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Besides football and horse racing, greyhound betting is one of the stewards of the gambling industry and has been for years. But if you have never tried it, you have come to the right place.
In this betting guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about online greyhound wagering and how to approach it, including:
- Where to find the best online greyhound betting sites?
- How to read greyhound betting odds?
- How to win at gambling on greyhounds?
- What are tips & tricks for greyhound betting?
List of the Best Greyhounds Bookmakers
Greyhound betting is prevalent worldwide, which explains why there are so many online greyhound betting sites. However, while there is a large list of greyhound bookmakers available, you need to know how to find the best bookie.
The best greyhound racing betting sites will have competitive greyhound betting odds and enough betting markets. The availability of betting bonuses and mobile greyhound bet apps are beneficial, but you should focus most on the odds and market quality.
Many bookmakers check those marks, so finding a solid greyhound betting site won’t be hard. But the general rule is to trust some of the most famous greyhound betting sites such as Bet365, William Hill, Betfair, and Sky Bet, which are known for their excellent offer of greyhound betting online options.
Popular Greyhound Online Betting Sites
Feature | Sportsbook |
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⭐ Best Betting Site: | William Hill |
⭐ Best for Bonuses: | SkyBet |
⭐ Top Mobile App: | 22Bet |
⭐ Best for Live Betting: | SpinBetter |
⭐ High Payout Bookie: | PlayZilla |
⭐ Safe Bookmaker: | ZodiacBet |
⭐ Top for Extra Features: | 1Bet |
Greyhounds Betting Bonuses
Betting bonuses and promotions are, as of 2023, available on any bookie you visit, as they’re the best tool for sportsbooks to lure in new bettors. Most commonly, the bonuses focus on popular sports to cater to a larger audience, including greyhound betting!
On most sites, deposit bonuses, Acca boosts, free bets, boosted odds on the trifecta, quinella, or superfecta bets, and many more. However, some bookmakers tend to have more greyhound bonuses than others, so you shouldn’t expect handball bookies to offer as many greyhounds as a racing bookmaker.
So if grabbing as many bonuses and promotions as possible is a part of your greyhound betting strategy, you should consider registering on a site like uBet or Ladbrokes Coral, which are known for their excellent greyhound promotions. But first, remember to check the terms and conditions, so you can be sure that you’re eligible for the proposals.
How Does Greyhounds Betting Work
If you’ve ever bet on horse racing, then betting on greyhound should come as second nature, and you won’t need to look for any greyhound racing odds explained guides online. That is mainly because the 2 sports are highly similar in how you approach betting on them.
But even if you’re new to betting on races, learning the basics that will get you started shouldn’t take too long. Some online websites will overcomplicate things with various ideas of which greyhound betting system is the best. Still, to start making greyhound predictions, you need to understand how to read the odds and which bet types are available.
After that, it all comes down to researching, analyzing stats, and making your dog racing betting picks. Of course, it will take time for you to get good at it, but the road to getting there is very straightforward.
Greyhounds Odds
Reading greyhound betting odds is not complicated, especially if you understand how online betting works and what the odds represent. The only issue you might come across is the format in which the odds are displayed since some sportsbooks like to use the American format, while others swear by the fractional format. In contrast, the majority use the decimal odds format.
Still, you can easily change the odds format on any bookie, so even that is hardly an obstacle you can’t overcome.
But you should know that the offered greyhound betting odds won’t be the same across all bookies. For example, if you’re looking to do some greyhound derby betting, you might see Bet365 price the favourite at 2/1, while William Hill will price the same dog at 3/1.
The sportsbooks compile their odds, resulting in marked discrepancies that see bookies price the same race at different odds. In some cases, that can also occur because the sportsbook is slow at adapting its odds, but no matter the reason, you as a bettor need to be on the lookout for those mistakes.
If you plan to bet on Dog A to win the next race, you should check all available online greyhound betting sites and find the best price to bet on. It can be time-consuming, but gambling with the top odds is the most straightforward and best greyhound betting strategy.
Most Popular Greyhounds Competitions
Greyhounds racing is highly popular across the world, and as a result, there are many greyhounds competitions and tournaments you can bet on. So if you’re getting into online greyhound wagering, you can rest assured that there are enough events to wager on.
However, out of all the competitions, a few stand out as the most popular among spectators and bettors. Here we will check some of them and explain what they are.
