How To Bet On Dog Races
Although physically racing greyhounds is banned in most US states, online greyhound betting is still legal in most of the US. There are a couple of reputable US-based online greyhound betting sites where you can place bets of all different odds on your favorite dogs.
- How Old To Bet On Dog Races
- Dog Racing Tips
- How To Bet On Dog Races And Win
- How To Bet On Dog Races
- Dog Race Betting Strategies
- How To Wager On Dog Races
- Best Way To Bet On Dog Races
In this guide, we’re going to give you the lowdown on the legality of greyhound racing, show you how to bet on dog races, explain how greyhound betting works, and explain all the different types of bet that you can place on greyhound races.
- Greyhound Dog Racing betting strategy. How to win at greyhound racing: (Strategy, plan, tactics, method, system, technique.) Greyhounds have form like racehorses. They peak at certain periods, have good seasons and bad, or if young, may not yet have reached their peak and may perform better as they mature. The challenge of betting on greyhounds.
- Win Bets – A win bet is a wager on which dog will win the race. If you have a good feeling on which pup is going to be the top dog, place a win bet. Compared to place and show bets, this wager pays the most. Place Bets – Place bets are won by selecting a dog that finishes in first or second place.
- There are a number of ways to wager on greyhound races. Here is a brief rundown on the rules of greyhound betting: $2 WIN. Dog must finish 1st. $2 PLACE Dog must finish 1st or 2nd. $2 SHOW Dog must finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. $2 QUINIELA Play 2 dogs, they must come in 1st or 2nd in either order. $3 PERFECTA Play 2 dogs, they must come in 1st & 2nd in exact order.
I hope you enjoy our greyhound betting guide!
Is Greyhound Racing Legal In the United States?
How to Bet on Seven Dog Races Dogs are scratched or removed from races when they can't run because they're sick or hurt or just not up to par. This usually happens right before the race when it's too late to substitute another dog. This means that there's a dog missing when the boxes open. Which dog this is can mean a good payoff for those who know how to play these races. You can bet on a dog to win a race or a tournament, and you can also bet “each way”, placing two bets on the same dog. In other words, you are actually betting half your stake on a dog to win and the second half on it to “place” (i.e.
First things first, we need to talk about the law. Greyhound racing is a hot topic in the United States and remains controversial because some greyhounds are treated poorly by their owners. However, it’s worth noting that many greyhound trainers take good care of their dogs and rehome them once they’re too old to race any more.
Regardless, there are many legal restrictions in place.
Greyhound racing (i.e. the physical act of racing the dogs) is banned in most US states, but 6 states currently allow it and have greyhound racing tracks in operation – Florida (12 tracks), Texas (3 tracks), Alabama (1 track), Arkansas (1 track), Iowa (1 track) and West Virginia (2 tracks).
However, Florida recently voted to outlaw greyhound races for 2021, so as of January 2021, all 12 Floridian tracks will cease to be used. This will leave 8 greyhound racing tracks across 5 states in the US – Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, and West Virginia.
So is greyhound betting legal in the US?
The act of betting on a greyhound race taking part in another state is not illegal in most states – the majority of states allow you to legally watch live greyhound racing in other states and use greyhound racing betting sites to gamble on the outcome of the race. The laws on this are always changing, so double-check the legal status in your state.
So why is there this strange exception to the rules?
Well, back in 2006, the United States introduced anti-gambling measures known as theUnlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act or UIGEA for short. Due to lobbying from the powers that be, horse racing and greyhound racing were exempt from the bill, keeping it legal to bet on horse racing and greyhound races in most US states despite the act itself being banned in many of them.
Hopefully that clears things up!
Best Online Greyhound Betting Sites
If you’re looking for online betting sites that let you bet on greyhound races, you won’t find many trustworthy examples. The best greyhound betting sites are based in the US, have been around for many years, and have a very trustworthy reputation.
It’s not easy to find these sites!
The best online betting sites for greyhound races will have deals with racing tracks that allow them to stream greyhound races live to bettors in other states. They will also be legally licensed and they must pool their money with the physical racetracks to ensure that all winning gamblers get an equal cut whether they placed the bet online or in person.
Here are the 2 best betting sites for greyhound racing online:
Bet America
Bet America is a race betting website that is safe, reputable, and based in the US. The website features a live racing feed, and you can bet on horses as well as greyhound races. You can also gamble in their online casino, play online poker, and there are real-money welcome bonuses for new players.
