Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQs
Account FAQs
Wagering FAQs
Video FAQs

General FAQs

Who is empirecitybets.com?
Empirecitybets.com is a pari-mutuel Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) service owned by Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, providing legal, secure and user-friendly phone and online account wagering, powered by eBet Technologies, Inc. All wagers placed through empirecitybets.com are commingled with partnered Host Track pari-mutuel pools. top
Advance Deposit Account Wagering (ADW) is legal in various jurisdictions throughout the United States and worldwide. empirecitybets.com is licensed and regulated by the New York Wagering and Racing Board. top
Where is the empirecitybets.com wagering service available?
Empirecitybets.com can only accept wagers from residents in those states where it is legal to do so as per New York and Federal Laws. Please contact our business office to see if you are from a State where we accept wagers from. top
Who can use the empirecitybets.com wagering service?
Residents over the age of 18 that reside in locations where Account Wagering is legal. For further information, please contact our business office.top
How do I sign-up?
To sign-up for an account, simply click the "Sign Up" button on the homepage and follow the steps under "New Account Registration". Alternatively, you can call the Business Office toll free and register for an account over the telephone. top
What information is required to open an account?
To open an account, you must provide your full legal name, social security number, date of birth, primary physical residence (PO Boxes are not allowed), telephone number and functioning email address, and if necessary a few questions might be required to aid in the verification of your identity. Once your account is opened, you will be issued an account identification number with a welcome guide as well as numerous methods to fund your new wagering account. top
Are transactions confidential?
All wagers and transactions are completely confidential. top

Account FAQs

Can I edit my personal information?
Once your account has been registered, you may change personal information of any item other than the Social Security number. If any change is suspicious in nature, the account holder will be required to provide hard copy proof. A signed change of information form must be completed and signed by you as the account holder and submitted to the business office. top
Will I be able to see my wagering record?
Account holders will be able to see the history of their current day's wagers by selecting the "History" link in the bet queue section at the bottom right of the wagering page. Previous day(s) history is also available in the upper right hand side of the wagering interface by clicking on the "Full History" link top
Can I see my balance online?
Your account balance is displayed at all times on the wagering screen in the top right hand corner of the screen, and is updated after each wager has been placed. You may also call the Business Office toll free at any time to speak with a customer service representative should you have any account related questions. top
How do I make deposits to my wagering account?
To make your initial deposit, click the "Fund" button in the top right hand corner of the wagering screen and follow the simple directions. A deposit can be made by Credit/Debit Card (if gambling transactions are permitted by your banking institution); by Bank Wire Transfer; by ACH; by PayNearMe at 7-Eleven, CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar or Walgreens. You may also send a personal check, certified check, or money order through the mail to Empirecitybets.com Business at 815 East Gate Dr Suite 101 Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. A deposit may not be available for immediate use. Refer to the Deposit Procedures for details. top
Which credit and debit cards do you accept for deposits?
MasterCard and VISA credit cards are accepted for deposits, as are select debit cards that partner with MasterCard and/or Visa and carry those respective logos. All credit and debit card deposits carry a transaction fee in addition to charges from your bank. It is the customer's responsibility to understand their bank's policies in respect to whether your bank will treat your deposit as a purchase or cash advance. top
How do I dispute a miscalculation?
You would need to call the Business Office and speak to a Customer Services Representative. top
Account activity: What does the IRS require?
We are required by law to report to the IRS (on IRS Form W2-G) all wagering transactions paying off $600 or more if such winnings are at least 300 times the amount of the wager. empirecitybets.com will also withhold funds at the standard IRS rate of 28% from wagers where the aggregate total proceeds of identical bets exceeds $5,000 and if the winnings are at least 300 times the amount of the wager. top
How much does it cost to maintain and transfer funds?
There are fees associated depending on the type of transfer. Please refer to the procedures for your particular deposit. Some bank services may have monthly transaction limits or charge service fees. Consult with your bank's customer service representative to find out if additional fees are imposed. top
Is my credit card and banking information secure?
Yes, we do not hold your information in our system other than minor ACH related data, which means you will need to provide the information each time you call. It is very important that you protect your account login, pin and password. Our service is set up to protect your login and all account information on the site. We do this through 128-bit encryption on all pages that contain account information. All customer account information is stored on secure servers, which are not on public networks, and are actively monitored by our staff. For more information, contact a customer service representativetop
Is customer support available if I have any problems with the activation of my account?
Yes. Please contact customer serviceand a representative will be able to assist you. top

Wagering FAQs

How do I place a wager online via my account?
To place a wager you first select the track you wish to wager on, then the race, wager type, wager amount, and then runners. The bet ticket below the runner selection shows you which horses you have selected as you build your bet, as well as the cost of the bet after each click. Once you are satisfied with you bet, and if you have the funds available in your account to cover the cost of the bet, select the "Place Bet Now" button below the bet ticket. A confirmation window will appear, and once you select "Submit Wager" your bet has been placed. You will receive a notice on the top right hand corner of your receipt confirming that your wager was accepted or informing you that your wager was denied. If a line is drawn through your wager in the history panel your wager was not accepted.

