Greyhound Racing Betting

Greyhound racing has been one of the most popular pastimes in the United States for the past few decades. However, questions and concerns over the activity have been raised by certain advocacy groups, which led to greyhound racing being banned from over 40 states in the country.

With that being said, greyhound racing betting continues to be big business, with most bookies opening up odds and lines for it whenever there is a race going on. Here is your guide to greyhound betting.

Greyhound Racing Basics

Greyhound racing is largely similar to other forms of racing involving animals, such as horse racing. In fact, most terms and lingos in greyhound racing were adopted from horse racing.

The main objective of an event is to have a winner, who would be the first greyhound to reach a designated finish line. When it comes to betting, certain types of bets, aside from the usual moneyline wager, are also available for greyhound races.

Here are some of the basic terms in greyhound betting that you should be familiar with.

Meetings

In greyhound racing, a meeting refers to any pre-planned event of a race that will take place on a predetermined racing track.

A meeting should always abide by the existing laws and regulations of the country or state it will be held on. For example, although greyhound racing is legal in Australia, the country has had a history of banning and then allowing the race all over again. After the long process, the sports were ultimately allowed, albeit with a number of restrictions and rules that organizers should stick to.

Distance

Distance is yet another factor that is usually pre-determined before a meeting gets finalized. The distance for the race depends on what type of race the event would be. , or NGRC, in the United Kingdom, has established a range of distances for flat and hurdle races. The tracks can go from 230 but not longer than 1,200 yards (210 to 1,100 meters).

On average, most races are held in a distance of around 600 yards, but it can be longer depending on the venue and the scale of the meeting itself.

Surface

Most of the time, a greyhound race track is made of sand. Due to how easily it can be affected by the weather, the track type has always been one of the most vital factors to consider when it comes to predictions for a race. Some tracks include parts of grass.

Age

Usually, greyhounds can start racing as early as 18 months. One of the reasons for an early bout at the field is that an average of 500 to 1,000 dogs are required by most governments to allow the operation of a greyhound racetrack. The dogs are given a "retirement age" of four to five years. However, due to the heavy injuries they usually sustain, most do not reach this age anymore.

Grades

There are currently six greyhound grades in which each dog is rated: A, B, C, D, J, and M. Grade A stands as the highest grade, and every time a greyhound wins, the animal is advanced to one grade until they eventually reach Grade A.

Grade M stands for "maiden," and it is where everyone starts. Once a dog wins a race, Grade J will be granted, and so on. When a dog reaches Grade D, they must place at least in fourth for four races or they risk getting downgraded.

Handicap Racing

A handicap race in greyhound racing refers to the arrangement of the participating dogs in different starting traps, as decided by the racing manager. This is usually done in order to level the odds and chances for weaker or slower dogs by placing them near the front while the stronger and faster ones are placed near the back.

Hurdle Racing

Hurdle racing in greyhounds is a race wherein there are artificial barriers placed at various points of the track. The racing dogs would then have to leap or overcome these obstacles, adding an extra challenge aside from winning the race with speed and agility.

How Does Greyhound Racing Betting Work

Now that you have a fair understanding of how greyhound racing works, here are the basics you need to know on how to bet on a greyhound race.

Odds

Traditional greyhound races are done on a track where you can spend the day having a good dose of adrenaline-filled racing usually comes with what is called a racing program, or also called the form cards. Among other things, this card contains the odds for each participating greyhound.

Greyhound odds are presented in a way that you can immediately tell how much you can win for a certain amount you are planning to wager.

For example, betting on the dog at Trap 2 has an odds of 3/1. This means that you can win three units for every unit you wager. If you bet $2 and win the wager you get your $2 back plus $6 in profit.

Usually, just because a specific dog is expected to become the winner and is favored hugely by the public, it still doesn't mean that betting on them would offer good value. If, for example, a huge favorite has an odds of 1/4, it means you can only win $1 for every $4 wagered. That means you only have a maximum potential profit of 25% of your wager amount.