English Greyhound Derby
The English Greyhound Derby is the most prestigious classic racing event on the calendar, first held in 1927. The English race features a six-round competition traditionally held between April and May at the world-renowned Nottingham Colwick Park.
Scottish Greyhound Derby
Scottish Greyhound Derby, or simply Scottish Derby, is a 480-meters race at Shawfield and is a long-standing event whose history dates back to 1928. The race features a £20,000, which isn’t the largest winner’s purse, but it’s undeniably one of the most sought-after events in the greyhound racing world.
Irish Greyhound Derby
Irish Greyhound Derby is held at Ireland’s premier Shelbourne Park track and is one of Ireland’s most well-known events. With an astonishing winner purse of €140,000. The derby usually takes place between August and September on a 503-meters track.
East Anglian Cup
East Anglian Cup or East Anglian Derby is traditionally held at the Yarmouth Stadium at over 460 meters. It carries a prize of £15,000, and while it’s not one of the most prestigious events on the calendar, it’s one of the leading competitions for Irish and English greyhounds with an extensive and rich history.
The Oaks
The Oaks (or English Oaks) is another of the classic events on the calendar, restricted only to bitches. It was first held in 1927 and has since emerged as one of the biggest greyhound races in the world, grated it does feature a £15,000 prize pool.
St Leger
St Leger is a highly prestigious greyhound racing event and is one of the classics alongside the Oaks and Derby. Its history dates back to 1928 and is now considered one of the premier stayer competitions.
Grand National
The Grand National is the original classic greyhound event held at the Central Park Stadium. It is one of the few major events that features hurdles.
Greyhounds Betting Apps
Although you won’t be able to find a greyhound betting app made exclusively for betting on greyhound races, many top bookmakers offer their mobile betting apps, which you can use for it. As of 2023, almost any bookie will have a mobile betting app; however, some swear by a mobile website instead.
Although you can bet on greyhound races via both, you should download a mobile betting app, which is far more convenient, accessible and easier to use than a mobile betting website. So if you’re someone who likes to bet from your phone or is constantly on the move and needs a way to bet on races anytime and anywhere, consider picking a sportsbook that offers a betting app!
History of Greyhounds
Greyhound racing we know today originates in coursing, while the first recorded attempt at racing greyhounds on straight tracks was made beside Welsh Harp in 1876. That idea did not stick, and the industry instead moved to oval tracks with the invention of the mechanical hare in 1912.
However, it wasn’t until 1920 that the first modern track was constructed, featuring a mechanical lure described by many as an “automatic rabbit”. The first race in the new park happened on Saturday, May 29, 1920, which marks the official date when the greyhound racing we know today started.
Since then, greyhound racing has not changed much besides introducing new rules and opening competitions. And it didn’t need to as it quickly became a hit among spectators and even bettors, who were able to start betting on greyhound races with the legalization of pari-mutuel betting in the 1930s.
How to Bet on Greyhounds
Everyone can bet on greyhounds, but not everyone will profit from it. So here are our four tips and tricks to help you on your journey as a greyhound bettor.
- Specialize
Many greyhound racetracks are spread across England and worldwide, each with its characteristics. And while you can bet on all races, you should specialize.
By specializing and focusing on only one type of race, you can cut down the time of becoming a betting expert, and like with anything in life, specializing in a certain field means you will become good at it much sooner.
- Don’t forget about the draw
Similar to how the draw is very important in horse races, it’s also essential for betting on greyhounds and should be one of the first things you check when making your greyhound predictions.
A badly drawn favourite is bound to fail, while a well-drawn outsider has a better chance of coming out on top. So if you’re betting in-play, check how the dogs have been drawn before placing your bets.
- The early pace is important
There is a saying, “Early pace wins the race”, and that’s true. Admittedly, some tracks have more pace bias, but as a greyhound punter, you should always consider betting on a dog with the fastest pace. It’s much easier for a dog to win the race if he’s out on the bunny, in front, rather than playing a chasing game.
- Make your own choices
You can follow greyhound betting tips online and use them as an excellent source of information and news. But in the end, you’ll have to make your own decision on what to bet on.
Trust what you see and bet on the dogs you believe have the best chance of winning. Even the top greyhound bookies will make mistakes pricing the runners, so if you stumble upon a dog you think checks all the marks of a potential winner, the high offered odds shouldn’t discourage you from betting on it.
