How to Bet on Greyhounds in 2024 [Types, Tips & More]

Greyhound racing is a popular sport in the UK and a favoured betting choice among punters. While the sport is straightforward, numerous betting strategies could ensure a winning ticket. This guide addresses the different approaches to turn a profit from greyhound bets.

Betting on Greyhounds – How to Do It

Greyhound races attract a lot of attention and various types of punters—from professionals playing to win big to casual bettors placing bets for fun. Regardless of the motivation, there are many opportunities to place your bet on a greyhound, with over 100 races each day in the UK. And you can place a bet on one race (or more) at any time of day.  Even though many race tracks have closed their doors in recent years, the sport is still widespread and a popular betting product. 

With greyhound racing, betting is attractive because of its availability. Most bookmakers offer the option to bet on greyhounds through them, but you can also vie for distance betting online or via an app for greyhound betting. 

Another benefit of this type of betting is that you can place a single bet, combine multiple bets on a single race, or spread your bets across different races.

How Does Greyhound Betting Work?

Greyhound racing is a popular legal sport in eight countries. Track races use a mechanical hare to lure the greyhounds into chasing it as it glides along a rail in front of the dogs until they cross the finish line. The dogs race until they are four to six years old.

The most popular way of betting on greyhound races is to pick a dog and back it to win, or you can opt for a place bet—betting on the dog to finish in first or second position. Although the latter increases the chances of a win, you receive lower returns.

When betting on the dogs, you need to understand the grading ladder. The grading office at the track grades each race—different types of races identified by the distance or by the letter at the beginning of the grade. For example:

• ‘D’ races: Sprints over two bends
• ‘A’ races: Standard trip over four bends
• ‘B’ races: Shorter four-bend races
• ‘S’ races: Staying races over six bends
• ‘E’ or ‘M’ races: Extreme distance or marathon races

The number that follows the letter serves to identify the ability of the dogs—the lower the number, the faster the dogs. 

In dog race betting, each time a dog wins a race, it’s upgraded to compete against faster dogs. But the first dog to cross the bend is typically always the one to win the race. 

What Affects the Outcome of Greyhound Races?

The seeding system in races is designed to balance the competition by assigning dogs to the traps they perform best in. (Traps are the metal cages that hold the dogs until the start of the race.) The positions are known as:

• Rails (rls, positions 1 & 2): Inside traps—the shortest track distance
• Middle (mid, positions 3 & 4): Interior traps—best for maintaining maximum speed
• Wide (w, position 5 & 6): Outside traps—best for wet conditions

One of the best greyhound betting tips is to know the dog you’re betting on and in which position it performs best. This, however, is not always a sure-fire strategy; punters shouldn’t rely too much on the designated traps. 

Bookmakers give two prices in greyhound racing: early and starting prices. If you bet early, you can receive enhanced odds at early prices, or you can opt for one of the deals offered, such as ‘best price’ or ‘best odds guaranteed’. If the starting price is better than the provided odds, bookies will honour the higher price with these deals.

Key Takeaways

Greyhound Betting Types

There are numerous types of bets you can place on greyhounds. You can choose one of them depending on your skills as a punter or on the level of risk you’re willing to take. Consider the following bet types to help you choose which one best serves your appetite. 

Straight Bet

If you’re a newcomer to the world of greyhound racing and wish to place a bet, it’s a good idea to start with a Straight bet—also known as a single bet or win bet. This kind of bet allows you to bet on the winning selection, i.e., predicting which dog will win the race. 

Place Bet

A Place bet is another popular and straightforward greyhound betting strategy that allows the possibility to place a bet on the dog to finish in either first or second place. It doesn’t matter if the hound finishes first or second; the punter will receive the same return for both positions. Place bets generate lower returns than straight bets but have a higher chance of winning. 

Show 

Show bets are an alternative to place bets. The only difference is that your selection must finish in first, second, or third place. All three positions are winning bets and generate the same return. 

Win-Place 

Win-Place bets allow you to combine two bets into one. This greyhound betting system lets you back one greyhound to win and bet on the same greyhound to place. If the dog wins the race, you receive the payout for the Win bet, and if the dog places, you receive the payout for the Place bet. 