Live betting

Live betting on greyhounds at the racecourse is as simple as letting the bet collector know which dog you are betting for and for how much. You get your racing program, analyze the stats given as well as the betting odds, and you simply declare your bet to the assigned collector.

"$1 for Sweet Valentine," if you will refer to the name of the dog, or "$1 for #1," if you will refer to the dog's trap number are the two most common ways to place a bet.

You would then be given a betting ticket which you will use as proof of wager should you win your bet at the end of the race.

In-play betting

In-play betting for greyhound races would have you place your bet after the race has started. Odds and lines are bound to change as the race progresses, and a huge favorite can become a major underdog after just a few yards.

Form cards

The form card is the card or sheet of paper handed over to anyone attending the event. In online sports betting, you can view this any time prior to the scheduled race. Aside from the odds set by the bookies, the form card also contains a lot of information a punter can use to help them decide on the best bet they can make.

Form cards contain the basic information for the race - the race number, the expected start time, as well as a segment for each racing dog with their corresponding trap numbers. Under each table for each racer, you can find the name of the dog, their parent greyhound, their gender, as well as their owner and trainer. Sometimes, it can even include the total prize money they have won in races so far.

Next up is stats of their most recent five to six races - stats are important for all gamblers to consider when sports betting. Numbers presented here can include their win rate, their finishing positions for the last five races, and sometimes even some comments providing a review for each dog.

Betfair Trading

Greyhound racing is one of the most popular markets for traders. While this can give you confidence knowing that the interest in the niche is backed by a legitimate market, the difference between dealing with Betfair traders and with dealing with fixed-odds sportsbooks is the volatility.

Exchanges like the allow pointers to trade and bet against each other, unlike in fixed-odds sportsbooks where you bet against the bookie. Thus, odds and lines on exchanges can change and move in directions at any time. This volatility does not happen when you wager your money on fixed-odd bookies.

Greyhound Racing Bet Types

Like most sports you can bet on, there is more than one way you can wager your money for a greyhound race. Knowing each type can help you decide how you would bet with your money and which wagers can bring you the best value or the biggest potential profit.

Singles

A singles bet simply refers to you placing your money on a single greyhound to either win or place in the race. If you bet correctly, you get your payout and go home with your profit - as simple as that. Here are some of the different ways to place a single bet.

Single bet	Definition
Win bet	In a win bet, you choose your greyhound of preference and if that dog wins, you get your payout.
Place bet	A place bet is when you put your money on a specific greyhound to finish in one of the "places" positions.
Each-way bet	An each-way bet is basically a combination of a win and a place bet. You pick who will win, and another one to finish in either second or third place.
Show bet	A show bet is when you wager that your chosen horse would finish the race in EITHER first, second, or third. Since this is considered the easiest form of singles bet, this is usually smaller in value when it comes to the odds.

Multiples

A multiples bet is also known as an accumulator. In this type of bet, you get to times the odds of two or more different events together. If you win both events, you get to payout by the odds of the events multiplied. This is usually where punters looking to make more money go.

Multiple bet	Definition
Double	In a double, you get to pick two dogs in three different events. Both of these greyhounds need to win for you to have a winning bet and get your payout.
Treble	A treble is when you bet on three dogs o three different events. All of these three picks need to win for you to take home any profit.
Accumulator	Technically speaking, an accumulator bet is a bet where you pick more than three selections.

Forecasts

A forecast bet in greyhound racing is where you place your money on two dogs that you think would finish in first and second place, respectively. For example, if you bet on Traps 1 and 8, that means the dog on Trap 1 neds to win while Trap 8 needs to finish second.

Forecast bet	Definition
Straight forecast bet	The basic forecast bet, involving the first and second place in the exact order. The payout is determined by a dividend that is pre-calculated based on the total racers and the odds of your chosen dogs.
Reverse forecast bet	A reverse forecast bet is when you bet on two dogs but cannot decide which one would place first and second. In this bet, you win as long as your chosen dogs finish in first and second - in any order. his is counted as two bets, and thus your stakes are charged twice, too.
Combination forecast bet	A combination forecast is a more complicated way of forecast betting. Here, you perm multiple greyhounds to determine the first two to cross the lines.
Forecast with the field	A forecast in the field will have you bet on a specific dog to place first, leaving the second place for any other dog. This bet is technically five bets, which means the price is 5x the stake as well.
Forecast double	A forecast double wi where you pick two different greyhounds to place first in two different races.