Pros
- US-based website
- Bet on greyhounds or horses
- Real money welcome bonuses
- Online casino games too
- Wagers pooled with greyhound tracks
Cons
- Some state restrictions
- Live video a few seconds behind
- Designed more for horse racing
TVG
Established way back in 1993, TVG has been a prominent name in the race betting industry for nearly 30 years. This US-based race betting company is perhaps best known for its association with the TVG horse races channel (a.k.a the greyhound racing channel). TVG has a mobile-friendly betting site and decent welcome bonus promotions for new gamblers.
Pros
- Established for over 25 years
- US-based website
- Known for famous racing channel
- Mobile-friendly website
- Decent welcome bonuses
- Wagers pooled with greyhound tracks
Cons
- State restrictions
- Only covers 150 tracks (inc. horses)
How to Bet On Dog Racing
If you want to know the best way to bet on dog races, you have 2 options:
- Go to a greyhound track and bet in person
- Bet online with a greyhound racing live website
Unless you live in (or near) one of the handful of states where greyhound racing is legal, you’re probably not going to get to a greyhound race easily. For most Americans, betting on greyhounds online is the best option. Also remember that betting sites are legally required to pool their wagers with the tracks, so the odds and winnings are the same either way.
Just to remind you – some states ALSO do not allow betting on greyhound races online, so make sure you’re in a state where at least one of these options is available to you. If you’re in a state where both greyhound racing AND online gambling are banned, then you’re out of luck I’m afraid!
How Old To Bet On Dog Races
Though there are many racing betting sites out there, the 2 I would recommend are Bet America and TVG.
How Does Greyhound Betting Work?
So, now you know where to place your bets legally, but how exactly does greyhound racing betting work? If you’re used to betting on horses, then it’s basically the same thing, but here’s a guide for beginners:
Greyhound Betting is ALWAYS Parimutuel Wagering
First things first, we need to talk about parimutuel wagering. Basically, parimutuel wagering means that all wagers of the same type get pooled together and the potential payouts are based on the total money bet on the greyhounds after the house takes its cut and taxes from the pool.
So basically, the more people that put money down on different greyhounds, thelarger the pool of money becomes. The more people that put money down, the more the winners will get back in return. The final payout odds cannot be known until the last bet has been placed and finalized.
Not as complicated as it seems!
Betting sites and greyhound tracks love this system because they’re always making a profit – players aren’t competing with the house; they’re competing with each other. The house always takes a cut from the pool regardless of what happens.
Different Types of Greyhound Bets
If you’re familiar with horses racing bets, the rules are pretty much the same – daily double, pick 3, straight and exotic bets, etc. If you’re totally new to all of this, allow me to introduce you to the main 2 types of bets – straight bets and exotic bets.
Straight Bets
Okay, so there are 4 types of straight bet that you’re likely to come across:
- Straight Bet to Win – you pick 1 dog to win 1st place. If the dog wins 1st place, you win. Simple.
- Place Bet – you bet on 1 dog to “place”, meaning that it comes either 1st or 2nd.
- Show Bet – you bet on 1 dog to come 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
- Across the Board – You place the above 3 bets simultaneously on a single dog.
Pretty simple, right?
Exotic Bets
As the name implies, exotic bets are a little more complex. There are 10 main types of exotic bet that you’ll find on betting sites, though there may be slight variations. I know this wall of bets below looks intimidating, but it’s mostly quite simple stuff:
- Quinella – you pick 2 different dogs, you win if they both come in 1st and 2nd place. The order that they place doesn’t matter.
- Exacta – you pick 2 different dogs, you win if they both come in 1st and 2nd place, but you must specify the order in which they will finish.
- Trifecta – you pick 3 different dogs to finish in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. They must finish in the order that you specify.
- Superfecta – you pick 4 different dogs to finish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. They must finish in the exact order that you specify.
- Daily Double – you bet on the 1st place dogs to finish in the first 2 races of the day (usually). You win if both get first place.
- Pick 3 – you bet on the 1st place dogs for the first 3 races of the day (usually). You win if all 3 get first place. You might sometimes see variations like “Pick 4”, “Pick 5”, and “Pick 6”.
- Pick 6 Jackpot – Many racetracks have a special progressive jackpot reserved for anyone who gets a “pick 6” bet and wins. In other words, they must correctly pick the 1st place dogs in the first 6 races of the day.