Across the Board 

The Across the Board bet combines Win, Place, and Show bets on one ticket. Depending on the placement of your selection, you receive, for example, all three payouts if your horse comes in first. If it comes in second, you’re paid for Place and Show, and you receive a payout for only Show if it comes in third. This bet entails more risk, but the payouts are higher than individual bets. 

Exacta Bet

The Exacta bet (Perfecta) is a popular choice for betting on dogs. It requires punters to pick two dogs that will finish the race in the exact order of first and second place. 

Reverse Forecast 

The Reverse Forecast (Quinella) is a single bet that requires you to choose two dogs that will finish in the top two positions. But with this bet, you don’t need to specify which order they’ll finish. If the dog with the lower odds wins the race, the payout will be more substantial. 

Trifecta 

The trifecta bet (treble forecast or tricast) is a multiple bet that requires you to pick three greyhounds that are expected to finish in the first three places in the exact order you specified. If you’re wondering how to win at dog racing, the Trifecta can be a good place to start if you’re confident you can predict it correctly. 

Twin Trifectas

The Twin Trifectas are a variation of the regular Trifecta bet. This multiple pool bet comprises two Trifecta bets on two separate races. It requires you to select a combination for the first race and then exchange the ticket for another combination on the following race. If the first bet wins, you’ll receive the payout, and the remainder of the pool will be divided among those that predicted the second bet correctly. If no one correctly predicts the second half of the bet, the money is carried over to the next race.

Superfecta 

If you wish to know how to bet on greyhounds to win, you might consider Superfecta bets. These bets are popular among experienced punters, who also call them Straight Superfectas. You need to select four or more dogs to finish in the exact order specified on the ticket. The more dogs you choose, the higher the odds—meaning a more substantial return. (If you don’t know how to read the odds, this article explains everything.)

Daily Double 

Often considered the best way to bet on greyhounds, the Daily Double is similar to an accumulator bet. You need to predict the winning selections of the first two races for the day. The bets are collected immediately before the start of the races. 

Trap Challenge

Trap Challenges are also favoured in greyhound racing. Instead of betting on a dog, you bet on which trap is most likely to win across multiple races—typically on the same race track. 

Pick 3 and Pick 6 

The Pick 3 bet necessitates picking the winners on three consecutive races, while the Pick 6 requires you to choose the winning dogs of six consecutive races. 

How to Bet on Greyhounds: Tips and Tricks

There’s no fool-proof strategy guaranteeing a winning bet every time. But consider the following tips to increase winnings.

Obtain the Greyhound’s Complete Information

Before placing a bet, get acquainted with the hound(s) you’re betting on. Obtain complete information on your hound, including age, breeding, and recent racing performance.

Select a Hound With Consistent Performance

One of the best dog racing tips for beginners is to monitor the hound’s performance. If a specific hound has been performing well regularly, it will likely continue to do so. Make sure you don’t choose a dog with an irregular racing pattern. 

Check the Box Draw and Track

Some dogs perform differently on various tracks. Make sure that the dog has adapted well to the track it will run on. You should also be wary of the odds. Check results from previous races and past odds to adjust your bet size accordingly. 

Analyse Running Style

When you’ve had greyhound betting explained in detail, you’ll realise that running style is an essential factor in the dog’s overall performance. Each dog has its own style. There are three different types of dogs regarding running style: early pacers, middle pacers, and finishers. Their styles are based on their maximum speed in the race, but this could also be affected by their trap position. 

Inspect Track Conditions

Track conditions can be the determining factor in the outcome of a race. If you wish to learn how to bet on dogs, remember that heavier dogs—and those running on the wide rails—have the advantage when the track is wet. Conversely, dogs running on the inside rails have the edge when the temperature falls below zero and the track freezes.

Conclusion

Greyhound racing is a popular sport, and betting on it is a favoured pastime for many Brits. But before you bet on your favourite greyhound, learn the rules and get acquainted with the various types of bets. It wouldn’t hurt to learn a few tips and tricks as well.