Despite the closure of several greyhound tracks in the UK, greyhound racing remains a popular betting sport with punters who like fast-paced action.
In this guide, we’ll explain how betting on greyhounds works, dive into the types of greyhound bet types, and share some tips and tricks that can help you score that win.
How To Bet On Greyhounds
In most countries around the globe, greyhound racing is purely amateur and solely for enjoyment. However, in the UK (and in only seven other countries), this type of racing is similar to horse racing– they’re both an integral part of the gambling industry.
If you’re in the UK or any other country where betting on greyhounds is legal, then you can place a wager with almost any bookie you find.
To bet on greyhounds online, you’ll need to:
- Find the bookmakers with the best odds and create a profile.
- Make your first deposit on their site or mobile app.
- Find the races you want to bet on.
- Do your research and place your bets.
You may be interested in: How horse racing works.
How To Win Betting on Greyhounds: Tips and Tricks
In any form of betting, winning is not a guarantee and there’s no strategy or trick that can ensure you’ll double your money.
But, that doesn’t mean you cannot push your chances and make a more promising bet if you get a better understanding of how the sport works.
Do the research.
The first thing you can do to get an idea of how to go about greyhound race betting is to watch past performances and follow live streaming to examine the greyhounds’ behaviour. You should consider the dogs’ age, breeding, drug testing, form, and running style of the dog.
Learn how to read the form of the runners.
Knowing how to read the form of the greyhounds properly will give you a head start in greyhound betting. The greyhound form has all the information you need to make an informed decision, including the greyhound’s trap, performances in past races, winner margins, and whether they will run on the inside rail, centre track, or wide.
Always take into consideration the distance of the race.
Not all greyhounds perform the same in sprint races and standard 480 metres races. Every greyhound has their strengths and weaknesses and if you know where they perform better, it will be easier to make a winning bet.
Make the most out of the bonuses the bookmakers offer.
Bookies regularly offer promotions on their platforms, which can help maximise your winnings.
Check the weather forecast.
Before you place a bet, you should be aware of the track conditions in the open stadiums. This can be a crucial factor that can change the course of the race because larger dogs and the ones who are on the end traps perform better when the track is wet.
Greyhound Bet Types
The most common greyhound betting types are:
Win
A win –also known as a straight bet or a single bet– is one of the simplest bets in the greyhounds betting market that involves placing a bet on the dog you think will finish first.
Place
A place bet means betting on one greyhound to finish either in first or second place. You will win the bet as long as the greyhound you chose wins the race or takes second place.
Show
If you place a show bet, you’ll win if the greyhound takes one of the first three places.
Quinella
A winning Quinella bet is the one where you guess the first two dogs with the best performances in the race (first and second place). The order of the runners will not affect your bet.
Straight Forecast
If the Quinella bets aren’t a big enough challenge for you, you can opt for a straight forecast bet where you predict the first two runners in the correct finishing order.
Tricast betting
Tricast betting is one of the most lucrative types of bet in greyhound betting and involves predicting the top three finishers but in the exact order.
Superfecta
A Superfecta bet when you wager on the first four dogs that will finish the race and guess the exact order is called a Superfecta bet.
Pick 3 or Pick 6
The Pick 3 and Pick 6 are exotic bets where you place your wager on the winners of three/six races in a row.
Daily Double
Daily Double is a bet where you place a wager on the winners of two different races, but they must be the first two races scheduled for the day.
Across the Board
This bet is a multiple bet that contains three individual bets: win, place, and show. If your greyhound wins, you will get the winnings for every bet; if it takes the second place, you will get place and show payouts; and if it comes in third place, you will only get the winnings from the show bet.
What Are The Best Dog Racing Betting Sites?
There are many online betting sites for greyhound racing that offer a wide variety of races and different types of bets.
We have reviewed some of the best and most popular bookies in the UK. You can see our reviews here:
Bottom Line
Betting on greyhounds is a popular sport in the UK for a good reason– it’s widespread, it’s fun, and there are many variations suitable for both beginners and more advanced punters.
With races staged every few minutes, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved and win some money.
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FAQs:
What is greyhound betting exactly?
Greyhound betting is the act of wagering on the outcome of greyhound races. These races are held on a track with an artificial lure that is ahead of the racers until the finish line. This type of gambling has been around for many years and remains a popular activity among both straight and exotic punters alike.
What is the best trap to bet on greyhound racing?
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.. Generally, there is very little difference between the performance and the trap of the greyhound.
The best performing runners in the UK have mainly come out of the second trap with a blue jacket and a 17.42% winning percentage, followed closely by the third trap with a win percentage of 17.31%, and the first trap with 17.06%.
What are the best winning greyhound betting systems?
The best type of betting on greyhounds involves analysing the game and creating your own strategy. If you’re a beginner, your safest bet is betting on your favourite.