Tricasts

A tricast is where you get to determine the first three dogs to finish the race. In this bet, a dividend is also determined by a computer, based on the total racers and the dods of the dogs you picked. Your stake would then be multiplied by your dividend.

Tricast bet	Definition
Straight tricast bet	This is the simplest form of tricast. Simply pick which three dogs you want to put your money on and if they win in the same exact order, you win the bet.
Combination tricast bet	A combination tricast is a more complicated way of tricast betting. Here, you permute multiple greyhounds to determine the first three that cross the line.
Tricast with the field	A tricast with the field is where you bet on who will win, but leave the second and third places for any other dog.

Permutations

A permutation or 'perming bets' is a cross-reference between different selections. This is a more complicated way to bet, and unless you know exactly what you are doing, it is not recommended to go with this type of bet.

Permutation bet	# Of Selections	# Bets	Breakdown
Trixie	3	4 bets	3 doubles, 1 treble
Patent	3	7 bets	1 treble, 3 doubles, 3 singles
Yankee	4	11 bets	1 accumulator, 4 trebles, 6 doubles (this is also called a 6-4-1 bet)
Lucky 15	4	15 bets	1 accumulator, 4 trebles, 6 double, 4 singles
Super Yankee (aka 'Canadian')	5	26 bets	1 accumulator, 5 four-folds, 10 trebles, 10 double
Lucky 31	5	31 bets	1 accumulator, 5 four-folds, 10 trebles, 10 doubles, 5 singles
Heinz	6	57 bets	1 accumulator, 6 five-folds, 15 four-folds, 20 trebles, 15 doubles
Lucky 63	6	63 bets	1 accumulator, 6 five-folds, 15 four-folds, 20 trebles, 15 doubles, 6 singles
Super Heinz	7	120 bets	1 accumulator, 7 six-folds, 21 five-folds, 35 four-folds, 35 trebles, 21 doubles
Goliath	8	247 bets	1 accumulator, 8 seven-folds, 28 six-folds, 56 five-folds, 70 four-folds, 56 trebles, 28 doubles

Miscellaneous

A miscellaneous bet is a type of bet similar to a forecast or a multiples bet but is slightly different. Here are some of the popular forms of this betting type.

Bet Name	Definition
Quinella	In a quinella bet, you wager on the top two dogs. However, you win as long as they are the top two finishers - regardless of the exact order.
Exacta Box	An exacta can be the same as the quinella, but the difference is that it can be a trifecta bet that is winnable as long as the picked dogs win.
Pick 3 bet	A pick 3 bet is usually offered only for the first three races in a meeting. In this bet, you simply bet on a winner for three racers in a row.
Pick 6 bet	A pick 6 bet is similar to the npick3 bet. This time, as the name suggests, your pick needs to win six times in a row. Should you win this bet, huge profits can potentially be waiting for you.

Greyhound Betting Strategies & Advice

At this point, you should have a comprehensive understanding of how greyhound racing works, as well as the different types and ways to place a bet on a greyhound race. Now, it's time to actually place the bet. But before that, here are some greyhound betting strategies and advice that you should follow.

Avoid using combinations and permutations

Combinations and permutations are already complicated enough on their own - but what if you bring them together in one, huge bet? You may get better odds and have a huge profit potential but the chances of you actually winning one are slim to none. Many people lose their bankrolls chasing big scores from combination bets.

Hedge your riskier bets

Some bets are riskier than others, and you might not afford to lose a huge amount of money should it not pan youtube as you want it to. To help reduce the risk, punters "hedge" their bets - or bet a certain (smaller) amount on the other side of their original wager.

By doing this, you mitigate some of your risks while still holding on to the potentially huge profit from your original bet.