- Parlay – this is a series of interconnected bets put on multiple races. If your dog wins in the first race, your winnings roll over to your wager on the next race, and so on.
- Boxing Bets – You can “box” a quinella, exacta, or trifecta so that you choose several dogs as potential winners/placers instead of just 2, 3, or 4. The more dogs you box, the pricier the bet becomes and the less potential winnings you get if you’re right.
- Keying Bets – This is similar to boxing your bets, but you must pick a specific dog that finishes 1st in each of the races you bet on. You could then have a selection of several dogs that finish in 2nd and 3rd place or 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place (depending on the bet). The runner-up dogs don’t need to be in a specific order, but your “key” 1st place dog must be exact and must finish 1st.
Conclusion – Should You Try Greyhound Betting?
While it’s maybe not the most morally upstanding sport in the world, greyhound betting is still legal in most of the US. If you’re looking to put money on the best greyhound betting sites, I’d recommend Bet America and TVG above all else. These racing betting sites allow you to place a range of straight and exotic bets on multiple races all around the country.
Hopefully this guide has taught you your Daily Double from your Pick 3 and helped you to use a racing betting site without worry. If you have any greyhound racing tips or a racing betting site that you recommend, feel free to leave a comment below!
The best way to bet on greyhounds is to know what you are doing. Although this sport might seem pretty straightforward, there are quite a few things you have to be aware of before even thinking about how to bet on dog races and win.
We’ll start by explaining the types of racing bets, the different types of races, starting positions, dog running styles, and how to use the knowledge to your advantage by accurately weighing the data.
It’s worth mentioning that this racing betting guide doesn’t include staking methods; if you are unfamiliar with the flat betting money management strategy, please give our dedicated betting guide a good read.
We’re going to build a solid foundation on which you should develop a viable dog betting strategy. Although it is mostly a beginner’s guide, we’ve included a few pro tips for performing successful dog racing analysis in the last section.
Quickly navigate to your desired topic:
Types of Greyhound Bets
The types of bets in Greyhound Racing are practically identical with the types of bets in horse racing, but because not every punter is familiar with them, we’ll start by explaining the most common bet types in dog racing at a glance:
- Win Bet – This is the simplest of all types of greyhound bets: you are backing the dog that you believe has the most chances of winning the race. The bet is going to win only of the dog you picked ends up victorious.
- Place – A place bet is won when the respective dog wins or finishes second in the race.
- Show – The selected greyhound should finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd for the bet to win.
- Each Way – This is a combined bet: half of your stake goes on the dog to win, and the other half goes on your greyhound to place, meaning that he should finish in the top 3 – although this can vary according to the number of participants, bookies preferences and so on. Usually, the odds for the place bet should be roughly ¼ of the dog’s odds for the win. This type of bet is often used on underdogs, as it can bring a profit even if the greyhound places.
- Straight Forecast / Exacta – This bet implies picking the top two greyhounds in the exact finishing order. It is a risky bet that usually comes at long odds.
- Reverse Forecast – This type of bet allows you to pick the top two dogs in either order. This involves a couple of Straight Forecast bets: half stake on each of the two possible outcomes.
- Tricast / Trifecta – This bet works just like the Straight Forecast with the only difference being that you have to predict the finishing order of the first 3 competitors.
- Combination Tricast – It is a type of bet that allows you to pick the dogs you reckon will finish on the podium without specifying the order.
Of course, the single bets are the simplest and the most popular wagers. However, each-way betting is very fashionable amongst bettors who don’t enjoy low prices. Bear in mind that each track sets the odds for their races minutes before they start. That is why some bookies offer you only SP – Starting Price, instead of plain odds. However, if you want to know the odds before betting, either wager with bookies that make their own odds or wait till around 10 minutes before they start to find out what the lines are.
Bookies that offer Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) attract most punters. This means that if you take an Early Price on a race and the Starting Price turns up to be higher, the bookmaker will offer you the better odds.
Types of Greyhound Races Explained (Distance, Surface & Age)
UK greyhound races have 6 competitors. There are between 10 and 14 races at each track, and they usually take place around 15 minutes between each other.
The greyhound racing tracks have an oval shape, 4 bends and a length of around 400 meters; however, there are different types of races (mainly according to distance):
- Sprint – 2 bends (D)
- Standard – 4 bends (A)
- Stayers – 6 bends (S)
- Marathons – 8 bends (M)
- Hurdles – usually 4 bends (H), but involving the dogs having to jump over hurdles that are positioned on the track
- Handicapping is the lesser common type of race that involves greyhounds of mixed grades that race against each other, with the lower tiers getting a head start according to their category.
