Marcus, Anthony Delpech and Piere Strydom. Strydom last won the event in 2016 and has often been described as one of the best jockeys South Africa have ever produced. He earned his nickname, the Striker, from the way that he’s been known to finish races in dramatic style, coming from behind miles from off the pace to record surprise victories.

There you have it: the complete rundown of all the best Durban July Handicap betting sites! Best of luck when betting on the event and be sure to check back for updates!