Remember, the best way to bet on greyhounds is to trust your own eyes and bet on what you think makes the most sense.
Most Popular Greyhounds Betting Markets
If you’re new to greyhound betting and have never visited greyhound betting sites, you will be surprised by how many betting markets there are available. Most bet types will be very familiar for those with experience in horse racing, while some might sound unusual for the greyhounds betting newcomers.
But fear not. All greyhound betting types are simple to understand, particularly the most popular ones.
Win
To win is the simplest wager you can make on greyhounds racers. It’s a straightforward bet on which dog will win the race.
Place
To place is a similar bet to the “to win”, but only slightly different. With “to place”, you’re not betting on which dog will win but whether he will end the race inside the top 2. In many ways, the place bet is similar to the podium finish in motorsports races.
Each-Way
Each way is the most popular bet among greyhounds bettors, and, by some, it’s the best way to bet on dog races. An each-way bet is essentially 2 bets in one, where your initial stake on a dog gets divided into 2 equal parts, which then get placed on to win and to identify betting markets.
With an each-way bet, you cover 2 bets with one wager, and while it’s still a single wager, you get paid separately – if the dog wins and places.
Fixed Odds
Fixed-odds betting is a form of wagering against odds offered by sportsbooks. As the name would suggest, fixed odds betting is betting on greyhound betting odds that won’t fluctuate, meaning you can’t earn more or less than what the initial payout shows.
Quinella
A quinella is a bet in greyhound racing where you must correctly predict which 2 runners will place first and second in any order.
Exacta
Exacta is an upgraded version of quinella, where you have to pick which 2 dogs will finish the race first and second, but you have to predict the correct order.
Trifecta
Trifecta is the same bet as exacta, requiring you to correctly predict which 3 dogs will finish inside the top 3 in exact order.
Boxed Trifecta
A boxed trifecta is a special trifecta system. It’s similar to the normal trifecta, only that you don’t have to predict the top 3 finishers in the exact order.
A First Four
As its name would suggest, a “first 4” bet is a wager on which 4 dogs will end the race inside the top 4, and you don’t have to predict the exact order in which they finish.
Lay Betting
Lay betting is a special form of wagering, only available on betting exchanges (such as Betfair). It allows you to approach betting from a different angle – instead of betting on a dog to win, you can lay a dog, i.e. bet against him winning. In simple terms, lay betting is the exact opposite of usual betting and is most commonly used by betting experts.
Greyhounds Live Betting
Live betting is prevalent across all sports, so it shouldn’t surprise you that you can also bet on greyhound races. However, live greyhound betting is not as common as live betting on basketball, football, or horse racing, mainly because the races end quickly.
If you decide to live bet on greyhound races, make sure that you pick a bookmaker that will offer live greyhound odds and preferably have live streaming options. Not all bookies will have live greyhound odds available since it’s tough to keep track of what’s going on in the races, effectively making it more challenging to adjust the odds in time.
Still, live greyhound betting is available if you find the right greyhound betting sites. And if you become good at it, it can also be highly profitable!
Greyhounds Betting Tips & Predictions
Before placing your first dog racing betting pick, you need to know what you’ll be betting on and the only way to do so is to analyse all the past results, look through the news, and get as much information on the race as you can.
It can be tedious, but it’s the only way to find a greyhound bet. But there are ways to streamline all that. Your best tool to get all the needed information in one place is the racing post greyhounds betting website, which is very popular among horse and greyhound bettors.
But if you don’t have the time and the power to research on your own, you can always try to find a greyhound betting expert that can provide you with quality greyhound predictions. Many top greyhound bookies offer a blog on their website where you’ll discover greyhound predictions and previews, but many other betting sites do the same.
We’re not saying that following greyhound betting tips is the best way to bet on dog races, but it is certainly an approach that will help your online betting on dog races and increase your chances of making a profit.
Greyhounds Betting Strategies
There is no greyhound betting system or a greyhound betting strategy that can guarantee you profits in the long run. Even though many online websites will advertise their systems, uring you to download them and follow them for guaranteed profits never works out as advertised.
So instead of looking for the best strategy for betting systems, you should learn from betting experts and their experience betting on greyhounds. And here, we have gathered some of the most important tips and tricks to help you come ahead.