Dog Racing Tips
If you want to know more about the history of Britain’s greyhound stadiums and tracks, take a look at Jon Henley’s post ‘Going to the dogs’ from theguardian.com.
How To Bet On Dog Races And Win
The surface is another important factor because the surface of the track dictates the pace. Although all greyhound tracks in the UK use a sand surface nowadays, the weather can have a significant impact on the race since all dog race tracks are outdoors. Greyhounds that are strong in Stayers usually perform better in wet condition – whereas railers might be affected by waterlogging. By contrast track, records are more likely to be broken in scorching weather, when the track becomes very hard, and the overall grip is excellent.
Age matters! Dogs under 24 months are required to take part in puppy races. Dogs between 21 and 30 months are considered to be most suitable for sprint races. Experts believe that greyhounds reach their prime between 30 and 36 months. However, experienced dogs (3-4-year-olds) will generally perform better in Marathon races. There’s no excuse for ignoring this matter as every dog’s age has to be written on the race card.
The grading system is a ladder ranking system that groups dogs of similar speeds in the same category, giving each of them a fair chance of winning: D – sprinters, A – runners, S – stayers, H – hurdlers. For example, the fastest sprinting greyhounds are competing in D1, the next in D2, and so on.
The most prestigious greyhound racing betting competitions are Grand National, English Greyhound Derby & Irish Greyhound Derby. Take a glimpse at the 2018 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Final:
Greyhound Racing Lines: Best and Worst Post Positions (Traps)
The seeding system is meant to balance the competition by assigning competitors to traps they perform best in. These positions are called:
How To Bet On Dog Races
- Rails (rls, pos. 1 & 2) – inside traps, the shortest distance around the track
- Middle (mid, pos. 3 &4) – interior traps, position allows dogs to maintain their maximum speeds
- Wide (w, pos. 5 & 6) – outside traps, favoured by wet conditions
The post position assigned to a greyhound could be an important factor as some dogs perform better inside, in the middle or while running wide. However, this doesn’t mean that the greyhound will have to stick to that position, as they will most likely roam to their preferred spot as soon as possible, but certain punters tend to overrate the importance of the designated traps.
Contrary to popular belief, the key here is to figure out how likely it is for the respective greyhound to get to his favoured position early on. This doesn’t apply for the late speed dogs though: it is convenient for these greyhounds to have a lot of speed dogs in the race because the 1st will slow the others. Anyhow, weigh the initial racing lines with a pinch of salt, because stats don’t always tell the whole story and may sometimes lead the punter to make poor decisions which are based on pure coincidences.
Dog Racing Tips For Beginners & Beyond
Now that you understand how they work let’s talk about how to bet on greyhounds to win. There is much more to greyhound races than people who don’t know the sport might think. Once you start watching dog races and betting on them, you’ll feel the taste of it.
Although you can follow the expert’s suggestions, we advise you to collect information from them and craft your predictions. Here are a few tips for dog racing analysis:
Dog Race Betting Strategies
- Preferably specialise in one or two tracks unless you have a lot of time to spend doing this. Then if you watch the first two or three races at the start of an event, you may discover a temporary bias.
- Get to know their breeds (genetic analysis of racing performance) and age (dogs peak at 2, while bitches at 3) and take this into account when estimating probabilities.
- Very carefully analyse the suitability of the traps assigned to each dog and interpret how the competitors should roam during the race, and pay particular attention to the first corner. Remember that the post position is just one of the elements that need to be evaluated.
- Always inspect the track conditions. Heavier dogs (weight) and those running on the wide rails generally have an advantage when the track is wet. However, if the temperature is below zero and the track is frozen, inside rails become significantly faster.
- Make sure you know how the dog performs in the current grade he is racing in – he might have just promoted or dropped down a grade.
- Check out when was the last time the dog has raced – a 6-7 days break is always better than a month without running.
- Don’t mind the general form, but rather investigate how well each dog has done taking into account factors such as the race type, the grade, the trap and the track condition etc. At the same time, select only the trouble-free races when calculating the average times.
How To Wager On Dog Races
It’s now up to you to discover how to pick dog races that offer value and get better at visualising races before they actually take place. One last tip would be to start your decision-making process by eliminating the greyhounds that have little to no chance of winning. Good luck!