Keep it simple and stick to single bets

Sure - multiples, accumulators, forecasts, and perming may offer bigger payouts and more attractive profits. However, if you are not sure exactly what you are doing, losing a lot of money is as easy as making a single mistake.

If you are unsure yet, or you feel like you're not yet that knowledgeable in placing more complicated bets, sticking to singles is never a bad idea. In fact, you may make more money staying on the "safer" singles bets.

Use free databases to study each runner

Thanks to the rise of online sports betting sites and online odds sites, getting information about runners for an upcoming race in a meeting has never been easier. There is no need for you to pay someone to provide you with information when you can find useful statistics yourself.

Don't just bet on the favorite runner

Just like in any other sport, the public bet, or the huge favorite, is not always necessarily the best in value when it comes to betting odds. Thus, a straightforward moneyline wager on the huge favorite is an easy pick, but it does not give you the best profit for the money you are risking. A lot of players lose their bankroll expecting the favourite to win every time.

If you will bet on the favorite, make sure to add value to your wager by combining two or more bets. This beats the odds that are often placed for the favorite.

Never bet on all races in a meeting

There are always multiple races in a single meeting, and most of the time, some dogs run multiple races in the same meeting. This would depend on the number of different distances they were nominated for.

This is only one reason why you should never bet on all races in a meeting. Take into consideration that the odds would be imbalanced in some races as there would be dogs who have already participated in other races and therefore either exhausted, injured, or both.

Some races just don't provide any value, and in these cases, you're better off saving your money for a more profitable bet.

Attempt to perform video analysis on your selections

While the race form card can give you a comprehensive overview of not only the odds but the history of each racing dog, nothing can beat actually watching them during their previous runs. This can give you an idea of how they run for the first few seconds of the race (as this is often considered the most critical part of the race), among other things.

If you can find a resource for a previous race, try to study how your picks have fared in their previous runs - perhaps check how they started and how they finished the race, for one.

Stay away from magic greyhound betting systems

When you think about it, claims of a magic betting system or "sure win" picks are often preposterous and do not make sense. After all, if this "magic system'' really works, why sell it when they can make significantly larger amounts of money with it?

Do not fall victim to popular betting strategies you can hear from a lot of people, such as the famed . This approach to betting can only lead to huge losses in the long run that will outweigh any small profit you can make throughout your betting run.

Stay away from "experts" you can find on social media (from , , and nowadays even ) that claim to have "secret knowledge" when it comes to picking the winning bets all the time.

If they claim to have a really high winning rate and even claim to have a "secret" that bookies don't want you to know then that is a red flag for a fake course that will only scam you out of your money.

Choosing a Greyhound Betting Site

Choosing the betting site where you would place your money is just as important as making sure you have a sound and strategic approach to your bets. After all, your bookie facilitates your bets so it would then make sense for you to pick a bookie that offers a good (if not the best) set of odds and lines and, if possible, a good set of freebies, too.

Aside from those, here are some tips on how to choose a good greyhound betting site.

• Make sure your chosen site or app is legal. It must be registered under a country where sports betting, and greyhound betting specifically, is legally allowed.
• Shop around. In this day and age where switching between bookies is as easy as getting a new app, shopping for the best bookie and the best lines has never been easier.
• Choose a generous site. Usually, bonuses and freebies are offered to new bettors on their platform. Try to find the most generous offer and consider going for it.

What Is Virtual Greyhound Racing Betting

With the continuous crackdown on greyhound race tracks across the world, the number of existing tracks with active meetings on a regular basis keeps on dwindling. However, the sport and the interest to bet on it is far from dead, thanks to the possibilities of modern technology.

Virtual greyhound racing betting refers to staking money on a virtual greyhound race. Like any other virtual sport, this is presented similar to a real race, and all factor sand probabilities are randomly determined by a random number generator (RNG), an algorithm that ensures that all results are randomly generated with preset odds put into consideration.

Greyhound Racing Betting: FAQ

Answers to the most common questions about betting on greyhound races.

Greyhound racing betting is a popular pastime for a lot of people, and the potential to make money is there if you follow our tips and strategies.