Seeding is extremely important for each race, as greyhounds are seeded on their racing line preference. Unseeded dogs usually run towards the inside while the middles and wides are on track. Knowing where the dogs are seeded will help you make the right dog racing betting choices, so check if that information is available before placing your bets.
Remember to check which track the race will be held on. There are 4 different race grades, which have different rules and seeing distribution, and some dogs also tend to perform better on certain tracks.
History has taught us that dogs with a strong early pace usually do better in UK races, so keep that in mind while doing your research and deciding on dog racing betting picks.
Online Vs. Offline Greyhound Betting: Pros & Cons
Whether it is better to bet online or offline is an age-old question that has never received a clear answer. And even if you ask yourself the same thing about greyhound racing, there is no right answer to it. It all comes down to what you want to do and how you want to experience greyhound racing.
Talking about the experience, offline betting has its advantages. While you can bet from your home and watch the races on a live stream, nothing beats watching the races live with thousands of greyhound fans who cheer on their favourite.
On the other side, offline or in-person betting has its disadvantages. If you want to place a bet on the track, you will have to wait in line to get your turn to talk to the clerk, which can be very annoying. Moreover, the odds can shift while you wait, which will be detrimental to your success.
Meanwhile, if you’re betting online, you can place your wagers with a button, and you will never have to wait in line to accept your bet. Besides, online betting also has other advantages, mainly the bonuses the online greyhounds betting sites offer – which you won’t find when betting in person.
So if we combine the pros and cons, online betting does come out ahead by a point. But you must ask yourself, is waiting in line and the absence of betting bonuses enough to deter you from experiencing a greyhound race live?
Greyhounds Overview
Before we end our greyhound racing article, we will touch on some interesting facts about greyhounds you might find interesting.
- The Oaks, Grand National, English Greyhound Derby, Scottish Greyhound Derby and St Leger are the most popular greyhound racing events.
- Some of history’s most successful greyhound trainers are Mark Wallis, Patrick Janssens, Chris Allsopp, Charlie Lister, and Linda Jones.
- Tims Crow, Westmead Hawk, Westmead Lord, Ravage Again, and Ballyregan Bob are some of the fastest greyhounds in the sport’s history.
- Greyhound racing is very popular in the United States, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, and France.
- Sports similar to greyhound racing include horse racing, Jack Russell Terrier racing, and Terrier racing.
- The most popular and legal online bookmakers for greyhound racing are William Hill, Bet365, uBet, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power.
- Greyhounds come in 18 primary colours and 55 different colour combinations.
- Greyhounds can reach speeds of 69 km/h – which is twice as much as Usain Bolt.
- The fastest recorded speed of a greyhound was 72 km/h, achieved by Maximum.
Bottom Line
That concludes our in-depth article about greyhound racing, teaching everything there is to know about greyhound races and how to bet on them. Now you’re ready to visit your favourite greyhound betting sites and start placing your bets!
Frequently Asked Questions
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How to bet on greyhound racing?Placing a bet on greyhounds is very straightforward, mainly thanks to modern technology, which allows you to bet online or via a greyhound bet app. Choose a bookmaker that offers greyhounds odds, select your race and the dog you want to bet on, and place your stake. It can’t get easier than that.
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How to read greyhound odds?Reading greyhound odds is very straightforward as they’re not complicated, nor does it require you to learn anything new. Moreover, reading greyhound odds should come as second nature if you have any experience betting on horse races.
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How do you pick a winning greyhound?It would be best to research and carefully analyze the race and the dogs to find a winning pick. That can be a tedious task, but it is worth it in the end, so make sure you pick carefully and use all the tools available.
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How to win at greyhound betting?There is no simple answer to that, but if you research and bet with the best greyhound betting sites, you are on the right path to start winning at greyhound gambling.
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What is the best greyhound betting system?Many greyhound betting systems are advertised as the best, but they’re not a single system that guarantees you profits. So if you’re serious about winning at greyhound betting, take these systems with a grain of salt and instead focus on the essentials – research and wagering with the best odds.
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How often do greyhound favourites win?Bookmakers have become very good at setting greyhound odds, so it’s common for the favourite to win. However, that doesn’t mean that bookmakers won’t make mistakes, and only the best bettors will be able to spot them.
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How to bet on dog races online?You can bet on dog races online by registering at one of many online sportsbooks offering greyhound race betting markets. Alternatively, you can bet via your mobile device using a mobile website or a mobile betting app.