Once your bet has been submitted, you can view it at the right of the bet ticket by selecting the "History" tab in the "Bet Queue".

Should you wish to build a bet or multiple bets and want to submit it at a later time, follow each of the steps above but instead of selecting "Place Wager Now" press the "Queue" button. Your bet will then be placed in the "Bet Queue". When you want to submit this wager simply select it from the queue and press "Place Selected Wagers". You have the option to place all of your queued wagers, or pick and chose from your list. top
When do wagers need to be placed?
In most cases, wagers can be placed right up to post time. However, note that some tracks now close wagering earlier. To avoid being shut out due to delays related to connectivity and online traffic, we recommend that wagers be placed as early as possible. top
What types of wagers are accepted?
We support nearly all wager types offered by our member tracks. The wagering menu will virtually mirror a track's wagering menus with the exception of parlay wagers such as twin-trifecta and tri-super wagers. top
What tracks can I wager on?
Depending on legal restrictions and state of residence, customers can wager on all empirecitybets.com partner tracks. For a list of tracks, view the online track racing schedule or call Customer Support.top
Can I cancel a wager?

Once a wager has been confirmed, submitted and accepted, and has left the wagering queue, a wager can be canceled but only before post time.

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How current are the odds that are displayed?
The current odds listed on the wagering site are updated directly from the racetracks a minimum of once every 60 seconds and as often as every 15 seconds depending on the availability of information from the Host racetracks tote provider. top
Can I access probable payouts?
You can access various probable payouts based on the track, race, and bet type by clicking on the probables tab located to the left center of the site. top
Which pool does my money go into?
Your wager will be commingled into the appropriate wagering pool of the host track. top
What happens to my wager when a horse I've chosen as part of my bet has been scratched?
For most wager types, you will either receive a refund or your wager will be replaced with another horse(s) in accordance with the Host track's policies for handling scratches. top
Can I still wager via the telephone?
Yes. Telephone wagering is available through a live operator by calling Customer Support.top
Where can I learn more about wagering online?
To learn more, feel free to contact Customer Support.top
How long after the race does it take for winnings to post to my account?
It takes only a few minutes from the time the official race results are posted at the track for your winnings to post to your account. top
How do I know if my wager was accepted?
Once you have confirmed and submitted your bet, accepted bets are displayed accompanied by a ticket number in the history section of the "Bet Queue". This information can be printed at any time by using your machine's print screen function. If a line is drawn through your wager that means your wager was not accepted. top
Can I view my wagering history?
Current day's wagers can be viewed in the "Bet Queue" by selecting the history tab. Wagering and account activity history beyond this is available in the "Full History" tab or by calling Customer Support. top
What can I do if I suspect that I or someone I know has a gambling problem?
Empirecitybets.com encourages responsibility in gambling behavior. If you or anyone you know have a gambling problem, or suspect they may have a gambling problem please contact the National Council of Problem Gambling toll free at 1-800-522-4700. top

Video FAQs

Is video streaming available?
Yes. Live video streaming racing is available to active wagering account holders for many tracks. If you are experience technical difficulties, please read the section below. top
What help is available for video streaming issues?
If you are using the Flash viewer and are unable to view any race video, try the Windows Media player. Or if you are using the Windows Media player and having issues, try the Flash viewer. To toggle between the different players, click on the "Flash/WMV" links just below and left of the large main video player.

For Flash video, verify that you are running the latest Adobe Flash player plugin for your browser. Go to http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ and update to the latest version available.

If you are using Flash and experiencing choppy video, try adjusting the video quality selector which is located in the lower right part of the large video window.

For more information and troubleshooting tips on all non-Australian racing video, please see RCN Video Help.

For all other video help requests, please contact our business office .

When requesting help, please provide the following information: Operating system name and version, browser name and version, Flash Player version and/or Windows Media Player version, and approximate amount of bandwidth provided by internet service provider.

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